Habana
A household income in the 92.6th percentile nationally stands out sharply for a rural fringe locality covering 92 square kilometres with just 1,022 residents. Habana sits west of Mackay with a density of only 11.1 people per km2, yet family weekly income averages $2,750, well above the national median. Every occupied dwelling is a separate house, 51.5% of them with four or more bedrooms, a proportion higher than most regional or metropolitan suburbs. The workforce leans heavily on mining at 15.6%, which explains the income premium in a low-population setting. Mortgage-to-income at 18.7% and rent-to-income at 15.8% are both below stress thresholds, reflecting genuine affordability compared to coastal or capital city markets.
Population
1,022
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,528/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$531K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $531,000 gives Habana a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers here retain substantial financial headroom compared to southeast Queensland or Sydney markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,046, manageable against a weekly household income of $2,528. The entire housing stock is separate houses, 100% of dwellings, with 51.5% having four or more bedrooms and 34.9% at three bedrooms. Owner-occupiers dominate strongly: 40.8% own outright and 51.1% hold mortgages, leaving only 8.2% renting. That tenure structure rewards patient buyers rather than investors seeking tenants. Average household size is 2.9, above the national average, reflecting family-oriented demand.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $531,000 gives Habana a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers here retain substantial financial headroom compared to southeast Queensland or Sydney markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,046, manageable against a weekly household income of $2,528. The entire housing stock is separate houses, 100% of dwellings, with 51.5% having four or more bedrooms and 34.9% at three bedrooms. Owner-occupiers dominate strongly: 40.8% own outright and 51.1% hold mortgages, leaving only 8.2% renting. That tenure structure rewards patient buyers rather than investors seeking tenants. Average household size is 2.9, above the national average, reflecting family-oriented demand.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 6.7% is elevated, running higher than the 3% considered balanced nationally, which signals limited rental demand in a low-density rural area. Only 8.2% of dwellings are rented, the lowest tenure category, and weekly rent of $400 against a $531,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%. Mining makes up 15.6% of local employment, making income levels sensitive to commodity cycles. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, indicating no new supply pressure but also confirming this is not a growth-development market. The income position, household weekly income at the 92.6th percentile nationally, provides some floor under demand, but low population at 1,022 constrains the depth of the tenant pool compared to larger regional centres.
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
Demographics
The median age of 41 matches almost exactly the national figure, sitting just 1.0 year above the national median, making Habana demographically typical in age terms. Overseas-born residents account for 9.8%, which is 11.8 percentage points below the national average, a noticeably Anglo-Celtic makeup. Ancestry data confirms this: English (324 residents), Maltese (118), Scottish (114) and Irish (86) are the four largest groups, with a notable Maltese community that is unusual outside Victoria and points to mid-20th-century sugarcane immigration to the Mackay district. University qualifications at 18.7% are 11.4 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce skewed toward trades, machinery and resource sector roles. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, reflecting larger family units.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
All 1,022 residents live in separate houses, a 100% detached rate that is higher than virtually any urban or suburban comparison point nationally. Size skews large: 51.5% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 34.9% have three, suggesting homes built for working families with space. Tenure is owner-dominated with 40.8% owning outright and 51.1% carrying mortgages, versus only 8.2% renting, an imbalance that reflects the rural character and stable long-term resident base. The mortgage-to-income ratio at 18.7% and rent-to-income at 15.8% are both comfortably below stress benchmarks, confirming affordability relative to most Australian markets. Household weekly income of $2,528 sits in the 92.6th percentile nationally, meaning buyers here have income resources above nearly all peers.
Mortgage / mo
$2,046
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,047
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
24
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.1%
Couples, no children
848
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining drives the local economy at 15.6% of employed residents (57 workers), followed jointly by Construction and Education at 11.5% each (42 workers apiece) and Healthcare at 9.6%. This pattern, mining income sustaining a family-oriented community with strong education and healthcare employment, explains why household income reaches the 92.6th percentile despite a rural location. By occupation, Managers lead at 101, Professionals at 80 and Clerical/Admin at 76. The full-time employment rate is 69.1% and unemployment is 2.1%, both strong figures, though labour force participation sits at 64.4%, reflecting a segment not in the labour force, likely including non-working partners in high-income households. Volunteering reaches 19.2% of the population, above average for Queensland communities of this size.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.1%
Part-time
28.8%
Participation
64.4%
Employed
514
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.7%
Postgraduate
3.4%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
327
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total at 93.8% driving to work, which is expected across a 92.4 km2 rural area where public transport is absent or negligible. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in nearby Mackay, roughly 15 km southeast. Housing stress indicators are low: mortgage-to-income at 18.7% and rent-to-income at 15.8% are both below the national 30% stress threshold, meaning residents retain more income than typical Australian households. Only 3.4% of residents (32 people) need daily assistance, a low figure for a suburb with a median age of 41. With crime statistics not available at this geographic level, livability assessment leans on the income security and low financial stress indicators, which point to a community operating comfortably relative to national conditions.
Drive
93.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Habana compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Habana a good suburb to live in?
Habana offers low housing stress, with mortgage-to-income at 18.7% and rent-to-income at 15.8%, both well below the 30% stress threshold. Household income sits in the 92.6th percentile nationally. The trade-off is a car-dependent rural lifestyle across 92 km2 with no public transport and no schools recorded within the boundary.
What is the median house price in Habana?
The estimated median house price is $531,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,046. With household weekly income of $2,528, the mortgage-to-income ratio is 18.7%, which is below the national stress threshold and lower than most southeast Queensland suburbs.
What schools are in Habana?
No schools are recorded within the Habana suburb boundary in this dataset. With 1,022 residents across 92 km2, families rely on schools in nearby Mackay. Locally, 18.7% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 11.4 percentage points below the national average.
Is Habana safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Habana at this geographic level. As indirect indicators, only 3.4% of the 1,022 residents need daily assistance, unemployment is low at 2.1%, and housing stress metrics sit below national thresholds, all consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage community by Queensland regional standards.
Is Habana good for property investment?
The rental vacancy rate of 6.7% is above the nationally balanced 3% level, and only 8.2% of dwellings are rented, limiting the tenant pool. Weekly rent of $400 against a $531,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%. Mining accounts for 15.6% of employment, meaning income levels are sensitive to commodity market cycles.
How is Habana's population changing?
Habana's population is 1,022 across 92.4 km2. Detailed forecasts are not available for this small locality, but community stability is high: 80.5% of residents stayed in the same address, against a turnover rate of only 19.5%. Zero development applications in the past 12 months suggests slow near-term organic 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.
Explore Habana on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map