QLD 4510 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Caboolture

Caboolture’s most distinctive feature is its combination of scale and lower-income, detached-house character: 29,534 residents, 77.5% separate houses and 43.9% four-bedroom-plus dwellings. At age 36, the suburb is 4 years younger than the national comparison, yet its trajectory is ageing because the senior share has risen 5.2 percentage points and the young share has fallen 2.3 points. Household income sits at the 31.3rd percentile, while overseas-born residents account for 19.0%, 2.6 points below the national figure. Compared with nearby Morayfield, Caboolture reads as the more established, space-led choice for households weighing family housing against a 43.0% renting share.

Caboolture urban fabric map

Population

29,534

Median Age

36.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,310/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

232

68.53 km²· 431 people/km²· Family income $1,553/wk

Caboolture suits buyers who prioritise detached space, but the current median sale price is not available, so affordability should be tested against recent comparable sales rather than assumed. Separate houses make up 77.5% of stock, with 43.9% containing 4 or more bedrooms and another 37.0% containing 3 bedrooms, making the housing mix more family-oriented than an apartment-heavy market. A typical mortgage payment is $1,561 monthly, equal to 27.5% of household income, while rent is $310 weekly or 23.7% of income. Both ratios are below the 34.4% mortgage-tenure share. Buyers comparing Caboolture with nearby Morayfield should check land size, flood exposure and exact sales evidence because suburb-wide pricing can hide street-level differences.

For Buyers

Caboolture suits buyers who prioritise detached space, but the current median sale price is not available, so affordability should be tested against recent comparable sales rather than assumed. Separate houses make up 77.5% of stock, with 43.9% containing 4 or more bedrooms and another 37.0% containing 3 bedrooms, making the housing mix more family-oriented than an apartment-heavy market. A typical mortgage payment is $1,561 monthly, equal to 27.5% of household income, while rent is $310 weekly or 23.7% of income. Both ratios are below the 34.4% mortgage-tenure share. Buyers comparing Caboolture with nearby Morayfield should check land size, flood exposure and exact sales evidence because suburb-wide pricing can hide street-level differences.

For Investors

Caboolture has a substantial tenant base, with 43.0% of households renting, higher than the 34.4% paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $310 and vacancy is 5.9%, giving investors a starting point for testing yield, leasing time and holding costs rather than relying on gross rent alone. There were 235 development applications in the past 12 months, so new supply and construction timing deserve close review. Rent growth has reached 12.5%, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which can support rental demand because incoming households often lease before buying. The counterweight is a 7.7% unemployment rate and a household-income percentile of 31.3, pointing to a tenant pool that is more price-sensitive than higher-income markets. Compare individual streets and dwelling condition, especially where detached stock dominates at 77.5%.

Development Activity

Total DAs

527

Last 12 Months

232

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+13.2%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
124
Change of Use
104
Electrician
43
Other
37
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
31
Garage / Carport / Shed
30
Renovation / Extension
28
Signage / Advertising
13

Schools in Caboolture

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Alta-1 College (Caboolture)

Non-State School Independent

Australian Christian College - Moreton (Caboolture)

Non-State School Independent

Caboolture Montessori School (Caboolture)

Non-State School Independent

Horizons College of Learning and Enrichment (Caboolture)

Non-State School Independent

St Columban's College (Caboolture)

Non-State School Catholic

Demographics

Caboolture has a median age of 36, which is 4 years below the national comparison, but the age direction is moving older: the senior share rose 5.2 percentage points and the young share fell 2.3 points. Families remain important, with couples with children forming 38.2% of families and one-parent families 24.6%. University attainment is 15.5%, 14.6 points below the national figure, helping explain the concentration in labour, trade and community or personal service roles. English ancestry is recorded for 11,640 people, followed by Scottish at 2,661 and Irish at 2,609. No religion counts 13,868 compared with 11,974 identifying with Christianity. Overseas-born residents are 19.0%, 2.6 points below national, while 72.9% stayed at the same address, suggesting more residential continuity than the 27.1% turnover rate. Compared with nearby Morayfield, Caboolture is better read as an established, family-oriented community than a young professional enclave.

Age Distribution

0-14
20.8%
15-24
12.4%
25-44
26.8%
45-64
22.3%
65+
17.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
5.6%
2 bed
13.5%
3 bed
37.0%
4+ bed
43.9%

Dwelling Structure

77.5%

Houses

19.7%

Townhouse

2.2%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 21.2% Mortgage 34.4% Rent 43.0% Other 1.4%

Caboolture’s housing profile is overwhelmingly low-rise: 77.5% of dwellings are separate houses, 19.7% are semi-detached and 2.2% are apartments. Four-bedroom-plus homes account for 43.9%, compared with 37.0% for 3-bedroom dwellings, so larger family stock is more common than compact formats. Tenure is split between 43.0% renting, 34.4% with a mortgage and 21.2% owned outright, with renting higher than mortgage tenure. The current median house price is not available, so purchasers should compare recent sales by street, block size and bedroom count rather than apply a broad suburb assumption. Mortgage payments are $1,561 monthly against household income of $1,310 weekly, with mortgage commitments at 27.5% of income and rent at 23.7%. Compared with nearby Morayfield, Caboolture’s larger detached-house base makes land, maintenance and insurance more important than apartment-equity considerations.

Mortgage / mo

$1,561

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $310.

$590

Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $590 · units $460

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$640

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

5.9%

Unoccupied

647

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.7%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

27.5%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
110
Malayalam
72
Samoan
71
Punjabi
40
Korean
36
German
34

Ancestry

English
11,640
Scottish
2,661
Irish
2,609
Ancestry NS
2,542
Other
2,300
German
1,649

Household Composition

38.2%

Couples with children

35.5%

Couples, no children

24.6%

Single parent

7,447

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is Caboolture’s largest listed industry at 23.1% or 1,649 workers, followed by construction at 11.3% or 804, education at 9.2% or 654, retail at 8.2% or 588 and manufacturing at 6.7% or 475. This mix creates practical employment breadth because essential services, building and local consumption do not depend on one sector alone. Labour participation is 54.1%, unemployment is 7.7%, and full-time work accounts for 54.8%, while labourers number 2,071 and trades workers 1,802. Household income is $1,310 weekly at the 31.3rd percentile, below the national midpoint, and personal income is $640. SEIFA results are also below the national midpoint: IEO decile 1, IER decile 2, IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 1. The low education and low-resource deciles sit alongside sizeable healthcare and education workforces, suggesting local jobs do not automatically translate into high household incomes.

Unemployment

7.7%

Labour Force

12,653

Unemployed

973

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
1
Disadvantage
1
Economic resources
2
Education & occupation
1

Full-time

54.8%

Part-time

34.7%

Participation

54.1%

Employed

11,680

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Labourers 2,071
Trades 1,802
Community/Personal 1,776
Clerical/Admin 1,344
Professionals 1,280
Sales 1,095
Machinery/Drivers 1,094
Managers 939

Top Industries

Healthcare 23.1%
Construction 11.3%
Education 9.2%
Retail 8.2%
Manufacturing 6.7%

University

15.5%

Postgraduate

2.1%

Born Overseas

19.0%

Dwellings

10,276

Transport to Work

Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 77.0% travelled as a car driver, compared with 2.5% using public transport, 2.1% walking or cycling and 10.3% working from home. That pattern matters across 68.53 square kilometres at a density of 431.0 people per square kilometre because errands and school trips are less likely to be handled without a vehicle. Ten schools provide a broad local mix: 7 government schools, including 2 state high schools and 1 special school, alongside 2 Catholic schools and 1 independent school. Check enrolment zones against the exact address, since they can cross suburb boundaries. IRSAD is in decile 1, below the national midpoint, and 10.8% of residents need assistance, so access to health, disability and community services is a practical consideration. Crime-rate information is not available; compare the exact pocket and apply normal inspections before deciding.

Drive

77.0%

Public Transport

2.5%

Walk / Cycle

2.1%

Work from Home

10.3%

Population Forecast

+2.72%/yr

(+542 people/yr)

Established

Caboolture is positioned for strong growth, with annual growth of 2.72%, indicating a stronger trajectory than a stagnant market, and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 54.5% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has risen 5.2 points and the young share has fallen 2.3 points. The signals are mixed on gentrification. One measure gives a score of 20 and the stage Early signs, while the shift measure records 8 and Not gentrifying. That combination suggests expansion is being driven more by incoming households and development than by a completed lifestyle-price transition. With 235 development applications in 12 months, infrastructure, rental supply and services will matter more than headline growth alone. Compared with a mature low-growth suburb, Caboolture has stronger momentum but also clearer ageing pressure.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+308

Net Internal / yr

+79

20

Gentrification Signal

Early signs

Net internal migration +79/yr, Strong overseas inflow +308/yr

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Caboolture compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 0%
Household Income
Bottom 31%
Rent Level
Top 36%
Apartments
Top 16%
Renters
Top 9%
Uni Educated
Bottom 21%
Public Transport
Bottom 49%
Born Overseas
Top 33%
Density
Top 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Caboolture a good suburb to live in?

Caboolture can suit households wanting detached space, with 77.5% separate houses and 43.9% four-bedroom-plus homes. Car dependence is high at 77.0%, while IRSAD sits in decile 1, so lifestyle fit depends on transport needs, services and the exact pocket.

What is the median house price in Caboolture?

Caboolture’s current median house price is not available. Buyers should compare recent sales with similar land, bedrooms and condition, then weigh the $310 weekly rent and $1,561 monthly mortgage reference against their budget and borrowing capacity.

What schools are in Caboolture?

Caboolture has 10 schools across 7 government schools, including 2 state high schools and 1 special school, plus 2 Catholic schools and 1 independent school. Check the exact address against enrolment zones because boundaries can differ between primary and secondary options.

Is Caboolture safe?

A suburb-wide crime rate is not available for Caboolture. Safety can vary across its 68.53 square kilometres, so compare the specific pocket, inspect lighting and access at different times, and review current local police information before committing to a property.

Is Caboolture good for property investment?

Caboolture has 43.0% renting households, $310 weekly rent and a 5.9% vacancy rate, which can support rental analysis. However, 235 development applications in 12 months and a 7.7% unemployment rate make dwelling quality, supply and tenant affordability important parts of the comparison.

How is Caboolture's population changing?

Caboolture has 29,534 residents and a forecast annual growth rate of 2.72%, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 54.5% over 10 years, but the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.2 points and the young share down 2.3 points.

What development is happening in Caboolture?

Caboolture recorded 235 development applications over 12 months, covering material changes of use, operational works and subdivision-related activity. Buyers and investors should check how proposed works may affect traffic, services, construction timing and future rental supply before comparing individual properties.

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.

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