Freshwater
With 41.5% of residents holding university qualifications, Freshwater ranks 11.4 percentage points above the national average, a striking gap for a suburb where the median house price sits at a relatively affordable $445,000. The SEIFA education and occupation index places it at decile 8 nationally, yet household income reaches the 67.4th percentile. A median age of 42, two years above the national figure, combined with 70.2% of residents who have not moved in five years, signals an established, settled community rather than one driven by speculative turnover.
Population
2,142
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,867/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$445K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price in Freshwater is $445,000, estimated from 2025 rental data, which positions the suburb well below most southeast Queensland coastal markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 57.6% of dwellings, compared to 34.9% apartments and 7.6% semi-detached homes. The bedroom split is fairly even across 2-bed (33.8%), 3-bed (32.6%) and 4-plus (32.5%) categories, giving buyers genuine choice across size. Outright owners account for 31.8% and mortgage holders 39.0%, with 29.2% renting, a tenure profile consistent with the suburb's affordable, owner-occupier character.
For Buyers
The median house price in Freshwater is $445,000, estimated from 2025 rental data, which positions the suburb well below most southeast Queensland coastal markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 57.6% of dwellings, compared to 34.9% apartments and 7.6% semi-detached homes. The bedroom split is fairly even across 2-bed (33.8%), 3-bed (32.6%) and 4-plus (32.5%) categories, giving buyers genuine choice across size. Outright owners account for 31.8% and mortgage holders 39.0%, with 29.2% renting, a tenure profile consistent with the suburb's affordable, owner-occupier character.
For Investors
Freshwater's 29.2% renter share and $350 weekly rent give landlords a consistent tenant base, though the gross yield calculation against a $445,000 median produces a yield around 4.1%, reasonable for a regional QLD market. The vacancy rate at 8.5% is elevated and warrants attention before committing, as it suggests more supply than demand in the rental pool. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, indicating limited new supply pressure. The household income at the 67.4th percentile nationally, combined with low rent-to-income of 18.7%, means existing tenants face minimal financial stress, which supports rental continuity. However, investors should weigh the high vacancy rate against those stable tenant fundamentals.
Schools in Freshwater iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Freshwater State School
Prep-6 · 594 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 sits 2.0 years above the national average, reflecting an established, older owner-occupier base. University qualifications reach 41.5%, which is 11.4 percentage points above the national figure, making this one of the more educated suburbs in the Cairns region. Overseas-born residents account for 21.3%, close to the national rate. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (929 residents) leads, followed by Irish (324), Scottish (278) and German (160). Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national figure of 2.5, consistent with the couples-without-children profile where 29.7% of families are couples with no dependants. Volunteering reaches 21.4%, above typical suburban rates, suggesting an engaged community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
57.6%
Houses
7.6%
Townhouse
34.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Freshwater's tenure structure leans toward ownership: 31.8% own outright and 39.0% carry a mortgage, while 29.2% rent, giving a 70.8% combined ownership rate. Mortgage-to-income at 20.1% and rent-to-income at 18.7% both fall well below stress thresholds, so the suburb avoids the affordability pressure seen in larger QLD coastal markets. Separate houses dominate at 57.6%, compared to 34.9% apartments and 7.6% semi-detached. Bedroom distribution is unusually balanced across 2-bed (33.8%), 3-bed (32.6%) and 4-plus bed (32.5%) dwellings, which suggests the suburb serves families and downsizers in roughly equal measure. The vacancy rate of 8.5% is the key risk signal for the rental segment, implying more supply than tenants can absorb at current rent levels.
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,095
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
81
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.7%
Couples, no children
1,616
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 28.1% of the workforce (267 workers), reflecting Freshwater's proximity to Cairns Base Hospital. Education follows at 14.2% (135 workers) and Public Administration at 9.4% (89 workers). Together these three public-sector anchors account for more than half of all employment, making the suburb's economic base stable but dependent on government funding. By occupation, Professionals lead with 425 workers, followed by Managers (151) and Community/Personal services (147). The full-time employment rate is 60.8%, the unemployment rate is 4.9% and participation sits at 68.5%. The IRSAD decile of 7 and IEO decile of 8 indicate the suburb ranks in the upper-middle tier nationally on both income and education measures.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.8%
Part-time
34.3%
Participation
68.5%
Employed
1,116
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.5%
Postgraduate
10.3%
Born Overseas
21.3%
Dwellings
872
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 90.1% of residents commuting by car, well above the national average, and only 1.1% using public transport. Walking or cycling accounts for 3.2% of trips. No schools are recorded within the Freshwater boundary, so families rely on institutions in adjacent suburbs of the Cairns area. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSD (relative disadvantage) and decile 7 on IRSAD (advantage and disadvantage combined), placing it in the upper-middle tier nationally. Only 4.0% of residents (82 people) need daily assistance, below typical rates for a suburb with a median age of 42. Rent-to-income at 18.7% means most renters are not under financial pressure, which contributes to residential stability.
Drive
90.1%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Freshwater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Freshwater a good suburb to live in?
Freshwater scores decile 8 on IRSD nationally, placing it in the upper-middle advantage tier. Household income sits at the 67.4th percentile, and university qualifications at 41.5% are 11.4 points above the national figure. Mortgage-to-income is 20.1% and rent-to-income 18.7%, both well below stress thresholds. The main trade-off is high car dependency at 90.1% and an 8.5% rental vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Freshwater?
The median house price is $445,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $1,625, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, which is comfortably below the stress threshold of 30%.
What schools are in Freshwater?
No schools are recorded within the Freshwater boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Cairns suburbs. Despite this, residents are highly educated locally, with 41.5% holding university qualifications, which is 11.4 percentage points above the national average.
Is Freshwater safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Freshwater are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb ranks at SEIFA IRSD decile 8 nationally, in the upper-middle advantage tier, and only 4.0% of its 2,142 residents require daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, stable community.
Is Freshwater good for property investment?
At $350 weekly rent against a $445,000 median, the gross rental yield is approximately 4.1%, reasonable by regional QLD standards. However, the vacancy rate of 8.5% is elevated and signals oversupply in the rental market. No new development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, limiting future supply pressure but also indicating low capital growth drivers.
How is Freshwater's population changing?
No annual growth rate is available for Freshwater. The suburb has a stable, low-turnover profile: 70.2% of its 2,142 residents did not move in the five years to the Census, compared to a turnover rate of 29.8%. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, pointing to an aging, long-term resident base rather than rapid demographic change.
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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