Innisfail Estate
Ageing and car-oriented, Innisfail Estate has 1,454 residents across 3.21 square kilometres, with a density of 453.6 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure, while the overseas-born share of 27.1% is 5.5 percentage points above it. Compared with nearby Innisfail and Goondi Hill, buyers should focus on its detached, established housing pattern. Growth is slow because the annual trend is -0.15%, and the 46.6% renting share makes local rental conditions especially important.
Local council: Cassowary Coast
Population
1,454
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,246/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Homebuyers will find a mainly low-rise stock profile: 75.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 23.9% are semi-detached, while 49.1% have 3 bedrooms and 25.1% have 4 or more. There is no current median house price to anchor suburb-wide comparisons, so address-level sales matter more than a single headline figure. The monthly mortgage reference is $1,277, compared with weekly rent of $230, and mortgage costs equal 23.7% of household income versus 18.5% for rent. That difference matters because established homes can carry repair costs even when borrowing stress is not flagged.
For Buyers
Homebuyers will find a mainly low-rise stock profile: 75.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 23.9% are semi-detached, while 49.1% have 3 bedrooms and 25.1% have 4 or more. There is no current median house price to anchor suburb-wide comparisons, so address-level sales matter more than a single headline figure. The monthly mortgage reference is $1,277, compared with weekly rent of $230, and mortgage costs equal 23.7% of household income versus 18.5% for rent. That difference matters because established homes can carry repair costs even when borrowing stress is not flagged.
For Investors
Investors get a large tenant base, with 46.6% of occupied dwellings rented, but the 7.9% vacancy rate is a softer signal than a tightly supplied market. Weekly rent is $230, so yield calculations should be tested against purchase-specific sales rather than assumed from suburb averages. Thirteen development applications in 12 months suggest a modest volume of activity, while overseas migration is the primary forecast driver. Compared with a faster-growth market, this is a cash-flow and tenant-demand question first, because the annual trend sits at -0.15%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Innisfail Estate
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Innisfail State College
Demographics
Innisfail Estate has a median age of 39 and an average household size of 2.4, both slightly below the national comparison points by 1.0 year and 0.1 people. The 27.1% overseas-born share is 5.5 points above the national figure, with Punjabi recorded for 114 residents and Italian for 20. English and Italian ancestry count 309 and 171 people respectively, while Christianity, no religion and Sikhism count 711, 314 and 195. A university qualification rate of 18.2% is 11.9 points below national, which fits an employment base mixing practical, care and professional roles.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.0%
Houses
23.9%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached homes shape the tenure picture: 75.0% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 1.1% apartments and 23.9% semi-detached homes. Ownership is split between 33.2% owned outright and 19.6% with a mortgage, while 46.6% rent and 0.6% sit in other tenure categories. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 49.1%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 25.1%. For buyers comparing Innisfail Estate with nearby Innisfail or Goondi Hill, the practical distinction is the established house-and-rental mix, not apartment concentration. The $230 weekly rent and 7.9% vacancy rate make condition and tenant appeal important.
Mortgage / mo
$1,277
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $230.
$460
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $460 · units $340
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$663
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
46
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.5%
Couples with children
40.3%
Couples, no children
19.7%
Single parent
360
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry at 27.1% and 89 workers, ahead of agriculture at 17.7% and 58, education at 10.4% and 34, public administration at 8.2% and 27, and retail at 7.3% and 24. Labour force participation is 50.5%, unemployment is 7.1%, and 59.4% of employed residents work full time. Labourers lead occupations with 128 people, followed by community and personal service roles at 82. Household income sits at the 27.6th percentile, below a middle-income benchmark, while all four SEIFA measures sit in decile 1, indicating disadvantage that can constrain spending despite healthcare demand.
Unemployment
7.1%
Labour Force
581
Unemployed
41
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
50.5%
Employed
540
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.2%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
27.1%
Dwellings
524
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car dependent: 76.6% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.5% using public transport and 2.7% walking or cycling; only 4.9% work from home. Practical school access centres on 1 nearby government school, Innisfail State College, a state high school, so families should check the exact enrolment zone and transport route rather than infer suitability from proximity. An IRSAD decile of 1 and 8.7% needing assistance point to greater support needs than more advantaged areas. Volunteering is 14.9%, and the 453.6 people-per-square-kilometre density supports a settled, compact setting, although recent safety conditions should be checked street by street.
Drive
76.6%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
4.9%
Growth Outlook
Growth is established and slow: the annual trend is -0.15%, while population change across the wider area is 0.4% over 10 years. The forecast trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.5% and the young share down 1.2%, so household demand is likely to tilt toward established services rather than rapid expansion. Overseas migration is the primary driver, yet the gentrification score is 10 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Rent growth of 32.3% is higher than population change, which makes rental pressure more visible than headline population momentum. The area recovered from a -2.2% COVID dip, with recovery at 0.5%.
Population trend: Cassowary Coast council area
Innisfail Estate sits in the Cassowary Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Innisfail Estate's.
Residents 2025
30,666
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
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 Innisfail Estate compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Innisfail Estate a good suburb to live in?
Innisfail Estate may suit households seeking established detached housing, with 75.0% of dwellings separate houses and 49.1% containing 3 bedrooms. Compared with a more urban setting, daily life is more car dependent because 76.6% travel as car drivers, while weekly rent is $230.
What is the median house price in Innisfail Estate?
A current median house price is not available for Innisfail Estate. As a guide, weekly rent is $230, and 75.0% of dwellings are separate houses, so buyers should compare like-for-like sales by street, land size, bedroom count and condition rather than rely on a broad suburb estimate.
What schools are in Innisfail Estate?
School access centres on 1 listed local government school, Innisfail State College, which is a state high school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone, year-level availability and transport route, because proximity alone is less useful than confirmed access for the relevant address.
Is Innisfail Estate safe?
Safety should be assessed using recent Queensland Police incident patterns and the exact street context rather than a simple suburb-wide label. Innisfail Estate has 1,454 residents and an IRSAD decile of 1, so households may also want to consider lighting, services, transport access and support needs when comparing locations.
Is Innisfail Estate good for property investment?
It can suit a cautious rental strategy, with 46.6% of dwellings rented and weekly rent of $230. However, the 7.9% vacancy rate is softer than a tightly supplied market, while only 13 development matters were recorded across 12 months. Compare expected yield, maintenance and tenant demand against the -0.15% annual growth trend.
How is Innisfail Estate's population changing?
The population outlook is ageing and slow, with an annual trend of -0.15% and population change across the wider area of 0.4% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the senior share has increased by 3.5% and the young share has declined by 1.2%.
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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