Gulliver
Four SEIFA indexes all sitting at decile 2 tells the Gulliver story more concisely than most metrics can. With household incomes in only the 34.2nd percentile nationally, this Townsville suburb registers near the bottom of the national advantage ladder on every dimension the ABS measures. At the same time, affordability has actually improved, with housing stress ratios well below stress thresholds: rent-to-income at 20.1% and mortgage-to-income at 22.4%. Population has been falling, down 6.4% over 10 years at roughly 28 fewer residents per year, yet the suburb holds a dense, mostly detached housing stock of 2,884 people in 1.83 square kilometres.
Population
2,884
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,343/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$349K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of around $349,000 sits well below the national median, making Gulliver one of the more accessible entry points in the Townsville market. Detached houses dominate at 88.8% of dwellings. Three-bedroom homes account for 56.1% of the stock and four-plus bedrooms make up 21.2%, pointing to a family-oriented housing base. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4% stays below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners represent 30.0% and mortgage holders 36.5%, consistent with an established suburb where long-term residents have built equity.
For Buyers
The median house price of around $349,000 sits well below the national median, making Gulliver one of the more accessible entry points in the Townsville market. Detached houses dominate at 88.8% of dwellings. Three-bedroom homes account for 56.1% of the stock and four-plus bedrooms make up 21.2%, pointing to a family-oriented housing base. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4% stays below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners represent 30.0% and mortgage holders 36.5%, consistent with an established suburb where long-term residents have built equity.
For Investors
Gulliver has 33.5% of dwellings rented at $270 per week, a steady tenant pool against a low purchase price. However, the 7.5% vacancy rate is elevated compared to tighter suburban markets, signalling soft rental demand. Rent grew 10% over the observed period, but population is declining by around 28 residents per year. Net internal migration averages minus 34 annually, partly offset by 32 net overseas arrivals. The gentrification score sits at 0, meaning capital growth upside depends on broader Townsville conditions rather than local demographic uplift.
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 Gulliver iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Pimlico State High School
7-12 · 1465 students
Currajong State School
Prep-6 · 430 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 11.3%, which is 10.3 percentage points below the national share, reflecting a predominantly locally-born population. University qualifications reach 20.3%, running 9.8 points below national, consistent with the decile 2 IEO score for education and occupation. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (996 residents), Irish (348) and Scottish (305) lead the list. Average household size of 2.3 is below the national figure, and 27.8% of families are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.8%
Houses
8.5%
Townhouse
2.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits across outright owners at 30.0%, mortgage holders at 36.5% and renters at 33.5%. The stock is strongly detached, with 88.8% separate houses, well above the national average for suburban areas, leaving just 8.5% semi-detached and 2.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.1% and four-plus bedrooms account for 21.2%. The rent-to-income ratio of 20.1% and mortgage-to-income of 22.4% are both below the 30% stress threshold. Affordability improved from 42.6% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2021, despite incomes sitting in the 34.2nd percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$270
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$728
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.8%
Couples, no children
1,997
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates employment at 23.2% of local workers (182 people), followed by Education at 14.3% (112) and Construction at 12.4% (97). By occupation, Professionals lead at 220 workers, then Community and Personal service workers at 193 and Labourers at 145. The unemployment rate of 6.1% sits above the national average, and the participation rate of 53.8% is low, because 767 residents are not in the labour force. Real incomes grew 4.4% over the decade, modest by national standards, which aligns with the decile 2 IRSAD ranking.
Unemployment
10.1%
Labour Force
3,912
Unemployed
394
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.0%
Part-time
26.9%
Participation
53.8%
Employed
1,179
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.3%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
11.3%
Dwellings
1,125
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 88.1% of residents driving to work and only 0.7% using public transport, higher reliance on cars than the national average. The IRSAD decile 2 ranking places Gulliver below most suburbs nationally, and 8.3% of residents (217 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 14.5%, suggesting participation despite the low-income profile. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families draw on facilities in neighbouring Townsville areas. Rent-to-income at 20.1% is below the national stress threshold of 30%, a practical housing cost advantage for renters.
Drive
88.1%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
4.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.36%/yr
(-28 people/yr)
EstablishedGulliver's population fell 6.4% over the past decade, losing roughly 28 residents per year, a steeper decline than the state average for established suburbs. The medium forecast projects continued decline from around 7,872 in 2025 to approximately 7,569 by 2031. Internal migration runs at minus 34 annually, partially offset by 32 net overseas arrivals. The gentrification score reads 0, below any threshold for uplift. The working-age share grew 1.3 points and the senior share rose 1.8 points over the decade. Affordability improved 6.1 percentage points between 2011 and 2021, a positive structural signal even as overall numbers fall.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+32
Net Internal / yr
-34
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gulliver compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gulliver a good suburb to live in?
Gulliver scores decile 2 on all four SEIFA indexes, placing it near the lower end of national advantage. Household incomes sit in the 34.2nd percentile nationally. That said, housing affordability is reasonable: rent-to-income runs at 20.1% and mortgage-to-income at 22.4%, both below standard stress thresholds of 30%, so day-to-day housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
What is the median house price in Gulliver?
The median house price is approximately $349,000, estimated from rental data for 2025. Weekly rent averages $270 and monthly mortgage repayments average around $1,300. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4% is below the 30% stress threshold, making Gulliver one of the more accessible markets in the Townsville region.
What schools are in Gulliver?
No schools are recorded inside the Gulliver boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Townsville suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 20.3%, which is 9.8 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the suburb's decile 2 IEO education and occupation index score.
Is Gulliver safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gulliver in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD relative disadvantage index, which is below the national average, and 8.3% of its 2,884 residents (217 people) need daily assistance. These markers suggest a higher disadvantage profile than most suburban areas, though they do not directly measure crime incidence.
Is Gulliver good for property investment?
The low entry price of around $349,000 and a 33.5% renter share offer yield potential, but a 7.5% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand. Rent grew 10% over the recent period, yet population is declining by roughly 28 people per year. The suburb scores 0 on the gentrification index, so capital growth relies on broader Townsville market conditions rather than local demographic uplift.
How is Gulliver's population changing?
Population has fallen 6.4% over 10 years, losing about 28 residents annually. The medium forecast projects the SA2 population declining from around 7,872 in 2025 to approximately 7,569 by 2031. Net internal migration averages minus 34 per year, partially offset by 32 net overseas arrivals, making overseas migration the only positive population driver.
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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