Cleveland
An older bayside centre anchors Cleveland's profile: median age is 51, which is 11 years above the national benchmark, and the population is 15,850 across 11.77 sq km. Compared with nearby Ormiston and Alexandra Hills, Cleveland reads more as a Redlands service hub than a purely residential pocket because it mixes schools, health employment, apartments and older owner households. Overseas-born residents make up 30.4%, 8.8 points above national, while household income sits at the 42.3rd percentile, below the national middle.
Population
15,850
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,430/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$525K
Estimated from rent (2025)
For homebuyers, Cleveland suits buyers wanting space but not only detached housing. Separate houses make up 60.5% of dwellings, yet apartments at 19.5% and semi-detached homes at 19.9% give more choice than a pure low-density suburb. The bedroom mix is broad: 4+ bedroom homes at 40.4% are higher than 3-bedroom homes at 35.0%. Mortgage payments sit at $2,000 a month and mortgage-to-income is 32.3%, so borrowing capacity matters because local household income is at the 42.3rd percentile.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Cleveland suits buyers wanting space but not only detached housing. Separate houses make up 60.5% of dwellings, yet apartments at 19.5% and semi-detached homes at 19.9% give more choice than a pure low-density suburb. The bedroom mix is broad: 4+ bedroom homes at 40.4% are higher than 3-bedroom homes at 35.0%. Mortgage payments sit at $2,000 a month and mortgage-to-income is 32.3%, so borrowing capacity matters because local household income is at the 42.3rd percentile.
For Investors
Investor appeal is income-led rather than development-led. Renters are 30.6% of households, below the 40.5% owned-outright share, so demand is meaningful but not dominant. Median weekly rent is $400, and the 14.3% rent growth shift points to pressure in the leasing market. The caution is vacancy: 6.7% is the higher-risk signal for holding costs. With 0 approvals in the past 12 months, new local supply is not the main competition, but tenant depth needs street-by-street checking.
Schools in Cleveland iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Star of the Sea Primary School
Prep-6 · 166 students
The Industry School - Redlands
10-12 · 196 students
Cleveland District State High School
7-12 · 2302 students
Cleveland State School
Prep-6 · 516 students
Demographics
Cleveland's demographics skew older and smaller household. Median age is 51, 11 years above national, and average household size is 2.3, 0.2 below national, which aligns with 35.0% couples without children. Overseas-born residents account for 30.4%, 8.8 points above national, while university attainment is 28.2%, 1.9 points below national. English ancestry is the largest group at 7,487 people, followed by Irish at 2,057 and Scottish at 2,003, with Mandarin the largest non-English language count at 78.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.5%
Houses
19.9%
Townhouse
19.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is owner-weighted and relatively settled. Owned-outright households are 40.5%, higher than both mortgage households at 28.9% and renters at 30.6%, which helps explain the older resident base and slower turnover feel. The stock mix is balanced for a bayside centre: 60.5% separate houses, 19.9% semi-detached dwellings and 19.5% apartments. Larger homes are common, with 40.4% having 4+ bedrooms vs 35.0% with 3 bedrooms. Mortgage-to-income at 32.3% is higher than rent-to-income at 28.0%, so buyers face more pressure than renters.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$746
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
476
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.0%
Couples, no children
12,187
Total families
Economy & Employment
Cleveland's economy leans toward services and local institutions. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.9% and 875 workers, followed by construction at 12.2%, education at 10.4%, professional and tech at 8.9%, and retail at 7.2%. The occupation base is led by professionals at 1,368, clerical and admin at 1,099, and managers at 1,057. Unemployment is 5.1%, while participation is lower at 48.7% because the median age is 51 and 5,820 residents are not in the labour force. SEIFA is consistently decile 6 for IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD, a middle-to-slightly-above profile.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
8,923
Unemployed
282
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
31.6%
Participation
48.7%
Employed
6,358
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.2%
Postgraduate
6.2%
Born Overseas
30.4%
Dwellings
6,582
Transport to Work
Cleveland is car-oriented: 87.0% of commuters drive, compared with 3.2% using public transport and 3.6% walking or cycling. Schooling is a practical strength, with 4 local schools spanning ICSEA 1009 to 1057. The highest ICSEA schools are Star of the Sea Primary School at 1057 in the Catholic sector, The Industry School - Redlands at 1042 in the Independent sector, and Cleveland District State High School at 1026 with 2,302 students in the Government sector. IRSAD decile 6 sits above the middle, supporting a generally stable livability base.
Drive
87.0%
Public Transport
3.2%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.87%/yr
(+147 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is steady rather than rapid: the forecast trend is 0.87% or 147 people a year, taking the medium path from 16,938 in 2026 to 17,672 in 2031. Compared with the 2025 historical population of 16,952, that is gradual expansion rather than a boom. Migration is balanced, with average net internal migration of 142 people a year and net overseas migration of 188. The gentrification score is 37 and the stage is Early signs, but the shift remains aging: senior share rose 8.2 points and working share fell 4.2 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+188
Net Internal / yr
+142
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal migration +142/yr, Accelerating: 2% → 10%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cleveland compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cleveland a good suburb to live in?
Cleveland suits residents who value bayside services, schools and lower-density housing. It has 15,850 people, a median age of 51 and 60.5% separate houses, so it feels more mature and settled than many faster-growth suburbs.
What is the median house price in Cleveland?
A current median house price is not recorded for Cleveland. Housing indicators still show the market shape: 60.5% separate houses, 19.5% apartments, $2,000 monthly mortgage payments and $400 median weekly rent.
What schools are in Cleveland?
Cleveland has 4 local schools: Star of the Sea Primary School, The Industry School - Redlands, Cleveland District State High School and Cleveland State School. Their ICSEA range is 1009 to 1057.
Is Cleveland safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Cleveland, so buyers should check current Queensland Police maps. Broader context is steadier: 15,850 residents and IRSAD decile 6 indicate middle to above-mid socio-economic conditions.
Is Cleveland good for property investment?
Cleveland can suit yield-focused investors, with 30.6% of households renting and median weekly rent at $400. The watch point is vacancy at 6.7%, while 0 recent approvals limits new supply pressure.
How is Cleveland's population changing?
Cleveland is growing gradually. Population moved from 16,413 in 2023 to 16,952 in 2025, and the medium forecast reaches 17,672 by 2031. The annual trend is 0.87%, or about 147 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Cleveland?
English remains dominant, but 30.4% of residents were born overseas. The largest listed non-English language groups are Mandarin with 78 speakers, Afrikaans with 52, Canton with 40, Greek with 27 and German with 24.
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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