Gailes
With a median house price around $354,000 and household income in the 21st percentile nationally, Gailes sits in the affordable outer-Brisbane tier where purchase prices remain within reach but economic disadvantage is real. The suburb scores decile 3 on both IRSD and IRSAD, placing it below the national average on relative advantage, and the unemployment rate of 14.6% is significantly higher than typical Queensland figures. Overseas-born residents make up 30.5% of the population, which is 8.9 percentage points above the national figure, driven partly by a Samoan community. The population of 1,831 occupies just 1.23 km2, a density of 1,490 residents per km2, giving it a more compact footprint than most detached-house suburbs.
Population
1,831
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,141/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$354K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $354,000 makes Gailes one of the more accessible entry points in the Greater Brisbane market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning typical buyers are not stretched by repayments compared to income. Separate houses dominate at 87% of dwellings, with semi-detached stock filling the remaining 13% and no significant apartment supply. Three-bedroom homes account for 76.5% of the housing stock, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 13.6%, making it a practical choice for families who need space at a lower price than closer-in suburbs. Outright owners make up 22.2% of households, with 31.6% carrying a mortgage and 46.2% renting.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $354,000 makes Gailes one of the more accessible entry points in the Greater Brisbane market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning typical buyers are not stretched by repayments compared to income. Separate houses dominate at 87% of dwellings, with semi-detached stock filling the remaining 13% and no significant apartment supply. Three-bedroom homes account for 76.5% of the housing stock, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 13.6%, making it a practical choice for families who need space at a lower price than closer-in suburbs. Outright owners make up 22.2% of households, with 31.6% carrying a mortgage and 46.2% renting.
For Investors
A 46.2% renter share is a strong structural signal for investors, well above typical owner-occupier suburb levels, meaning tenant demand is embedded in the local housing culture. Weekly rent averages $290, giving a gross yield of roughly 4.3% against the $354,000 median, which is more attractive than inner-Brisbane or Sydney markets. The vacancy rate of 5.6% is elevated above the healthy 2-3% range, indicating some supply slack that can moderate rent growth in the near term. Population growth is running at 0.29% annually, with overseas migration adding 60 residents a year while internal migration is a net outflow of 38, so demand is modest but present. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, meaning competing new supply is not a current pressure.
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5 years younger than the national figure, making Gailes a relatively young suburb. Overseas-born residents at 30.5% sit 8.9 percentage points above the national average, and the Samoan community is the most visible non-English-speaking group with 39 Samoan speakers. English (569), Irish (139) and Samoan (126) are the top ancestry groups after the broad catch-all categories. University qualifications reach only 17.7%, which is 12.4 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and services rather than knowledge industries. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure. Christianity is the dominant faith with 798 adherents, followed by Buddhism (50) and Islam (30).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.0%
Houses
13.0%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses (87%) and semi-detached dwellings (13%), with no recorded apartment component, giving buyers and renters a fundamentally different product mix compared to inner-city markets. Three-bedroom homes make up 76.5% of all dwellings, reflecting the family-oriented demand in the 4300 postcode. The tenure split leans toward renting: 46.2% of households rent versus 31.6% with a mortgage and 22.2% owning outright, a profile more consistent with a rental estate than an established owner-occupier suburb. The estimated median house price of $354,000 is based on rent capitalisation, not a tracked sale series, so price volatility data is unavailable. Rent stress is absent at a rent-to-income ratio of 25.4%, and mortgage stress is not flagged at 24.6%, both below the 30% threshold.
Mortgage / mo
$1,213
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$571
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
38
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.4%
Couples, no children
1,339
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 19.5% (72 workers), followed by Manufacturing (11.9%, 44 workers), Education (9.2%, 34), Construction (8.9%, 33) and Retail (6.5%, 24). The occupation mix skews toward manual and service roles: Labourers lead at 110 workers, with Community/Personal Service and Machinery/Drivers each at 89, and Clerical/Admin at 80. Professionals number just 73, well below the share you would expect in a suburb with a higher SEIFA score. The unemployment rate of 14.6% is well above the national average, with 96 residents unemployed against a participation rate of 45.4%, a low rate that reflects a large not-in-labour-force population of 559. The IRSD decile of 3 and IRSAD decile of 3 confirm concentrated disadvantage, while the IER decile of 5 is higher because the detached-house stock gives residents more economic resources through property.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
5,450
Unemployed
232
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.3%
Part-time
16.1%
Participation
45.4%
Employed
563
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.7%
Postgraduate
4.7%
Born Overseas
30.5%
Dwellings
647
Transport to Work
Transport reliance on private cars is high, with 86.1% of residents driving to work, while only 2.9% use public transport and 0.8% walk or cycle, below national public-transport usage norms. No schools are recorded within the Gailes boundary, so families depend on facilities in neighbouring suburbs within the 4300 postcode. The IRSAD decile of 3 places Gailes in the lower third nationally for combined advantage and disadvantage, with 10.3% of residents (169 people) requiring daily assistance, which is above average and reflects both the aging trend and the economic profile. The volunteering rate of 12.3% is modest but positive. Housing stress indicators are within normal bounds: rent-to-income at 25.4% and mortgage-to-income at 24.6% are both below the 30% stress threshold, meaning day-to-day affordability is manageable despite the low income base.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.29%/yr
(+28 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow and steady at 0.29% per year, adding around 28 residents annually. The 10-year change of 2.4% is modest, reflecting an established suburb that has not attracted significant development or regeneration. Overseas migration is the primary driver, contributing a net 60 residents a year, while internal migration produces a net outflow of 38, suggesting residents who improve economically tend to move elsewhere. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population reaching approximately 9,835 by 2031 from a 2025 base of 9,794. The gentrification score of 0 and stage of not gentrifying mean no meaningful uplift in socioeconomic composition is underway. The senior share rose 5 points over the decade while the young adult share fell 2.1 points, pointing toward an aging trajectory rather than a youth influx.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+60
Net Internal / yr
-38
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gailes compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gailes a good suburb to live in?
Gailes suits buyers seeking affordable detached housing close to Greater Brisbane, with a median house price around $354,000 and mortgage-to-income of 24.6%, below the stress threshold. The trade-off is an unemployment rate of 14.6% and an IRSAD decile of 3, placing it in the lower third nationally for socioeconomic advantage. It suits working families in trades and services more than professionals.
What is the median house price in Gailes?
The estimated median house price is $354,000, derived from rent capitalisation as of 2025. Weekly rent averages $290 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213. At a 24.6% mortgage-to-income ratio, repayments stay below the 30% stress threshold for typical household income levels.
What schools are in Gailes?
No schools are recorded within the Gailes boundary in this dataset. Families in the 4300 postcode rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach only 17.7%, which is 12.4 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the blue-collar employment base.
Is Gailes safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gailes in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, which is below the national average and suggests higher exposure to socioeconomic risk factors. The unemployment rate of 14.6% is well above typical Queensland levels and is relevant context.
Is Gailes good for property investment?
Gailes has an estimated gross yield of around 4.3%, based on $290 weekly rent against a $354,000 median, which compares favourably to inner-city markets. The 46.2% renter share provides a deep tenant pool, though the 5.6% vacancy rate is above the 2-3% healthy range. Annual population growth of 0.29% is modest, with overseas migration the primary demand driver adding 60 residents a year.
How is Gailes's population changing?
The population of 1,831 is growing at 0.29% annually, adding roughly 28 residents per year. Overseas migration contributes a net 60 residents a year, while internal migration produces a net outflow of 38, meaning residents who gain economic mobility tend to leave. The 10-year population change is 2.4%, classifying Gailes as a slow-growth, established suburb.
What languages are spoken in Gailes?
About 30.5% of Gailes residents were born overseas, which is 8.9 percentage points above the national figure. Samoan is the most recorded non-English language with 39 speakers, and the Samoan ancestry group (126 residents) is among the top five ancestry categories, giving the suburb a distinct Pacific Islander community.
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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