Harlaxton
At a median house price of $346,000 and with household income in only the 22nd percentile nationally, Harlaxton is one of Toowoomba's more affordable entry points, yet affordability alone does not explain the suburb's profile. The median age is 31, nine years below the national figure, pointing to a young resident base that rents rather than buys: 48.3% of households rent, well above the national average. SEIFA scores place the suburb at decile 2 on both IRSD and IRSAD, flagging concentrated disadvantage. Despite that, rent-to-income sits at 24.2% and mortgage-to-income at 24.1%, both below the standard 30% stress threshold, because housing costs are low relative to incomes.
Population
2,824
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,156/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$346K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $346,000 median house price makes Harlaxton one of the more affordable suburbs in the Toowoomba region, with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,205 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress level. Separate houses dominate at 78.8% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes the clear majority at 59.0% of stock. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 17.1%, giving buyers reasonable mid-size options. Semi-detached dwellings reach 16.2%, higher than typical for a suburban area, which introduces a mix of formats. At 25.4% of dwellings owned outright and 26.3% with a mortgage, owner-occupiers are the minority, reflecting the suburb's strong renter character. Buyers stepping in at current prices gain access to detached housing at a significant discount compared to capital city markets.
For Buyers
The $346,000 median house price makes Harlaxton one of the more affordable suburbs in the Toowoomba region, with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,205 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress level. Separate houses dominate at 78.8% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes the clear majority at 59.0% of stock. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 17.1%, giving buyers reasonable mid-size options. Semi-detached dwellings reach 16.2%, higher than typical for a suburban area, which introduces a mix of formats. At 25.4% of dwellings owned outright and 26.3% with a mortgage, owner-occupiers are the minority, reflecting the suburb's strong renter character. Buyers stepping in at current prices gain access to detached housing at a significant discount compared to capital city markets.
For Investors
A 48.3% renter share and $280 weekly rent make Harlaxton a high-volume rental market, and with a $346,000 median, the gross yield works out near 4.2%, meaningfully above typical inner-city figures. The 7.1% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants monitoring, because it indicates supply exceeds current demand. Overseas migration adds a net 29 residents a year while internal migration removes 21, leaving modest but positive net growth. Development applications reached 9 in the past 12 months, light activity consistent with an established suburb rather than a growth fringe. Rent grew 33.3% over the period, outpacing real income growth of 6.2%, which suggests rental demand has been firming. Population growth at 0.67% annually adds roughly 44 residents a year, providing a thin but steady tenant pipeline.
Development Activity
Total DAs
59
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Harlaxton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Harlaxton State School
Prep-6 · 177 students
Demographics
The median age of 31 sits nine years below the national figure, producing a young suburb profile concentrated in the 20-to-34 age band. Overseas-born residents make up 12.9% of the population, which is 8.7 percentage points below national, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born community. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,073), Irish (341), Scottish (299), and German (252) the leading ancestries. University qualifications reach 20.9%, which is 9.2 points below national, consistent with the decile 4 IEO score on educational advantage. Average household size is 2.3, marginally below the national average. Volunteering reaches 17.0% of residents, a modest community participation rate. The aging trajectory is already visible: the senior share rose 3.4 points over the decade while the young share fell 1.8 points, a shift that will gradually reshape the suburb's demographic character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.8%
Houses
16.2%
Townhouse
4.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily skewed toward renting: 48.3% of households rent versus 26.3% with a mortgage and 25.4% owning outright, a split that places Harlaxton well above the national renter average. Separate houses make up 78.8% of stock, with three-bedroom dwellings accounting for 59.0% and four-plus bedrooms at 17.1%, so the stock is predominantly family-sized detached homes. Semi-detached dwellings reach 16.2%, and apartments sit at just 4.4%. Weekly rent of $280 implies a rent-to-income ratio of 24.2%, which is below the 30% stress threshold despite household income landing in only the 22nd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 25.4% are outnumbered by both mortgage holders and renters, suggesting limited long-held wealth and high reliance on the rental market to absorb new households.
Mortgage / mo
$1,205
Rent / wk
$280
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$611
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.1%
Unoccupied
81
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.0%
Couples, no children
1,941
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 24.3% of the workforce (159 workers), nearly double the share of Education at 15.0% (98 workers). Construction follows at 9.2% (60 workers), with Retail at 6.7% and Professional/Tech at 6.6%. By occupation, Community and Personal service workers lead at 180, followed by Professionals at 169 and Labourers at 147, a profile that reflects a service-oriented, lower-skill mix. The unemployment rate is 8.9%, well above the national average, and the participation rate of 49.8% is low, with 886 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA places the suburb at IER decile 1, the lowest tier for economic resources, and IRSD decile 2 for relative disadvantage, together indicating limited household financial buffers. Real income growth of 6.2% over the decade has done little to lift the suburb out of the bottom income quartile nationally.
Unemployment
6.0%
Labour Force
3,277
Unemployed
195
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
29.6%
Participation
49.8%
Employed
999
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.9%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
12.9%
Dwellings
1,058
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 85.6% of workers drive, while only 0.5% use public transport and 4.2% walk or cycle, ratios that reflect the suburban layout and limited transit infrastructure compared to capital city norms. The suburb scores decile 2 on IRSAD, indicating concentrated disadvantage, and decile 4 on IEO, placing it below average on education and occupation measures. At 7.8% of residents (206 people) needing daily assistance, the care burden is notable relative to the modest median age of 31 and likely reflects pockets of disability and health complexity within the lower-income population. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Toowoomba suburbs. Rent-to-income at 24.2% keeps housing costs manageable for current renters, which partly explains why the suburb retains a young tenant base despite its disadvantage ranking.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.67%/yr
(+44 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 9.0% over the past decade, from roughly 2,590 to 2,824, with an annual rate of 0.67% adding approximately 44 residents each year. The medium forecast projects the broader SA2 reaching 6,850 by 2031, up from 6,596 in 2025, a continuation of modest growth. Overseas migration is the primary driver, contributing a net 29 residents annually, while internal migration drains a net 21 per year, pointing to residents leaving for other parts of Australia even as international arrivals partially offset the outflow. The gentrification score sits at 34 with stage classified as early signs, one step above not gentrifying, reflecting some upward pressure but no broad transformation. The aging trajectory is the most material structural shift, with the senior share rising 3.4 points over the decade, which will increase demand for healthcare and community services over time.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+29
Net Internal / yr
-21
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Accelerating: -2% → 12%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Harlaxton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Harlaxton a good suburb to live in?
Harlaxton offers affordable housing at a $346,000 median house price and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-offs are a SEIFA IRSD decile 2 ranking, indicating concentrated disadvantage, an unemployment rate of 8.9%, and near-complete car dependence with only 0.5% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Harlaxton?
The median house price is $346,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,205, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%. Weekly rent averages $280, implying a gross rental yield near 4.2% against that median.
What schools are in Harlaxton?
No schools are recorded inside the Harlaxton boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Toowoomba suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 20.9%, which is 9.2 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Harlaxton safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Harlaxton in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSD decile 2, placing it among the more disadvantaged nationally, which research links to elevated crime exposure. The 8.9% unemployment rate is also above the national average.
Is Harlaxton good for property investment?
The 48.3% renter share and $280 weekly rent produce a gross yield near 4.2% against the $346,000 median, above typical inner-city benchmarks. The 7.1% vacancy rate is elevated and requires monitoring. Rent grew 33.3% over the tracked period. Net population growth is modest at 0.67% annually, adding roughly 44 residents per year.
How is Harlaxton's population changing?
The population grew 9.0% over the past decade and is rising at 0.67% annually, adding about 44 residents per year. Overseas migration contributes a net 29 arrivals annually while internal migration removes 21. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.4 points and the young adult share down 1.8 points over the decade.
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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