QLD 4154 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Gumdale

Household income in the 98.9th percentile nationally marks Gumdale, a 5.53 km2 suburb in Brisbane's southeast, as one of Queensland's wealthiest enclaves. With 99.3% separate houses and 85.4% of dwellings carrying four or more bedrooms, the stock is almost entirely large detached family homes, which is far above the national average for that dwelling type. The area carries an IER decile of 10, the highest economic resources tier nationally, alongside an IRSD decile of 9 for low disadvantage. Population sits at 2,298 and grows at just 0.38% annually, so this is established territory with high barriers to entry rather than an emerging growth corridor.

Gumdale urban fabric map

Population

2,298

Median Age

38.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$3,405/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

8

Median House

$740K

Estimated from rent (2025)

5.53 km²· 415.9 people/km²· Family income $3,429/wk

The median house price is $740,000, with a monthly mortgage repayment of around $2,669. At a household weekly income of $3,405, the mortgage-to-income ratio works out to 18.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold, making Gumdale genuinely affordable for residents at its own income level. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 99.3%, and 85.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, higher than comparable Brisbane suburbs, reflecting demand from families rather than investors or downsizers. Tenure splits toward owner-occupiers: 36.2% own outright and 55.6% carry a mortgage, leaving only 8.1% as renters, which is significantly lower than the national renter share. Buyers enter a market with very little turnover, as 82% of residents stayed in the same address across the census period.

For Buyers

The median house price is $740,000, with a monthly mortgage repayment of around $2,669. At a household weekly income of $3,405, the mortgage-to-income ratio works out to 18.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold, making Gumdale genuinely affordable for residents at its own income level. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 99.3%, and 85.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, higher than comparable Brisbane suburbs, reflecting demand from families rather than investors or downsizers. Tenure splits toward owner-occupiers: 36.2% own outright and 55.6% carry a mortgage, leaving only 8.1% as renters, which is significantly lower than the national renter share. Buyers enter a market with very little turnover, as 82% of residents stayed in the same address across the census period.

For Investors

Gumdale's rental market is thin by design. Only 8.1% of dwellings are rented, compared to a national average closer to 30%, and the vacancy rate sits at 3.2%, which limits the opportunity for yield-focused investors. Weekly rent of $585 against a $740,000 median implies a gross yield below 4.1%, unexceptional for Brisbane. Development activity is minimal at 8 applications in the past 12 months, with no large residential projects. Net overseas migration adds 74 residents a year while internal migration removes 26, producing thin demand growth of around 30 persons annually. The investment case rests on capital stability in a high-income, low-turnover suburb rather than yield or strong population uplift.

Development Activity

Total DAs

31

Last 12 Months

8

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+14.3%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
7
Other
3
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
3
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
1
Subdivision
1

Schools in Gumdale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Gumdale State School

ICSEA 1060 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 1152 students

Demographics

The median age is 38, which is 2.0 years below the national figure, and the aging trajectory signal reflects a senior share that rose 5.8 points over the decade alongside a working-age share that fell 2.6 points. Average household size of 3.4 persons is 0.9 above the national average, consistent with a suburb dominated by couples with children, who make up 53.6% of families. University qualifications reach 50.5%, which is 20.4 percentage points above the national figure, one of the sharper education premiums in southeast Queensland. Overseas-born residents account for 24.1%, sitting 2.5 points above national. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (876), Irish (273) and Scottish (258) lead the count. Volunteering at 19.8% indicates high community participation.

Age Distribution

0-14
24.9%
15-24
14.4%
25-44
23.2%
45-64
25.8%
65+
11.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
N/A
2 bed
2.7%
3 bed
11.9%
4+ bed
85.4%

Dwelling Structure

99.3%

Houses

N/A

Townhouse

0.7%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 36.2% Mortgage 55.6% Rent 8.1%

Owner-occupancy is dominant, with 36.2% owning outright and 55.6% on a mortgage, together representing 91.8% of dwellings, well above the national owner-occupier rate. The renting share of 8.1% is among the lower figures for metropolitan Brisbane suburbs. The dwelling mix is almost entirely separate houses at 99.3%, with apartments contributing a negligible 0.7%. Four or more bedrooms account for 85.4% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes at 11.9% and two-bedroom at 2.7%, a profile that reflects the suburb's family-oriented character. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,669, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.1% is comfortably below stress levels. Rent at $585 per week produces a rent-to-income ratio of 17.2%, also below the 30% threshold.

Mortgage / mo

$2,669

Rent / wk

$585

HH Size

3.4

Personal Income / wk

$1,164

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

3.2%

Unoccupied

22

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

17.2%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

18.1%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
27
Hindi
14
Afrikaans
12
Guj
12
Canton
11

Ancestry

English
876
Irish
273
Scottish
258
Other
257
German
133
Italian
125

Household Composition

15.4%

Couples, no children

2,160

Total families

Economy & Employment

Professional/Tech leads local employment at 14.3% (125 workers), followed closely by Construction at 14.1% (124) and Healthcare at 14.0% (123), and Education at 11.7% (103), a broad spread across high-value sectors rather than reliance on a single industry. By occupation, Professionals (363) and Managers (257) together represent well over half the working population, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile of 8, which measures education and occupation advantage. The unemployment rate is 3.1%, with a full-time employment rate of 65.2% and a labour force participation rate of 68.3%. Real incomes grew 5.6% over the decade. The IRSAD decile of 9 and IRSD decile of 9 both sit in the top advantage band nationally, confirming this as a low-disadvantage, high-resource suburb.

Unemployment

1.3%

Labour Force

4,925

Unemployed

66

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
9
Economic resources
10
Education & occupation
8

Full-time

65.2%

Part-time

31.7%

Participation

68.3%

Employed

1,137

Occupations

Professionals 363
Managers 257
Clerical/Admin 166
Sales 113
Community/Personal 84
Labourers 73
Machinery/Drivers 22

Top Industries

Professional/Tech 14.3%
Construction 14.1%
Healthcare 14.0%
Education 11.7%
Manufacturing 5.7%

University

50.5%

Postgraduate

12.8%

Born Overseas

24.1%

Dwellings

668

Transport to Work

Car dependency is high, with 89.3% of residents driving to work, compared to a national average closer to 73%. Only 3.7% use public transport, reflecting limited bus and rail access typical of low-density southeast Brisbane suburbs. No schools are recorded inside the Gumdale boundary in this dataset, so families typically access schools in adjacent suburbs. Crime statistics are not available for Gumdale, but indirect indicators are favourable: the IRSAD decile of 9 places the suburb in the top advantage tier nationally, only 3.2% of residents (around 72 people) need daily assistance, and housing stress is absent with both mortgage-to-income at 18.1% and rent-to-income at 17.2% below stress thresholds. The combination of high income, low renter share and stable occupancy marks this as a low-stress residential environment.

Drive

89.3%

Public Transport

3.7%

Walk / Cycle

1.7%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+0.38%/yr

(+30 people/yr)

Established

Annual population growth runs at 0.38%, adding about 30 persons per year, well below the Queensland state average for metro suburbs. The 10-year population change is 1.5%, classifying Gumdale as a slow-growth, established area. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population rising from 7,965 in 2025 to around 8,094 by 2031, modest growth driven by overseas migration averaging 74 net arrivals per year, which more than offsets internal outflow of 26 per year. Rent grew 12.5% over the period, outpacing the 1.5% population increase because supply is constrained by the low vacancy and single-house zoning. The gentrification score reads 0 and the suburb is classified as not gentrifying, appropriate for an area already at the top advantage decile with no room to ascend further.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+74

Net Internal / yr

-26

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Gumdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 20%
Household Income
Top 1%
Rent Level
Top 2%
Apartments
Bottom 15%
Renters
Bottom 10%
Uni Educated
Top 9%
Public Transport
Top 46%
Born Overseas
Top 21%
Density
Top 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gumdale a good suburb to live in?

Gumdale ranks in IRSAD decile 9 and IER decile 10, the top economic resources tier nationally. Household income sits in the 98.9th percentile and housing stress is absent, with mortgage-to-income at 18.1%. The trade-off is strong car dependency at 89.3% commuters driving and limited public transport at 3.7%.

What is the median house price in Gumdale?

The median house price in Gumdale is $740,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $585 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,669. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.1% is well below the 30% stress threshold for residents at the suburb's income level.

What schools are in Gumdale?

No schools are recorded inside the Gumdale boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident population is highly educated, with 50.5% holding university qualifications, which is 20.4 percentage points above the national figure.

Is Gumdale safe?

Crime statistics are not available for Gumdale in this dataset. Indirect indicators are positive: IRSAD decile 9 places the suburb in the top advantage tier nationally, only 3.2% of 2,298 residents need daily assistance, and housing stress levels are low for both owners and renters.

Is Gumdale good for property investment?

The rental market is thin, with only 8.1% of dwellings rented and a vacancy rate of 3.2%. Weekly rent of $585 against a $740,000 median implies a gross yield below 4.2%. Annual population growth of 0.38% and just 8 development applications in 12 months signal a stable but slow-moving market rather than a high-yield opportunity.

How is Gumdale's population changing?

Population is growing at 0.38% per year, adding around 30 people annually, well below the Queensland metro average. The 10-year population change is 1.5%. Overseas migration contributes 74 net arrivals per year while internal migration produces a net outflow of 26, leaving modest net growth.

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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