Glass House Mountains
Almost everything here is a detached house, 98.3% of the dwellings, spread across a 72.41 km2 footprint at just 77.3 residents per km2, and that low density shapes the whole suburb. The median house price of $505,000 sits well below capital-city levels, and household income lands in the 61st percentile nationally, an affordable, mortgage-driven profile where 46.3% of homes carry a mortgage. The population has grown 18.3% over the past decade to 5,601 residents, and forecasts point to 7,960 by 2031. The median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above the national figure, and university qualifications at 19.9% sit 10.2 points below national, signalling a working, trades-and-services population rather than a knowledge-economy one.
Population
5,601
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,740/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$505K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $505,000 median house price keeps Glass House Mountains accessible relative to most Queensland coastal markets, and the stock strongly favours buyers wanting space. Separate houses make up 98.3% of dwellings, while apartments are just 0.6%, so almost every purchase is a standalone home on land. Four-plus-bedroom houses dominate at 55.6% and three-bedroom homes at 37.0%, leaving little for downsizers or singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes only in the 61st percentile. Mortgage holders at 46.3% outnumber outright owners at 37.3%, which points to a market of working families buying in rather than retirees holding debt-free, consistent with the larger average household size of 2.8.
For Buyers
The $505,000 median house price keeps Glass House Mountains accessible relative to most Queensland coastal markets, and the stock strongly favours buyers wanting space. Separate houses make up 98.3% of dwellings, while apartments are just 0.6%, so almost every purchase is a standalone home on land. Four-plus-bedroom houses dominate at 55.6% and three-bedroom homes at 37.0%, leaving little for downsizers or singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes only in the 61st percentile. Mortgage holders at 46.3% outnumber outright owners at 37.3%, which points to a market of working families buying in rather than retirees holding debt-free, consistent with the larger average household size of 2.8.
For Investors
Renters make up only 16.4% of households, below most metro areas, so the tenant pool is shallow and the suburb leans owner-occupier. Weekly rent of $400 against the $505,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, healthier than inner-city Sydney or Melbourne because the entry price is low. The vacancy rate of 6.1% is elevated, which can lengthen void periods, but demand support is genuine: net internal migration adds 96 residents a year and net overseas migration another 44, and rents have grown 32.7% over the period. Development activity is modest at 14 applications in 12 months, mostly domestic building work rather than new dwelling supply, so existing stock should hold scarcity value. The case rests on affordable yield plus capital growth from a population forecast to rise toward 7,960 by 2031.
Development Activity
Total DAs
55
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Glass House Mountains iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Glass House Mountains State School
Prep-6 · 376 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above national, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.8 points while the young share fell 2.7 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 16.8%, which is 4.8 points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo, led by English (2,586), Scottish (686), Irish (622) and German (412). University qualifications at 19.9% sit 10.2 points below national, consistent with a trades and services workforce. The top non-English languages are German (16 speakers), Italian (13) and French (11), a small cohort. Average household size is 2.8, which is 0.3 above national and reflects the family profile: couples with children number 1,811 against 1,466 couples with no children. Christianity dominates religion at 2,410 residents, with Buddhism a distant second at 51.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward working buyers: 46.3% carry a mortgage, 37.3% own outright and only 16.4% rent. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners signals a market of households still paying off homes rather than debt-free retirees. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 98.3%, with apartments at 0.6% and semi-detached at 1.1%, so dwelling variety is minimal and almost every home sits on its own block. Four-plus-bedroom houses account for 55.6% and three-bedroom 37.0%, while one-and-two-bedroom dwellings together total just 7.5%. The median house price of $505,000 stays affordable against the 61st-percentile household income, and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2% with rent-to-income at 23.0% both sit below the 30% stress line, a rare comfort margin compared with capital-city suburbs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$739
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
124
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.6%
Couples, no children
4,646
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service and trade sectors: Healthcare leads at 18.2% (311 workers), Construction follows at 15.2% (261) and Education at 11.1% (190), with Retail at 6.4% and Public Admin at 6.3%. By occupation, Professionals (401) and Managers (352) lead but Labourers (313) and Clerical/Admin (343) feature heavily, a broader mix than knowledge-economy suburbs. Unemployment is low at 4.2% and the full-time employment rate is 62.2%. Participation reads 55.2%, held down because 1,540 residents are not in the labour force, in line with the aging profile. On SEIFA the suburb scores decile 8 for economic resources (IER) yet only decile 4 for education and occupation (IEO), a gap that reflects asset-rich households on land paired with below-average tertiary qualifications, with IRSAD overall at decile 5.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
3,729
Unemployed
140
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
55.2%
Employed
2,398
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.9%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
16.8%
Dwellings
1,907
Transport to Work
The suburb runs almost entirely on cars: 89.5% of commuters drive, while public transport carries just 2.0% and only 2.5% walk or cycle, far below metro norms and a consequence of the 77.3-per-km2 density across 72.41 km2. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring towns, a practical trade-off for the rural-residential setting. On SEIFA the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 5 on IRSAD, both mid-range, meaning moderate advantage rather than affluence or deprivation. Volunteering runs at 15.4% and 6.5% of residents (344 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 42. Housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 23.0% below the 30% line.
Drive
89.5%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.72%/yr
(+126 people/yr)
EstablishedGlass House Mountains is growing steadily: population rose 18.3% over the decade and the trend continues at 1.72% a year, or about 126 residents annually. From 6,961 in 2023 the count reached 7,309 in 2025, and medium forecasts carry it to 7,960 by 2031. Internal migration is the primary driver, adding a net 96 residents a year against 44 from overseas, a pattern typical of sea-change and tree-change movement out of metro Brisbane. The gentrification stage reads early signs, scoring 37 to 41, with momentum accelerating from 4% to 23% on the underlying measure. Affordability improved from 61.1% in 2011 to 54.0% in 2021 even as rents climbed 32.7%, and real incomes grew 22.0%, so the suburb is rising in demand while staying more affordable than coastal alternatives.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+44
Net Internal / yr
+96
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +29% since 2011, Net internal migration +96/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 23%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glass House Mountains compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glass House Mountains a good suburb to live in?
It suits families wanting space: 98.3% of dwellings are detached houses and the average household size of 2.8 sits 0.3 above national. Housing stress is low, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, below the 30% threshold. SEIFA scores are mid-range at decile 5 on IRSAD, and the median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above national.
What is the median house price in Glass House Mountains?
The median house price is $505,000, well below most Queensland coastal markets. Weekly rent averages $400, implying a gross yield near 4.1%, and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,820, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress line.
What schools are in Glass House Mountains?
No schools are recorded inside the 72.41 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring towns. Education is a major local employer at 11.1% of the workforce, though university qualifications among residents sit at 19.9%, which is 10.2 points below the national figure.
Is Glass House Mountains safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Glass House Mountains in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 5 on IRSAD, both mid-range, with only 6.5% of residents needing daily assistance, consistent with a moderate-advantage area.
Is Glass House Mountains good for property investment?
Rent of $400 a week against a $505,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than capital-city suburbs. The 6.1% vacancy rate can lengthen void periods, but net internal migration of 96 a year and rent growth of 32.7% support demand, with renters only 16.4% of households.
How is Glass House Mountains's population changing?
Population grew 18.3% over the decade to 5,601 residents and continues at 1.72% a year, about 126 people annually. From 6,961 in 2023 it reached 7,309 in 2025, with forecasts pointing to 7,960 by 2031. Internal migration is the main driver, adding a net 96 residents a year.
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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