Centenary Heights
A $398,000 median house price sits well below the cost of comparable detached-house suburbs in Brisbane, and that affordability defines Centenary Heights. Household income reads $1,432 a week, in the 42.4th percentile nationally, so this is a working-household pocket of Toowoomba rather than a wealth enclave. The housing stock is 77.2% separate houses with apartments at just 2.6%, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.2%. The median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below the national figure, and 33.3% of residents hold university qualifications, 3.2 points above national, an unusual mix of affordability and education for a regional suburb of 6,152 people.
Population
6,152
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,432/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$398K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $398,000 median house price, Centenary Heights is one of the more accessible detached-house markets in Toowoomba, and the entry cost is the main draw. The stock favours buyers wanting space: 77.2% are separate houses, only 2.6% are apartments, and three-bedroom homes make up 54.2% with another 26.8% at four bedrooms or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,408, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and far lower than what buyers face in capital-city markets. Owner-occupiers split fairly evenly, with 30.9% owning outright and 31.0% carrying a mortgage. For a family seeking a three or four-bedroom house without metropolitan prices, the combination of low repayments relative to income and a house-dominated supply makes the suburb practical rather than speculative.
For Buyers
At a $398,000 median house price, Centenary Heights is one of the more accessible detached-house markets in Toowoomba, and the entry cost is the main draw. The stock favours buyers wanting space: 77.2% are separate houses, only 2.6% are apartments, and three-bedroom homes make up 54.2% with another 26.8% at four bedrooms or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,408, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and far lower than what buyers face in capital-city markets. Owner-occupiers split fairly evenly, with 30.9% owning outright and 31.0% carrying a mortgage. For a family seeking a three or four-bedroom house without metropolitan prices, the combination of low repayments relative to income and a house-dominated supply makes the suburb practical rather than speculative.
For Investors
A 38.1% renter share gives landlords the largest tenure group in Centenary Heights, and weekly rent of $320 against the $398,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, well above what inner-capital suburbs return. That yield is the core of the investment case, because the suburb offers cash flow rather than rapid capital growth. The caution sits in the 8.1% vacancy rate, higher than a tight rental market would show, which suggests tenants have choice and that rent rises are harder to push through. Development activity is modest at 6 applications in the past 12 months, including a dual-occupancy material change of use, so new supply is limited and unlikely to flood the market. With turnover at 28.3% of residents, tenant churn is moderate, and the affordable price point keeps the buy-in low compared with metropolitan alternatives.
Development Activity
Total DAs
24
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Centenary Heights iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gabbinbar State School
Prep-6 · 356 students
Centenary Heights State High School
7-12 · 1738 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, and the household profile leans toward families: couples with children number 1,790 against 1,370 couples without children, the latter making up 29.2% of families. Overseas-born residents reach 17.4%, which is 4.2 points below national, so the suburb is more Anglo-leaning than most. Ancestry confirms this, led by English (2,405), Irish (893), Scottish (809) and German (643). The top non-English languages are small in number, with Mandarin (35), Arabic (23) and Nepali (18) speakers. University qualifications at 33.3% run 3.2 points above national, higher than the modest household income would suggest, because Toowoomba's health and education employers draw qualified workers into an affordable housing market. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 3,304 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.2%
Houses
20.2%
Townhouse
2.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits three ways: 38.1% rent, 31.0% carry a mortgage and 30.9% own outright, an unusually high renter share for a house-dominated regional suburb. The stock is 77.2% separate houses and just 2.6% apartments, with semi-detached dwellings at 20.2%, so density is low despite 1,983 residents per square kilometre across the 3.1 km2 footprint. Three-bedroom homes are the backbone at 54.2%, with four-plus bedroom houses at 26.8% and two-bedroom at 17.3%. The $398,000 median against a $1,432 weekly household income gives a price-to-income ratio near 5.3, modest compared with capital-city ratios that often exceed 10. Mortgage-to-income sits at 22.7% and rent-to-income at 22.3%, both below the 30% stress line, which means housing costs leave more disposable income here than in higher-priced markets.
Mortgage / mo
$1,408
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$751
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.1%
Unoccupied
226
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.2%
Couples, no children
4,691
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is concentrated in caring and public sectors: Healthcare leads at 27.7% (563 workers), Education follows at 15.4% (313), then Construction at 8.3% (168), Public Admin at 6.7% (137) and Professional/Tech at 5.7% (117). This Healthcare and Education weight is far higher than the national average and reflects Toowoomba's role as a regional hospital and university hub, which also explains the above-average 33.3% university qualification rate. By occupation, Professionals (700) lead, ahead of Clerical/Admin (430) and Community/Personal workers (427). Unemployment reads 5.6% with a full-time employment rate of 63.6%, while participation at 58.9% is held down by 1,716 residents not in the labour force, consistent with a family suburb where some carers stay home. Personal income averages $751 a week.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.6%
Part-time
30.8%
Participation
58.9%
Employed
2,800
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.3%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
17.4%
Dwellings
2,564
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 88.6% of commuters drive, only 0.4% use public transport and 2.8% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars and a practical reality for a regional suburb without rail. Community ties are reasonable, with a volunteering rate of 18.4% and 7.2% of residents (425 people) needing daily assistance, the latter consistent with a median age of 37 that sits 3.0 years below national. Housing costs leave room in the budget, with rent-to-income at 22.3% and mortgage-to-income at 22.7%, both below the 30% stress threshold and lower than in capital cities. The trade-off is access: with the nearest services reached by car and limited transit, the affordable $398,000 housing suits households that own a vehicle over those relying on public transport.
Drive
88.6%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Centenary Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Centenary Heights a good suburb to live in?
Centenary Heights offers affordability with a $398,000 median house price and housing costs below the stress line, at 22.7% mortgage-to-income. University qualifications reach 33.3%, 3.2 points above national, and the median age of 37 is 3.0 years below national. The main trade-off is heavy car reliance, with 88.6% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in Centenary Heights?
The median house price is $398,000, well below capital-city detached markets. Weekly rent averages $320 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,408, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Centenary Heights?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.1 km2 Centenary Heights boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Toowoomba suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 33.3%, which is 3.2 points above the national figure.
Is Centenary Heights safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Centenary Heights in this dataset. As context, 71.7% of residents stayed in the same address over the period and only 7.2% (425 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a stable, settled community rather than a high-churn area.
Is Centenary Heights good for property investment?
Rent of $320 a week against the $398,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, above inner-capital returns, and renters are the largest tenure group at 38.1%. The caution is an 8.1% vacancy rate, higher than a tight market, so the case rests on cash-flow yield rather than rapid capital growth.
How is Centenary Heights's population changing?
The suburb has 6,152 residents at a density of 1,983 per square kilometre, and the population is stable rather than booming. About 71.7% of residents stayed put while turnover ran at 28.3%, and only 6 development applications were lodged in 12 months, pointing to limited new supply.
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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