Dalby
Detached housing defines Dalby more than price signals: 91.3% of dwellings are separate houses and apartments are only 0.2%. The town has 12,758 residents across a low density 323.22 sqkm footprint, so daily life is more car and land oriented than inner Toowoomba. Median age is 35, which is 5.0 years below the national benchmark, while 8.6% born overseas is 13.0 percentage points below national. That mix points to a younger regional service centre with a locally rooted population.
Population
12,758
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,462/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
103
Median House
$342K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Dalby suits buyers who want space, because 91.3% of homes are separate houses and 41.6% have 4 or more bedrooms. Three bedroom homes are also common at 43.7%, giving families and trades households more options than apartment heavy markets. Ownership costs look moderate: the median monthly mortgage is $1,300 and mortgage payments take 20.5% of household income, below common stress thresholds. With 34.9% buying with a mortgage and 29.3% owned outright, the market is not dominated by one tenure type.
For Buyers
Dalby suits buyers who want space, because 91.3% of homes are separate houses and 41.6% have 4 or more bedrooms. Three bedroom homes are also common at 43.7%, giving families and trades households more options than apartment heavy markets. Ownership costs look moderate: the median monthly mortgage is $1,300 and mortgage payments take 20.5% of household income, below common stress thresholds. With 34.9% buying with a mortgage and 29.3% owned outright, the market is not dominated by one tenure type.
For Investors
Rental demand exists, but vacancy risk is the main watch point. Renters account for 35.8% of households, higher than the 29.3% owned outright share, and the median rent is $260 a week. However, vacancy is 11.3%, well above what most investors would call tight, so property quality and tenant targeting matter. The 93 development applications in 12 months suggest ongoing local activity, but many examples are sheds or outbuildings rather than large new dwelling supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
505
Last 12 Months
103
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dalby iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Our Lady of the Southern Cross College
Prep-12 · 681 students
Dalby Christian College
Prep-12 · 419 students
Dalby State High School
7-12 · 1090 students
Dalby State School
Prep-6 · 505 students
Dalby South State School
Prep-6 · 487 students
Demographics
Dalby is younger and more Australian born than the national profile. The median age is 35, which is 5.0 years below national, and only 8.6% of residents were born overseas, 13.0 percentage points below national. University attainment is 18.3%, lower than national by 11.8 points, while average household size is 2.6, slightly above national by 0.1. English ancestry is the largest listed group at 4,981 people, followed by Irish at 1,397, reflecting a regional Queensland demographic base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.3%
Houses
7.9%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly low rise: 91.3% separate houses compared with just 0.2% apartments and 7.9% semi-detached dwellings. Renting at 35.8% is higher than owned outright at 29.3%, while 34.9% of households are paying a mortgage. Bedroom supply is practical for families, with 43.7% three bedroom and 41.6% four bedroom plus homes. Affordability pressure appears contained because rent takes 17.8% of income and mortgages take 20.5%, both below common stress benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$260
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$753
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.3%
Unoccupied
579
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.7%
Couples, no children
9,736
Total families
Economy & Employment
Dalby's economy is anchored in services that support a regional catchment. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 16.3% and 566 workers, followed by education at 12.1%, construction at 8.7%, retail at 8.4% and public admin at 7.7%. Professionals lead occupations with 798 workers, only slightly above labourers at 787, so the workforce is more mixed than a purely agricultural town. Unemployment is 5.0% and participation is 59.0%, while household income sits at the 44.9 percentile, below the national median.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.6%
Part-time
28.4%
Participation
59.0%
Employed
5,531
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.3%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
8.6%
Dwellings
4,540
Transport to Work
Dalby is built around car access rather than mass transit: 86.0% of commuters drive, compared with only 0.8% using public transport and 5.6% walking or cycling. School choice is a practical strength, with 5 local schools across Catholic, Independent and Government sectors and an ICSEA range from 910 to 1021. Our Lady of the Southern Cross College has the highest ICSEA at 1021, followed by Dalby Christian College at 1009, while Dalby State High adds a large Government secondary option with 1,090 enrolments.
Drive
86.0%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dalby compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dalby a good suburb to live in?
Dalby can work well for households wanting space, schools and regional services. It has 12,758 residents, 91.3% separate houses and 5 local schools, while the median age of 35 is below the national benchmark.
What is the median house price in Dalby?
A current median house price is not available for Dalby. Useful cost markers are the $260 weekly median rent, the $1,300 median monthly mortgage and a 20.5% mortgage-to-income ratio, which is below common stress levels.
What schools are in Dalby?
Dalby has 5 local schools: Our Lady of the Southern Cross College, Dalby Christian College, Dalby State High School, Dalby State School and Dalby South State School. ICSEA scores range from 910 to 1021.
Is Dalby safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Dalby, so safety should be assessed by street and property type. For local context, 86.0% of commuters drive and 5 schools operate in the suburb.
Is Dalby good for property investment?
Dalby has investor appeal through a 35.8% renter share and $260 median weekly rent, but the 11.3% vacancy rate is high compared with tight rental markets. Careful asset selection is important.
How is Dalby's population changing?
Dalby has 12,758 residents and a median age of 35, which is 5.0 years below the national benchmark. Recent local change is also reflected in 93 development applications over 12 months.
Is there much development in Dalby?
Yes. Dalby recorded 93 development applications in the past 12 months, well above the 20 application marker for notable activity. Recent examples include sheds, domestic outbuildings and boundary relaxation work.
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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