Cannonvale
A $463,000 median house price paired with a 14.6% vacancy rate makes Cannonvale unusual, and the two figures stem from the same source: a tourism economy with seasonal and short-stay demand swings around the Whitsundays. The median age of 37 sits 3 years below the national figure, household income lands in the 56.7th percentile, and university qualifications reach only 20.9%, which is 9.2 points below national. Hospitality is the largest employer at 15.7% of workers, well above what most suburbs record, reflecting a workforce built around coastal tourism rather than professional services. Renters make up 46.0% of households, far higher than owner-occupiers.
Population
6,596
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,639/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$463K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $463,000 median house price keeps Cannonvale affordable compared with capital-city markets, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,713, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is house-dominated: 58.1% are separate houses, while apartments account for 28.4% and semi-detached dwellings 12.7%, so buyers wanting a standalone home face less competition than in denser coastal suburbs. Larger family homes are well represented, with 3-bedroom dwellings at 36.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 33.4%, together nearly 70% of stock. Outright owners make up just 21.3% against 32.6% with a mortgage, a younger ownership profile consistent with the median age of 37, which is below national.
For Buyers
The $463,000 median house price keeps Cannonvale affordable compared with capital-city markets, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,713, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is house-dominated: 58.1% are separate houses, while apartments account for 28.4% and semi-detached dwellings 12.7%, so buyers wanting a standalone home face less competition than in denser coastal suburbs. Larger family homes are well represented, with 3-bedroom dwellings at 36.8% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 33.4%, together nearly 70% of stock. Outright owners make up just 21.3% against 32.6% with a mortgage, a younger ownership profile consistent with the median age of 37, which is below national.
For Investors
Renters form 46.0% of households, a deep tenant pool that gives landlords volume, but the 14.6% vacancy rate is the warning sign. Weekly rent of $360 against the $463,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, healthy by Australian standards and well above the sub-2% yields of premium capital markets. The high vacancy reflects Cannonvale's tourism base, where short-stay and seasonal accommodation leaves more dwellings empty on census night than in employment-driven suburbs. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is limited, which supports existing landlords. With rent-to-income at 22.0%, tenants have headroom, leaving room for rent escalation rather than yield compression as the investment driver.
Schools in Cannonvale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Whitsunday Christian College
Prep-12 · 421 students
Cannonvale State School
Prep-6 · 758 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below the national figure, a younger profile than most coastal Queensland towns. Overseas-born residents reach 24.2%, which is 2.6 points above national, though ancestry remains strongly Anglo: English leads at 2,724, followed by Irish (688) and Scottish (649). University qualifications sit at 20.9%, fully 9.2 points below national, because the local economy rewards trades and service work over degrees. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, and couples with children (1,887) outnumber couples without (1,426 or 31.7%), pointing to a family base. Top non-English languages are Mandarin (26 speakers), Afrikaans (19) and Punjabi (18), a small but varied migrant mix against a Christian majority of 2,295 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.1%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
28.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is renter-led: 46.0% rent, 32.6% carry a mortgage and only 21.3% own outright, an inversion of the typical owner-majority suburb and a sign of a transient, tourism-linked population. The stock leans detached, with separate houses at 58.1%, apartments at 28.4% and semi-detached at 12.7%. By size, 3-bedroom homes lead at 36.8% and 4-plus bedroom at 33.4%, while smaller 2-bedroom dwellings sit at 26.1%, matching the family composition. The $463,000 median keeps purchase costs modest, and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1% stays below the 30% stress line, as does rent-to-income at 22.0%. Affordability on both measures is better than most metropolitan markets, which is rare for a coastal lifestyle location.
Mortgage / mo
$1,713
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$873
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.6%
Unoccupied
424
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.7%
Couples, no children
4,497
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is built around tourism and trades rather than knowledge sectors. Hospitality leads at 15.7% of workers (345 people), far above the share in most suburbs and a direct reflection of the Whitsundays visitor economy, followed by Construction at 11.0% (242) and Healthcare at 10.8% (238), with Transport at 8.1% and Education at 8.0%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (459) edge out Managers (450) and Professionals (439), confirming a service-heavy base. Unemployment is moderate at 4.7% and the full-time employment rate is 64.7%, while participation reads 64.6%. SEIFA index scores are not available for Cannonvale in this dataset, so advantage cannot be ranked, but household income in the 56.7th percentile points to a middle band nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
64.6%
Employed
3,304
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.9%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
24.2%
Dwellings
2,437
Transport to Work
Cannonvale is car-dependent: 81.8% of commuters drive, far above the national average, while public transport carries just 2.8% and 7.0% walk or cycle, reflecting a regional coastal town with limited transit. No schools are recorded inside the 7.43 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring Whitsunday suburbs. Volunteering runs at 14.3% and only 3.7% of residents (220 people) need daily assistance, both pointing to an active, relatively healthy population aided by the younger median age of 37. Crime statistics and SEIFA disadvantage scores are not available here, but rent-to-income at 22.0% and a $463,000 median keep cost-of-living pressure lower than in most metro coastal markets.
Drive
81.8%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
7.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cannonvale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cannonvale a good suburb to live in?
Cannonvale suits buyers wanting an affordable coastal base, with a $463,000 median house price and a younger median age of 37, which is 3 years below national. Cost pressure is modest, with mortgage-to-income at 24.1% and rent-to-income at 22.0%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-off is a 14.6% vacancy rate and car dependence at 81.8% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Cannonvale?
The median house price is $463,000, affordable compared with capital-city markets. Weekly rent averages $360 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,713, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, below the 30% stress line. The implied gross rental yield is near 4.0%, healthy by Australian standards.
What schools are in Cannonvale?
No schools are recorded inside the 7.43 km2 Cannonvale boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Whitsunday suburbs. The area has a family base, with 1,887 couples with children and 3 or more bedroom homes making up about 70% of all dwellings.
Is Cannonvale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Cannonvale in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 3.7% of residents (220 people) need daily assistance and volunteering runs at 14.3%, both consistent with an active community, though these are not direct safety measures.
Is Cannonvale good for property investment?
Rent of $360 a week against a $463,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, well above the sub-2% returns of premium capital markets, and 46.0% of households rent. The risk is a 14.6% vacancy rate tied to seasonal tourism demand, so returns depend on managing occupancy and rent growth.
How is Cannonvale's population changing?
Population forecasts are not available in this dataset, but mobility is high at 33.3% turnover, well above settled metro suburbs, reflecting a seasonal tourism workforce. The median age of 37 is 3 years below national and 1,887 couples have children, a younger, family-forming base that supports ongoing household formation.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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