Gooburrum
A median age of 49 stands 9 years above the national figure, making Gooburrum one of the older-skewing residential areas in Queensland. The suburb sits in SEIFA decile 1 on three of four indexes, placing it among the most disadvantaged 10 percent of Australian communities by education, income and relative socio-economic standing. Against that, 54.2 percent of homes are owned outright, a rate far higher than the national average, and the population of 1,518 lives almost entirely in separate houses across a 27.77 square kilometre rural-residential footprint near Bundaberg.
Population
1,518
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,684/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$383K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $383,000 is well below the national median for detached houses, making entry costs relatively accessible by Australian standards. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,400, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.2 percent, below the 30 percent stress threshold. The stock is entirely separate houses, with 58 percent of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 39.2 percent having 3 bedrooms. Outright owners make up 54.2 percent compared to 37.7 percent with a mortgage, signalling an established, low-debt community rather than a high-turnover buyer market. Housing costs sit comfortably relative to incomes, which rank at the 58.5th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $383,000 is well below the national median for detached houses, making entry costs relatively accessible by Australian standards. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,400, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.2 percent, below the 30 percent stress threshold. The stock is entirely separate houses, with 58 percent of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 39.2 percent having 3 bedrooms. Outright owners make up 54.2 percent compared to 37.7 percent with a mortgage, signalling an established, low-debt community rather than a high-turnover buyer market. Housing costs sit comfortably relative to incomes, which rank at the 58.5th percentile nationally.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 6.0 percent signals some oversupply in an already thin rental pool, with just 8.1 percent of households renting and weekly rent at $300. Against the $383,000 estimated median, that rent implies a gross yield near 4.1 percent, above typical metropolitan benchmarks but in a low-liquidity market. Net internal migration averages 77 persons annually and overseas migration adds 73, together providing steady if modest demand support. Development activity in the past 12 months was minimal at 3 applications, all civil works or subdivision. The gentrification score of 10 places Gooburrum in a not gentrifying stage, so capital growth depends on broader Bundaberg-region trends rather than local transformation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
3
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 Gooburrum iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gooburrum State School
Prep-6 · 144 students
Demographics
The median age of 49 is 9 years above the national figure, driven by a senior share that increased 5.8 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 1.1 points. Overseas-born residents account for 10.5 percent, which is 11.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly locally-born population. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (632), Scottish (192), German (178) and Irish (169) are the top four. University qualifications reach 25.6 percent, 4.5 points below national. Average household size of 2.7 is marginally above national, consistent with a couples-dominant profile where 36 percent of families are couples without children and 31.3 percent are couples with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 100 percent of dwellings, an unusually pure detached stock compared to the national mix. Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 54.2 percent, compared to 37.7 percent with a mortgage, indicating long-held properties with low debt levels. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 58 percent of stock and three-bedroom homes 39.2 percent, pointing to larger family-oriented lots on rural-residential land. The estimated median house price of $383,000 and weekly rent of $300 give a rent-to-income ratio of 17.8 percent, comfortably below stress levels. Mortgage costs at 19.2 percent of income are similarly low relative to state and national benchmarks, making housing stress uncommon across both owner and renter cohorts.
Mortgage / mo
$1,400
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$693
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.0%
Unoccupied
34
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.0%
Couples, no children
1,282
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 31.2 percent of employed residents (140 workers), followed by Education at 12.7 percent (57 workers) and Construction at 8.2 percent. Agriculture contributes 6.7 percent, consistent with the rural-fringe location near Bundaberg's farming belt. The full-time employment rate of 61.2 percent and unemployment rate of 4.2 percent are broadly in line with Queensland regional norms. By occupation, Professionals (139) lead, ahead of Managers (86) and Labourers (84). SEIFA scores tell a more complex story: the IER decile of 2 versus the IRSD decile of 1 suggests limited economic resources relative to disadvantage indicators, partly because personal weekly income of $693 falls below state and national medians. Real incomes grew 16.8 percent over the decade.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
3,826
Unemployed
200
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.2%
Part-time
34.6%
Participation
54.3%
Employed
677
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.6%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
10.5%
Dwellings
523
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total, with 90.3 percent of residents driving to work, compared to the national average, and just 0.5 percent using public transport. The 27.77 square kilometre area means destinations are spread out, making car ownership effectively essential. Gooburrum scores decile 1 on the IRSAD index, placing it in the lowest advantage tier nationally, though this reflects income and education levels rather than poor physical amenity. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary. The volunteering rate of 17.2 percent is moderate, and 7.6 percent of residents (112 people) need daily assistance, somewhat elevated against the national figure and consistent with the older median age of 49.
Drive
90.3%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.68%/yr
(+54 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth sits at 0.68 percent, adding roughly 54 residents per year, below the Queensland state average for regional growth corridors. The 10-year population change of 2.2 percent is modest compared to faster-growing Bundaberg fringe areas. The SA2-level population is forecast to reach 8,181 by 2031 under the medium scenario, up from 7,935 in 2025. Migration is balanced, with net internal arrivals of 77 annually and overseas migration of 73. Rent grew 27.3 percent over the decade. Affordability improved, with the ratio falling from 55.6 in 2011 to 49.2 in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+73
Net Internal / yr
+77
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +77/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gooburrum compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gooburrum a good suburb to live in?
Gooburrum suits buyers seeking affordable, spacious rural-residential living near Bundaberg. The $383,000 estimated median is accessible, mortgage costs run at 19.2 percent of income, and 54.2 percent of homes are owned outright. The suburb scores decile 1 on SEIFA disadvantage measures, reflecting below-average incomes and education rates, and public transport is minimal at 0.5 percent mode share.
What is the median house price in Gooburrum?
The estimated median house price is $383,000, derived from rental data for 2025. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,400, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.2 percent, well below the 30 percent stress level. All dwellings are separate houses, with 58 percent having 4 or more bedrooms.
What schools are in Gooburrum?
No schools are recorded within the Gooburrum suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 27.77 square kilometres with a population of 1,518, so families typically access schools in nearby Bundaberg. Residents with university qualifications make up 25.6 percent of the population, which is 4.5 points below the national average.
Is Gooburrum safe?
Specific crime statistics for Gooburrum are not available in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSD decile 1, the lowest disadvantage tier nationally, which correlates with higher disadvantage. However, the high 54.2 percent outright ownership rate and stable 79.5 percent of residents who remained in the area over 5 years suggest a settled community.
Is Gooburrum good for property investment?
The estimated gross yield near 4.1 percent (rent $300/week vs $383,000 median) is higher than most capital city markets, but the 6.0 percent vacancy rate and thin renter pool of just 8.1 percent of households add risk. Annual population growth of 0.68 percent provides modest demand support. Development activity was only 3 applications in 12 months, limiting speculation-driven upside.
How is Gooburrum's population changing?
Gooburrum's population is growing slowly at 0.68 percent annually, adding approximately 54 residents per year. The broader SA2 area population rose from 7,764 in 2023 to 7,935 in 2025. The 10-year population change of 2.2 percent is modest. The community is aging, with the senior share rising 5.8 points and working-age share falling 1.1 points over the decade.
What industries employ people in Gooburrum?
Healthcare is the largest employer at 31.2 percent of working residents (140 workers), followed by Education at 12.7 percent (57 workers) and Construction at 8.2 percent (37 workers). Agriculture accounts for 6.7 percent, reflecting the rural-fringe location near Bundaberg's farming region. The full-time employment rate is 61.2 percent and unemployment is 4.2 percent.
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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