Curra
With a median age of 45 and household income at the 17th percentile nationally, Curra is an affordable, semi-rural suburb that attracts older owner-occupiers rather than young professionals. Spread across 102 square kilometres in the Gympie region, it has a population of 2,104 and a density of just 20.6 people per km2. Nearly 41% of households own their home outright, well above the national average, and 95% of dwellings are separate houses. The suburb scores decile 4 on IRSAD, placing it in the lower-advantage bracket compared to national norms, yet housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 26.9% and rent-to-income at 27.6%.
Population
2,104
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,088/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$367K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $367,000, substantially below the national median, making Curra one of the more accessible entry points in southeast Queensland. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,268, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses account for 95.1% of the stock and 3-bedroom homes are the most common at 48.6%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 32.9%. Tenure is strongly owner-biased: 40.7% own outright and 48.4% hold a mortgage, while only 10.9% rent. At $367,000 buyers gain significant land and dwelling size per dollar compared to capital-city markets.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $367,000, substantially below the national median, making Curra one of the more accessible entry points in southeast Queensland. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,268, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses account for 95.1% of the stock and 3-bedroom homes are the most common at 48.6%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 32.9%. Tenure is strongly owner-biased: 40.7% own outright and 48.4% hold a mortgage, while only 10.9% rent. At $367,000 buyers gain significant land and dwelling size per dollar compared to capital-city markets.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $300 against a $367,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, above typical capital-city levels, but the 8.6% vacancy rate is elevated and signals thin demand. Only 10.9% of households rent, a low renter share compared to national averages, so tenant turnover can leave properties vacant longer. Net internal migration adds 142 residents per year and population grew 27.6% over the decade, providing a demand tailwind. Development activity is minimal at 1 application in the past 12 months, limiting oversupply risk. The gentrification score is 48 (active stage) with population up 46% since 2011, pointing to growing tree-change interest that could support future capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
2
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
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national average, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 2.6 points while the young adult share fell 3.1 points over the decade. Only 14.7% of residents were born overseas, 6.9 percentage points below the national figure. English, Irish and Scottish ancestries dominate. University qualifications at 10.3% run nearly 20 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the blue-collar and trade character of local work. Average household size is 2.6, marginally above national, and couples-with-children households (590) outnumber couples without children (541) despite the older median age.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.1%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Curra is almost entirely detached housing at 95.1% separate houses, with no meaningful apartment stock. Three-bedroom homes are the plurality at 48.6%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 32.9% and 2-bedroom at 13.2%. Ownership is high: 40.7% own outright and 48.4% carry a mortgage, while renters are only 10.9%, well below the national renter share. The median house price of $367,000 is estimated from rents (2025 data), an affordable rural option compared to the broader Queensland market. The vacancy rate of 8.6% is above the national average, suggesting rental demand is softer than ownership demand. Mortgage-to-income at 26.9% indicates current borrowers are not under financial pressure.
Mortgage / mo
$1,268
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$487
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
72
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.1%
Couples, no children
1,686
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 22.1% of local workers (100 people), nearly double the Retail sector at 11.5% (52). Construction is third at 11.3% (51). Labourers (138) and Community/Personal Service workers (117) are the two largest occupational groups, consistent with a decile 4 IRSAD score placing the suburb below the national average on economic advantage. Unemployment at 9.7% is above the national benchmark and participation is just 43.9%, partly because 789 residents are not in the labour force due to the older age profile. Household income sits at the 17th percentile nationally, and housing affordability has been stable at around 47% since 2011.
Unemployment
2.7%
Labour Force
1,505
Unemployed
41
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.6%
Part-time
37.7%
Participation
43.9%
Employed
680
Occupations
Top Industries
University
10.3%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
14.7%
Dwellings
762
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 90.9% drive to work, well above the national average, because the 102 km2 footprint and density of 20.6 people per km2 make public transport impractical. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on nearby Gympie. Crime data is unavailable at suburb level, but the IRSD decile of 5 indicates near-median disadvantage nationally. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 26.9% and rent-to-income at 27.6%, both below the 30% stress threshold. Volunteering runs at 12.2% and 13.0% of residents (257 people) need daily assistance, reflecting the older age profile compared to the national median.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.98%/yr
(+150 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 27.6% over the decade, above the national average for regional suburbs, and the forecast annual rate is 1.98%, adding roughly 150 residents per year through 2031. Internal migration is the primary driver at a net 142 arrivals per year, while overseas migration adds 17. The gentrification score of 48 (active stage) reflects a 46% population rise since 2011 and accelerating tree-change inflows from larger centres. Rent grew 29.6% and real incomes rose 5.8% over the same period. The young share declined 3.1 points, meaning growth concentrates in middle-aged and older cohorts rather than families with young children.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+17
Net Internal / yr
+142
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +46% since 2011, Net internal migration +142/yr, Accelerating: 7% → 37%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Curra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Curra a good suburb to live in?
Curra suits buyers seeking affordable rural living in the Gympie region. The median house price is $367,000, well below the national average, and mortgage-to-income sits at 26.9%, which is below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb scores decile 5 on IRSD nationally, near the median on disadvantage, with 40.7% of households owning their home outright.
What is the median house price in Curra?
The median house price is estimated at $367,000 (2025, derived from rental data). Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,268. At these levels Curra is significantly below the national median, making it one of the more affordable entry points in southeast Queensland.
What schools are in Curra?
No schools are recorded within the Curra suburb boundary in this dataset. Families travel to nearby Gympie for primary and secondary schooling. Only 10.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is nearly 20 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the trade and labour-based character of the local workforce.
Is Curra safe?
Suburb-level crime statistics are not available for Curra. As a proxy, the suburb scores decile 5 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage nationally, near the national median. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 26.9% and rent-to-income at 27.6%, and 73.7% of residents have lived in the same address for 5 or more years, indicating residential stability.
Is Curra good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $300 against a $367,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than most capital-city suburbs. However, the 8.6% vacancy rate is elevated and the renter share of 10.9% is well below state and national averages, meaning tenant demand is thin. Population grew 27.6% over the decade and internal migration adds 142 residents per year, providing a long-run demand floor.
How is Curra's population changing?
Population grew 27.6% over the 10-year period and the forecast adds around 150 residents per year through 2031. Internal migration is the primary driver at a net 142 arrivals annually. The gentrification score is 48 (active stage), with a 46% population rise since 2011. The young share declined 3.1 points, so growth is concentrated in older tree-change arrivals.
What industries employ people in Curra?
Healthcare is the top employer at 22.1% of workers (100 people), followed by Retail at 11.5% and Construction at 11.3%. By occupation, Labourers (138) and Community/Personal Service workers (117) are the two largest groups. The unemployment rate is 9.7%, above the national average, and the participation rate is 43.9%, partly because 789 residents are not in the labour force.
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 Curra on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map