Chinchilla
A median house price of $334,000 places Chinchilla well below capital-city affordability, and that figure carries the suburb's story. Construction at 14.3% of jobs and Mining at 9.1% point to a resource and energy economy rather than a commuter town, which is why the median age of 33 sits 7 years below the national median: younger workers move in for project employment. Detached houses make up 83.3% of dwellings and 44.5% have four or more bedrooms, reflecting family-oriented regional stock. The catch is a 15.5% vacancy rate, far above tighter metro markets, and an IEO education decile of 2, both signs of a transient, work-driven population that thins out when projects wind down.
Population
7,068
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,549/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
41
Median House
$334K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $334,000 median, Chinchilla housing costs roughly a fifth of inner-Brisbane levels, and the stock skews large: 44.5% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 42.2% have three, with apartments at just 1.9%. Buyers get space because 83.3% of dwellings are separate houses on regional lots. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is why 29% of residents carry a mortgage and 27% own outright. Affordability has improved from 43.8% of income in 2011 to 31.5% in 2021. The trade-off for buyers is exposure to a resource-cycle economy, so resale demand can soften when construction and mining activity slows.
For Buyers
At a $334,000 median, Chinchilla housing costs roughly a fifth of inner-Brisbane levels, and the stock skews large: 44.5% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 42.2% have three, with apartments at just 1.9%. Buyers get space because 83.3% of dwellings are separate houses on regional lots. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is why 29% of residents carry a mortgage and 27% own outright. Affordability has improved from 43.8% of income in 2011 to 31.5% in 2021. The trade-off for buyers is exposure to a resource-cycle economy, so resale demand can soften when construction and mining activity slows.
For Investors
Chinchilla offers high headline yield but real volatility risk. Weekly rent of $250 against a $334,000 median produces a gross yield near 3.9%, well above the 1.7% typical of inner-metro apartments. The renter share of 44% gives a reasonable tenant pool, but the 15.5% vacancy rate is the warning sign: it is far higher than tight urban markets and signals oversupply tied to project labour. Rent growth was negative at -7.4%, reflecting demand that ebbs with the resource cycle. Net overseas migration of just 20 a year and internal outflow of -16 mean population support is balanced rather than strong. With 38 development applications lodged in 12 months, supply keeps expanding, which can keep vacancy elevated and cap rent recovery.
Development Activity
Total DAs
207
Last 12 Months
41
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+20.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chinchilla iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Chinchilla Christian College
Prep-12 · 462 students
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 288 students
Chinchilla State High School
7-12 · 572 students
Chinchilla State School
Prep-6 · 453 students
Demographics
Chinchilla's population of 7,068 is younger than typical, with a median age of 33 that runs 7 years below the national median because resource and construction work draws people in their working years. Born-overseas residents sit at 11.2%, which is 10.4 points below national, and university qualifications at 18.5% are 11.6 points below national, consistent with a trades and operations workforce rather than a knowledge economy. Ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English leads at 2,574, ahead of Irish (684), Scottish (627) and German (549). Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure, and couples with children (2,255) outnumber couples without (1,278), reflecting families settling around stable regional employment.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.3%
Houses
14.1%
Townhouse
1.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Chinchilla splits across 44% renting, 29% mortgage holders and 27% outright owners, a renter-heavy mix for a regional town that reflects its mobile workforce. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 83.3%, with semi-detached at 14.1% and apartments at only 1.9%, and large homes dominate: 44.5% have four or more bedrooms versus just 1.7% at one bedroom or studio. The median house price of $334,000 keeps housing costs contained, with mortgage-to-income at 19.4% and rent-to-income at 16.1%, both well below the 30% stress line. The SEIFA IER decile of 4 sits above the lower IEO decile of 2, a gap that shows incomes from resource work outrun formal education levels in this market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$810
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.5%
Unoccupied
445
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.1%
Couples, no children
4,893
Total families
Economy & Employment
Chinchilla's economy is built on construction and resources rather than services. Construction leads at 14.3% of jobs (280 workers), followed by Education at 12.4% (242), Healthcare at 9.7% (190), Mining at 9.1% (178) and Utilities at 8.9% (174), an energy-and-build profile uncommon outside resource regions. Labourers are the largest occupation group at 493, ahead of Professionals (420) and Machinery operators and drivers (348), confirming the manual-skew workforce. Unemployment is low at 4.1%, below the national average, and full-time employment runs at 69.9%, because project work offers steady hours. The IEO decile of 2 reflects below-average formal education, yet the IER decile of 4 shows household incomes hold up because resource wages compensate.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
5,170
Unemployed
169
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.9%
Part-time
26.0%
Participation
55.8%
Employed
2,921
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.5%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
11.2%
Dwellings
2,421
Transport to Work
Chinchilla is built for car-based regional living, with 81.0% of residents driving to work and only 3.6% using public transport, far below metro rates and reflecting limited transit in a town of 72.07 square kilometres at just 98.1 people per square kilometre. Walking or cycling accounts for 5.6%. The volunteering rate of 20.4% points to active community participation typical of smaller regional centres. Housing pressure is modest, with rent-to-income at 16.1% and mortgage-to-income at 19.4%, both well below the 30% stress threshold, leaving households more disposable income than tighter urban markets. The main livability headwind is the IEO education decile of 2 and a 15.5% vacancy rate, which together signal a transient, work-driven population.
Drive
81.0%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.59%/yr
(+146 people/yr)
EstablishedChinchilla is growing steadily rather than rapidly, at 1.59% a year, around 146 people annually, with a 10-year increase of 23.9%. Medium forecasts project the population reaching 10,243 by 2031 on trend continuation. Growth is balanced rather than migration-led: net overseas migration adds about 20 a year while internal migration runs at -16, so the suburb neither booms nor empties. The gentrification score of 9 marks it as not gentrifying, with the senior share edging up 1.3 points and the young share slipping 0.4 points. Affordability improved from 43.8% of income in 2011 to 31.5% in 2021 because real incomes grew 4.8% while rents fell 7.4%, a pattern driven by the resource economy rather than urban renewal.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+20
Net Internal / yr
-16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +27% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chinchilla compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chinchilla a good suburb to live in?
Chinchilla suits families and resource-sector workers who want space and affordability, with a $334,000 median house price and 44.5% of homes having four or more bedrooms. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 19.4%. The trade-offs are an IEO education decile of 2 and a 15.5% vacancy rate, both reflecting a transient, work-driven population.
What is the median house price in Chinchilla?
The median house price is $334,000, estimated from rent data in 2025, which is well below capital-city levels. Weekly rent averages $250 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300. That produces a gross rental yield near 3.9%, higher than the 1.7% typical of inner-metro apartments.
What schools are in Chinchilla?
No schools are recorded in this dataset for Chinchilla, so school-level data such as ICSEA and enrolment is not available for the suburb. With a population of 7,068 and 2,255 couples with children, families generally rely on schools serving the wider 4413 postcode and Western Downs region. Check current state and Catholic listings directly.
Is Chinchilla safe?
Crime data is not available in this dataset for Chinchilla, so a per-1,000 rate cannot be reported. As context, the suburb has a low residential density of 98.1 people per square kilometre across 72.07 square kilometres, typical of a regional town. For current safety figures, consult Queensland Police published crime statistics.
Is Chinchilla good for property investment?
Yields are attractive at roughly 3.9% gross, with $250 weekly rent on a $334,000 median and a 44% renter share. The risks are real: a 15.5% vacancy rate signals oversupply, and rent growth was negative at -7.4%, because demand tracks the resource cycle. Population support is balanced, with net overseas migration of just 20 a year.
How is Chinchilla's population changing?
Population is growing steadily at 1.59% per year, about 146 people annually, with a 23.9% increase over 10 years. Medium forecasts project 10,243 residents by 2031. Growth is balanced, with net overseas migration of 20 a year and internal migration of -16, while the median age of 33 sits 7 years below the national median.
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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