Glenwood
With a median age of 56, Glenwood runs 16 years above the national figure, and that single fact explains much of the suburb's character. Sitting across 50 square kilometres of Gympie Regional Council territory, 2,137 residents live at a density of just 42.7 people per km2, far below typical suburban benchmarks. SEIFA tells a different story than the low incomes suggest: the suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD and decile 10 on IER, placing it in the top bracket for economic resources. Household income sits in only the 4.5th percentile nationally, yet 60.4% of residents own their homes outright, indicating accumulated wealth without current earnings pressure.
Population
2,137
Median Age
56.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$790/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$309K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $309,000, estimated from rents as of 2025, sits well below state and national medians, which reflects the rural scale and aging ownership profile. Monthly mortgage repayments average $921, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9% stays below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 97.9% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes making up 39.1% of stock and two-bedroom homes at 29.8%. The high outright-ownership rate of 60.4%, compared to national averages, means only 30.6% of residents carry a mortgage, suggesting the buyer pool competes mainly for the small fraction of stock that actually changes hands. Affordability has improved over the decade, with the affordability score moving from 67.5 in 2011 to 60.0 in 2021.
For Buyers
The median house price of $309,000, estimated from rents as of 2025, sits well below state and national medians, which reflects the rural scale and aging ownership profile. Monthly mortgage repayments average $921, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9% stays below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 97.9% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes making up 39.1% of stock and two-bedroom homes at 29.8%. The high outright-ownership rate of 60.4%, compared to national averages, means only 30.6% of residents carry a mortgage, suggesting the buyer pool competes mainly for the small fraction of stock that actually changes hands. Affordability has improved over the decade, with the affordability score moving from 67.5 in 2011 to 60.0 in 2021.
For Investors
The rental market is thin by most measures. Only 9.0% of dwellings are rented, and weekly rent sits at $274. Against the $309,000 median, that implies a gross yield around 4.6%, reasonable on paper but constrained by a vacancy rate of 16.1%, which is high and points to oversupply relative to tenant demand. Rental stress is real: rent-to-income runs at 34.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, meaning the small renter cohort is financially stretched. Development activity is minimal, with only 2 applications lodged in the past 12 months, both involving lot boundary adjustments rather than new dwellings. Net internal migration is negative at minus 326 per year for the broader area, which limits demand recovery.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
4
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 Glenwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Glenwood State School
Prep-6 · 85 students
Demographics
Glenwood's median age of 56 is 16 years above the national figure, the clearest signal of its demographic position. The senior share rose 4.9 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 0.7 points, reinforcing the aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents account for 21.1%, within 0.5 points of the national average. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (984), Irish (242), Scottish (240) and German (166) are the leading groups. Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, consistent with couples-without-children households, which represent 48.6% of all families. University qualifications reach only 11.0%, which is 19.1 points below the national rate, reflecting the manual and trades-based local workforce.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.9%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 60.4%, compared to a national figure typically near 30%, indicating a long-settled population with paid-down debt rather than recent entrants. Mortgage holders account for 30.6% and renters for 9.0%. The dwelling stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.9%, with no recorded apartment or semi-detached component. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 39.1%, followed by two-bedroom at 29.8%, smaller one-bedroom and studio stock at 17.4%, and four-plus bedrooms at 13.8%. The median house price of $309,000 carries a monthly mortgage of $921, and at a 26.9% mortgage-to-income ratio, purchase costs remain manageable for those who do borrow. The high outright-ownership rate reflects a generation that bought at much lower prices.
Mortgage / mo
$921
Rent / wk
$274
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$430
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.1%
Unoccupied
173
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.6%
Couples, no children
1,417
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 24.9% of workers (69 people), followed by Construction at 12.3% (34) and Manufacturing at 8.3% (23). By occupation, Labourers (98) rank first, with Community and Personal Service (66) and Machinery and Drivers (62) also prominent. Professionals account for only 53 workers, consistent with university qualifications at just 11.0%, which is 19.1 points below national. The unemployment rate of 17.0% is high, though participation at 28.4% is very low because 1,079 residents are not in the labour force, many likely retirees given the median age of 56. Despite low weekly household income of $790, sitting in the 4.5th percentile nationally, the SEIFA IER decile reaches 10, reflecting accumulated asset wealth over working lifetimes rather than current earnings.
Unemployment
1.5%
Labour Force
10,513
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
52.6%
Part-time
30.4%
Participation
28.4%
Employed
443
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.0%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
21.1%
Dwellings
908
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 88.7% of residents drive to work, compared to typical urban rates well below 70%, and only 1.7% use public transport. This reflects the rural setting across 50 square kilometres with 42.7 people per km2. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in nearby Gympie. On the IRSAD index, the suburb scores decile 10, placing it in the top tier of relative advantage nationally despite low current incomes. The need-for-assistance rate of 16.0% (301 residents) is notable and above average, consistent with the older median age of 56 where health needs rise. Volunteering runs at 11.6%, modest but meaningful for a small population of 2,137.
Drive
88.7%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.51%/yr
(+81 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow at 0.51% annually, equivalent to roughly 81 additional residents per year. The 10-year change is 3.3% for the broader area, but the recent trend is slightly negative: the historical series shows population declining from 16,083 in 2023 to 15,984 in 2025. The medium forecast projects a gradual rise to 16,934 by 2031 as overseas inflow of 266 residents per year partially offsets internal outflow of minus 326. Rent grew 19.2% over the measured period, while real incomes grew 9.1%, so housing affordability has tightened for the renter cohort. The gentrification score of 10 to 11 places the suburb firmly in the not-gentrifying category, with no meaningful influx of higher-income residents changing the socioeconomic profile.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+266
Net Internal / yr
-326
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -326/yr, Strong overseas inflow +266/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenwood a good suburb to live in?
Glenwood suits those seeking rural space at low cost. It scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 9 on IRSD, despite household income in only the 4.5th percentile. The median age is 56, so the community is predominantly retirees and established families. Car access is essential, with 88.7% of residents driving to work and public transport at just 1.7%.
What is the median house price in Glenwood?
The median house price is approximately $309,000, estimated from rental data as of 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $921, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $274 for the 9.0% of dwellings that are rented.
What schools are in Glenwood?
No schools are recorded within the Glenwood suburb boundary in this dataset. With 2,137 residents spread across 50 square kilometres, families rely on schools in nearby Gympie. The local university qualification rate is 11.0%, which is 19.1 points below the national figure, reflecting the older and trades-oriented resident profile.
Is Glenwood safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Glenwood in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD, placing it in the low-disadvantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSAD. The need-for-assistance rate of 16.0% (301 residents) is above average, reflecting the older median age of 56 rather than social disadvantage.
Is Glenwood good for property investment?
The gross rental yield implied by $274 weekly rent against a $309,000 median is around 4.6%, but a vacancy rate of 16.1% is a significant risk. The renter cohort is small at 9.0% of dwellings, and development activity is minimal at only 2 applications in 12 months. Net internal migration for the broader area runs at minus 326 per year, which limits demand recovery.
How is Glenwood's population changing?
The suburb's population of 2,137 is part of a broader area that declined from 16,083 in 2023 to 15,984 in 2025. Annual growth projects at 0.51% going forward, with medium forecasts reaching 16,934 by 2031. Overseas migration adds 266 residents per year but is offset by internal outflow of minus 326, and the aging trajectory shows the senior share rising 4.9 points over the decade.
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.
Explore Glenwood on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map