Gracemere
Few Rockhampton fringe markets are as house-heavy as Gracemere: 96.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 60.6% have 4 or more bedrooms. The suburb's 12023 residents are young, with a median age of 32, which is 8 years below the national benchmark. Compared with nearby Rockhampton and Parkhurst, Gracemere reads more like a family and workforce base than an inner urban market. Household income sits at the 60.2 percentile, while overseas-born residents are 8.4%, well below the national share.
Population
12,023
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,711/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Gracemere suits buyers prioritising land, bedrooms and mortgage serviceability over inner-city access. Separate houses make up 96.1% of stock, apartments just 1.1%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 60.6%, higher than a typical urban mix. The median house price is not listed, so buyers should compare recent sales carefully. Mortgage repayments average $1517 a month and mortgage costs take 20.5% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household income is at the 60.2 percentile.
For Buyers
Gracemere suits buyers prioritising land, bedrooms and mortgage serviceability over inner-city access. Separate houses make up 96.1% of stock, apartments just 1.1%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 60.6%, higher than a typical urban mix. The median house price is not listed, so buyers should compare recent sales carefully. Mortgage repayments average $1517 a month and mortgage costs take 20.5% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household income is at the 60.2 percentile.
For Investors
Gracemere has a large rental pool, with 40.1% of homes rented compared with 36.8% under mortgage and 23.1% owned outright. Weekly rent is $340 (2021 Census) and the vacancy rate is 8.9%, a higher figure that points to softer leasing conditions or stock turnover. Development activity is modest at 3 applications in 12 months, although one 93-lot estate proposal could add supply. Demand is tied to Rockhampton jobs because 88.5% of commuters drive and public transport use is just 1.4%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
10
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 Gracemere iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
Prep-6 · 331 students
Gracemere State School
Prep-6 · 295 students
Waraburra State School
Prep-6 · 358 students
Demographics
Gracemere's age profile is younger than the national average, with a median age of 32 and an age gap of 8 years below the benchmark. University attainment is 14.8%, which is 15.3 percentage points below national, reflecting a workforce shaped more by trades, care, transport and operational roles. Overseas-born residents are 8.4%, 13.2 points below national, and ancestry is mainly English at 4704 people, then Scottish 1115 and Irish 1098. Average household size is 2.8, slightly above national by 0.3.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.1%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Gracemere is almost entirely detached, with 96.1% separate houses compared with 1.9% semi-detached homes and 1.1% apartments. That structure explains the bedroom mix: 60.6% have 4 or more bedrooms and 33.9% have 3. Tenure is more renter-heavy than many family suburbs, with 40.1% renting, 36.8% mortgaged and 23.1% owned outright. Rent takes 19.9% of income and mortgage costs take 20.5%, both below stress flags, though no median sale price is quoted.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Mar 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $340.
$530
Bond data Mar 2026 quarter · houses $530
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$778
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.9%
Unoccupied
392
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.6%
Couples, no children
9,624
Total families
Economy & Employment
Gracemere's economy is practical and service-led rather than office-heavy. Healthcare is the largest industry at 23.1% or 707 workers, followed by education at 9.9%, mining at 9.0%, transport at 7.4% and construction at 7.2%. Occupations confirm the pattern, with 760 community and personal service workers, 752 machinery and driver roles and 631 labourers. The IEO decile is 1 and IRSAD decile is 2, below the national middle, while IER decile 5 shows economic resources are closer to average than education and occupation measures.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
7,124
Unemployed
301
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
27.0%
Participation
59.8%
Employed
4,956
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.8%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
8.4%
Dwellings
4,007
Transport to Work
Daily life in Gracemere is car-based: 88.5% of commuters drive, while public transport is just 1.4% and walking or cycling is 2.0%, lower than inner Rockhampton patterns. Schooling is primary-focused, with 3 local schools across Catholic and Government sectors; St Paul's Catholic Primary leads on ICSEA at 984, while the full local range is 855 to 984. No suburb-level crime rate is published, so street checks matter. IRSAD decile 2 points to below-average advantage, but large homes and 2.8-person households support family routines.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.28%/yr
(+304 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The forecast trend is 2.28% a year, or about 304 people annually, lifting the medium population path from 14057 in 2026 to 15576 in 2031. Migration is balanced, with average net overseas migration of 33 a year compared with 16 net internal movers. The shift profile is Aging, with seniors up 3.1 points and working-age share down 2.4 points. Gentrification is rated 16 and Not gentrifying, despite population growth of 39.6% over 10 years.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+33
Net Internal / yr
+16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +47% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gracemere compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gracemere a good suburb to live in?
Gracemere can suit households wanting space and car access, with 96.1% separate houses and 60.6% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms. It is less suited to people relying on public transport, which accounts for only 1.4% of commuting.
What is the median house price in Gracemere?
A current median house price is not quoted, so recent comparable sales matter. The affordability context is still clear: weekly rent is $340 (2021 Census), monthly mortgage payments average $1517, and mortgage costs sit at 20.5% of income.
What schools are in Gracemere?
Gracemere has 3 local primary schools: one Catholic and two Government. St Paul's Catholic Primary School has the highest ICSEA at 984, with 331 enrolments, while the local ICSEA range runs from 855 to 984.
Is Gracemere safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not published, so buyers and renters should check recent police maps and individual streets. For context, the suburb has 12023 residents and a low-density layout of 171.8 people per sq km.
Is Gracemere good for property investment?
Gracemere has a sizeable tenant base, with 40.1% of homes rented and weekly rent at $340 (2021 Census). The caution is vacancy: 8.9% is high, so investors should compare property condition, rent level and competing stock before buying.
How is Gracemere's population changing?
Gracemere is forecast to keep growing at 2.28% a year, or about 304 people annually. The medium path rises from 14057 residents in 2026 to 15576 in 2031, with balanced migration adding 33 overseas and 16 internal net movers 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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