Howard
At 56, Howard's median age is 16.0 years above the national comparison, making its aging resident base the clearest local signal. The suburb has 1,394 residents across 45.85 sq km, with density of 30.4 people per sq km and 94.0% separate houses. Household income is $854 a week, at the 6.3rd percentile, while 49.2% of homes are owned outright. Compared with larger Maryborough and coastal Burrum Heads, Howard suits buyers seeking a lower-density, car-oriented setting. Internal migration and a 0.82% annual trend add momentum, but a 4.0% rise in senior share points to an aging trajectory.
Local council: Fraser Coast
Population
1,394
Median Age
56.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$854/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Howard suits buyers prioritising detached living and manageable recurring costs rather than apartment choice. Separate houses account for 94.0% of dwellings; 3-bedroom homes make up 49.4%, followed by 4-plus-bedroom homes at 21.9% and 2-bedroom homes at 22.4%. The mortgage measure is $1,062 a month, equal to 28.7% of household income, slightly below the 29.0% rent-to-income share. With no suburb median house price to anchor negotiations, compare recent sales, land size and renovation condition street by street. Compared with Maryborough, Howard may appeal to buyers wanting a smaller settlement, while Burrum Heads provides a different coastal context.
For Buyers
Howard suits buyers prioritising detached living and manageable recurring costs rather than apartment choice. Separate houses account for 94.0% of dwellings; 3-bedroom homes make up 49.4%, followed by 4-plus-bedroom homes at 21.9% and 2-bedroom homes at 22.4%. The mortgage measure is $1,062 a month, equal to 28.7% of household income, slightly below the 29.0% rent-to-income share. With no suburb median house price to anchor negotiations, compare recent sales, land size and renovation condition street by street. Compared with Maryborough, Howard may appeal to buyers wanting a smaller settlement, while Burrum Heads provides a different coastal context.
For Investors
Howard's rental case needs careful property selection because the suburb combines weekly rent of $248 with a relatively open vacancy position. Rented dwellings account for 23.7% of the market and vacancy is 9.4%, a higher level than a tightly supplied market and a sign that leasing speed may vary by property. Rent growth of 25.0% supports the income story, while 8 development matters in 12 months indicate some supply activity. Internal migration is the primary driver and the annual growth trend is 0.82%, so investors should favour well-maintained, easy-care homes and verify insurance, vacancy history and tenant demand before comparing yields.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+250.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Howard
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Howard State School
Demographics
Howard's demographic profile is older and less university-qualified than Australia overall: the median age is 56, or 16.0 years above the national comparison, while university attainment is 11.4%, 18.7 percentage points below nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 14.5%, 7.1 points below the national figure, and average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 lower than the national measure. English ancestry is recorded for 625 residents, followed by Irish 169, Scottish 168 and German 99. Christianity counts 654 people versus 607 reporting no religion. The 76.8% stayed-at-address share points to a settled population, with smaller households shaping services. Compared with Maryborough's larger regional role, Howard presents a more settled local identity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.0%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
5.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Howard's housing is overwhelmingly detached: 94.0% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 5.2% apartments. The bedroom mix is led by 3-bedroom homes at 49.4%, followed by 2-bedroom homes at 22.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 21.9%. Tenure is established, with 49.2% owned outright and 25.2% under mortgage, while 23.7% is rented. Mortgage costs equal 28.7% of household income and rent equals 29.0%, so neither measure sits materially higher than the other. A suburb median price is not available, making block size, condition and comparable sales more important than a single headline figure. Compared with the coastal context of Burrum Heads, Howard's 94.0% detached share gives buyers a clearer inland-house focus.
Mortgage / mo
$1,062
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $248.
$600
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $600
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$456
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.4%
Unoccupied
63
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.6%
Couples with children
55.8%
Couples, no children
19.4%
Single parent
407
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Howard's leading industry at 28.1% or 59 workers, ahead of construction and retail at 9.0% and 19 each, manufacturing at 8.1% and 17, and public administration at 7.1% and 15. The occupational mix is practical and service-led: sales has 69 workers, labourers 64, community and personal service 53, professionals 52 and trades 47. Participation is 35.8%, unemployment is 11.3% and full-time work is 49.4%, pointing to a smaller active workforce than larger service centres because 694 people are not in the labour force. Household income is $854 weekly at the 6.3rd percentile. SEIFA is mixed: education and occupation sit in decile 5, economic resources in decile 9 and advantage/disadvantage in decile 7.
Unemployment
11.3%
Labour Force
434
Unemployed
49
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.4%
Part-time
42.3%
Participation
35.8%
Employed
385
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.4%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
14.5%
Dwellings
612
Transport to Work
Howard is practical rather than transit-led. Car driving is the main access pattern at 79.5%, compared with 6.0% walking or cycling and 8.1% working from home, so reliable vehicle access matters for daily errands and employment. Howard State School is the local government-sector state-school option; families should check enrolment zones and transport arrangements against the exact address. IRSAD sits in decile 7, above the midpoint, while IEO is decile 5, indicating a mixed position across social advantage and education or occupation. With 1,394 residents across 45.85 sq km, Howard is low density, so routines are less compact than in a dense urban setting.
Drive
79.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
6.0%
Work from Home
8.1%
Growth Outlook
Howard's growth outlook combines moderate annual momentum with an aging direction. The annual trend is 0.82%, and internal migration is the primary driver, suggesting demand is shaped by people moving within Australia rather than a strong overseas-migration story. Across the wider area, population change is 18.7% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging: the young share is down 4.0 percentage points and the senior share is up 4.0 points. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 36, and rent growth is 25.0%. The area recovered from a 5.8% COVID dip after a 9.2% recovery. Compared with a high-growth metro corridor, Howard's 0.82% pace is measured, so demand is more likely to reinforce established housing than rapidly remake it.
Population trend: Fraser Coast council area
Howard sits in the Fraser Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Howard's.
Residents 2025
122,924
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.3%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+2.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Howard compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Howard a good suburb to live in?
Howard can suit residents seeking a quieter detached-house setting, but the answer depends on access needs. The median age is 56, density is 30.4 people per sq km and 79.5% drive, so routines are more car-oriented and lower-density than in a typical urban suburb.
What is the median house price in Howard?
A suburb median house price is not available, so a single figure should not guide a purchase. Compare recent sales, land size and condition, then test the $1,062 monthly mortgage measure against the $248 weekly rent level and the 28.7% mortgage-to-income share.
What schools are in Howard?
Howard State School is the local government-sector state-school option named for the suburb. Families should confirm enrolment zones, year-level availability and travel arrangements for the exact address, especially across a 45.85 sq km low-density setting where car access is more important than in compact suburbs.
Is Howard safe?
Crime-rate figures are not stated, so check current Queensland Police information and inspect the exact street at different times. Compared with dense urban routines, Howard's 79.5% car-driver share and 30.4 people per sq km describe a low-density setting, but neither figure is a safety rating.
Is Howard good for property investment?
Howard may suit a cautious income-focused strategy, but vacancy risk needs attention. Weekly rent is $248, vacancy is 9.4% and rent growth is 25.0%; compared with a tightly supplied market, that vacancy level can mean longer leasing periods. Internal migration is the primary driver and annual growth is 0.82%, so inspect demand street by street.
How is Howard's population changing?
Howard's population is 1,394 today, while the wider area's population change is 18.7% over 10 years. Growth is running at 0.82% annually and is driven primarily by internal migration, but the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.0 points and the young share down 4.0 points compared with the earlier measure.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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