Ingham
A median age of 49, nine years above the national figure, tells the story of Ingham more clearly than any single price point. The 4,455-resident town in north Queensland sits in SEIFA decile 1 on three of four indexes, placing it among the most disadvantaged communities nationally, yet housing affordability is genuinely low-stress: rent-to-income runs at just 20.4% and mortgage-to-income at 24.3%, both below the stress threshold. Household income falls in the 13.9th percentile nationally. The workforce leans heavily on healthcare (19.7%) and manufacturing (13%), reflecting a regional service economy centred on the sugar industry. Vacancy sits at a notable 14.5%, higher than most urban markets, signalling softer rental demand than coastal Queensland neighbours.
Population
4,455
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,028/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$280K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $280,000 sits well below the Queensland state median, making Ingham one of the more affordable entry points in the state. Weekly rent of $210 and a monthly mortgage of roughly $1,083 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold even at the area's modest income levels. Detached houses dominate at 86.5% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 53.5% of the stock and four-plus bedrooms at 22.4%. Outright ownership is high at 45.5%, nearly double the renter share of 34.6%, reflecting a settled, long-term resident base rather than a churn of recent buyers. Apartments represent only 5.2% of stock, so buyers face a predominantly house-dominated market with limited apartment alternatives.
For Buyers
The median house price of $280,000 sits well below the Queensland state median, making Ingham one of the more affordable entry points in the state. Weekly rent of $210 and a monthly mortgage of roughly $1,083 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold even at the area's modest income levels. Detached houses dominate at 86.5% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 53.5% of the stock and four-plus bedrooms at 22.4%. Outright ownership is high at 45.5%, nearly double the renter share of 34.6%, reflecting a settled, long-term resident base rather than a churn of recent buyers. Apartments represent only 5.2% of stock, so buyers face a predominantly house-dominated market with limited apartment alternatives.
For Investors
The 34.6% renter share provides a reasonable tenant pool, but a 14.5% vacancy rate indicates more supply than current demand can absorb, which keeps rent levels low at $210 per week. Against a $280,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 3.9%, higher than most capital-city markets but reflecting the elevated risk of a single-industry regional town. Population grew 10.7% over the decade, though that growth is concentrated at the SA2 level which covers a wider catchment than Ingham proper. Net internal migration averages 264 per year and overseas inflow averages 240, both positive signals for the broader region. With 0 development applications in the past 12 months, new supply pressure is minimal, which helps protect existing rental inventory from dilution.
Schools in Ingham iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
Prep-6 · 327 students
Gilroy Santa Maria College
7-12 · 313 students
Hinchinbrook Christian School
1-7 · 7 students
Ingham State School
Prep-6 · 334 students
Ingham State High School
7-12 · 422 students
Demographics
The median age of 49 is 9.0 years above the national figure, the result of an aging trajectory where the senior share rose 4.0 points over the decade while the young-adult share fell 2.2 points. University qualifications reach only 13.3%, which is 16.8 points below the national average, consistent with a manual and trade-oriented economy. Only 10.4% were born overseas, compared to 21.6% nationally, and the Italian community (1,260 residents by ancestry, with 71 Italian speakers) reflects the legacy of post-war cane-farming migration. English (1,420) and Irish (399) round out the main ancestry groups. Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below the national figure, partly because 36.6% of families are couples without children and the large not-in-labour-force population of 1,514 includes many retirees.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.5%
Houses
7.8%
Townhouse
5.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Ingham's housing stock is almost entirely detached: 86.5% separate houses, 7.8% semi-detached and just 5.2% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 53.5% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms 22.4%, so the market skews toward family-sized stock. Tenure is weighted toward outright ownership at 45.5%, well above the renting share of 34.6% and mortgage holders at 19.9%. The low mortgage penetration reflects an older owner base who paid off homes years ago rather than active new-buyer demand. At $280,000, the median is priced well below the state average, and housing stress is absent: rent-to-income at 20.4% and mortgage-to-income at 24.3% both fall comfortably below the 30% threshold. Vacancy at 14.5% is elevated, pointing to supply running ahead of household formation in a slow-growth regional centre.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wk
$210
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$606
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.5%
Unoccupied
308
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.6%
Couples, no children
3,032
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 19.7% of the local workforce (199 workers), followed by manufacturing at 13.0% (131) and education at 10.3% (104). Public administration (8.6%) and retail (8.1%) fill out the top five. By occupation, labourers lead at 250 workers, followed by community and personal service at 231 and professionals at 216, a profile consistent with a regional health and services hub. The unemployment rate of 6.2% sits above most urban benchmarks, and the participation rate of 46.2% is low because 1,514 residents are not in the labour force, many of them retirees. Household income falls in the 13.9th percentile nationally, and all four SEIFA indexes sit at decile 1 or 2, confirming that economic disadvantage is structural rather than cyclical. Real income growth of 6.0% over the decade has not closed the gap with metropolitan areas.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
2,414
Unemployed
126
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.2%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
46.2%
Employed
1,631
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.3%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
10.4%
Dwellings
1,812
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 84.3% of commuters driving, with only 0.8% using public transport, typical of a regional Queensland town without rail or frequent bus services. Walking and cycling account for 7.6% of trips, above what many comparable regional centres record. Volunteering runs at 16.5% of residents, which indicates active civic participation despite the low-income profile. No schools are recorded within the Ingham boundary in this dataset. The IRSAD decile of 1 places Ingham in the lowest national advantage tier, and 10.4% of residents (421 people) need daily assistance with self-care tasks, a rate consistent with both the aging median age of 49 and the health profile associated with decile 1 disadvantage. Rent and mortgage stress indicators are both negative despite low incomes, because house prices have stayed low relative to even modest local wages.
Drive
84.3%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
7.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.35%/yr
(+254 people/yr)
EstablishedThe broader SA2 area population reached 18,827 in 2025, up 10.7% over ten years, and medium forecasts project continued growth to around 19,981 by 2031 at a rate of roughly 1.35% annually. Net internal migration of 264 per year and overseas inflow of 240 per year are the primary drivers, both meaningful for a town of this size. Rent growth of 20.0% over the period outpaced real income growth of 6.0%, tightening affordability modestly even though absolute housing costs remain low compared to the state median. The gentrification score sits at 22, classified as early signs, with affordability improving from 47.1% in 2011 to 43.4% in 2021. The aging trajectory with a senior share rising 4.0 points limits organic household formation growth, so population increases rely on in-migration sustaining momentum.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+240
Net Internal / yr
+264
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +19% since 2011, Net internal migration +264/yr, Strong overseas inflow +240/yr, Accelerating: 1% → 18%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ingham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ingham a good suburb to live in?
Ingham offers low housing costs and low financial stress, with rent-to-income at 20.4% and mortgage-to-income at 24.3%, both well below the 30% threshold. The trade-off is low income (13.9th percentile nationally) and SEIFA decile 1 disadvantage across all four indexes. It suits those who value affordability and a settled regional lifestyle over income or career opportunity.
What is the median house price in Ingham?
The median house price is approximately $280,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $210 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,083, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.3%. This places Ingham well below the Queensland state median, making it one of the more affordable markets in the region.
What schools are in Ingham?
No schools are recorded inside the Ingham boundary in this dataset. University qualification rates at 13.3% are 16.8 points below the national average, reflecting the area's historical reliance on trade and agricultural industries rather than professional pathways.
Is Ingham safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Ingham in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb scores SEIFA decile 1 for both IRSAD and IRSD, reflecting high relative disadvantage nationally. Areas in the lower SEIFA deciles tend to have higher crime exposure on average than decile 7-10 suburbs, so prospective residents should research current QLD Police data for the Hinchinbrook district.
Is Ingham good for property investment?
At a $280,000 median with $210 weekly rent, gross yield is around 3.9%, higher than most capital-city markets. The concern is a 14.5% vacancy rate and a structurally disadvantaged economy at SEIFA decile 1. With 0 development applications in 12 months, new supply is not a near-term risk, but low income growth and the aging resident base limit long-term capital appreciation prospects.
How is Ingham's population changing?
The broader area grew 10.7% over ten years, reaching 18,827 in 2025. Medium forecasts project around 19,981 by 2031. Net internal migration of 264 per year and overseas inflow of 240 per year drive growth, though the median age of 49 (9 years above national) and shrinking working-age share mean growth depends heavily on continued in-migration rather than natural increase.
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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