Burdell
An 87.4% ten-year population increase sits alongside a median age of 28, making Burdell younger than national norms and firmly growth-oriented. The suburb has 7,171 residents across 18.66 square kilometres, while household income ranks at the 84.5th percentile. Internal migration and ongoing subdivision activity help explain the 39 development applications lodged in 12 months. Compared with nearby North Shore and Bushland Beach, Burdell is defined by detached housing and mortgage households: 97.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 44.4% carry a mortgage. Car dependence is the main trade-off, with 88.5% driving and only 0.9% using public transport.
Population
7,171
Median Age
28.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,232/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
40
Buyers in Burdell are choosing a practical detached-house market: 97.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 61.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, so the stock suits families needing space more than apartment-oriented buyers. A median house price is unavailable, but the monthly mortgage figure is $1,682 and mortgage commitments equal 17.4% of household income, with no mortgage-stress flag. Rent is $360 a week, making the purchase-versus-rent calculation important. Household income ranks at the 84.5th percentile, yet 44.4% have a mortgage compared with 46.3% renting. Compared with nearby North Shore, buyers should test exact estate, lot and dwelling differences before committing.
For Buyers
Buyers in Burdell are choosing a practical detached-house market: 97.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 61.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, so the stock suits families needing space more than apartment-oriented buyers. A median house price is unavailable, but the monthly mortgage figure is $1,682 and mortgage commitments equal 17.4% of household income, with no mortgage-stress flag. Rent is $360 a week, making the purchase-versus-rent calculation important. Household income ranks at the 84.5th percentile, yet 44.4% have a mortgage compared with 46.3% renting. Compared with nearby North Shore, buyers should test exact estate, lot and dwelling differences before committing.
For Investors
Rental demand has a sizeable base, with 46.3% renting and rent at $360 a week. Vacancy is 6.6%, a level that can give tenants more choice than in tightly constrained markets, so investors should not assume automatic rent growth. The 39 development applications in 12 months may add competing stock while Burdell remains a New development area. Growth is forecast at 3.53% annually, driven by internal migration, but rent growth is only 0.5%. Compare expected yield with the $1,682 monthly mortgage figure and allow for rates, insurance, land tax and maintenance. Compared with established Townsville suburbs, the case relies more on expansion and tenant absorption than scarcity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
40
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 Burdell
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Clare's Catholic School (Burdell)
Bohlevale State School
North Shore State School
Demographics
Burdell's 7,171 residents have a median age of 28, which is 12 years below the national comparison, although the forecast trajectory is Aging. Families are prominent: couples with children make up 51.1% of families, average household size is 2.8, and 61.6% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. English ancestry is recorded for 2,928 people, followed by Scottish at 718. No religion counts 3,377 residents versus 3,123 for Christianity. Overseas-born residents are 12.9%, 8.7 points below the national comparison, while university participation is 27.4%, 2.7 points below national levels. Compared with nearby North Shore, the family profile and ageing shift make future service planning important.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.2%
Houses
2.8%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates Burdell, with 97.2% separate houses and 2.8% semi-detached dwellings. Larger formats are common: 61.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, 34.1% have 3 bedrooms and 3.8% have 2 bedrooms. Tenure is split between 44.4% mortgage holders and 46.3% renters, while only 8.5% own outright, indicating a newer, still-financing housing base because development is ongoing. Rent is $360 weekly and the mortgage figure is $1,682 monthly; mortgage-to-income is 17.4% and rent-to-income is 16.1%. Compared with nearby North Shore, purchasers should compare estate age, lot size and maintenance exposure rather than rely on an unavailable suburb-wide median.
Mortgage / mo
$1,682
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $360.
$600
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $600
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,120
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
168
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.1%
Couples with children
34.1%
Couples, no children
13.3%
Single parent
1,951
Total families
Economy & Employment
Household income ranks at the 84.5th percentile, helping explain why mortgage-to-income is 17.4% and rent-to-income is 16.1%. Employment is also substantial: participation is 77.4%, unemployment is 3.3% and full-time work accounts for 66.7% of employed residents. Healthcare leads industries at 21.9% and 568 workers, followed by Public Administration at 21.1% and 547, Education at 12.1% and 313, Construction at 7.5% and 195, and Retail at 5.7% and 149. Occupations include Community/Personal work at 781 people, Professionals at 771 and Trades at 596. Compared with national education patterns, the university share is 27.4%, 2.7 points lower. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 5, IER decile 8, IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 6, suggesting household resources exceed education and occupation advantage.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
4,035
Unemployed
132
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.7%
Part-time
25.7%
Participation
77.4%
Employed
3,903
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.4%
Postgraduate
4.7%
Born Overseas
12.9%
Dwellings
2,394
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 88.5% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.9% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling. That matters because access to work, shops and services is less flexible for households without a vehicle. Three nearby schools provide a mix of Catholic and government sectors, including state and non-state types, so families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Burdell has 7,171 residents, an average household size of 2.8 and a volunteering rate of 11.2%, supporting a family-oriented daily rhythm. SEIFA IRSAD is decile 6 and IRSD is decile 8, both above the midpoint. Check current Queensland Police incident information and inspect lighting and traffic around the exact property, as a suburb-specific crime rate is unavailable. Compared with transit-oriented suburbs, Burdell's trade-off is car access versus walkability.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
4.6%
Population Forecast
+3.53%/yr
(+784 people/yr)
High GrowthBurdell is in a high-growth phase, with forecast annual growth of 3.53% and population change across the wider area of 87.4% over 10 years. Internal migration is the primary driver, while the shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share rising 3.1 points and the young share falling 1.7 points. Gentrification is not the main story: the forecast stage is New development with a score of 0. The combination points to estate expansion and incoming households rather than renovation-led change. Affordability is labelled Improving, with values of 43.2 in 2011 and 34.9 in 2021; real income growth is 1.4% and rent growth is 0.5%. Compared with slower-growing established suburbs, Burdell's 3.53% trend makes infrastructure delivery and housing absorption important.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+71
Net Internal / yr
+252
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Burdell compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burdell a good suburb to live in?
Burdell can suit households wanting newer detached housing, space and access to a growing northern Townsville area. About 97.2% of dwellings are separate houses, 61.6% have 4 or more bedrooms and the median age is 28, which is 12 years below the national comparison. The trade-off is car dependence, with 88.5% driving and 0.9% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Burdell?
A current median house price is not available for Burdell, so buyers should compare recent settled sales by estate, lot size and bedroom count rather than rely on a single suburb figure. The housing mix is 97.2% separate houses, while the mortgage figure is $1,682 per month and rent is $360 per week. These figures help frame affordability but do not replace sale evidence.
What schools are in Burdell?
Three schools serve Burdell and the surrounding North Shore area, with Catholic and government sectors represented across state and non-state school types. Families should confirm the catchment for the exact address because enrolment boundaries can differ between estates. School access is especially relevant where 51.1% of families are couples with children and 61.6% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms.
Is Burdell safe?
Safety should be checked using current Queensland Police incident information and at street level because a suburb-specific crime rate is not available. Burdell has 7,171 residents and 4.5% report needing assistance, but those figures do not establish crime risk. Inspect lighting, traffic conditions and evening activity around the exact property before deciding.
Is Burdell good for property investment?
Burdell may suit investors seeking a high-growth, rental-oriented market, but the numbers call for conservative modelling. Renting is 46.3%, vacancy is 6.6% and weekly rent is $360, while 39 development applications in 12 months may add competing stock. Forecast growth is 3.53% annually, driven by internal migration, but rent growth is only 0.5%. Compare yield with the $1,682 monthly mortgage figure.
How is Burdell's population changing?
Burdell's population is 7,171 today, and the wider-area forecast records 87.4% population change over 10 years. Annual growth is forecast at 3.53%, with internal migration the primary driver. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 3.1 points while the young share is down 1.7 points. Growth is continuing, but the household mix may gradually mature.
What development is occurring in Burdell?
Development remains central to Burdell's outlook, with 39 applications recorded over 12 months and the forecast gentrification stage labelled New development with a score of 0. Subdivision activity can expand housing supply and support internal migration, but it can also create competition between newer listings. Buyers should check construction timing, estate completion, drainage and services, while investors should test vacancy at 6.6% and rent at $360 a week.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Burdell on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map