Glenella
Household income in the 92.7th percentile nationally, yet a median house price around $552,000 makes Glenella one of the more affordable high-income pockets in regional QLD. The suburb sits in postcode 4740 (Mackay region), spans 11.13 km2 at a density of 409 people per km2, and has a population of 4,545 with a median age of 39, one year below the national figure. Ownership rates are strong: 32.9% own outright and 46.2% carry a mortgage, while just 20.9% rent. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.4%, with 64.9% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, well above national norms for family-sized homes.
Population
4,545
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,535/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$552K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is approximately $552,000, estimated from rental data as of 2025, making entry far lower than major east-coast capitals. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,904, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here face manageable debt loads relative to income. The stock is strongly detached-house dominant at 95.4%, and 64.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning buyers gain genuine family-scale space. Only 1.8% are apartments. Outright owners at 32.9% vs mortgage holders at 46.2% shows this is an active buying market rather than an established equity-holding one, which is consistent with families at the wealth-building stage. Income in the 92.7th percentile nationally gives buyers stronger purchasing power than most comparable regional suburbs.
For Buyers
The median house price is approximately $552,000, estimated from rental data as of 2025, making entry far lower than major east-coast capitals. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,904, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here face manageable debt loads relative to income. The stock is strongly detached-house dominant at 95.4%, and 64.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning buyers gain genuine family-scale space. Only 1.8% are apartments. Outright owners at 32.9% vs mortgage holders at 46.2% shows this is an active buying market rather than an established equity-holding one, which is consistent with families at the wealth-building stage. Income in the 92.7th percentile nationally gives buyers stronger purchasing power than most comparable regional suburbs.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 7.8% is elevated, signalling softer demand for rental property relative to stock levels. Weekly rent averages $450 and the renter share is low at 20.9%, so the investor market here is narrower than higher-density suburbs. Overseas migration is the primary population driver, averaging net 56 arrivals per year, while internal migration runs at a net minus 4 annually, suggesting the suburb attracts new arrivals rather than retaining mobile domestic movers. The population grew 7.5% over 10 years to reach 4,545, and medium forecasts project continued growth toward 12,967 by 2030 across the broader SA2. With only 2 development applications in the past 12 months, new supply pressure is minimal, which partially offsets the high vacancy rate for existing stock.
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 Glenella iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Glenella State School
Prep-6 · 234 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is one year below the national average, with the suburb on an aging trajectory: the senior share rose 4.4 points while the young share fell 1.5 points and the working-age share contracted 1.6 points over the decade. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, driven by the prevalence of couples-with-children families, which account for 1,777 of 3,783 total families. Overseas-born residents make up 18.3%, which is 3.3 points below the national figure. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic dominated: English at 1,686, Scottish at 487 and Irish at 481. University qualifications at 28.4% are 1.7 points below national. Volunteering is active at 16.5% of residents, and only 5.1% need daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.4%
Houses
2.9%
Townhouse
1.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 95.4%, with apartments at just 1.8% and semi-detached at 2.9%, making this a firmly detached-house suburb compared to state and national averages. Bedroom distribution skews large: 64.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 31.2% have 3 bedrooms, leaving just 3.9% with 2 or fewer, well above national norms for family-sized housing. Tenure sits at 32.9% outright, 46.2% mortgage and 20.9% renting. Rent-to-income at 17.8% and mortgage-to-income at 17.3% are both below the stress threshold of 30%, so affordability stress is not a significant factor. At a $552,000 median against household income in the 92.7th percentile nationally, the price-to-income relationship here is more favourable than in most capital city markets.
Mortgage / mo
$1,904
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$981
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
124
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.2%
Couples, no children
3,783
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 20.0% of workers (318 people), followed by Mining at 13.3% (211) and Education at 11.9% (189). Construction accounts for 7.2% (115) and Professional/Technical services 6.8% (108), reflecting the regional Mackay economy's resource and service base. By occupation, Professionals dominate at 517 workers, followed by Clerical/Admin at 312 and Sales at 252. The unemployment rate is 2.7%, well below national levels, and the full-time employment rate runs at 66.9%. Participation is 67.0%. The IRSD decile is 8, indicating lower-than-average disadvantage, and real income grew 2.7% over the decade. The IER decile sits at 9, signalling strong economic resources relative to most suburbs nationally.
Unemployment
1.5%
Labour Force
6,893
Unemployed
102
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.9%
Part-time
30.4%
Participation
67.0%
Employed
2,344
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.4%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
18.3%
Dwellings
1,468
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high with 89.7% of residents driving to work, compared to national averages for urban areas, while public transport usage sits at just 1.5%, reflecting the regional Mackay context where transit infrastructure is limited. Walking and cycling account for 1.8% of commutes. The IRSAD decile is 6, placing Glenella in the middle tier for combined advantage and disadvantage nationally. The IEO score sits at decile 5, indicating average education and occupation outcomes. Rent-to-income at 17.8% means renters are not under financial stress, and mortgage holders at 17.3% are similarly comfortable. With a 7.8% vacancy rate, rental availability is currently above typical norms, which benefits incoming residents seeking housing. No schools are recorded in the suburb boundary data for this dataset.
Drive
89.7%
Public Transport
1.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.19%/yr
(+143 people/yr)
EstablishedThe suburb population grew 7.5% over the past decade to reach 4,545, and the annual trend adds approximately 143 people per year at a 1.19% growth rate. The primary demographic driver is overseas migration at net plus 56 per year, more than offsetting the marginal internal net loss of minus 4 annually. Medium forecasts for the broader SA2 project growth from around 12,060 in 2025 to 13,111 by 2031. The gentrification score is 15, firmly in the not-gentrifying stage, which is consistent with an established, income-stable suburb that has not seen speculative redevelopment pressure. Affordability improved from 53.0% in 2011 to 41.9% in 2021, a meaningful shift that points to income growth outpacing price increases over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+56
Net Internal / yr
-4
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Accelerating: -1% → 10%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenella compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenella a good suburb to live in?
Glenella suits families well: 95.4% of homes are detached houses, 64.9% have 4-plus bedrooms, and household income sits in the 92.7th percentile nationally. The IRSD decile of 8 signals below-average disadvantage, and both rent-to-income (17.8%) and mortgage-to-income (17.3%) are below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-off is high car dependency at 89.7% and limited public transport at 1.5%.
What is the median house price in Glenella?
The median house price is approximately $552,000 (estimated from 2025 rental data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,904, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3% is well below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership more accessible here than in most capital city markets.
What schools are in Glenella?
No schools are recorded within the Glenella suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in the broader Mackay postcode 4740 region. The local university qualification rate is 28.4%, which is 1.7 points below the national figure.
Is Glenella safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Glenella in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 8 nationally, meaning it is in the lower-disadvantage tier, which is broadly associated with safer community outcomes. Only 5.1% of the 4,545 residents need daily assistance.
Is Glenella good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. The $450 weekly rent against a $552,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.2%, above major-city benchmarks. However, a 7.8% vacancy rate is elevated and signals softer rental demand. Population growth at 1.19% per year with overseas migration as the primary driver provides steady demand support. New supply is minimal with only 2 development applications in 12 months.
How is Glenella's population changing?
The population grew 7.5% over the past decade to reach 4,545 residents, adding approximately 143 people per year at a 1.19% annual rate. Overseas migration at net plus 56 per year is the primary driver. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 reaching 13,111 by 2031. The age profile is on an aging trajectory, with the senior share rising 4.4 points over the decade.
What is the main industry in Glenella?
Healthcare is the largest employer at 20.0% of workers (318 people), followed by Mining at 13.3% (211) and Education at 11.9% (189). This reflects the Mackay region's mix of resource industry workers and service sector professionals. The unemployment rate is low at 2.7% and full-time employment runs at 66.9%.
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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