Goodna
An 11.1% unemployment rate, more than double the national average, and SEIFA decile 1 across all four indices mark Goodna as one of the most disadvantaged suburbs in South East Queensland. Despite this, population has grown 17.6% over the past decade, driven by overseas migration averaging 128 arrivals per year even as 159 residents leave annually for other parts of Australia. The renter majority at 50.2% of households is the defining tenure feature, running roughly 20 percentage points above the national average. Samoan ancestry (1,012 residents) distinguishes Goodna culturally from surrounding Ipswich suburbs, and 36.9% of residents were born overseas, 15.3 percentage points above the national baseline. Household income sits at the 33.9 percentile nationally, consistent with the bottom-decile SEIFA readings.
Population
10,391
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,337/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$371K
Estimated from rent (2025)
No reliable median house price data is available for Goodna, making direct price benchmarking difficult against other Ipswich corridor suburbs. What the data does show is a mortgage repayment of $1,300 per month producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses account for 82.7% of stock, with three-bedroom homes the dominant configuration at 47.7% and four-plus bedrooms at 36.4%. The household income percentile of 33.9 means most local buyers earn below the national median, limiting purchasing power. Semi-detached stock at 16.4% suggests some townhouse construction has entered the market. Buyers should note the IRSAD decile 1 ranking, indicating this suburb sits in the most disadvantaged 10% nationally on the combined index.
For Buyers
No reliable median house price data is available for Goodna, making direct price benchmarking difficult against other Ipswich corridor suburbs. What the data does show is a mortgage repayment of $1,300 per month producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses account for 82.7% of stock, with three-bedroom homes the dominant configuration at 47.7% and four-plus bedrooms at 36.4%. The household income percentile of 33.9 means most local buyers earn below the national median, limiting purchasing power. Semi-detached stock at 16.4% suggests some townhouse construction has entered the market. Buyers should note the IRSAD decile 1 ranking, indicating this suburb sits in the most disadvantaged 10% nationally on the combined index.
For Investors
The renter share of 50.2% is one of the highest in the Ipswich corridor, creating a deep tenant pool dominated by young families with a median age of 33, seven years below the national figure. Median rent of $300 per week and a vacancy rate of 6.8% indicate moderate but not tight rental conditions. With zero development applications lodged in the past 12 months, new supply is not competing with existing landlords. The 11.1% unemployment rate poses a tenant default risk that is higher than most Queensland suburbs. The gentrification score sits at 22 with early signs flagged, and the shift data shows affordability improving from 57.4% mortgage-to-income in 2011 to 48.7% in 2021, suggesting relative price accessibility is increasing.
Schools in Goodna iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Westside Christian College
Prep-12 · 1293 students
St Francis Xavier School
Prep-6 · 470 students
Goodna State School
Prep-6 · 650 students
Demographics
The median age of 33 runs 7 years below the national figure, making Goodna one of the younger suburbs in the Ipswich region. English ancestry leads at 2,681 residents, but Samoan heritage (1,012) ranks as the fourth-largest group, well above typical representation in Australian suburbs. The 36.9% overseas-born share sits 15.3 percentage points above the national baseline. University qualifications at 18.3% are 11.8 points below the national average, consistent with the IEO decile 1 reading. The average household size of 2.8 exceeds the national 2.5, reflecting the larger family structures among Pacific Islander and migrant communities. Christianity remains dominant at 4,641 residents, with Buddhism (369) and Islam (268) also significant.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.7%
Houses
16.4%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Renters make up 50.2% of households, more than double the owner-occupier share, with only 20.2% owning outright and 29.5% holding mortgages. This tenure split is the inverse of suburban Australia's typical pattern, where outright owners and mortgage holders combined exceed renters. Detached houses account for 82.7% of dwelling stock, with semi-detached at 16.4% and apartments at just 0.8%, indicating densification has barely begun. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.7%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 36.4%, a configuration that suits the larger household sizes (2.8 average) driven by Pacific Islander and migrant families. No reliable median house price is available, but monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold and among the lowest in the Ipswich corridor. The rent-to-income ratio sits at 25.7%, also below stress levels, confirming that housing costs at current income levels remain manageable despite the suburb's bottom-decile SEIFA position.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$634
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
246
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.8%
Couples, no children
7,916
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 20.9% of employment (442 workers), followed by Manufacturing at 10.5%, Education at 8.2%, Retail at 8.0% and Construction at 7.7%. The Manufacturing share is notably higher than most Brisbane-region suburbs, reflecting Goodna's proximity to Ipswich's industrial corridors. Labourers (685) and Machinery/Drivers (593) are the two largest occupational groups, ranking above Professionals (432), a reversal of the typical white-collar suburban pattern. The 11.1% unemployment rate is more than double the national average, and the participation rate of 49.6% means over half of working-age adults are not in the labour force. SEIFA scores are uniformly at decile 1, the lowest possible band, with IER at 902 and IEO at 865, indicating both economic resources and educational attainment sit well below national norms.
Unemployment
8.3%
Labour Force
5,456
Unemployed
452
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.5%
Part-time
22.4%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
3,459
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.3%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
36.9%
Dwellings
3,344
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 83.2% driver share, with only 5.2% using public transport and 1.6% walking or cycling, despite Goodna having a train station on the Ipswich line. Three schools serve the area: Westside Christian College (Independent, ICSEA 1,079, 1,293 students) performs well above the community's SEIFA decile, while St Francis Xavier (Catholic, 989, 470 students) and Goodna State School (Government, 921, 650 students) sit below the national ICSEA benchmark of 1,000. The 169-point ICSEA gap between the top and bottom school reflects the socioeconomic stratification within the suburb. The need-for-assistance rate of 7.8% (732 residents) sits above the national average, consistent with the IRSD decile 1 reading.
Drive
83.2%
Public Transport
5.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.21%/yr
(+138 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is projected to grow from approximately 11,851 in 2026 to 12,541 by 2031 at 1.21% annually, adding 138 persons per year. The 10-year population change of 17.6% significantly outpaces most established suburbs in the Ipswich area. However, net internal migration is strongly negative at 159 persons per year leaving, entirely offset by overseas migration averaging 128 arrivals annually. This churn pattern, where domestic residents leave while overseas migrants arrive, is typical of affordable gateway suburbs. The affordability trend shows improvement from 57.4% mortgage-to-income in 2011 to 48.7% in 2021. Real income grew 6.1% over the decade, above the national average, though starting from a low base at the 33.9 percentile.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+128
Net Internal / yr
-159
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +18% since 2011, Net internal outflow -159/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Goodna compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Goodna a good suburb to live in?
Goodna ranks in SEIFA decile 1 across all indices, placing it in the most disadvantaged 10% of Australian suburbs. The 11.1% unemployment rate is more than double the national average. However, the median age of 33 and a growing population (1.21% annually) indicate demographic momentum. Mortgage repayments at $1,300 per month produce a low 22.5% mortgage-to-income ratio, making home ownership accessible at this income level.
What is the median house price in Goodna?
No reliable median house price data is currently available for Goodna. Median monthly mortgage repayments sit at $1,300, producing a 22.5% mortgage-to-income ratio, well below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $300 with a 6.8% vacancy rate. The low mortgage burden relative to income suggests current property values remain accessible compared to broader Brisbane averages.
What schools are in Goodna?
Goodna has 3 schools. Westside Christian College (Independent, combined, ICSEA 1,079, 1,293 students) performs above the national benchmark. St Francis Xavier School (Catholic primary, ICSEA 989, 470 students) and Goodna State School (Government primary, ICSEA 921, 650 students) sit below the 1,000 benchmark. The 158-point ICSEA spread reflects socioeconomic variation within the suburb.
Is Goodna safe?
No suburb-level crime data is available for Goodna. The IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 1 readings place it among the most disadvantaged 10% nationally, which typically correlates with above-average crime rates in Queensland suburbs. The 11.1% unemployment rate and 50.2% renter share are indirect indicators. Buyers should check Queensland Police Service statistics for the Ipswich district for current figures.
Is Goodna good for property investment?
Goodna's 50.2% renter share provides a large tenant pool, and $300 weekly rent keeps the suburb accessible. However, no median house price is available for yield calculations, the 6.8% vacancy rate is elevated, and the 11.1% unemployment rate poses tenant default risk. Zero development applications in 12 months means no new supply pressure. The 1.21% annual population growth supports long-term demand.
How is Goodna's population changing?
Population grew 17.6% over the past decade, with trend growth at 1.21% per year (138 persons). Medium projections forecast 12,541 by 2031 from 11,851 in 2026. The growth is driven entirely by overseas migration (128 per year) while 159 residents leave annually for other parts of Australia. The median age of 33 is 7 years below national, and the young profile is reinforced by 2.8 average household size.
What languages are spoken in Goodna?
Samoan (331 speakers) leads the non-English languages, consistent with the 1,012 residents claiming Samoan ancestry. Arabic (53), Mandarin (36), Hindi (30) and Punjabi (21) follow. With 36.9% born overseas, the linguistic diversity sits 15.3 percentage points above the national baseline. The Samoan concentration is distinctive for the Ipswich corridor and shapes the suburb's cultural identity.
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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