Carina
Aging, educated and still family-sized, Carina carries a 37-year median age, 3 years below the national figure, while 44.9% of adults hold a university qualification, 14.8 percentage points above nationally. Its 11,678 residents occupy a compact 4.38 sq km between Camp Hill and Carindale, so density reaches 2,664.6 people per sq km without an apartment-heavy profile. Household income sits in the 77.7th percentile, which supports owner demand because the suburb combines middle-ring access with 54.7% separate houses and 34.2% semi-detached homes.
Population
11,678
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,064/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
57
Homebuyers get a relatively usable housing mix: 54.7% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached homes and only 11.1% apartments, so families are not pushed into high-density stock. The typical home is practical rather than oversized, with 57.2% having 3 bedrooms and 24.5% having 4 or more. A $2,000 monthly mortgage absorbs 22.4% of income, only 1.1 percentage points higher than the 21.3% rent-to-income figure, which helps explain why 39.1% of homes are mortgaged and 26.7% owned outright.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a relatively usable housing mix: 54.7% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached homes and only 11.1% apartments, so families are not pushed into high-density stock. The typical home is practical rather than oversized, with 57.2% having 3 bedrooms and 24.5% having 4 or more. A $2,000 monthly mortgage absorbs 22.4% of income, only 1.1 percentage points higher than the 21.3% rent-to-income figure, which helps explain why 39.1% of homes are mortgaged and 26.7% owned outright.
For Investors
Investor appeal is income-led rather than scarcity-led. Renters account for 34.2% of households and the median rent is $440 a week, supported by household incomes in the 77.7th percentile because healthcare, education and professional jobs underpin demand. The 5.2% vacancy rate is higher than a very tight market, so leasing risk matters. Offset that with 51 development applications in 12 months and forecast overseas migration averaging 174 people a year, which should add tenant depth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
203
Last 12 Months
57
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Carina iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Martin's School
Prep-6 · 627 students
San Sisto College
7-12 · 805 students
Mayfield State School
Prep-6 · 393 students
Demographics
Carina skews educated, employed and only moderately migrant compared with inner Brisbane student hubs. The median age is 37, which is 3.0 years below the national benchmark, and university attainment is 44.9%, 14.8 percentage points above nationally. Overseas-born residents make up 25.2%, only 3.6 points above national, so English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts of 4,370, 1,685 and 1,351 remain prominent. Household size averages 2.4, slightly lower than the national figure by 0.1.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.7%
Houses
34.2%
Townhouse
11.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Carina's housing market is defined by tenure balance rather than a single median price signal, because a current median house price is not published for the suburb. Ownership is solid: 26.7% own outright and 39.1% hold a mortgage, both sitting beside a 34.2% rental share. Compared with apartment-led inner areas, the stock is roomier, with 54.7% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached dwellings and 57.2% of homes at 3 bedrooms. Mortgage costs at $2,000 a month equate to 22.4% of income, only slightly higher than rent at 21.3%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Mar 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $440.
$750
Bond data Mar 2026 quarter · houses $750 · units $630
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,017
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
256
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.1%
Couples, no children
9,017
Total families
Economy & Employment
Carina's economy has an above-average professional tilt. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.6% or 873 workers, followed by education at 12.6%, professional/tech at 12.3%, construction at 9.1% and public admin at 8.0%. Occupations reinforce this, with 2,016 professionals, 968 clerical/admin workers and 905 managers. SEIFA is strong but not uniform: IEO, IRSD and IRSAD are all decile 8, while IER is lower at decile 6 because income and resources are comfortable rather than elite.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
7,715
Unemployed
203
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.0%
Part-time
27.1%
Participation
63.1%
Employed
5,819
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.9%
Postgraduate
10.3%
Born Overseas
25.2%
Dwellings
4,685
Transport to Work
Carina works best for car-based households that value schools and suburban space. Commuting is car-heavy, with 82.2% driving compared with 9.5% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling, so daily convenience depends on road access. Education is a clear strength: 3 local schools span ICSEA 1073 to 1111, led by St Martin's School at 1111 with 627 enrolments, San Sisto College at 1080 with 805, and Mayfield State School at 1073 with 393. IRSAD decile 8 points to above-average social advantage.
Drive
82.2%
Public Transport
9.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.3%/yr
(+168 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The established-suburb forecast adds 1.3% a year, or about 168 people annually, taking the medium path from 13,004 residents in 2026 to 13,842 in 2031. Migration is the main engine because overseas migration averages 174 net people a year, compared with 26 from internal migration. The age mix is shifting older: senior share rose 3.1 points and working share fell 0.5, while the gentrification score is 7 and labelled Not gentrifying despite population being up 20% since 2011.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+174
Net Internal / yr
+26
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Carina compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carina a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Carina suits households wanting middle-ring Brisbane access with a strong school base and roomier housing. It has 3 local schools, 54.7% separate houses and household income in the 77.7th percentile, which is above the national middle.
What is the median house price in Carina?
A current median house price is not published for Carina. Affordability can be read through the $2,000 monthly mortgage benchmark and 22.4% mortgage-to-income ratio, which is only 1.1 points higher than the 21.3% rent-to-income figure.
What schools are in Carina?
Carina has 3 local schools: St Martin's School, San Sisto College and Mayfield State School. Their ICSEA scores range from 1073 to 1111, with enrolments of 627, 805 and 393, giving the suburb above-average education credentials.
Is Carina safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not published for Carina, so safety is best checked street by street. The area has IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 8, both above the national middle, which usually aligns with stronger local amenity and stability.
Is Carina good for property investment?
Carina has investable fundamentals, but it is not a pure vacancy squeeze story. Renters make up 34.2% of households, median rent is $440 a week and vacancy is 5.2%, so tenant demand needs to be assessed against above-average available stock.
How is Carina's population changing?
Carina is growing at a steady 1.3% a year, equal to about 168 people annually. The medium forecast rises from 13,004 residents in 2026 to 13,842 in 2031, with overseas migration averaging 174 net people a year compared with 26 internal migrants.
What development is happening in Carina?
Carina recorded 51 development applications in the past 12 months, which is high enough to matter for local renewal. Recent 2026 lodgements were mainly referral agency responses around design, siting, amenity and aesthetic impacts.
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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