Hatton Vale
Roughly 92% of Hatton Vale residents drive to work, making this one of Queensland's most car-dependent communities, a direct consequence of its 21.68 sq km rural footprint with just 72 people per sq km. The median house price of around $454,000 sits well below the Brisbane median, attracting households with a weekly income of $1,887, placing them at the 70.4th percentile nationally. The suburb is almost entirely detached housing, with 100% of dwellings classified as separate houses, and 65.8% have four or more bedrooms, catering squarely to larger family units. Ownership rates are solid: 59.8% carry a mortgage and 30.5% own outright, well above the national average for outright ownership.
Population
1,555
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,887/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$454K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $454,000, the median house price in Hatton Vale is significantly lower than major southeast Queensland centres, making it one of the more affordable owner-occupier options within commuting range of Ipswich and Toowoomba. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means most buyers here have manageable debt loads. Every dwelling in the suburb is a separate house, so buyers face no trade-offs between dwelling types. The bedroom profile strongly favours space: 65.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, compared to typical suburban stock where that share rarely exceeds 30%. With an average household size of 2.9, above the national figure, buyers can expect family-oriented neighbours and a predominantly owner-occupied street-scape.
For Buyers
At $454,000, the median house price in Hatton Vale is significantly lower than major southeast Queensland centres, making it one of the more affordable owner-occupier options within commuting range of Ipswich and Toowoomba. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means most buyers here have manageable debt loads. Every dwelling in the suburb is a separate house, so buyers face no trade-offs between dwelling types. The bedroom profile strongly favours space: 65.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, compared to typical suburban stock where that share rarely exceeds 30%. With an average household size of 2.9, above the national figure, buyers can expect family-oriented neighbours and a predominantly owner-occupied street-scape.
For Investors
With only 9.8% of residents renting, Hatton Vale has a thin investor market relative to state averages, where rental shares often exceed 30% in urban fringes. Weekly rent of $350 against a $454,000 median implies a gross yield of approximately 4.0%, which is serviceable but not exceptional. The vacancy rate of 4.9% signals a softer rental market than tighter urban areas. Development activity was minimal in the past 12 months, with just 1 application recorded, indicating little construction pressure and stable existing supply. The suburb's mortgage-stress flag is clear: rent-to-income sits at 18.5%, well below stress territory, suggesting tenants here are not under pressure to leave. Income at the 70.4th percentile nationally provides a reasonable tenant quality base, but low rental demand limits yield upside.
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 Hatton Vale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hatton Vale State School
Prep-6 · 551 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, placing Hatton Vale in the middle of the age distribution rather than at either extreme. The overseas-born share is 12.9%, which is 8.7 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the suburb's predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry: English (643 residents), German (179), Scottish (160) and Irish (147) lead the ancestry groups. University qualifications reach only 13.9% of residents, which is 16.2 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a blue-collar and trades-oriented community. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, pointing to more children per household than typical suburbs. The family profile confirms this: 584 couples with children, compared to 375 couples without children among 1,307 total families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Hatton Vale's housing stock is unusually uniform: 100% of dwellings are separate houses, and no apartments or semi-detached dwellings are recorded, which is rare even among outer-suburban Queensland communities. The bedroom split strongly favours large homes: 65.8% have 4 or more bedrooms, 28.6% have 3 bedrooms, and only 5.6% have 2 bedrooms. Tenure sits at 59.8% mortgage-holder, 30.5% owned outright and just 9.8% renting. The 30.5% outright ownership rate is above typical mortgage-belt figures and suggests a cohort of longer-term residents who have paid down their loans. Rent-to-income at 18.5% and mortgage-to-income at 20.8% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to local incomes at the 70.4th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$778
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
26
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.7%
Couples, no children
1,307
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 16.6% of workers (73 people), ahead of Education at 12.7% (56) and Public Administration at 11.6% (51). Construction accounts for 11.1% and Transport for 10.5%, occupations consistent with the suburb's identity as a commuter and trades community. By occupation type, Labourers (102) and Clerical/Admin workers (100) are the largest groups, closely followed by Managers (97) and Machinery/Drivers (92). The full-time employment rate is 68.2% and unemployment sits at 4.3%, slightly above the national benchmark. Participation at 58.4% is moderate, with 380 residents not in the labour force, partly explained by the family-formation household profile. Personal weekly income averages $778, lower than the household figure of $1,887, which reflects multi-income households spanning dual earners.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.2%
Part-time
27.5%
Participation
58.4%
Employed
685
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.9%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
12.9%
Dwellings
505
Transport to Work
With 92.9% of residents driving to work, Hatton Vale sits above state and national averages for car dependence, a practical reflection of its rural fringe location with limited public transport. Only 1.7% walk or cycle to work, and no public transport share was recorded. No schools are listed within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on surrounding townships. Crime statistics are not available for Hatton Vale, so no crime rate comparison can be drawn. SEIFA disadvantage data was not available for this suburb, but the 70.4th percentile household income position nationally suggests a materially comfortable rather than deprived population. Volunteering reaches 11.8% of residents and 7.9% need some form of daily assistance, broadly in line with comparable outer-suburban communities.
Drive
92.9%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hatton Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hatton Vale a good suburb to live in?
Hatton Vale suits families who prioritise space and affordability over urban convenience. The median house price of $454,000 is well below southeast Queensland urban medians, mortgage-to-income sits at a comfortable 20.8%, and 65.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. The trade-off is almost total car dependence, with 92.9% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Hatton Vale?
The median house price is approximately $454,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.8% is below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $350, implying a gross yield of around 4.0% for investors.
What schools are in Hatton Vale?
No schools are recorded within the Hatton Vale suburb boundary in this dataset. Families with school-age children rely on facilities in surrounding towns. The suburb's university qualification rate of 13.9% is 16.2 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the trades and blue-collar workforce profile.
Is Hatton Vale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Hatton Vale in this dataset. The suburb has a relatively stable population, with 81.6% of residents staying at the same address over the reference period. Household income sits at the 70.4th percentile nationally, and both rent-to-income at 18.5% and mortgage-to-income at 20.8% are below financial stress thresholds.
Is Hatton Vale good for property investment?
The gross rental yield of approximately 4.0% (rent $350 per week vs $454,000 median) is modest, and the 9.8% renter share is thin compared to state rental markets. Vacancy sits at 4.9%. With just 1 development application in the past 12 months, supply pressure is low. Affordability relative to nearby Ipswich and Toowoomba supports steady demand, but yield upside is limited.
How is Hatton Vale's population changing?
Hatton Vale's current population is 1,555 at a density of 71.7 people per sq km across 21.68 sq km. Residential stability is high: 81.6% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period, with an annual turnover rate of 18.4%. No formal population forecasts were available, but the low development activity of just 1 application in 12 months suggests steady rather than rapid 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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