Hillcrest
A $435,000 median house price paired with a median age of 33, seven years below the national figure, sets Hillcrest apart in Logan's southern corridor. The young profile flows from affordability: with rent at $350 a week and mortgage repayments averaging $1,532 a month, both rent-to-income (22.3%) and mortgage-to-income (22.5%) sit well under the 30% stress line, letting first-home buyers and young families in. Household income lands at the 51.3rd percentile, almost exactly the national midpoint, while 82% of dwellings are separate houses on a compact 3.27 km2 footprint. Overseas-born residents reach 33.1%, which is 11.5 points above national.
Population
6,268
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,573/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
124
Median House
$435K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $435,000 median, Hillcrest is one of Greater Brisbane's more accessible markets, and the maths is why it pulls younger buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,532, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income only reaches the 51.3rd percentile nationally. The stock suits families chasing space: 82% are separate houses against just 1.9% apartments, and 53.9% have three bedrooms with another 37.6% offering four or more. That leaves smaller one and two-bedroom dwellings at under 9% combined, so downsizers have thin choice. With 42% of households carrying a mortgage versus 17.9% owning outright, this is a working mortgage belt where most owners are still paying down rather than sitting on debt-free equity.
For Buyers
At a $435,000 median, Hillcrest is one of Greater Brisbane's more accessible markets, and the maths is why it pulls younger buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,532, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income only reaches the 51.3rd percentile nationally. The stock suits families chasing space: 82% are separate houses against just 1.9% apartments, and 53.9% have three bedrooms with another 37.6% offering four or more. That leaves smaller one and two-bedroom dwellings at under 9% combined, so downsizers have thin choice. With 42% of households carrying a mortgage versus 17.9% owning outright, this is a working mortgage belt where most owners are still paying down rather than sitting on debt-free equity.
For Investors
A 40% renter share and $350 weekly rent give landlords a steady tenant base, and against the $435,000 median that implies a gross yield near 4.2%, far stronger than the sub-2% returns common in premium inner-city suburbs. The 3.3% vacancy rate is loose rather than tight, so tenant demand is healthy without being supply-starved. Development is active, with 115 applications lodged in the past 12 months, though the samples skew to dwelling extensions and commercial fit-outs rather than new estates, meaning supply growth is incremental. Migration support is balanced: net internal migration adds about 123 residents a year and overseas migration another 80, both positive. The case here rests on yield and affordability-driven tenant flow more than rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
258
Last 12 Months
124
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+416.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 33 runs 7.0 years below national, marking Hillcrest as a young-family suburb rather than a retirement or professional enclave. University qualifications reach 20.4%, which is 9.7 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and service roles. Overseas-born residents make up 33.1%, 11.5 points above national, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,942), Scottish (503) and Irish (432). The top non-English languages are Punjabi (73 speakers), Mandarin (57) and Hindi (38), a South Asian skew unusual for outer Brisbane. Christianity dominates religion at 2,514 residents, with Islam second at 232. Average household size is 2.7, slightly above the national average by 0.2, which fits the three and four-bedroom family stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.0%
Houses
16.1%
Townhouse
1.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward repayment rather than outright wealth: 42% of households carry a mortgage, 40% rent and only 17.9% own outright, a profile typical of a younger mortgage belt rather than an established settled market. The stock is 82% separate houses with apartments at just 1.9% and semi-detached dwellings at 16.1%, so detached living dominates. By size, 53.9% of homes have three bedrooms and 37.6% have four or more, leaving family-oriented stock in clear majority. Against the $435,000 median and a 51.3rd-percentile household income near $1,573 a week, the price-to-income ratio is moderate, which keeps both rent-to-income (22.3%) and mortgage-to-income (22.5%) below the 30% stress line and explains the suburb's pull on first-home buyers.
Mortgage / mo
$1,532
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$769
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
74
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.3%
Couples, no children
5,023
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 19.7% (342 workers), followed by Construction at 10.7% (185), Education at 10.2% (178), Retail at 10.1% (176) and Manufacturing at 9.5% (165), a spread tilted toward hands-on services and trades rather than professional offices. By occupation, Machinery Operators and Drivers (447) and Community and Personal Service workers (424) outnumber Professionals (323), which aligns with university attainment sitting 9.7 points below national. Unemployment is elevated at 6.9% with a 59.6% participation rate. On SEIFA, Hillcrest scores decile 3 for education and occupation (IEO) yet decile 6 for economic resources (IER), a gap that reflects modest formal qualifications offset by affordable housing costs that leave more disposable income. The broader IRSAD and IRSD disadvantage indexes both read decile 4.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
5,557
Unemployed
171
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.4%
Part-time
25.7%
Participation
59.6%
Employed
2,708
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.4%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
33.1%
Dwellings
2,146
Transport to Work
Hillcrest is heavily car-dependent: 88.4% of commuters drive while just 4.3% use public transport and 1.3% walk or cycle, well below the patterns of transit-rich inner suburbs. On safety, detailed crime counts are not available in this dataset, but as an indirect gauge the suburb scores decile 4 on the IRSAD advantage-disadvantage index, a below-median tier nationally, and 7.3% of residents (432 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the 3.27 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Logan suburbs. Volunteering runs at 9.1% and resident turnover is moderate at 26.6%, meaning roughly 73.4% of people stayed put over the period, a sign of reasonable settlement stability for an affordable outer suburb.
Drive
88.4%
Public Transport
4.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.34%/yr
(+135 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is expanding at 1.34% a year, roughly 135 residents annually, on the back of a 14% rise over the past decade, classifying Hillcrest as a steady established grower rather than a flat market. Migration is balanced, with net internal migration adding about 123 people a year and overseas migration another 80, so growth draws on both interstate movers and new arrivals. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 39, supported by signals including a 25% population rise since 2011 and net internal migration turning positive. The trajectory skews aging, with the senior share up 5.0 points and the young-resident share down 1.5 points over the decade, though the median age of 33 keeps it well below national. Affordability improved from 49.4% in 2011 to 44.0% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+80
Net Internal / yr
+123
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +25% since 2011, Net internal migration +123/yr, Accelerating: 5% → 19%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hillcrest compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hillcrest a good suburb to live in?
Hillcrest suits younger families chasing affordability: the median house price is $435,000 and the median age is 33, seven years below national. Both rent-to-income (22.3%) and mortgage-to-income (22.5%) sit under the 30% stress line. The main trade-offs are a below-median decile 4 IRSAD score and heavy reliance on cars, with 88.4% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Hillcrest?
The median house price is $435,000, one of Greater Brisbane's more accessible markets. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,532, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold for the suburb's median household income.
What schools are in Hillcrest?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.27 km2 Hillcrest boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Logan suburbs. The local profile is family-heavy, with a median age of 33 (7 years below national) and 53.9% of homes having three bedrooms.
Is Hillcrest safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Hillcrest in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 4 on the IRSAD index, a below-median tier nationally, and 7.3% of its residents (432 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a moderate-disadvantage outer suburb.
Is Hillcrest good for property investment?
Rent of $350 a week against the $435,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, well above the sub-2% returns of premium suburbs. The vacancy rate is 3.3% and 40% of households rent, giving a steady tenant base. Net internal migration of about 123 a year supports demand, so returns lean on yield more than rapid capital growth.
How is Hillcrest's population changing?
Population is growing about 1.34% a year, roughly 135 residents annually, after a 14% rise over the past decade. Migration is balanced, with net internal migration adding around 123 people and overseas migration another 80 each year. The profile is slowly aging, with the senior share up 5.0 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Hillcrest?
About 33.1% of residents were born overseas, 11.5 points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Punjabi (73 speakers), Mandarin (57), Hindi (38) and Samoan (26) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a notable South Asian and Pacific resident mix for outer Brisbane.
How much development is happening in Hillcrest?
There were 115 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are dwelling extensions and commercial fit-outs rather than new estates, so supply grows incrementally. This is consistent with steady 1.34% annual population growth on a built-out 3.27 km2 footprint dominated by separate houses at 82%.
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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