Emu Park
Emu Park stands out for its older, detached-home profile: 2,281 residents have a median age of 54, which is 14.0 years above the national median. Separate houses account for 90.1% of dwellings, while the 17.5% vacancy rate is high for a small coastal community. Compared with nearby Yeppoon, the suburb reads as more car-dependent, with 79.1% driving to work and only 2.5% using public transport. Household income sits at the 24.9th percentile nationally, so the appeal is strongest for buyers who value space and a settled setting over a deep employment or rental market.
Local council: Livingstone
Population
2,281
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,192/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
For homebuyers, Emu Park's clearest strength is its detached housing stock. Separate houses represent 90.1% of dwellings, compared with 3.4% apartments and 4.7% semi-detached homes, because the suburb is oriented toward conventional coastal houses rather than compact units. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.3% of stock and four-bedroom or larger homes 31.1%, giving families and downsizers more choice than a unit-heavy market. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,517 and mortgage repayments equal 29.4% of household income, while weekly rent is $300 and rent absorbs 25.2%. A current median house price should be checked against recent comparable sales and appraisals.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Emu Park's clearest strength is its detached housing stock. Separate houses represent 90.1% of dwellings, compared with 3.4% apartments and 4.7% semi-detached homes, because the suburb is oriented toward conventional coastal houses rather than compact units. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.3% of stock and four-bedroom or larger homes 31.1%, giving families and downsizers more choice than a unit-heavy market. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,517 and mortgage repayments equal 29.4% of household income, while weekly rent is $300 and rent absorbs 25.2%. A current median house price should be checked against recent comparable sales and appraisals.
For Investors
Emu Park requires a selective rental strategy. Weekly rent is $300, but the 17.5% vacancy rate signals more tenant-choice risk than a tightly supplied market. Renters make up 21.5% of households, compared with 46.9% owning outright and 30.2% paying a mortgage, so the rental pool is smaller than the owner base. Development activity reached 12 applications over 12 months, which may gradually add competition or improve stock quality. The annual growth trend is 1.82% and internal migration is the primary driver, but investors should prioritise tenant appeal, maintenance and vacancy buffers because demand is not uniformly strong.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
14
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 Emu Park
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Emu Park State School
Demographics
Emu Park has an older demographic profile than Australia overall: the median age is 54, or 14.0 years above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 10.8%, which is 10.8 percentage points below the national comparison, while university attendance or attainment is 22.5%, 7.6 points below the national level. The average household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national comparison, and 54.5% of couples have no children at home versus 28.8% with children. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 998, 294 and 279 respectively. The 77.6% address-stability rate supports a settled community, while the 22.4% turnover still allows some renewal.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.1%
Houses
4.7%
Townhouse
3.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Emu Park is overwhelmingly a separate-house market, with 90.1% of dwellings in that form compared with 3.4% apartments and 4.7% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties make up 46.3% of stock, followed by four-bedroom or larger homes at 31.1%, so the housing mix is more family-house oriented than apartment-led. Tenure is also owner weighted: 46.9% own outright and 30.2% have a mortgage, compared with 21.5% renting. Mortgage costs equal 29.4% of household income and rent equals 25.2%, with neither stress flag active. The 17.5% vacancy rate is a notable contrast with the high owner-occupation base and may reflect seasonal or uneven demand.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $300.
$630
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $630
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$617
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.5%
Unoccupied
193
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.8%
Couples with children
54.5%
Couples, no children
16.1%
Single parent
653
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Emu Park's largest listed industry at 22.4%, or 119 workers, followed by education at 14.3% and 76 workers, construction at 11.1% and 59, mining at 9.0% and 48, and public administration at 7.9% and 42. Trades lead occupations with 148 people, ahead of professionals at 142 and community or personal services at 125. Unemployment is 5.6%, participation is 47.6% and the full-time employment rate is 57.8%. The median age of 54 and 892 people outside the labour force help explain the lower participation rate. The IEO decile is 2, below the IER decile of 4, while IRSAD is also in the lower range at decile 2.
Unemployment
5.6%
Labour Force
929
Unemployed
52
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.8%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
47.6%
Employed
877
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.5%
Postgraduate
3.7%
Born Overseas
10.8%
Dwellings
903
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-led. A total of 79.1% of workers drive, compared with 2.5% using public transport, while 4.4% walk or cycle and 8.1% work from home. That pattern means access to a private vehicle is more important than in transit-oriented suburbs. There is 1 local government school, Emu Park State School, and families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Socioeconomic conditions are mixed, with IRSAD at decile 2, IRSD at decile 3 and IER at decile 4. Check current Queensland Police information and inspect the exact street before deciding, since a suburb-wide lifestyle assessment cannot replace local due diligence.
Drive
79.1%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
8.1%
Growth Outlook
Emu Park is classified as an established area, but its annual growth trend is 1.82%, above real-income growth of 1.1%. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, while the wider-area population change runs at 27.7% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen by 5.9 percentage points and the working share has fallen by 4.0 points, which can increase demand for accessible homes and local services. Gentrification signals are mixed, with a score of 27 and a stage of Early signs, while the separate shift measure records a score of 16 and Not gentrifying. This points to gradual change rather than a rapid reinvention of the suburb.
Population trend: Livingstone council area
Emu Park sits in the Livingstone council area. These are the council area's residents, not Emu Park's.
Residents 2025
43,668
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+2.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Emu Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Emu Park a good suburb to live in?
Emu Park suits residents seeking a settled coastal lifestyle, detached housing and a slower pace. The median age is 54, 90.1% of homes are separate houses and 79.1% of workers drive, so it is better suited to car owners than people seeking strong public transport.
What is the median house price in Emu Park?
A current median house price should be checked against recent comparable sales and local appraisals. Emu Park is 90.1% separate houses, with weekly rent of $300 and a monthly mortgage figure of $1,517, providing useful context for affordability comparisons.
What schools are in Emu Park?
Emu Park State School is the 1 local government state school listed for the suburb. Families should confirm enrolment zones, year-level availability and transport arrangements for the exact address before making a decision.
Is Emu Park safe?
Check current Queensland Police information and inspect the exact street before deciding. Emu Park has 2,281 residents and 8.2% need assistance, so practical household needs and the suitability of particular streets can vary.
Is Emu Park good for property investment?
Emu Park may suit investors comfortable with a smaller coastal market, but the 17.5% vacancy rate requires caution. Weekly rent is $300, renters represent 21.5% of households, development activity reached 12 applications and the annual growth trend is 1.82%.
How is Emu Park's population changing?
Growth is being driven primarily by internal migration, with an annual trend of 1.82% and wider-area population change of 27.7% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, including a 5.9 percentage-point rise in the senior share.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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