Karalee
A 39.8% population jump over the decade sits alongside one of the most house-dominated stocks in Queensland, with 98.3% of dwellings separate houses and only 0.7% apartments. Household income reaches the 93rd percentile nationally at $2,559 a week, yet the median house price stays at $541,000, far below comparable high-income suburbs, which keeps mortgage-to-income at just 19.3%. The median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below national, and 75.2% of homes carry four or more bedrooms, a profile built for growing families rather than downsizers. SEIFA scores read decile 10 on economic resources and decile 9 on relative disadvantage, marking a comfortable, low-stress area on the Ipswich fringe.
Population
5,521
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,559/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$541K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $541,000 median house price is the headline draw: against a household income in the 93rd percentile, it produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here carry far less repayment pressure than in pricier markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,133. The stock is almost entirely detached, with separate houses at 98.3% and apartments at only 0.7%, and it skews large: 75.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms while three-bedroom homes make up 21.1%. That mix suits families needing space rather than first-home buyers chasing compact entry stock. Mortgage holders dominate tenure at 60.7%, above the outright-owner share of 25.9%, a sign of an area still being settled by recent buyers rather than long-held by debt-free owners.
For Buyers
The $541,000 median house price is the headline draw: against a household income in the 93rd percentile, it produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here carry far less repayment pressure than in pricier markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,133. The stock is almost entirely detached, with separate houses at 98.3% and apartments at only 0.7%, and it skews large: 75.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms while three-bedroom homes make up 21.1%. That mix suits families needing space rather than first-home buyers chasing compact entry stock. Mortgage holders dominate tenure at 60.7%, above the outright-owner share of 25.9%, a sign of an area still being settled by recent buyers rather than long-held by debt-free owners.
For Investors
Renters make up only 13.3% of households, a thin tenant pool that limits the rental market relative to owner-occupier suburbs. Weekly rent of $400 against the $541,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%, healthier than inner-city premium suburbs but unremarkable. The vacancy rate of 3.2% indicates a balanced rather than tight market. Demand support comes from steady population growth of 2.17% a year, adding about 159 residents annually, with balanced migration of 62 net internal and 24 net overseas arrivals per year. Development activity is effectively zero, with no applications recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not pressuring rents. The investment case rests on capital growth tied to the 39.8% decade population rise more than on a deep rental demand base.
Schools in Karalee iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Karalee State School
Prep-6 · 552 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, and the household profile is family-heavy: average household size reaches 3.1, which is 0.6 above national, with couples raising children the largest family type at 2,509 households against 1,152 couples with no children. Overseas-born residents sit at 16.7%, which is 4.9 points below national, and ancestry leans strongly Anglo, led by English (2,458), Irish (659), Scottish (654) and German (518). University qualifications at 29.8% run just 0.3 points below national, tracking close to average. The trajectory is aging despite the young median: the senior share rose 4.4 points while the working-age share fell 3.3 points over the decade, as early family settlers mature in place.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
1.0%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is mortgage-dominated, with 60.7% of households carrying a loan against 25.9% who own outright and only 13.3% renting, a pattern typical of a fast-growing area absorbing recent buyers rather than long-settled owners. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 98.3% separate houses, with apartments at 0.7% and semi-detached at 1.0%, and it runs large: 75.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 21.1% have three. The median house price of $541,000 stays modest given household income in the 93rd percentile, which is why both stress measures sit low, mortgage-to-income at 19.3% and rent-to-income at 15.6%, both well below the 30% threshold. Affordability has improved markedly, from 51.2% of income in 2011 to 39.3% in 2021.
Mortgage / mo
$2,133
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,042
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.2%
Unoccupied
57
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples, no children
4,981
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in stable public-facing sectors: Healthcare leads at 17.5% (354 workers), Education follows at 14.5% (293) and Public Administration at 13.0% (262), with Construction at 11.1% and Professional/Tech at 8.0%. By occupation, Professionals (661), Clerical/Admin (454) and Managers (439) form the core. Unemployment is low at 3.6% and the full-time employment rate reaches 68.6%. The IER economic-resources score sits at decile 10, the top tier nationally, while the IEO education score is decile 7. That gap, with resources ranking higher than education, marks an area where steady earnings outpace formal qualifications, and real incomes grew 8.9% over the decade.
Unemployment
1.6%
Labour Force
4,386
Unemployed
72
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.6%
Part-time
27.8%
Participation
67.3%
Employed
2,723
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.8%
Postgraduate
5.7%
Born Overseas
16.7%
Dwellings
1,751
Transport to Work
Karalee is heavily car-dependent: 92.1% of residents drive to work while public transport carries just 1.6% and 0.9% walk or cycle, well below transit-rich inner suburbs and a function of the low 355 residents per km2 density across its 15.55 km2 footprint. The suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 8 on IRSAD, both high tiers nationally, meaning few residents face deprivation, and only 4.4% of the population (233 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Ipswich areas, a practical trade-off for the spacious detached setting. Volunteering runs at 12.8%, and housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 19.3%.
Drive
92.1%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.17%/yr
(+159 people/yr)
EstablishedKaralee is a strong-growth established suburb, expanding 2.17% a year and adding roughly 159 residents annually, on the back of a 39.8% population rise over the decade, far above the pace of most established areas nationally. Trend forecasts carry the population toward 8,251 by 2031 at the SA2 scale, a steady climb with no projected dip. Migration is balanced, with net internal arrivals of 62 a year ahead of net overseas arrivals of 24, so growth comes mainly from Australians relocating in. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 38, supported by a population up 47% since 2011 and accelerating turnover from 14% to 29%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+24
Net Internal / yr
+62
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +47% since 2011, Net internal migration +62/yr, Accelerating: 14% → 29%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Karalee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karalee a good suburb to live in?
Karalee scores decile 10 on economic resources and decile 9 on relative disadvantage, both high tiers nationally, with household income in the 93rd percentile. The median house price of $541,000 keeps mortgage-to-income low at 19.3%, and the median age of 37 reflects a family-oriented, low-stress area.
What is the median house price in Karalee?
The median house price is $541,000, modest given household income in the 93rd percentile. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,133 and weekly rent is $400. The resulting mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.3% sits well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Karalee?
No schools are recorded inside the Karalee boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Ipswich suburbs. The area is family-heavy, with average household size of 3.1, which is 0.6 above the national figure, and university qualifications at 29.8%.
Is Karalee safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Karalee in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a high tier, and only 4.4% of its 5,521 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Karalee good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $400 against a $541,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.8%, with a balanced 3.2% vacancy rate. Renters are only 13.3% of households, a thin tenant pool, so the case leans on capital growth tied to 2.17% annual population growth rather than rental depth.
How is Karalee's population changing?
The population is growing 2.17% a year, adding about 159 residents annually, after a 39.8% rise over the decade. Trend forecasts reach 8,251 by 2031. Growth is driven by balanced migration, with 62 net internal arrivals a year ahead of 24 net overseas arrivals.
What kind of homes are in Karalee?
The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 98.3% separate houses and only 0.7% apartments. Homes are large: 75.2% have four or more bedrooms and 21.1% have three. Mortgage holders make up 60.7% of households, above the 25.9% who own outright.
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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