Cranbrook
Affordability defines this Townsville suburb: the median house price sits near $366,000, a fraction of capital-city levels, and household income lands in the 40.3rd percentile nationally, well below average. Detached houses make up 81.5% of dwellings across a 3.36 km2 footprint, and three-bedroom homes alone account for 49.8% of stock. The population has slipped 4.9% over the decade to 5,844, with a median age of 40 that matches the national figure exactly. Healthcare employs 22.5% of the local workforce, far higher than most suburbs, anchored by nearby hospital and aged-care demand. SEIFA scores place the area in decile 3 for advantage, in the lower third of Australian communities.
Population
5,844
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,400/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$366K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At roughly $366,000 the median house is reachable on a single income, which is why owner-occupiers hold the majority here: 34.8% own outright and 32.2% carry a mortgage, leaving only 33.1% renting. Monthly repayments average about $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress line despite household income in the 40.3rd percentile nationally. Stock suits families, with separate houses at 81.5% and three-bedroom homes at 49.8%, while four-plus bedroom dwellings add 31.9%. Apartments are almost absent at 2.2%, so buyers seeking a low-maintenance unit have little choice. The affordability is the draw: low entry prices and below-threshold repayments make this an easier first purchase than most coastal Queensland markets.
For Buyers
At roughly $366,000 the median house is reachable on a single income, which is why owner-occupiers hold the majority here: 34.8% own outright and 32.2% carry a mortgage, leaving only 33.1% renting. Monthly repayments average about $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress line despite household income in the 40.3rd percentile nationally. Stock suits families, with separate houses at 81.5% and three-bedroom homes at 49.8%, while four-plus bedroom dwellings add 31.9%. Apartments are almost absent at 2.2%, so buyers seeking a low-maintenance unit have little choice. The affordability is the draw: low entry prices and below-threshold repayments make this an easier first purchase than most coastal Queensland markets.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $293 against a $366,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, well above the sub-2% returns common in capital-city suburbs, and that cash-flow profile is the core of the investment case here. The renter pool is moderate at 33.1% of households, but the 8.4% vacancy rate signals softer demand than landlords would like, so tenant turnover and void periods are a real risk. Population is forecast to decline about 0.33% a year, and net internal migration runs at minus 55 residents annually, partly offset by overseas migration of plus 88. Development is minimal at just 4 applications in 12 months, so new supply will not dilute the market, but neither is there a growth story. Returns rest on yield and low purchase cost rather than capital appreciation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cranbrook iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ignatius Park College
7-12 · 959 students
Holy Spirit Catholic School
Prep-6 · 686 students
Cranbrook State School
Prep-6 · 592 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, yet the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.9 points over the decade while the young-resident share fell 2.3 points. Overseas-born residents make up 19.2%, which is 2.4 points below the national average, and ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (1,999), Irish (681) and Scottish (608). University qualifications reach 28.0%, sitting 2.1 points under the national figure, consistent with a workforce weighted toward Community/Personal and Labourer roles. Average household size is 2.5, in line with national, and couples without children form 27.8% of families. Christianity dominates with 3,114 adherents, ahead of Islam (69) and Hinduism (60), reflecting the limited overseas-born share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.5%
Houses
16.4%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is unusually balanced into near-equal thirds: 34.8% own outright, 32.2% hold a mortgage and 33.1% rent, a split that points to a settled, owner-heavy base rather than investor churn. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 81.5% separate houses, with semi-detached at 16.4% and apartments just 2.2%, so the market is built around family living. Three-bedroom homes lead at 49.8% and four-plus bedroom at 31.9%, leaving smaller two-bedroom dwellings at only 14.0%. The median house price near $366,000 keeps both mortgage-to-income (21.4%) and rent-to-income (20.9%) below the 30% stress threshold, a rare double comfort that low prices make possible. Affordability has improved over the decade, easing from 50.2% in 2011 to 41.7% in 2021.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$293
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$703
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
205
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.8%
Couples, no children
4,346
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare anchors the local economy at 22.5% of workers (374 people), well above the share in most suburbs, because nearby Townsville hospital and aged-care facilities draw heavily on this labour pool. Education follows at 14.2% (236), then Construction at 9.6%, Public Admin at 9.0% and Retail at 7.6%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 495, with Community/Personal workers (422) and Labourers (350) close behind, a mix consistent with the decile 3 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is elevated at 8.0%, above the national rate, and participation reads just 55.5% with 1,699 residents not in the labour force, both reflecting the aging profile. Real income fell 0.4% over the decade, and SEIFA places the area in decile 2 for economic resources, the lower tier.
Unemployment
7.1%
Labour Force
2,956
Unemployed
209
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.8%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
55.5%
Employed
2,474
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.0%
Postgraduate
6.8%
Born Overseas
19.2%
Dwellings
2,232
Transport to Work
Daily life here is car-dependent: 85.5% of residents drive to work, far above the national reliance on cars, while public transport carries only 2.4% and 3.8% walk or cycle, a function of the suburb's outer Townsville setting. SEIFA places the area in decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, in the lower third nationally, and 7.9% of residents (431 people) report needing daily assistance, slightly above the aging-profile norm. No schools are recorded inside the 3.36 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. The upside is cost of living: rent-to-income at 20.9% and mortgage-to-income at 21.4% both sit well below the 30% stress threshold, keeping household budgets manageable.
Drive
85.5%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.33%/yr
(-20 people/yr)
EstablishedThis is an established suburb in slow decline: population is forecast to fall about 0.33% a year, roughly 20 residents annually, after a 4.9% drop over the past decade to 5,844. Recent counts actually rose from 5,973 in 2023 to 6,096 in 2025, but the medium projection trends down to 5,823 by 2031. The only positive driver is overseas migration at plus 88 a year, offset by net internal outflow of minus 55, leaving thin natural change. The gentrification score reads zero, classifying the area as not gentrifying, which fits a decile 3 advantage suburb with affordability improving rather than land values climbing. Rent growth was modest at 1.7% over the period, reinforcing a flat-to-declining outlook rather than an expansion story.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+88
Net Internal / yr
-55
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cranbrook compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cranbrook a good suburb to live in?
Cranbrook scores decile 3 for advantage on SEIFA, in the lower third nationally, with household income in the 40.3rd percentile. The appeal is affordability: a median house near $366,000 keeps mortgage-to-income at 21.4%, well below the 30% stress line. Trade-offs include 8.0% unemployment and a declining population.
What is the median house price in Cranbrook?
The median house price is estimated near $366,000, a fraction of capital-city levels. Weekly rent averages $293 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold for this 40.3rd-percentile income market.
What schools are in Cranbrook?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.36 km2 Cranbrook boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Townsville suburbs. The local workforce leans toward trades and service roles, with university qualifications at 28.0%, sitting 2.1 points below the national figure.
Is Cranbrook safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Cranbrook in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, in the lower third nationally, and 7.9% of its 5,844 residents report needing daily assistance, both pointing to a moderate-disadvantage area.
Is Cranbrook good for property investment?
Rent of $293 a week against a $366,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, well above the sub-2% returns in most capital cities. The catch is an 8.4% vacancy rate and a population declining about 0.33% a year, so returns rest on cash flow rather than capital growth.
How is Cranbrook's population changing?
Cranbrook's population is forecast to fall about 0.33% a year, roughly 20 residents, after a 4.9% decline over the decade to 5,844. Overseas migration adds 88 residents annually, but net internal migration removes 55, and the medium projection trends down to 5,823 by 2031.
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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