Kepnock
At a household income in the 21.9th percentile nationally, Kepnock sits firmly in the lower-income tier, yet 35.9% of residents own their homes outright, a rate that points to long-term occupancy rather than wealth accumulation. The suburb's identity is shaped by three overlapping signals: affordability, detached-house dominance at 85.7% of dwellings, and an Anglo-leaning ancestry profile led by English, Scottish and Irish backgrounds. With a median age of 43, three years above national average, the population skews toward established households. Healthcare accounts for 27.1% of local employment, making it the dominant industry by a wide margin, which explains the relatively stable workforce despite an unemployment rate of 7.2%.
Population
4,501
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,151/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$345K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $345,000, which puts Kepnock in an accessible range compared to most Queensland metro markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,200, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 85.7%, with apartments making up only 11.1%, so buyers get genuine house product. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.7%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 26.6%, making the suburb practical for families. Of the 30.6% of households carrying a mortgage, 35.9% own outright, suggesting that buyers who commit tend to stay long enough to repay fully. The 24.0% annual turnover rate means properties do change hands regularly, giving buyers reasonable market access.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $345,000, which puts Kepnock in an accessible range compared to most Queensland metro markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,200, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 85.7%, with apartments making up only 11.1%, so buyers get genuine house product. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.7%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 26.6%, making the suburb practical for families. Of the 30.6% of households carrying a mortgage, 35.9% own outright, suggesting that buyers who commit tend to stay long enough to repay fully. The 24.0% annual turnover rate means properties do change hands regularly, giving buyers reasonable market access.
For Investors
A 33.6% renter share combined with a weekly rent of $280 gives landlords a solid tenant base. Against the $345,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 4.2%, meaningfully higher than Brisbane inner-ring averages. However, the vacancy rate is 5.1%, above the typical 3% equilibrium, suggesting some softness in demand that investors should monitor before committing. Net internal migration averages 44 persons a year and net overseas migration adds 24, giving a combined inflow that supports gradual demand growth. Rent grew 26.1% over the decade, outpacing real income growth of 20.6%, which has compressed affordability at the margins. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term risk to rental values.
Schools in Kepnock iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kepnock State High School
7-12 · 1074 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, consistent with an aging profile where the senior share rose 1.5 points and the young share fell 0.8 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents make up 10.8%, which is 10.8 points below the national average, making this one of the more locally-born suburbs in Queensland. Ancestry is firmly Anglo-Celtic: English leads at 1,893 residents, followed by Scottish (442), Irish (423) and German (414). University qualifications reach only 15.7%, sitting 14.4 points below the national rate, reflecting the blue-collar and service-sector employment base. The average household size of 2.4 is marginally below national at minus 0.1, and 30.6% of families are couples without children, consistent with the older age profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.7%
Houses
3.2%
Townhouse
11.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split across three roughly equal segments: 35.9% own outright, 30.6% carry a mortgage and 33.6% rent. The high outright-ownership share relative to the mortgage cohort signals long-hold occupancy, with residents paying down debt over decades rather than churning properties. Separate houses represent 85.7% of dwellings, well above national norms, with apartments at 11.1% and semi-detached at just 3.2%. The bedroom mix skews toward 3-bedroom at 55.7% and 4-plus at 26.6%, with only 16.2% of dwellings having two bedrooms. Housing stress is absent on both sides: rent-to-income sits at 24.3% and mortgage-to-income at 24.1%, both below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent of $280 and a monthly mortgage of $1,200 make Kepnock genuinely affordable in absolute terms compared to most QLD markets.
Mortgage / mo
$1,200
Rent / wk
$280
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$608
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
93
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.6%
Couples, no children
3,337
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates Kepnock's employment base at 27.1% of workers (286 people), nearly 2.5 times the next largest sector. Education follows at 11.1%, then Construction (9.0%), Retail (8.9%) and Manufacturing (8.1%), forming a service-and-trades mix rather than a professional knowledge base. By occupation, Community/Personal Service leads at 288 workers, with Labourers (273) and Professionals (217) close behind, confirming the service-sector orientation. The SEIFA IRSD decile is 2 and IRSAD decile is 2, placing Kepnock in the bottom 20% nationally on both disadvantage and advantage-disadvantage measures. Unemployment runs at 7.2%, above state and national averages, while the participation rate is 47.5%, with 1,527 residents not in the labour force, partly explained by the older median age of 43 and the 12.6% who need daily assistance.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
3,121
Unemployed
125
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
47.5%
Employed
1,613
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.7%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
10.8%
Dwellings
1,728
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total at 89.9% of commuters driving, with public transport use at just 0.2%, which is typical for a Bundaberg suburban area with limited transit infrastructure. Walking and cycling account for 1.9% of trips. No schools are recorded inside the Kepnock boundary, so families depend on nearby Bundaberg institutions. The IRSAD decile of 2 places the suburb in the bottom 20% nationally on the advantage-disadvantage index, and the IEO decile of 1 means educational and occupational opportunity ranks in the lowest national tier. On the other hand, housing cost stress is absent on both rent and mortgage measures, and the volunteering rate of 13.9% suggests an engaged community. With 12.6% of residents needing daily assistance, 533 people, the suburb has above-average health and disability support needs compared to national rates.
Drive
89.9%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.05%/yr
(+62 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 13.7% over the decade, and the current base of around 5,890 is forecast to reach 6,318 by 2031 under the medium scenario, an annual addition of roughly 62 persons at 1.05% per year. This is a moderate pace that reflects the suburb's established character rather than greenfield expansion. The gentrification score sits at 20 with Early signs classification, supported by a 16% population rise since 2011 and accelerating signals. Real income grew 20.6% and rent grew 26.1% over the period, suggesting that cost pressures are building incrementally. Migration is balanced: internal net inflow averages 44 a year and overseas migration adds 24, making population growth self-sustaining rather than dependent on a single source. Affordability improved from 51.9% in 2011 to 44.1% in 2021 as incomes rose faster than housing costs in that period.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+24
Net Internal / yr
+44
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +16% since 2011, Accelerating: 5% → 10%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kepnock compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kepnock a good suburb to live in?
Kepnock offers genuine housing affordability, with mortgage-to-income at 24.1% and median house prices around $345,000, well below most QLD markets. The trade-off is a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 2, placing it in the bottom 20% nationally for advantage, and an unemployment rate of 7.2% that is above average. Car ownership is essential as public transport use is only 0.2%.
What is the median house price in Kepnock?
The median house price is estimated at $345,000 (2025 estimate based on rents). Weekly rent averages $280 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,200. At these levels the mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable relative to local incomes.
What schools are in Kepnock?
No schools are recorded inside the Kepnock boundary in this dataset. Families draw on Bundaberg-area schools in neighbouring suburbs. The suburb's university qualification rate of 15.7% is 14.4 points below the national figure, reflecting the service and trades employment base rather than a knowledge-economy workforce.
Is Kepnock safe?
Detailed crime rate statistics for Kepnock are not available in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the SEIFA IRSD decile of 2 places Kepnock in the bottom 20% nationally on relative disadvantage, and 12.6% of residents (533 people) need daily assistance, both above the national average. These factors are typically correlated with higher community vulnerability.
Is Kepnock good for property investment?
The $345,000 median combined with $280 weekly rent implies a gross yield of around 4.2%, higher than many metro markets. The vacancy rate of 5.1% is above the 3% equilibrium, signalling some demand softness. Population is growing at 1.05% a year and rent rose 26.1% over the decade. No new development activity was recorded in the past 12 months, reducing new supply risk.
How is Kepnock's population changing?
The population grew 13.7% over the past decade and sits near 5,890. The medium forecast projects growth to 6,318 by 2031, adding around 62 residents per year. Net internal migration averages 44 people annually and overseas migration adds 24, providing a balanced growth base. The gentrification score of 20 signals early-stage renewal rather than rapid 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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