Crows Nest
At a median age of 57, Crows Nest residents are 17 years older than the national figure, making it one of Queensland's most pronounced aging communities. Household income sits in just the 9.1st percentile nationally, reflecting an economy built around healthcare, agriculture and community services rather than high-earning professions. The town spans 96 square kilometres with a population of only 2,212, giving a density of 23 people per square kilometre compared to regional Queensland norms. Despite low incomes, 49% of dwellings are owned outright, indicating long-settled residents who purchased land decades ago at prices far below today's $328,000 median house price.
Population
2,212
Median Age
57.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$913/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$328K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $328,000 sits well below Queensland state and national medians, making Crows Nest accessible for buyers priced out of coastal and southeast Queensland markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,118, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3% stays below the 30% stress threshold, giving a degree of repayment comfort uncommon at higher price points. Dwellings are overwhelmingly separate houses at 92.6%, with apartments making up just 0.8% and semi-detached at 3.9%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.6% of stock, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 23.9%. Of all households, 49% own outright, 25.8% carry a mortgage, and 25.1% rent, a tenure split that indicates long-term owner stability rather than high churn.
For Buyers
The median house price of $328,000 sits well below Queensland state and national medians, making Crows Nest accessible for buyers priced out of coastal and southeast Queensland markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,118, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3% stays below the 30% stress threshold, giving a degree of repayment comfort uncommon at higher price points. Dwellings are overwhelmingly separate houses at 92.6%, with apartments making up just 0.8% and semi-detached at 3.9%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.6% of stock, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 23.9%. Of all households, 49% own outright, 25.8% carry a mortgage, and 25.1% rent, a tenure split that indicates long-term owner stability rather than high churn.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $270 against a $328,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, higher than most southeast Queensland coastal suburbs. However, a vacancy rate of 7.8% is elevated and signals weak rental demand relative to available stock, which limits pricing power for landlords. Development activity is modest, with 10 applications lodged in the past 12 months, including one dual occupancy material change of use, suggesting limited new supply pressure. The rent-to-income ratio of 29.6% is near the stress threshold for existing renters, which may constrain further rent growth. The IRSAD decile of 2 nationally indicates high relative disadvantage, a factor that typically suppresses price appreciation compared to more advantaged markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
29
Last 12 Months
11
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+57.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Crows Nest iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Crow's Nest State School
Prep-10 · 181 students
Demographics
The median age of 57 is 17 years above the national figure, the result of an aging and settled community where 74.5% of residents stayed in the same dwelling over the five years before the census. Overseas-born residents account for just 11.9% of the population, which is 9.7 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the town's Anglo-Celtic heritage. English ancestry leads at 947 people, followed by German (263), Irish (236) and Scottish (223). University qualification rates reach just 15.3%, which is 14.8 percentage points below the national average, consistent with an economy centred on trades, healthcare and agriculture rather than knowledge professions. Average household size is 2.1 persons, 0.4 below national, because couples without children make up 45.5% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.6%
Houses
3.9%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 92.6% of all dwellings, making this one of the most detached-dominant suburbs in Queensland, well above state and national averages. Three-bedroom homes make up 54.6% of stock and four-plus bedrooms a further 23.9%, reflecting the rural hinterland character where larger block sizes and family homes are the norm. Of all households, 49% own outright and 25.8% hold a mortgage, a combined ownership rate of 74.8% that exceeds the national average and points to deep community roots. The $328,000 median house price is well below the Queensland median, because income levels are low, with household income in only the 9.1st percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,118 remain manageable relative to local income, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,118
Rent / wk
$270
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$492
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
75
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.5%
Couples, no children
1,492
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 23.7% of employed residents (93 workers), driven by services catering to an older population with a median age of 57. Construction follows at 10.7% (42 workers) and Education at 10.2% (40 workers), with Public Administration at 8.9% and Agriculture at 7.1%. By occupation, Labourers lead at 121 workers, followed by Community and Personal service workers at 99 and Professionals at 83, indicating a workforce tilted toward manual and care roles rather than managerial positions. The unemployment rate is 6.3%, above the national average, and the participation rate is just 33.6%, far below national norms, because 927 residents are not in the labour force, partly explained by the high share of retirees in a suburb scoring IRSD decile 3 nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
35.3%
Participation
33.6%
Employed
606
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.3%
Postgraduate
1.8%
Born Overseas
11.9%
Dwellings
892
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 84.1% of residents driving to work, well above the national average, consistent with a rural area spanning 96 square kilometres where public transport options are limited. Walking or cycling accounts for 9.8% of commuters, reasonable for a small country town. No schools are recorded inside the Crows Nest boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Toowoomba region schools. Crime data is not available for this suburb. The volunteering rate of 21.5% is relatively high, consistent with the older and settled community profile. Housing stress is contained, with rent-to-income at 29.6% and mortgage-to-income at 28.3%, both below the 30% stress threshold, giving residents more financial headroom than many higher-income suburbs nationally.
Drive
84.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
9.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Crows Nest compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crows Nest a good suburb to live in?
Crows Nest suits retirees and families seeking affordability and space. The median house price of $328,000 is well below Queensland norms, 49% of dwellings are owned outright, and mortgage-to-income sits at 28.3%, below the stress threshold. The town has a median age of 57, high volunteering at 21.5%, and low housing stress, though income levels are in only the 9.1st percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Crows Nest?
The median house price is $328,000, which is well below the Queensland state median. Weekly rent averages $270, and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $1,118, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3%.
What schools are in Crows Nest?
No schools are recorded inside the Crows Nest suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically rely on schools in the broader Toowoomba region. Locally, 15.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 14.8 points below the national figure, reflecting the town's trade and service-oriented workforce.
Is Crows Nest safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Crows Nest in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, 21.5% of residents volunteer and 74.5% remained in the same dwelling for five or more years before the census, both suggesting a stable, settled community. The suburb has 2,212 residents across 96 square kilometres.
Is Crows Nest good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $270 against a $328,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.3%, higher than many southeast Queensland markets. However, a vacancy rate of 7.8% is elevated, limiting rent growth potential. The IRSAD decile of 2 nationally indicates high relative disadvantage, which typically constrains capital growth compared to more advantaged suburbs.
How is Crows Nest's population changing?
Crows Nest has a population of 2,212 across 96 square kilometres, giving a density of just 23 people per square kilometre. The median age of 57 is 17 years above the national figure, and 74.5% of residents stayed in the same dwelling for the five years before the census, indicating low population turnover and a slowly aging community rather than active growth.
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.
Explore Crows Nest on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map