Innisfail Estate
Every one of Innisfail Estate's four SEIFA indexes sits at decile 1, placing it among the most disadvantaged 10% of Australian localities by education, employment, income and economic resources. The suburb's 1,454 residents record a household income at the 27.6th percentile nationally, and the median house price sits around $317,000, well below state and national medians. Against that affordability, the ownership picture is mixed: 46.9% of households rent, one of the higher renter rates you find in regional Queensland. The median age of 39 closely matches the national figure, and the suburb has drawn significant overseas migration, with 27.1% of residents born abroad, 5.5 percentage points above the national average.
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
7
Median House
$317K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a median house price of approximately $317,000, Innisfail Estate sits well below the national median, making entry costs lower than most comparable regional markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,277, and mortgage-to-income at 23.7% stays below the standard 30% stress threshold, so buyers retain more financial headroom than in higher-priced markets. Separate houses dominate at 75% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes accounting for 23.9% and apartments just 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common configuration at 49.1%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 25.1%. Outright owners (33.4%) outnumber mortgage holders (19.7%), suggesting a mature ownership base rather than a market driven by recent financing activity. Buyers should factor in the decile 1 SEIFA rankings, which reflect historically lower amenity and income levels in the area.
For Buyers
At a median house price of approximately $317,000, Innisfail Estate sits well below the national median, making entry costs lower than most comparable regional markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,277, and mortgage-to-income at 23.7% stays below the standard 30% stress threshold, so buyers retain more financial headroom than in higher-priced markets. Separate houses dominate at 75% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes accounting for 23.9% and apartments just 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common configuration at 49.1%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 25.1%. Outright owners (33.4%) outnumber mortgage holders (19.7%), suggesting a mature ownership base rather than a market driven by recent financing activity. Buyers should factor in the decile 1 SEIFA rankings, which reflect historically lower amenity and income levels in the area.
For Investors
Rental demand is real: 46.9% of households rent, and weekly rent runs at $230. The vacancy rate of 7.9% is elevated, so landlords face meaningful competition for tenants. Rent grew 32.3% over the measured period, which outpaced income growth of 10.2% in real terms, pointing to genuine supply tightness in the affordable segment. Against the $317,000 median, a $230 weekly rent implies a gross yield of roughly 3.8%, higher than most capital city suburban markets. Development activity is modest at 6 applications over the past 12 months, including a duplex and a new dwelling, limiting supply pressure. Migration trends show overseas arrivals averaging 89 per year while net internal migration runs at negative 62, so demand is sustained by international movement rather than domestic population shift.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
7
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 iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Innisfail State College
Prep-12 · 951 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure, and the trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 3.5 points over the decade and the working-age share down 0.2 points. Overseas-born residents at 27.1% are 5.5 percentage points above the national average, with Punjabi spoken by 114 residents as the most common non-English language, ahead of Italian at 20 speakers. Ancestry reflects the region's history, led by English (309), Italian (171) and Irish (113). University qualifications reach only 18.2%, which is 11.9 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in manual and service roles. Average household size is 2.4, slightly below the national average of 2.5. Christianity is the dominant religion at 711 residents, followed by a broad non-religious or other category at 245.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.0%
Houses
23.9%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure data reveals an unusually high renter majority: 46.9% rent compared to 33.4% who own outright and 19.7% who hold a mortgage. That renter-heavy profile, combined with a decile 1 SEIFA position, is consistent with limited household wealth accumulation. Three-bedroom homes account for 49.1% of the stock and four-plus bedroom homes 25.1%, so the suburb skews toward family-sized dwellings. Semi-detached housing at 23.9% is notable given the regional location, though separate houses at 75% still dominate. Rent-to-income is 18.5% and mortgage-to-income is 23.7%, both below stress thresholds. The median house price of around $317,000 is affordable in absolute terms, well below state capital medians, though affordability improved only marginally from 41.3% in 2011 to 40.3% in 2021, suggesting purchasing power has not significantly expanded over the decade.
Mortgage / mo
$1,277
Rent / wk
$230
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
26.6%
Couples, no children
1,049
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 27.1% of the workforce (89 workers), followed by Agriculture at 17.7% (58 workers), a ratio reflecting the Far North Queensland regional economy where both sugar and banana farming and public health services anchor local employment. Education accounts for 10.4% and Public Administration 8.2%. By occupation, Labourers lead at 128 workers, well above Professionals at 68, a structure consistent with the decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation. The unemployment rate is 7.3%, above national benchmarks, and the labour force participation rate of 48.5% is low, with 445 residents not in the workforce. Full-time employment rate among workers is 62.1%. Real income grew 10.2% over the decade, though weekly household income at $1,246 remains at the 27.6th percentile nationally.
Unemployment
11.7%
Labour Force
4,327
Unemployed
507
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.1%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
48.5%
Employed
517
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.2%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
27.1%
Dwellings
524
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 80.6% of residents drive to work, above national averages, reflecting the regional location with limited alternative transport. Public transport use is just 2.6% and walking or cycling accounts for 2.8%. Crime data is not available for this suburb in the dataset. The suburb scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the index of relative socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage, placing it among the most disadvantaged nationally. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in Innisfail or nearby areas. Volunteering participation is 14.9%, a moderate level. Residents needing daily assistance represent 8.7% of the population (113 people), higher than suburban averages, which aligns with the older trajectory and the concentration of healthcare industry employment serving local care needs.
Drive
80.6%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.15%/yr
(-14 people/yr)
EstablishedInnisfail Estate's population trends run at negative 0.15% per year, losing around 14 residents annually. The broader statistical area housing it has recovered from a COVID dip of 2.2%, bringing the area population to 9,452 from a low of 9,404, though this remains below the pre-COVID level of 9,620. Medium forecasts project the broader population declining from 9,420 in 2026 to 9,351 by 2031. Overseas migration provides the only positive driver at 89 arrivals per year on average, offset by net internal migration outflows of 62 per year, a pattern typical of regional Australian towns losing working-age residents to cities. The gentrification score of 10 out of 100 confirms no upgrading dynamic is present. The 10-year population change is just 0.4%, placing this firmly in the slow-growth category rather than in the expanding suburban corridors seen elsewhere in Queensland.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+89
Net Internal / yr
-62
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
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 offers one of Queensland's most affordable entry points at a median house price around $317,000, with mortgage costs at 23.7% of income, below the 30% stress threshold. Trade-offs include all four SEIFA indexes at decile 1 nationally, a 7.3% unemployment rate, and limited recorded public transport options, reflecting its regional Far North Queensland location.
What is the median house price in Innisfail Estate?
The median house price is approximately $317,000. Weekly rent averages $230, giving a gross yield of around 3.8% against that median, which is higher than most capital city markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,277, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.7%, below the standard stress threshold.
What schools are in Innisfail Estate?
No schools are recorded inside the Innisfail Estate boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Innisfail area. The suburb's university qualification rate is 18.2%, which is 11.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trade and agricultural industries.
Is Innisfail Estate safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Innisfail Estate in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, all four SEIFA indexes sit at decile 1 nationally, the lowest advantage tier, and 8.7% of residents need daily assistance. These measures suggest a higher-disadvantage area than the national average, which is typically correlated with elevated crime rates in comparable regional suburbs.
Is Innisfail Estate good for property investment?
The 46.9% renter share and weekly rent of $230 support a gross yield of roughly 3.8% against the $317,000 median, higher than most capital-city alternatives. Rent grew 32.3% over the measured period. The 7.9% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants caution, and population is declining at 0.15% annually, so capital growth prospects are limited by slow demand. Overseas migration of 89 per year provides the primary demand driver.
How is Innisfail Estate's population changing?
Population is declining at around 0.15% per year, losing approximately 14 residents annually. The 10-year change is just 0.4%. Overseas migration averages 89 arrivals per year but is offset by net internal outflows of 62 per year, as working-age residents move to larger centres. Medium forecasts project the broader area population falling from about 9,420 in 2026 to 9,351 by 2031.
What industries employ people in Innisfail Estate?
Healthcare is the largest employer at 27.1% of the local workforce, followed by Agriculture at 17.7%, reflecting the Far North Queensland sugar and banana farming economy. Education accounts for 10.4% and Public Administration 8.2%. Labourers are the most common occupation at 128 workers, compared to Professionals at 68, consistent with the decile 1 SEIFA education and employment score.
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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