Highvale
Household incomes in the 97.9th percentile nationally sit alongside a median house price of $613,000, making Highvale one of southeast Queensland's more affordable affluent pockets. The suburb's 1,979 residents spread across 26 square kilometres, giving a density of just 75.5 people per km2, and 98.8% of dwellings are separate houses. University qualifications reach 45.9%, which is 15.8 percentage points above the national average, while the median age of 44 is 4 years higher than national. Only 4.5% of residents rent, compared to the national average, confirming a strongly owner-occupier community where 80.7% of households stayed at the same address over the reference period.
Population
1,979
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,143/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$613K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $613,000 median house price is estimated from rent data and reflects a significant discount relative to the suburb's 97.9th-percentile household incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable high-income suburbs. The stock is overwhelmingly large: 78.4% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, and 98.8% are separate houses. Only 59.2% carry a mortgage, while 36.3% own outright, suggesting a mature ownership base. For buyers comparing options, this combination of high income, modest mortgage burden and spacious housing stock at the median is unusual compared to inner-city equivalents.
For Buyers
The $613,000 median house price is estimated from rent data and reflects a significant discount relative to the suburb's 97.9th-percentile household incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable high-income suburbs. The stock is overwhelmingly large: 78.4% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, and 98.8% are separate houses. Only 59.2% carry a mortgage, while 36.3% own outright, suggesting a mature ownership base. For buyers comparing options, this combination of high income, modest mortgage burden and spacious housing stock at the median is unusual compared to inner-city equivalents.
For Investors
Highvale's investor proposition is shaped by thin rental demand rather than yield. Only 4.5% of residents rent, well below the national average, and weekly rent sits at $425. Against the $613,000 median that implies a gross yield near 3.6%. The vacancy rate of 4.2% is elevated, signalling limited tenant competition in a suburb where most households own. Development activity registered just 7 applications in the past 12 months, indicating limited new supply. With 80.7% of residents staying at the same address, turnover is low and forced sales are rare, which supports price stability more than rental income growth. The investment case favours long-term capital preservation over near-term yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
20
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, reflecting an established family and empty-nester cohort. Average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above national, consistent with the large-home profile where 78.4% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. University qualifications at 45.9% run 15.8 percentage points higher than the national average, and the workforce skews toward professional roles, with Professionals (312 workers) and Managers (204) the two largest occupation groups. Overseas-born residents make up 22.6%, close to the national rate. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic led, with English (953), Irish (311) and Scottish (260) the top three. Volunteering at 20.9% is above typical suburban rates.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.8%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by owner-occupiers: 36.3% own outright and 59.2% hold a mortgage, leaving only 4.5% renting, well below the national average. The dwelling stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.8%, with 78.4% having 4 or more bedrooms, which reflects the large 26 km2 suburban footprint and family-oriented demand. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600 and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.1%, comfortably below stress thresholds. Rent-to-income at 13.5% is also low, suggesting that even renters here are not under financial pressure. The vacancy rate of 4.2% is the main caution: it implies some overhang in rental stock relative to tenant demand in a suburb where renting is uncommon.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$425
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$992
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.2%
Unoccupied
27
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.7%
Couples, no children
1,813
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 17.7% of workers (130 employed), followed by Professional and Technical services at 13.3% (98 workers) and Education at 11.2% (82 workers). Construction accounts for 9.4% and Public Administration 8.8%, rounding out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (312) and Managers (204) dominate, which aligns with household incomes in the 97.9th percentile nationally. The full-time employment rate is 65.4% and unemployment sits at 4.9%. Participation at 60.8% is somewhat low, explained partly by the older median age of 44, where a share of residents aged 55 to 65 have stepped back from full-time work or retired early from professional careers.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
29.7%
Participation
60.8%
Employed
910
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.9%
Postgraduate
11.5%
Born Overseas
22.6%
Dwellings
604
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 86.5% of workers drive, versus 4% who use public transport. This is consistent with the low-density, semi-rural character spanning 26 km2. Wellbeing indicators are positive. Housing stress is absent, with mortgage-to-income at 19.1% and rent-to-income at 13.5%, both well below stress thresholds. Only 2.8% of residents (54 people) need daily assistance, lower than expected for a suburb with a median age of 44. Volunteering at 20.9% is higher than average, suggesting active community engagement. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on services in nearby suburbs. No detailed crime data is available for Highvale, though the high-income, low-density profile is associated nationally with lower crime rates.
Drive
86.5%
Public Transport
4.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Highvale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Highvale a good suburb to live in?
Highvale suits families who want space and financial stability. Household incomes rank in the 97.9th percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income sits at a comfortable 19.1%, and 98.8% of dwellings are separate houses with 78.4% having 4 or more bedrooms. The trade-off is high car dependence at 86.5% and limited public transport at 4%, and no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Highvale?
The median house price is approximately $613,000, estimated from rental data for 2025. Weekly rent averages $425 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.1%. At this price point, Highvale is significantly more affordable than comparable high-income suburbs in southeast QLD.
What schools are in Highvale?
No schools are recorded inside the Highvale suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Locally, 45.9% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 15.8 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting a highly educated resident population despite the absence of local schools.
Is Highvale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Highvale. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is absent with mortgage-to-income at 19.1% and rent-to-income at 13.5%, and only 2.8% of residents (54 people) need daily assistance. High-income, low-density suburbs like Highvale, with 75.5 residents per km2, are associated nationally with below-average crime rates.
Is Highvale good for property investment?
The investment case is cautious. With only 4.5% of residents renting and a vacancy rate of 4.2%, tenant demand is thin. Weekly rent of $425 against a $613,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.6%, which is modest. Only 7 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term risk. Price stability is supported by the 80.7% resident retention rate.
How is Highvale's population changing?
Highvale has a population of 1,979 across 26 square kilometres, giving one of the lower densities at 75.5 per km2. The high rate of 80.7% of residents staying at the same address over the reference period indicates a settled community with low turnover. The median age of 44 is 4 years above national, and the concentration of 4-plus bedroom homes points to an established family and owner-occupier base rather than rapid in-migration.
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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