Darling Downs
With household income sitting at the 92.1st percentile nationally, Darling Downs punches well above its small population of 1,591. Owner-occupation dominates at 93.6% of households, split between outright owners (31.8%) and those with a mortgage (61.8%), while renters account for just 6.5%. The suburb is almost exclusively separate houses at 96.5%, and 81.3% of those have 4 or more bedrooms, a profile that reflects the family-formation stage of most residents. The median age of 39 is one year below the national figure, and the average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above national, confirming the family-oriented character.
Population
1,591
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,480/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$526K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $526,000 places Darling Downs below many Perth metro areas, making entry accessible for families who need the space the suburb delivers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,172 and, at 20.2% of household income, sit comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability ratio compares favourably to inner-ring suburbs where mortgage-to-income routinely exceeds 30%. The dwelling stock is almost entirely 4-plus bedroom separate houses (81.3% of dwellings), so buyers are unlikely to find the smaller entry-level stock common elsewhere. At 96.5% separate house coverage, buyers are paying for land as much as bricks, a key distinction compared to townhouse-heavy outer suburbs.
For Buyers
The median house price of $526,000 places Darling Downs below many Perth metro areas, making entry accessible for families who need the space the suburb delivers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,172 and, at 20.2% of household income, sit comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability ratio compares favourably to inner-ring suburbs where mortgage-to-income routinely exceeds 30%. The dwelling stock is almost entirely 4-plus bedroom separate houses (81.3% of dwellings), so buyers are unlikely to find the smaller entry-level stock common elsewhere. At 96.5% separate house coverage, buyers are paying for land as much as bricks, a key distinction compared to townhouse-heavy outer suburbs.
For Investors
The investment case here is limited by the thin rental market: only 6.5% of households rent, which is very low compared to the national average of roughly 30%. Weekly rent of $400 against a $526,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, modest but not unattractive. The vacancy rate of 5.0% is elevated, signalling low tenant demand relative to available stock, which creates a risk for landlords holding the asset. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, suggesting the suburb is largely built out. The high 61.8% mortgage-holder share means most residents are servicing debt, leaving minimal natural churn for rental demand to grow quickly.
Demographics
Darling Downs has a median age of 39, one year below the national figure, driven by a large share of families with children: 628 couple-with-children families versus 369 couples without children. The average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above national, consistent with that family profile. Overseas-born residents at 25.3% run 3.7 points above the national figure. Ancestry skews Anglo-Celtic, with English (730), Scottish (149), Irish (139) and Dutch (124) as the top groups. University qualifications reach 24.1%, which is 6 points below the national average, reflecting a workforce that leans towards trade, clerical and service roles rather than professional-degree pathways.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.5%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupation at 93.6% is exceptionally high, well above the national rate, and splits between outright owners (31.8%) and those with a mortgage (61.8%), with just 6.5% renting. The dwelling stock is almost uniformly separate houses at 96.5%, and 81.3% have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning this is not a suburb for one-bedroom or apartment seekers. The $526,000 median comes with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, below the 30% stress benchmark, so the typical household is not under financial strain. Rent-to-income sits at 16.1%, below the standard 25% stress line. This combination of affordable repayments and high ownership rates signals a settled, debt-manageable community.
Mortgage / mo
$2,172
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$969
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
27
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.5%
Couples, no children
1,394
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads local employment at 12.0% (68 workers), followed jointly by Education and Healthcare at 11.5% each (65 workers apiece), then Mining at 9.9% and Public Administration at 9.3%. The mix of trade-oriented construction and public-sector healthcare and education is typical of outer suburban WA. By occupation, Clerical and Admin workers (153) lead, ahead of Professionals (118), Community and Personal services (107) and Managers (103). Full-time employment is strong at 66.7% and the unemployment rate of 3.8% is near national levels. Participation sits at 66.3%, with 335 residents not in the labour force, likely reflecting the parenting-age family profile where one partner steps back from paid work.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.7%
Part-time
29.5%
Participation
66.3%
Employed
806
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.1%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
25.3%
Dwellings
514
Transport to Work
Car dependency is very high: 91.2% of residents drive to work, above the national norm, while only 3.3% use public transport and 1.5% walk or cycle. This reflects the outer-metropolitan setting where transit options are limited. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on nearby schools in surrounding areas. Volunteering at 19.0% is a positive social indicator, suggesting an engaged community. The need-for-assistance rate of 3.9% (60 residents) is low, consistent with the relatively young median age of 39 and the high workforce participation rate. Crime data is not available for this suburb, so safety comparisons cannot be drawn from this dataset.
Drive
91.2%
Public Transport
3.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Darling Downs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Darling Downs a good suburb to live in?
Darling Downs suits families who want space and ownership: 93.6% of households own their home, 96.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 81.3% have 4 or more bedrooms. Household income sits at the 92.1st percentile nationally. The main trade-off is high car dependency at 91.2% and limited public transport at 3.3%.
What is the median house price in Darling Downs?
The median house price is approximately $526,000, estimated from rental data for 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,172, which represents 20.2% of household income, well below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $400.
What schools are in Darling Downs?
No schools are recorded inside the Darling Downs suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 24.1%, which is 6 points below the national average, reflecting a community that predominantly works in trade and service sectors.
Is Darling Downs safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Darling Downs in this dataset. Indirect indicators are positive: the unemployment rate is 3.8%, close to the national level, only 3.9% of residents (60 people) need daily assistance, and household income sits at the 92.1st percentile nationally, all consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage community.
Is Darling Downs good for property investment?
The rental market is narrow, with only 6.5% of households renting compared to the national average of roughly 30%. The vacancy rate is 5.0% and no development applications were recorded in the past 12 months. Weekly rent of $400 against a $526,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, modest for an outer-suburban market.
How is Darling Downs's population changing?
Darling Downs has a population of 1,591 across 9.82 square kilometres at a density of 162 residents per square kilometre. Residential stability is high, with 79.1% of residents remaining at the same address year-on-year. No new development activity was recorded in the past 12 months, suggesting the suburb is near full build-out.
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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