Cambooya
At a median age of 31, Cambooya sits 9 years below the national figure while its forecast trajectory is labelled Aging, an unusual mix for a locality of 2,260 residents. Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 92.4% and apartments at 0.4%, and daily life is car-led because 84.5% drive to work while only 0.6% use public transport. Compared with nearby Toowoomba, the profile is more rural and lower-density at 19.0 people per sq km. The wider area's annual growth trend is 2.28%, driven by internal migration, while household income sits at the 51.3rd percentile nationally.
Local council: Toowoomba
Population
2,260
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,574/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Cambooya is most relevant to buyers wanting a conventional detached home, because 92.4% of dwellings are separate houses and only 0.4% are apartments. The stock leans large: 42.1% has 4 or more bedrooms and 44.7% has 3 bedrooms, compared with 7.4% containing 0 or 1 bedroom and 5.9% containing 2 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage cost is $1,381 and mortgage burden is 20.3% of income, higher than rent burden at 18.4%, although neither measure is flagged as stress. A current median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales and property condition matter more than an unsupported headline estimate. Affordability is marked Improving, moving from 39.0 in 2011 to 34.8 in 2021.
For Buyers
Cambooya is most relevant to buyers wanting a conventional detached home, because 92.4% of dwellings are separate houses and only 0.4% are apartments. The stock leans large: 42.1% has 4 or more bedrooms and 44.7% has 3 bedrooms, compared with 7.4% containing 0 or 1 bedroom and 5.9% containing 2 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage cost is $1,381 and mortgage burden is 20.3% of income, higher than rent burden at 18.4%, although neither measure is flagged as stress. A current median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales and property condition matter more than an unsupported headline estimate. Affordability is marked Improving, moving from 39.0 in 2011 to 34.8 in 2021.
For Investors
Rental demand has a meaningful base, with 35.6% of households renting at $290 per week, while 22.1% own outright and 40.6% hold a mortgage, making the tenure mix more owner-weighted than renter-led. Vacancy is 9.2%, which warrants conservative assumptions about leasing speed and incentives. Rent growth is recorded at 24.0%, and internal migration is the primary forecast driver alongside an annual trend of 2.28%. Only 1 development action appears in the 12-month count, so the immediate supply pipeline is limited compared with a high-volume development area. Detached housing at 92.4% supports family-oriented rental positioning more than apartment strategies.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-80.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cambooya
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Cambooya State School
Demographics
Cambooya combines a young current age profile with an aging direction. Median age is 31, which is 9 years below national, while the wider-area shift records a 3.4 percentage-point rise in the senior share and a 1.9-point fall in the young share. University attainment is 18.6%, 11.5 points below national, and overseas-born residents are 6.4%, 15.2 points below national, supporting an Anglo-leaning profile: English ancestry counts 880, Irish 256, Scottish 237 and German 180. Average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above national. Compared with nearby Toowoomba, Cambooya is more likely to suit households seeking a smaller, lower-density social setting, while 71.3% stayed locally, indicating strong continuity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.4%
Houses
7.2%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates Cambooya: 92.4% of homes are separate houses, compared with 0.4% apartments and 7.2% semi-detached dwellings. Tenure is mixed but mortgage holders lead at 40.6%, ahead of outright owners at 22.1% and renters at 35.6%, consistent with a mortgage-belt profile. The typical dwelling is family-sized, with 44.7% containing 3 bedrooms and 42.1% containing 4 or more. Monthly mortgage cost is $1,381 and mortgage-to-income is 20.3%, higher than rent-to-income at 18.4%, while neither measure is flagged as stress. Weekly rent is $290. Compared with nearby Toowoomba, buyers should expect less apartment choice and a more land-oriented housing search. A suburb median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales matter more than a headline estimate.
Mortgage / mo
$1,381
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$290
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$839
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
82
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.7%
Couples with children
38.8%
Couples, no children
17.2%
Single parent
609
Total families
Economy & Employment
Cambooya's employment base is led by healthcare at 17.9% of jobs, followed by education at 12.5%, construction at 11.1%, agriculture at 7.7% and manufacturing at 6.3%, giving the local economy a mix of essential services, building and primary production. Trades are the largest occupation group at 183 people, ahead of community and personal services and labourers at 146 each, then professionals at 141 and clerical or administration roles at 129. Unemployment is 3.0% with participation at 65.7%, and 62.8% of employed people work full-time. SEIFA points to a notable split: economic resources rank in decile 9, higher than education and occupation decile 5, while disadvantage is decile 7 and advantage and disadvantage decile 6. That gap suggests income capacity is stronger than formal education indicators.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
1,122
Unemployed
34
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
30.2%
Participation
65.7%
Employed
1,088
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.6%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
6.4%
Dwellings
804
Transport to Work
Daily mobility is the main practical consideration. Car dependence is high at 84.5% of commuters, compared with 0.6% using public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling; 8.4% work from home, so reliable vehicle access remains important. Cambooya has 1 local school, Cambooya State School, a government school. Families should confirm enrolment zones, transport and year-level availability for the exact address rather than infer quality from proximity. The area covers 118.64 sq km at 19.0 people per sq km, so services are more spread out than in a dense urban suburb. SEIFA IRSAD is decile 6 and IRSD decile 7, placing relative advantage above the midpoint. Compared with nearby Toowoomba, expect fewer walkable services and more trip planning.
Drive
84.5%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
8.4%
Growth Outlook
Growth is active but not uniformly youthful. The annual trend is 2.28%, and internal migration is the primary driver, so the pattern is more associated with domestic movement than overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 38.5% over 10 years, higher than a flat trajectory, while the shift is labelled Aging: the senior share is up 3.4 points and the young share is down 1.9 points. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 33, while the separate shift measure records 44 and the same stage. Rent growth is 24.0% and affordability is marked Improving, moving from 39.0 in 2011 to 34.8 in 2021. This points to continued expansion alongside gradual age-profile change, rather than a purely youth-led cycle.
Population trend: Toowoomba council area
Cambooya sits in the Toowoomba council area. These are the council area's residents, not Cambooya's.
Residents 2025
186,276
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.2%
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 Cambooya compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cambooya a good suburb to live in?
Cambooya may suit buyers wanting space and a small-town setting: 92.4% of homes are separate houses, median age is 31, and density is 19.0 people per sq km. Daily errands are more car-dependent than in a dense urban area because 84.5% drive and only 0.6% use public transport. Check the exact address for services and school access.
What is the median house price in Cambooya?
A reliable current median house price is not available for Cambooya. Useful affordability markers are weekly rent of $290, a listed monthly mortgage cost of $1,381, and mortgage-to-income of 20.3%, which is higher than rent-to-income at 18.4%. Compare recent sales for similar 3 or 4-plus-bedroom houses, since 44.7% and 42.1% of homes fall in those groups.
What schools are in Cambooya?
Cambooya State School is the local school, and it is a government state school. There is 1 school listed within the suburb, so families should check the exact enrolment zone, year levels, transport options and before- and after-school care. With 84.5% driving to work and only 0.6% using public transport, car access may matter more than in larger centres.
Is Cambooya safe?
Cambooya's broad statistics do not support a definitive safety verdict. Check current Queensland Police incident information and visit the exact street at different times. The locality has 2,260 residents across 118.64 sq km, with density of 19.0 people per sq km, so conditions can vary more by road and settlement pattern than a single suburb label suggests.
Is Cambooya good for property investment?
It may suit a selective rental strategy rather than a high-density development play. Rent is $290 a week, 35.6% of households rent, vacancy is 9.2%, and only 1 development action was recorded in the 12-month count. Internal migration drives a 2.28% annual growth trend, but leasing assumptions should be tested carefully rather than relying on the 24.0% rent-growth figure alone.
How is Cambooya's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 38.5% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 2.28% driven primarily by internal migration. The trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share is up 3.4 points while the young share is down 1.9 points. Cambooya therefore combines above-flat growth with gradual age-profile change, rather than a purely 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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