Heathwood
Heathwood pairs a young median age of 32, eight years below the national figure, with a housing stock that is 91.9% four-bedroom-plus and 95.8% detached, an unusual mix that points to families buying space rather than starter homes. More than half the residents (51.8%) were born overseas, 30.2 points above national, and 51.3% hold a university qualification, 21.2 points above national. Household income reaches the 92.6th percentile at $2,527 a week, yet the median house price stays at $585,000, which keeps mortgage-to-income at a comfortable 19.8%. The result is a mortgage-belt suburb where 64% of households carry a loan, far more than the 11% who own outright.
Population
4,944
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,527/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median House
$585K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $585,000, the Heathwood median house price sits well below Brisbane's pricier inner suburbs, and the math works because household income reaches the 92.6th percentile at $2,527 a week. Monthly repayments average $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.8%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold. The catch for buyers is dwelling type: 95.8% of homes are separate houses and 91.9% have four or more bedrooms, while two-bedroom stock is a negligible 0.5%, so downsizers and single buyers have almost nothing to choose from. Apartments make up only 1.0% of the market. With 64% of households on a mortgage versus 11% owned outright, the suburb is built around younger families taking on debt to secure large detached homes, which explains the average household size of 3.4, nearly one person above the national figure.
For Buyers
At $585,000, the Heathwood median house price sits well below Brisbane's pricier inner suburbs, and the math works because household income reaches the 92.6th percentile at $2,527 a week. Monthly repayments average $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.8%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold. The catch for buyers is dwelling type: 95.8% of homes are separate houses and 91.9% have four or more bedrooms, while two-bedroom stock is a negligible 0.5%, so downsizers and single buyers have almost nothing to choose from. Apartments make up only 1.0% of the market. With 64% of households on a mortgage versus 11% owned outright, the suburb is built around younger families taking on debt to secure large detached homes, which explains the average household size of 3.4, nearly one person above the national figure.
For Investors
Investors face a tight market: the vacancy rate is just 2.8%, well below the 3% balance line, and 25% of residents rent. Weekly rent averages $455 against the $585,000 median, implying a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than premium Brisbane suburbs where yields fall closer to 2%. The rent-to-income ratio of 18.0% shows tenants have headroom to absorb increases. Demand is supported by a young resident base with a median age of 32, eight years below national, the kind of household that rents before buying. Development is modest at 25 applications over 12 months, much of it dwelling-house work rather than new supply, so stock additions stay limited and competition for rentals holds. With separate houses at 95.8% of dwellings, the tenant pool favours families seeking detached homes rather than apartment renters.
Development Activity
Total DAs
98
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The migrant character is the defining trait: 51.8% of residents were born overseas, 30.2 points above the national figure, and the median age of 32 runs eight years younger than national. University qualifications reach 51.3%, which is 21.2 points above national, pointing to a skilled migrant intake. Ancestry is led by Indian (861) and English (851), with Vietnamese (497) and Chinese (293) also strong, and the top non-English languages are Punjabi (184), Gujarati (109) and Hindi (80). Religion reflects the mix, with Christianity (1,648) followed by Hinduism (731) and Buddhism (415), a far larger non-Christian share than most Brisbane suburbs. Average household size is 3.4, nearly one person above national, consistent with the family-heavy profile where couples with children number 2,799 against just 641 couples without.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.8%
Houses
3.3%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily mortgaged: 64% of households carry a loan, 25% rent and only 11% own outright, the inverse of established suburbs where outright ownership dominates. This skew toward mortgage holders fits the young median age of 32 and a recent buyer base still paying down debt. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 95.8% separate houses, with apartments at 1.0% and semi-detached at 3.3%, and 91.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms against just 0.5% with two. The median house price of $585,000 against household income of $2,527 a week (92.6th percentile) yields a price-to-income ratio near 4.4, low for a capital-city suburb. Mortgage-to-income sits at 19.8% and rent-to-income at 18.0%, both below stress thresholds, because high incomes meet relatively modest prices.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$455
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,005
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.8%
Unoccupied
40
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
14.1%
Couples, no children
4,554
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 22.8% (431 workers), more than double the next sector, Professional/Tech at 10.1% (190), with Education at 8.7% (165) and Transport and Public Admin each at 7.5% (141). By occupation, Professionals lead at 685, ahead of Clerical/Admin (341) and Managers (306), which aligns with the 51.3% university qualification rate, 21.2 points above national. The full-time employment rate is 68.6% and participation reads 69.9%, with 1,647 residents in full-time work. Unemployment sits at 5.2%, modestly above the national average, while 768 residents are not in the labour force, partly explained by the family-heavy households where one parent often stays home given the average household size of 3.4.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.6%
Part-time
26.2%
Participation
69.9%
Employed
2,401
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.3%
Postgraduate
16.2%
Born Overseas
51.8%
Dwellings
1,414
Transport to Work
Heathwood is strongly car-dependent: 87.8% of commuters drive while only 5.1% use public transport and 0.2% walk or cycle, well below the national share for active transport, a function of the 4.95 sqkm low-density layout at 999 residents per km2. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off for the spacious detached setting. Community indicators are sound: only 2.9% of residents (139 people) need daily assistance and volunteering runs at 11.1%. Housing pressure is low, with rent-to-income at 18.0% and mortgage-to-income at 19.8%, both under the stress line, because household income at $2,527 a week sits in the 92.6th percentile against a modest $585,000 median price.
Drive
87.8%
Public Transport
5.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Heathwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heathwood a good suburb to live in?
Heathwood suits families: household income reaches the 92.6th percentile at $2,527 a week against a modest $585,000 median house price, keeping mortgage-to-income at just 19.8%. Homes are 95.8% detached and 91.9% have four or more bedrooms. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 87.8% driving and only 5.1% on public transport.
What is the median house price in Heathwood?
The median house price is $585,000, below Brisbane's pricier inner suburbs. Weekly rent averages $455 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.8%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold given household income in the 92.6th percentile.
What schools are in Heathwood?
No schools are recorded inside the Heathwood boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 51.3%, which is 21.2 points above the national figure.
Is Heathwood safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Heathwood in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 2.9% of residents (139 people) need daily assistance and the vacancy rate is a tight 2.8%, both consistent with a stable, family-oriented area where 74.7% of residents have stayed put.
Is Heathwood good for property investment?
Rent of $455 a week against a $585,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than premium Brisbane suburbs nearer 2%. The vacancy rate is a tight 2.8% and 25% of residents rent, supported by a young median age of 32, eight years below national, the typical renting demographic.
How is Heathwood's population changing?
Heathwood has a young, family-driven profile, with a median age of 32, eight years below national, and 2,799 couples with children versus 641 without. Turnover runs at 25.3% with 74.7% of residents having stayed, and 64% of households carry a mortgage, pointing to a suburb still in its buy-and-build phase.
What languages are spoken in Heathwood?
About 51.8% of residents were born overseas, 30.2 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Punjabi (184 speakers), Gujarati (109), Hindi (80), Malayalam (73) and Mandarin (66) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a strong South Asian and Vietnamese resident mix.
How much development is happening in Heathwood?
There were 25 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are dwelling-house building work and plan-sealing or building-format plan approvals rather than large new estates, consistent with incremental infill in a suburb that is already 95.8% detached houses.
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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