Bundaberg East
Age and tenure stand out in Bundaberg East: 2,839 residents have a median age of 42, which is 2.0 years above the national benchmark. The suburb is compact at 4.52 square kilometres and 627.8 residents per square kilometre, while 77.5% of dwellings are separate houses. Renting at 40.1% is higher than outright ownership at 32.9%, a useful distinction for buyers comparing Bundaberg East with nearby Bundaberg North or Bundaberg South. The 2.3-person average household size helps explain the mix of three-bedroom homes and smaller dwellings. An ageing trajectory, university attainment of 17.0%, and household income at the 16.6th percentile point to a more budget-sensitive market than higher-income regional pockets.
Local council: Bundaberg
Population
2,839
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,080/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Homebuyers face a practical trade-off between detached space and incomplete price visibility. Separate houses account for 77.5%, with 47.1% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 27.1% containing 4 or more, so the stock leans toward conventional house layouts rather than apartments at 15.3%. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,222, while weekly rent is $285; mortgage-to-income at 26.1% sits slightly below rent-to-income at 26.4%. That relationship is useful when comparing purchase costs with renting, although no median house price is available. Car dependence at 81.2% also matters because transport costs can shape the real budget more than in a higher-transit suburb.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a practical trade-off between detached space and incomplete price visibility. Separate houses account for 77.5%, with 47.1% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 27.1% containing 4 or more, so the stock leans toward conventional house layouts rather than apartments at 15.3%. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,222, while weekly rent is $285; mortgage-to-income at 26.1% sits slightly below rent-to-income at 26.4%. That relationship is useful when comparing purchase costs with renting, although no median house price is available. Car dependence at 81.2% also matters because transport costs can shape the real budget more than in a higher-transit suburb.
For Investors
Investors have a substantial rental base to assess: 40.1% of households rent, higher than the 32.9% owning outright. Weekly rent is $285 and vacancy is 6.5%, so tenant demand should be tested against the exact property, street and leasing history rather than inferred from tenure alone. Five development applications in 12 months indicate some activity, but recent examples include a subdivision and sheds rather than a confirmed pipeline of new dwellings. Rent growth is 18.4%, and overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which may support demand over time. Because no median house price is available, a gross yield or cash-flow comparison cannot be calculated; compare purchase, insurance, maintenance and vacancy costs with Bundaberg North or Bundaberg South.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
7
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
Schools in Bundaberg East
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Bundaberg East State School
Demographics
Bundaberg East skews older and less university-qualified than national benchmarks. The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national comparison, university attainment of 17.0% is 13.1 percentage points below national levels, and the overseas-born share of 13.2% is 8.4 points below the national figure. English ancestry is the largest reported response at 1,162 people, followed by Scottish at 261, Irish at 260 and German at 232. Christianity counts 1,338 people, while no religion counts 1,182. Average household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national comparison, consistent with 40.2% of families being couples without children and 24.5% being one-parent families. The 73.9% stay rate is higher than turnover at 26.1%, indicating more residential continuity than churn.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.5%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
15.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Bundaberg East's housing is detached-dominant, with 77.5% separate houses, 15.3% apartments and 4.0% semi-detached dwellings. The bedroom mix is led by 3-bedroom homes at 47.1%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 27.1%, while 14.6% have 0 or 1 bedroom and 11.2% have 2 bedrooms. Renting at 40.1% is higher than outright ownership at 32.9% and ownership with a mortgage at 25.3%, creating a sizeable tenant market. Weekly rent is $285 against weekly household income of $1,080, producing a 26.4% rent-to-income share, compared with 26.1% for mortgages. Vacancy is 6.5%. For comparisons with Bundaberg North and Bundaberg South, address-level sales evidence is important because no median house price is available.
Mortgage / mo
$1,222
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $285.
$585
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $585 · units $440
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$613
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.5%
Unoccupied
80
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.8%
Couples with children
40.2%
Couples, no children
24.5%
Single parent
748
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the standout employment industry, accounting for 27.1% or 177 workers, followed by education at 13.3% or 87, retail at 7.8% or 51, construction at 7.5% or 49, and public administration at 6.6% or 43. The occupational mix is led by labourers at 209 people, community and personal service workers at 184, professionals at 157, trades at 153, and clerical and administrative workers at 144. Participation is 54.4%, full-time employment is 55.7%, and unemployment is 7.1%. Household income sits at the 16.6th percentile, below national levels, which aligns with an IEO decile of 2 and IRSAD decile of 2. The IER decile is 3 and IRSD is 2, so disadvantage is broader than a single income measure. Healthcare and education prominence helps explain the service-oriented occupational pattern.
Unemployment
7.1%
Labour Force
1,260
Unemployed
89
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.7%
Part-time
37.4%
Participation
54.4%
Employed
1,171
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.0%
Postgraduate
2.2%
Born Overseas
13.2%
Dwellings
1,140
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 81.2% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.4% using public transport, 4.6% walking or cycling and 4.3% working from home. The gap between car use and public transport is higher than in a transit-oriented setting, so households without regular vehicle access may face more planning around shops, services and appointments. Bundaberg East State School provides a local government state-school option; families should confirm enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. A local crime-rate figure is not available, so safety should be checked through current Queensland Police information and an in-person visit at different times. IRSAD and IRSD are both at decile 2, while IER is decile 3, indicating lower socioeconomic conditions than higher-decile suburbs and making service access an important livability consideration.
Drive
81.2%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
4.6%
Work from Home
4.3%
Growth Outlook
Growth across Bundaberg East is forecast at 1.05% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 11.4% over 10 years, indicating expansion that is more measured than a rapid-growth corridor. The trajectory is labelled Aging: senior share has increased by 5.3%, while the young share has fallen by 3.7% and the working share by 2.3%, a clear contrast of +5.3% vs -3.7%. Affordability is labelled Improving, with figures of 49.8 in 2011 and 43.9 in 2021. Gentrification remains limited, with a score of 4 and stage Not gentrifying, although the shift indicator records Early signs at 26. This combination points to gradual growth shaped more by ageing and migration than by rapid redevelopment.
Population trend: Bundaberg council area
Bundaberg East sits in the Bundaberg council area. These are the council area's residents, not Bundaberg East'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 Bundaberg East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bundaberg East a good suburb to live in?
Bundaberg East can suit buyers or renters who prefer detached housing and a car-oriented setting. It has 2,839 residents, a median age of 42 and 77.5% separate houses. The trade-offs are 81.2% car-driver travel and an IRSAD decile of 2, so compare the exact street, services and budget with Bundaberg North or Bundaberg South.
What is the median house price in Bundaberg East?
No current median house price is available for Bundaberg East. Buyers can use the $285 weekly rent, 77.5% separate-house share and 6.5% vacancy rate as market context, then obtain recent comparable sales for the exact street. Mortgage costs are recorded at $1,222 monthly, but that is not a substitute for a sale-price median.
What schools are in Bundaberg East?
One local school is listed: Bundaberg East State School, a government state school. Families should confirm the enrolment catchment for the address, as boundaries can differ across nearby streets. The suburb has 2,839 residents, so families comparing options should also check nearby campuses and current placement requirements.
Is Bundaberg East safe?
A definitive safety comparison is not possible because a local crime rate is not available. Bundaberg East has 2,839 residents and 81.2% car-driver travel, but population size and transport patterns do not establish safety. Inspect the property at different times, review current Queensland Police information and ask about street-level conditions before deciding.
Is Bundaberg East good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking rental exposure, with 40.1% of households renting, weekly rent of $285 and vacancy of 6.5%. Rent growth is 18.4%, overseas migration is the primary growth driver and 5 development applications were recorded in 12 months. No median price is available, so yield and cash flow require property-specific sales and cost checks.
How is Bundaberg East's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 1.05% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 11.4% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging. The senior share has risen 5.3% and the young share has fallen 3.7%, so change is occurring alongside an older population structure rather than a strongly youth-led expansion.
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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