Keperra
The 38-year median age is 2 years below the national figure, and university qualifications at 38.5% run 8.4 points above the national rate, reflecting a settled professional and family base rather than a churning rental market. Population has crept up just 5.9% over the decade and the IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb squarely at the national midpoint. With 56.7% of dwellings holding three bedrooms and renters at only 36.2%, Keperra reads as a stable owner-occupier suburb where affordability, not capital-city prestige, is the main draw.
Population
7,014
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,652/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
43
Separate houses dominate at 84.5% of stock, with apartments at just 5.1%, so buyers here are almost always purchasing standalone homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 56.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 26.9%, signalling family-sized housing rather than compact units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, which sits just under the 30% stress threshold and is helped by a median household income at the 57.2nd percentile nationally. Owner-occupiers make up 63.8% of households (27.9% outright, 35.9% with a mortgage), well above the renter share of 36.2%, confirming this is a settle-in suburb rather than a transient one.
For Buyers
Separate houses dominate at 84.5% of stock, with apartments at just 5.1%, so buyers here are almost always purchasing standalone homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 56.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 26.9%, signalling family-sized housing rather than compact units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, which sits just under the 30% stress threshold and is helped by a median household income at the 57.2nd percentile nationally. Owner-occupiers make up 63.8% of households (27.9% outright, 35.9% with a mortgage), well above the renter share of 36.2%, confirming this is a settle-in suburb rather than a transient one.
For Investors
Renters make up 36.2% of Keperra households, a moderate tenant pool below the inner-city norm, while the vacancy rate of 5.5% is loose enough to signal balanced rather than tight rental demand. Rent has grown 41.3% over the period, the standout investor metric and well above income growth, supporting cashflow over time. Demand drivers are thin though: overseas migration adds about 46 residents a year but internal migration runs at -8, and total population growth is only 0.24% annually. Development activity is healthy with 38 applications in 12 months, several of them lot subdivisions, indicating ongoing infill interest in a detached-house suburb.
Development Activity
Total DAs
104
Last 12 Months
43
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+72.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Keperra iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St William's Primary School
Prep-6 · 520 students
Grovely State School
Prep-6 · 303 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national median, pointing to a working-age, family-oriented population rather than an aging one. Overseas-born residents at 19.0% sit 2.6 points below the national rate, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, with English (2,829), Irish (1,101), Scottish (857) and German (457) dominating. University qualifications at 38.5% run 8.4 points above the national figure, a knowledge-worker tilt consistent with the IEO decile of 7. Couples with children (2,279 families) outnumber couples without children (1,536) by a clear margin, and the average household size of 2.4 is only 0.1 below national, reinforcing the family profile. Non-English languages are negligible, with Mandarin (14) and Italian (13) the largest, so this is an English-speaking, settled community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.5%
Houses
10.5%
Townhouse
5.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers hold 63.8% of Keperra dwellings, split between 27.9% owned outright and 35.9% with a mortgage, while renters account for 36.2%, an ownership-heavy tenure mix above the metropolitan average. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 84.5% separate houses, with semi-detached at 10.5% and apartments just 5.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes add 26.9%, so smaller one and two-bedroom dwellings (16.4% combined) are scarce. Rent-to-income at 24.2% and mortgage-to-income at 27.3% both stay under stress thresholds.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Mar 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $400.
$690
Bond data Mar 2026 quarter · houses $690
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$801
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
163
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.1%
Couples, no children
5,668
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 16.9% (401 workers), followed by Education at 13.3% (314), Public Admin at 11.9% (281), Professional/Tech at 11.5% (271) and Construction at 8.7% (207), a public-service and care-sector concentration rather than a corporate one. Professionals (978) are the largest occupation group, ahead of Clerical/Admin (411) and Managers (387). Full-time employment runs at 65.5% and unemployment at 5.5%, broadly in line with the national average, though the participation rate of 55.2% is relatively low because 2,031 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a settled, partly retired population. Real income grew 12.2% over the decade, a modest rise that helps explain why the IER decile of 4 sits below the IEO decile of 7: educational advantage has not fully translated into household wealth.
Unemployment
10.2%
Labour Force
3,704
Unemployed
377
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.5%
Part-time
29.0%
Participation
55.2%
Employed
2,963
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.5%
Postgraduate
9.4%
Born Overseas
19.0%
Dwellings
2,788
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high in Keperra, with 80.0% of commuters driving and only 10.6% using public transport, despite the suburb sitting on the Ferny Grove rail line, while walking and cycling account for just 3.1%. The IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national midpoint, neither advantaged nor disadvantaged, and the IEO decile of 7 reflects the above-average education profile. Volunteering at 15.7% points to reasonable community engagement, and the residential turnover rate of 21.6% is low, meaning 78.4% of residents stayed put, a marker of stability. The need-for-assistance rate of 7.9% (537 residents) is modest. The dominant detached housing (84.5%) and family household structure make this a quiet, settled suburb better suited to families than to those seeking inner-city amenity.
Drive
80.0%
Public Transport
10.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.24%/yr
(+18 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow at 0.24% per year, about 18 residents annually, and the 10-year change of 5.9% confirms an established suburb past its expansion phase. The ERP held near flat across recent years, moving from 7,564 in 2023 to 7,561 in 2025, and medium forecasts project only 7,675 by 2031, a continuation of the trend rather than acceleration. Overseas migration is the primary driver at roughly 46 residents a year, while internal migration runs at -8, showing a small net domestic outflow. The gentrification score of 37 marks early signs of change, supported by rent growth of 41.3% over the period, but the senior share rose 2.5 points while the working-age share fell 1.5 points, an aging tilt rather than a young-professional influx. Affordability stayed stable, shifting only from 49.1% in 2011 to 50.3% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+46
Net Internal / yr
-8
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Keperra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keperra a good suburb to live in?
University qualifications at 38.5% run 8.4 points above national and the residential turnover rate is a low 21.6%, signalling stability. The main trade-off is high car dependence, with 80.0% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in Keperra?
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, just under the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent is around $400, producing a gross rental yield near 4.0%, higher than the sub-2% returns typical of pricier suburbs.
What schools are in Keperra?
With three-bedroom homes at 56.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 26.9% of stock, the suburb is family-oriented, and the Ferny Grove rail line provides access to education options across Brisbane's northwest.
Is Keperra safe?
Detailed crime statistics were not available in the data brief for Keperra, so a precise crime rate cannot be quoted. The suburb's profile points to a stable residential character, with a low residential turnover rate of 21.6%, 78.4% of residents staying put, and owner-occupiers making up 63.8% of households, factors generally associated with settled neighbourhoods.
Is Keperra good for property investment?
Rent grew 41.3% over the period, supporting cashflow. The drawbacks are slow population growth at 0.24% annually and a 5.5% vacancy rate, so this favours yield-focused investors over capital-growth seekers.
How is Keperra's population changing?
Keperra's population is growing slowly at 0.24% per year, about 18 residents annually, with a 5.9% rise over the decade. The ERP was roughly flat, moving from 7,564 in 2023 to 7,561 in 2025, and is forecast to reach only 7,675 by 2031. Overseas migration drives the small gains at about 46 a year, offset by internal outflow of -8.
Is there much development happening in Keperra?
Keperra recorded 38 development applications over the past 12 months, a healthy level of activity for an established suburb. Several are lot subdivisions (reconfiguring a lot), reflecting infill interest in a detached-house suburb where separate houses make up 84.5% of stock. The gentrification score of 37 indicates early signs of change.
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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