Frenchville
With 88.8% separate houses and only 10.2% born overseas, Frenchville reads as a traditional Central Queensland residential suburb, yet its workforce tells a more complex story: healthcare (20.8%) and education (16.6%) together employ over a third of residents, nearly double the national combined share for those sectors. Median house price sits around $391,000, making mortgage repayments just 19.7% of household income, well below the national stress threshold and lower than most east-coast metros.
Population
8,982
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,726/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$391K
Estimated from rent (2025)
A median of $391,000 places Frenchville significantly below the national median, offering 3-bedroom houses (48.4% of stock) and 4+ bedroom homes (37.5%) at a fraction of capital city prices. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.7% is one of the lowest in Queensland, meaning buyers face minimal financial strain compared to Brisbane purchasers who typically exceed 25%. Separate houses make up 88.8% of the housing stock, far above the national average of around 70%. Semi-detached and apartment options are limited at 3.0% and 8.2% respectively, so buyers looking for alternatives to standalone homes have fewer choices.
For Buyers
A median of $391,000 places Frenchville significantly below the national median, offering 3-bedroom houses (48.4% of stock) and 4+ bedroom homes (37.5%) at a fraction of capital city prices. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.7% is one of the lowest in Queensland, meaning buyers face minimal financial strain compared to Brisbane purchasers who typically exceed 25%. Separate houses make up 88.8% of the housing stock, far above the national average of around 70%. Semi-detached and apartment options are limited at 3.0% and 8.2% respectively, so buyers looking for alternatives to standalone homes have fewer choices.
For Investors
The rental market covers 26.1% of dwellings at $300/week, but vacancy at 8.3% is a red flag, running roughly 3-4 times the national equilibrium. Only 1 development application was lodged in 12 months, indicating near-zero new supply, which should eventually tighten vacancy if demand recovers. Population is essentially flat, declining at -0.09% per year, and internal migration runs at -68 per year. Overseas migration adds only 35 per year, far lower than metro benchmarks. Rent-to-income at 17.4% is very affordable for tenants, but the weak demographic outlook limits rental growth potential.
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
Schools in Frenchville iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Frenchville State School
Prep-6 · 825 students
North Rockhampton State High School
7-12 · 968 students
Demographics
Median age of 37 sits 3 years below the national figure, though the trajectory is ageing: seniors increased by 3.7 percentage points over the decade while young adult share stayed flat. Only 10.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.4 percentage points below the national average, making it one of the more homogeneous suburbs in Queensland. English (3,624), Irish (1,130), and Scottish (1,058) ancestry dominate. University attainment at 28.0% is 2.1 points below the national rate. Household size at 2.5 matches the national median, and the 75.4% stability rate reflects moderate turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.8%
Houses
3.0%
Townhouse
8.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers make up 73.9% of households, with outright owners at 33.4% and mortgage holders at 40.5%, both close to national norms. The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached (88.8%), with 3-bedroom homes (48.4%) the most common configuration. Rent at $300/week and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.7% place Frenchville among the most affordable suburbs in regional Queensland. The absence of price history data limits long-term trend analysis, but the estimated median of $391,000 sits well below the state capital median of roughly $800,000.
Mortgage / mo
$1,473
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$880
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.3%
Unoccupied
307
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.8%
Couples, no children
7,093
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 20.8% of employment, followed by education (16.6%) and public administration (9.0%). These three public-sector-heavy industries account for 46.4% of local jobs, which is significantly higher than the national share and reflects Rockhampton's role as a regional service hub. Construction (8.0%) and retail (5.4%) round out the top five. Unemployment at 4.7% is marginally above the national rate. SEIFA scores sit in deciles 4-5 across all indices, placing Frenchville slightly below the national midpoint, consistent with a regional town where incomes are moderate but living costs are low.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
5,275
Unemployed
160
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.8%
Part-time
26.5%
Participation
60.4%
Employed
4,124
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.0%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
10.2%
Dwellings
3,382
Transport to Work
Frenchville State School (ICSEA 1005, 825 students) scores at the national benchmark, while North Rockhampton State High School (ICSEA 896, 968 students) sits below it, reflecting the broader socioeconomic profile. Public transport is essentially non-existent at 1.0% commuter share, with 90.0% driving to work. Crime data is not available in state reporting for this suburb. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Frenchville in the lower-middle band nationally, though the low cost of living partially offsets the modest income levels.
Drive
90.0%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.09%/yr
(-8 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is essentially stagnant, losing about 8 people per year (-0.09%). The medium forecast projects 9,153 by 2031, marginally lower than the current 9,246. Internal migration is negative at -68/year, and overseas arrivals add only 35/year, meaning the suburb relies on natural increase to maintain numbers. Over the past decade, population dropped 2.0%, contrasting with national growth of around 15%. Rent grew just 7.1% over the same period, far below the national rental growth rate, signalling low demand pressure. The gentrification score of 12 confirms no meaningful socioeconomic shift.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+35
Net Internal / yr
-68
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Frenchville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Frenchville a good suburb to live in?
Frenchville works well for families wanting affordable, spacious housing near Rockhampton's services. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.7% is one of the lowest in Queensland, and 88.8% of housing is standalone. The downside is limited public transport (1.0% commuter share) and a SEIFA decile 4 ranking, placing the suburb below the national midpoint for advantage.
What is the median house price in Frenchville?
The estimated median house price is $391,000 as of 2025, derived from rental yield data. This is roughly half the Brisbane median and reflects Rockhampton's regional pricing. Mortgage repayments at $1,473/month consume just 19.7% of household income, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Frenchville?
Two schools serve the area: Frenchville State School (ICSEA 1005, 825 students), a large government primary performing at the national benchmark, and North Rockhampton State High School (ICSEA 896, 968 students), which scores below the national average of 1000 by 104 points.
Is Frenchville safe?
Crime statistics are not published at the suburb level for Frenchville in Queensland reporting. The SEIFA disadvantage decile of 5 and the 4.7% unemployment rate are mid-range indicators. The 75.4% residential stability rate is moderate, suggesting neither extreme transience nor high turnover.
Is Frenchville good for property investment?
Affordability is the main draw: $391,000 median and $300/week rent. However, the 8.3% vacancy rate is roughly 3-4 times the healthy benchmark, and population is declining at -0.09% per year. Only 1 DA was lodged in 12 months, meaning no new supply, but also no demand signal. This is a hold-for-yield play requiring patience rather than a growth corridor.
How is Frenchville's population changing?
Population is essentially flat, losing about 8 people annually (-0.09%). The medium projection shows 9,153 residents by 2031, barely changed from 9,246 today. Internal migration runs at -68/year with overseas arrivals adding only 35. The senior share grew 3.7 percentage points over the decade, outpacing the national ageing trend.
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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