Chermside
Apartment living defines Chermside more than the detached-house pattern common across Brisbane's northside. The suburb holds 11,426 residents in 3.98 sq km, a density of 2,868.2 people per sq km, with apartments making up 58.8% of dwellings and renters 66.5% of households. Compared with nearby Aspley and Wavell Heights, it reads more like a higher density service hub. The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below national, while 36.1% born overseas sits 14.5 points above national.
Population
11,426
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,419/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
47
Median House
$468K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers should treat Chermside as an apartment and townhouse market first. Separate houses account for only 21.4% of dwellings, below apartments at 58.8% and semi-detached homes at 19.8%, so choice is weighted toward compact living. The local median house price is not available, but holding costs look moderate: the median mortgage is $1,690 per month and mortgage to income is 27.5%. A 1.9 person average household, 0.6 below national, explains why 2 bedroom homes dominate at 50.8%.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should treat Chermside as an apartment and townhouse market first. Separate houses account for only 21.4% of dwellings, below apartments at 58.8% and semi-detached homes at 19.8%, so choice is weighted toward compact living. The local median house price is not available, but holding costs look moderate: the median mortgage is $1,690 per month and mortgage to income is 27.5%. A 1.9 person average household, 0.6 below national, explains why 2 bedroom homes dominate at 50.8%.
For Investors
Chermside has a clear rental skew, with 66.5% of households renting compared with 15.9% owned outright and 17.6% under mortgage. Median rent is $370 per week and rent to income is 26.1%, which helps demand because it sits below stress settings. The caution is vacancy: 7.6% is high for investors seeking tight occupancy. Offsetting that, 47 development applications in 12 months and forecast overseas migration of 240 people a year point to an active, turnover-friendly market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
205
Last 12 Months
47
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-19.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Chermside is younger, more educated and more internationally connected than the national baseline. The median age is 35, or 5.0 years below national, while university attainment is 40.5%, 10.4 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 36.1%, 14.5 points above national, which shows in Mandarin at 118 speakers, Nepali at 90 and Punjabi at 70. English ancestry leads with 3,452 people, and Christianity records 4,715 followers, alongside Hinduism at 582 and Buddhism at 273.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
21.4%
Houses
19.8%
Townhouse
58.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure is the defining split: renting at 66.5% is higher than the combined owner shares of 15.9% owned outright and 17.6% mortgaged. The median house price and price peak series are not published, which is understandable because separate houses are only 21.4% of stock. Apartments are the largest segment at 58.8%, with semi-detached homes at 19.8%. Bedrooms confirm the compact pattern: 50.8% are 2 bedroom homes, 29.8% are 3 bedroom, and just 5.8% have 4 or more.
Mortgage / mo
$1,690
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$844
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.6%
Unoccupied
444
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.9%
Couples, no children
6,947
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare anchors Chermside's job base, employing 1,017 residents or 24.4%, well above the next sectors: Professional and Tech at 382, Retail at 378, Public Admin at 326 and Hospitality at 308. Professionals are the top occupation at 1,415 people, ahead of Community and Personal at 838 and Clerical and Admin at 804. The SEIFA pattern is uneven: IEO decile 7 ranks above average education and occupation, but IER decile 1, IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 4 show lower resources and advantage.
Unemployment
6.4%
Labour Force
8,322
Unemployed
534
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.6%
Part-time
26.5%
Participation
56.2%
Employed
5,270
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.5%
Postgraduate
9.5%
Born Overseas
36.1%
Dwellings
5,385
Transport to Work
Chermside's daily convenience comes from density rather than acreage: 11,426 residents fit into 3.98 sq km, or 2,868.2 people per sq km, so services can sit close together. Commuting is still car led at 71.4%, higher than the 11.8% using public transport and 10.8% walking or cycling. IRSAD decile 4 and IRSD decile 3 point to below average advantage, which may temper lifestyle scores despite strong access to retail and healthcare employment.
Drive
71.4%
Public Transport
11.8%
Walk / Cycle
10.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.41%/yr
(+309 people/yr)
EstablishedChermside's growth outlook is active rather than speculative. The trend forecast is 2.41% a year, equal to 309 extra residents annually, and the medium path lifts population from 12,811 in 2025 to 14,646 in 2031. Migration is the driver: overseas migration averages 240 people a year, compared with 110 net internal arrivals. The gentrification score is 55 and stage is Active, supported by population growth of 49% since 2011 and a 15.6% rent growth signal, although the broader trajectory is Mixed.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+240
Net Internal / yr
+110
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +49% since 2011, Net internal migration +110/yr, Strong overseas inflow +240/yr, Accelerating: 13% → 32%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chermside compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chermside a good suburb to live in?
Chermside suits renters and apartment buyers who want higher density convenience. It has 58.8% apartments, 66.5% renters and a median age of 35, which is 5.0 years below national, so it feels younger and more mobile than many detached-house suburbs.
What is the median house price in Chermside?
A median house price is not available for Chermside. The housing mix explains the gap: only 21.4% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 58.8% apartments and 19.8% semi-detached homes, so unit pricing is more central to the market.
What schools are in Chermside?
Chermside has 0 schools recorded within the suburb boundary. Families usually need to compare nearby northside options and catchments, especially because the suburb's own housing is compact, with 50.8% of homes having 2 bedrooms.
Is Chermside safe?
A local crime rate per 1,000 residents is not reported for Chermside, so safety should be assessed street by street. Social indicators are mixed, with IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 4 sitting below average, while 71.4% of commuters drive.
Is Chermside good for property investment?
Chermside has strong rental depth, with 66.5% of households renting and median rent at $370 per week. Investors should balance that against a 7.6% vacancy rate, which is higher than a tight market, plus 47 recent development applications.
How is Chermside's population changing?
Chermside is forecast to keep growing at 2.41% a year, or about 309 residents annually. The medium path rises from 12,811 people in 2025 to 14,646 in 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration of 240 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Chermside?
English remains the main background, but Chermside has a notable multilingual layer because 36.1% of residents were born overseas, 14.5 points above national. Recorded language groups include Mandarin with 118 speakers, Nepali with 90 and Punjabi with 70.
What development activity is happening in Chermside?
Chermside recorded 47 development applications in the past 12 months, a high level for a 3.98 sq km suburb. Recent activity includes compliance assessments and referral agency responses, matching an area with 58.8% apartment stock.
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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