Chermside West
Detached houses make up 89.1% of the dwelling stock here, an unusually high share for a suburb close to the Brisbane CBD, and that scarcity of apartments shapes everything else. The $573,000 median house price sits below Brisbane's metro figure, yet household income reaches the 80.1st percentile nationally, which explains why mortgage-to-income runs at just 22.4%. University qualifications at 41.0% are 10.9 points above the national average, and all four SEIFA indexes land in deciles 7 to 8, marking established middle-to-upper advantage. With 37.2% of homes owned outright and a turnover rate of only 24.8%, this is a settled, owner-occupier suburb rather than a churn-driven rental market.
Population
6,965
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,124/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$573K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $573,000 median house price is the central draw, sitting below the Brisbane metro median while household incomes reach the 80.1st percentile nationally, so entry cost is modest relative to local earning power. That gap produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 22.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, despite monthly repayments of $2,058. Stock is overwhelmingly family-oriented: 89.1% separate houses, with 54.1% three-bedroom and 39.8% four-bedroom-plus, versus only 8.2% apartments. Outright ownership at 37.2% slightly trails the 37.5% on mortgages, meaning roughly three-quarters of residents own their home. The trade-off is car dependence, with 82.7% driving and only 6.5% on public transport, so a vehicle is effectively mandatory.
For Buyers
The $573,000 median house price is the central draw, sitting below the Brisbane metro median while household incomes reach the 80.1st percentile nationally, so entry cost is modest relative to local earning power. That gap produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 22.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, despite monthly repayments of $2,058. Stock is overwhelmingly family-oriented: 89.1% separate houses, with 54.1% three-bedroom and 39.8% four-bedroom-plus, versus only 8.2% apartments. Outright ownership at 37.2% slightly trails the 37.5% on mortgages, meaning roughly three-quarters of residents own their home. The trade-off is car dependence, with 82.7% driving and only 6.5% on public transport, so a vehicle is effectively mandatory.
For Investors
With only 25.4% of homes rented, the tenant pool is shallow compared with renter-heavy inner suburbs, but the 3.6% vacancy rate signals a tight market with little oversupply. Weekly rent of $455 against the $573,000 median produces a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than the sub-2% yields typical of premium inner-Brisbane apartments, because the lower entry price compresses the denominator. Rent has grown 15.6% recently, and net overseas migration of 240 per year plus net internal migration of 110 sustain demand. Development is light at 13 applications over 12 months, almost all minor design-and-siting referrals, so new supply is unlikely to dilute rents. The constraint is the detached format: 89.1% separate houses means higher per-unit capital outlay than apartments.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chermside West iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Craigslea State School
Prep-6 · 599 students
Craigslea State High School
7-12 · 1236 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national median, pointing to a working-family profile rather than an aging one. Couples with children (2,405 families) outnumber couples without children (1,450), and average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national, both consistent with the family-housing stock. Overseas-born residents at 26.0% sit 4.4 points above the national figure, with English (2,394) the dominant ancestry ahead of Irish (952) and Scottish (767). Malayalam (104) leads non-English languages, ahead of Mandarin (55) and Italian (54), the Malayalam presence likely tied to the 23.5% Healthcare employment given strong Indian-origin recruitment into nursing. University attainment at 41.0% runs 10.9 points above national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.1%
Houses
2.7%
Townhouse
8.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits almost evenly between outright owners at 37.2% and mortgage holders at 37.5%, with renters at just 25.4%, a balance that depresses turnover to 24.8%. The dwelling mix is heavily detached: 89.1% separate houses against 8.2% apartments and 2.7% semi-detached, and bedroom counts skew large, with 54.1% three-bedroom and 39.8% four-bedroom-plus versus only 5.4% two-bedroom. The $573,000 median is affordable relative to income because the household figure sits in the 80.1st percentile nationally, keeping mortgage-to-income at 22.4% and rent-to-income at 21.4%, both below stress thresholds. The dominance of large detached homes explains the family skew: this stock prices out single renters but suits established households trading up.
Mortgage / mo
$2,058
Rent / wk
$455
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$884
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.6%
Unoccupied
92
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.5%
Couples, no children
5,682
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates employment at 23.5% (576 workers), nearly double the next sector, Education at 12.6% (309), followed by Construction at 9.2% (224), Professional/Tech at 9.0% (219) and Public Admin at 8.5% (207). The healthcare concentration reflects proximity to the major hospital precinct in neighbouring Chermside. Professionals (1,018) lead occupations ahead of Clerical/Admin (500) and Managers (413). Unemployment at 5.1% sits near the national average, though participation at 57.6% is below typical inner-metro rates, consistent with the family demographic and 1,866 residents not in the labour force. All four SEIFA indexes land in deciles 7 to 8, with the IEO education index at decile 8 reinforcing the qualified workforce.
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
64.8%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
57.6%
Employed
3,130
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.0%
Postgraduate
9.2%
Born Overseas
26.0%
Dwellings
2,485
Transport to Work
Car dependence defines daily movement: 82.7% drive to work while only 6.5% use public transport and 3.8% walk or cycle, well below inner-city active-transport rates, a function of the low-density detached layout at 1,976 people per square kilometre. The payoff is space and tenure security, with 89.1% separate houses and 37.2% owned outright. Socioeconomic conditions are strong, with all four SEIFA indexes in deciles 7 to 8, above the median, and a volunteering rate of 15.9%. Housing costs sit below stress levels, with rent-to-income at 21.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.4%. The main livability gap is the lack of schools within the suburb boundary, meaning families rely on facilities in adjacent Chermside.
Drive
82.7%
Public Transport
6.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.41%/yr
(+309 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is growing 2.41% annually, adding roughly 309 people a year, a pace above the national average, with a 39.9% increase over the past decade. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 240 net arrivals per year, supplemented by 110 net internal arrivals, an unusual pattern because comparable suburbs more often lose residents internally than gain them. The medium forecast projects steady expansion through 2031. Affordability has improved, with the housing cost burden easing from 50.8% in 2011 to 43.8% in 2021, while rents climbed 15.6% and real incomes grew 8.9%. The working-age share expanded 4.1 points as the senior share fell 1.1 points, and the gentrification score of 55 places the suburb in an active phase.
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 West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chermside West a good suburb to live in?
It suits owner-occupier families: 89.1% of homes are detached houses, 37.2% are owned outright, and all four SEIFA indexes sit in deciles 7 to 8, above the national median. Household income reaches the 80.1st percentile, and housing costs stay below stress thresholds at 22.4% mortgage-to-income. The trade-off is car dependence, with 82.7% driving and only 6.5% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Chermside West?
The median house price is approximately $573,000, below the Brisbane metro median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,058, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%, which stays under the 30% stress threshold because local household income sits in the 80.1st percentile nationally. Weekly rent averages $455.
What schools are in Chermside West?
There are no schools recorded within the Chermside West boundary in the dataset, so families typically use schools in adjacent suburbs such as Chermside. The suburb's family profile is clear from its housing: 54.1% three-bedroom and 39.8% four-bedroom-plus homes, with couples with children making up 2,405 families.
Is Chermside West safe?
No published crime rate is available for Chermside West in this dataset, so safety cannot be quantified directly. As a proxy, all four SEIFA indexes sit in deciles 7 to 8 nationally, above the median, and the IRSD disadvantage index is decile 8, which generally correlates with lower socioeconomic crime drivers. The 24.8% turnover rate also indicates a stable, settled population.
Is Chermside West good for property investment?
The gross rental yield is around 4.1% ($455 weekly on a $573,000 median), well above sub-2% inner-Brisbane apartment yields, and the vacancy rate is tight at 3.6%. Rent has risen 15.6% recently and net migration adds 350 people a year. The limitation is a shallow rental pool at just 25.4% renters and a detached-house format requiring higher capital outlay.
How is Chermside West's population changing?
Population is growing 2.41% per year, about 309 people annually, with a 39.9% increase over the past decade. Overseas migration drives most of it at 240 net arrivals a year, plus 110 net internal arrivals. The working-age share rose 4.1 points while the senior share fell 1.1 points, and the gentrification score of 55 marks an active phase.
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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