Bucca
At 5.7 people per square kilometre, Bucca combines a population of 1,063 with a distinctly older profile: the median age is 47, or 7 years above the national comparison. The housing stock is 96.9% separate houses, while 12.0% vacancy points to a less tightly occupied setting. Compared with nearby Moore Park Beach and Bundaberg North, Bucca reads as a more rural, low-density choice, with 82.7% of residents driving and only 1.2% walking or cycling. Its 43.2% outright ownership also signals an established base rather than a highly transient market.
Local council: Bundaberg
Population
1,063
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,281/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Bucca suits buyers prioritising detached housing and manageable holding costs, but recent comparable sales should carry more weight than a suburb-wide headline estimate. Monthly mortgage repayments are $1,213, and mortgage stress is not flagged with repayments at 21.9% of household income. Ownership is split between 43.2% outright owners and 43.5% mortgage holders, while 96.9% of dwellings are separate houses. Compared with apartment-oriented locations, the choice is narrower but more consistently house-based because detached stock dominates. The 42.0% share of three-bedroom homes and 33.0% with four or more bedrooms support family-oriented searches, although buyers should inspect access, maintenance and resale depth carefully.
For Buyers
Bucca suits buyers prioritising detached housing and manageable holding costs, but recent comparable sales should carry more weight than a suburb-wide headline estimate. Monthly mortgage repayments are $1,213, and mortgage stress is not flagged with repayments at 21.9% of household income. Ownership is split between 43.2% outright owners and 43.5% mortgage holders, while 96.9% of dwellings are separate houses. Compared with apartment-oriented locations, the choice is narrower but more consistently house-based because detached stock dominates. The 42.0% share of three-bedroom homes and 33.0% with four or more bedrooms support family-oriented searches, although buyers should inspect access, maintenance and resale depth carefully.
For Investors
Bucca's rental case is defined by low renter penetration and a high vacancy rate. Only 8.4% of households rent, while vacancy is 12.0% and weekly rent is $260. That combination can weaken tenant competition because most residents are owners, so an investor should stress-test longer letting periods rather than assume constant occupancy. Compared with lower-vacancy markets, the rental strategy carries more leasing risk even when the weekly rent appears accessible. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, and the annual trend is 0.84%, which is steadier than a rapid-growth profile. Just 2 development applications were recorded over 12 months, limiting the visible construction pipeline but not removing site-specific approval risk.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Bucca's demographic signature is older and less university-qualified than the national comparison. The median age is 47, or 7 years above national, while 13.3% hold a university qualification, 16.8 percentage points below the national figure. The average household has 2.7 people, just 0.2 above the national comparison, and 78.2% stayed at the same address, indicating strong residential continuity because turnover is only 21.8%. English ancestry is reported by 434 people, followed by Scottish at 107, Irish at 98 and German at 87. Christianity accounts for 447 people and no religion for 435, a near-even split. Compared with newer migrant-oriented areas, overseas-born residents are 12.7%, 8.9 points below national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.9%
Houses
2.2%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Bucca's housing is overwhelmingly detached: 96.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 2.2% are semi-detached. The bedroom mix is practical, with 42.0% three-bedroom homes and 33.0% containing four or more bedrooms, while 16.1% have two bedrooms and 8.9% have zero or one. Tenure is split almost evenly between outright owners at 43.2% and mortgage holders at 43.5%; only 8.4% rent. Compared with apartment-heavy suburbs, this points to lower-density living and fewer compact options because land-based housing dominates. Mortgage-to-income is 21.9% and rent-to-income is 20.3%, with neither stress flag active. The affordability measure moved from 52.5 in 2011 to 54.2 in 2021, a higher reading than before.
Mortgage / mo
$1,213
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $260.
$585
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $585 · units $440
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$574
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.0%
Unoccupied
48
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.4%
Couples with children
48.4%
Couples, no children
11.1%
Single parent
287
Total families
Economy & Employment
Bucca's employment base is led by healthcare at 28.2% of industry employment, or 59 jobs, followed by agriculture at 13.4% and 28, education at 12.0% and 25, construction at 10.0% and 21, and mining at 6.2% and 13. The occupation mix supports that spread: labourers number 75, community and personal service workers 60, trades 59, managers 56 and machinery or drivers 48. Participation is 49.7%, unemployment is 6.3%, and full-time work is 60.7%. Household income is $1,281 weekly, ranking at the 29.4th percentile, below higher-income regional benchmarks. Compared with a single-industry town, healthcare, agriculture and construction provide more than one employment channel, although the income percentile suggests limited spending power.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
445
Unemployed
28
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.7%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
49.7%
Employed
417
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.3%
Postgraduate
0.8%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
358
Transport to Work
Bucca's livability is shaped by space, driving and a small community base. Density is 5.7 people per square kilometre across 186.47 square kilometres, and 82.7% of residents travel as car drivers, so private-vehicle access matters more than in denser, transit-oriented suburbs. Only 1.2% walk or cycle to work, while 12.1% work from home, making broadband and home workspace practical considerations. Volunteering is 14.5% and 8.2% of residents need assistance, or 77 people, which points to both community participation and support-service needs. Families should check nearby school travel times and enrolment zones against the exact address. Compared with a compact urban suburb, Bucca is quieter in form but more dependent on car access.
Drive
82.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
12.1%
Growth Outlook
Bucca's growth outlook is measured rather than expansionary. The annual trend is 0.84%, with internal migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change over 10 years is 10.5%, but the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 7.1 percentage points while the young share has fallen 2.5 points. That pattern matters because demand is more likely to favour established housing and services than rapid family-market turnover. Gentrification is scored at 14, with stage Not gentrifying, which is lower and less active than a redevelopment-led location. A separate shift indicator is 48 with an Active stage, so the combined picture is demographic change without a clear gentrification profile.
Population trend: Bundaberg council area
Bucca sits in the Bundaberg council area. These are the council area's residents, not Bucca's.
Residents 2025
107,297
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bucca compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bucca a good suburb to live in?
Bucca may suit residents who value space, detached housing and a quieter setting. It has 1,063 residents, a density of 5.7 people per square kilometre and 96.9% separate houses. Compared with denser suburbs, daily life is more car-dependent because 82.7% drive and only 1.2% walk or cycle.
What is the median house price in Bucca?
There is no dependable suburb-wide median house price to quote for Bucca. Buyers should compare recent sales by land size, condition and bedrooms. The housing profile is 96.9% separate houses, with 42.0% three-bedroom and 33.0% four-plus-bedroom homes, which helps establish like-for-like comparisons.
What schools are in Bucca?
School access should be checked against the exact Bucca address because enrolment zones and travel routes can extend beyond the suburb. Families should compare nearby primary and secondary options, transport times and sector preferences. The average local household size is 2.7 people, so household needs can vary considerably.
Is Bucca safe?
A current safety decision should rely on recent Queensland Police incident information and an inspection of the exact road at different times. Bucca has 1,063 residents spread across 186.47 square kilometres, so conditions can differ between rural properties. Check lighting, road access, emergency response and service coverage before committing.
Is Bucca good for property investment?
Bucca requires a cautious rental strategy. Weekly rent is $260, but vacancy is 12.0% and only 8.4% of households rent, which can mean slower tenant absorption than in lower-vacancy markets. The annual growth trend is 0.84%, internal migration is the main driver and 2 development applications were recorded over 12 months.
How is Bucca's population changing?
Bucca's population is 1,063 today, while the wider-area 10-year population change is 10.5%. The annual growth trend is 0.84% and internal migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 7.1 percentage points and the young share down 2.5 points.
What is the rental market like in Bucca?
Weekly rent is $260, but vacancy is 12.0% and only 8.4% of households rent. That combination can give tenants more choice than in tightly occupied suburbs, while landlords should allow for slower letting periods. With 96.9% separate houses, available rental stock is predominantly detached rather than apartment-based.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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