Kilcoy
Manufacturing accounts for 42.8% of Kilcoy's industry employment, a strong local distinction for a town of 1,996 people. The overseas-born share is 32.4%, which is 10.8 percentage points above the national comparison, while the median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure. Housing is detached-dominant, with 95.9% of dwellings being separate houses. For buyers comparing Kilcoy with nearby Esk or Woodford, its employment base and family-oriented housing stock deserve separate consideration because they create a different local market profile.
Local council: Somerset
Population
1,996
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,354/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
Kilcoy suits buyers seeking conventional houses, with 95.9% of dwellings separate and 54.5% containing 3 bedrooms; a further 27.8% have 4 or more bedrooms. The indicative mortgage payment is $1,300 per month, while weekly rent is $335. Mortgage repayments equal 22.2% of household income, lower than the 24.7% rent-to-income share, which supports manageable holding costs for some owner-occupiers. A dependable current median house price is not established, so buyers should compare recent local sales, land size and renovation needs rather than rely on a single headline figure. Car dependence also matters, with 76.2% travelling as drivers.
For Buyers
Kilcoy suits buyers seeking conventional houses, with 95.9% of dwellings separate and 54.5% containing 3 bedrooms; a further 27.8% have 4 or more bedrooms. The indicative mortgage payment is $1,300 per month, while weekly rent is $335. Mortgage repayments equal 22.2% of household income, lower than the 24.7% rent-to-income share, which supports manageable holding costs for some owner-occupiers. A dependable current median house price is not established, so buyers should compare recent local sales, land size and renovation needs rather than rely on a single headline figure. Car dependence also matters, with 76.2% travelling as drivers.
For Investors
Kilcoy has a meaningful rental base, with 33.4% of occupied dwellings rented, slightly below the 34.5% owned outright share. Weekly rent is $335 and vacancy is 6.9%, so tenant demand should be tested carefully by property type and street rather than assumed from the town-wide ratio. Rent growth of 27.9% may support gross returns, while overseas migration is identified as the primary growth driver. There were 24 development applications in 12 months, but examples include retaining walls, earthworks and a repair to 1 dwelling, meaning the count is higher than a simple new-home tally. Detached houses dominate, which may favour family rental stock over apartments.
Development Activity
Total DAs
25
Last 12 Months
25
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 Kilcoy
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Kilcoy State High School
Kilcoy State School
Demographics
Kilcoy's median age is 38, 2 years below the national comparison, but the trajectory is aging because the senior share has risen 5.0 percentage points while the young share has fallen 3.3 points. The overseas-born share is 32.4%, 10.8 points above the national figure, with English ancestry recorded for 639 people and Filipino ancestry for 401. Christianity is reported by 1,095 residents, compared with 568 reporting no religion. University attainment is 22.1%, 8 points below the national comparison, helping explain the strong labour and trades presence. Household size is 2.6 people, 0.1 above the national figure, and 72.8% stayed at the same address, indicating a relatively settled base alongside international migration.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.9%
Houses
2.9%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Kilcoy's housing stock is more detached than apartment-oriented, with separate houses at 95.9% and semi-detached dwellings at 2.9%; no apartment share is recorded. Three-bedroom homes account for 54.5% of stock and 4 or more bedrooms for 27.8%, so the market is weighted toward family-sized accommodation. Outright ownership at 34.5% is above mortgage ownership at 30.7% and renting at 33.4%. Rent-to-income is 24.7%, higher than mortgage-to-income at 22.2%, which makes renting relatively more demanding than the indicative mortgage burden. With household income at $1,354 per week and no dependable current median house price, buyers should compare sale prices with dwelling condition and ongoing maintenance costs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$335
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$754
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
49
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.1%
Couples with children
38.7%
Couples, no children
16.4%
Single parent
463
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kilcoy's economy is unusually concentrated in manufacturing, which represents 42.8% of industry employment and 200 positions. Healthcare contributes 10.5% and 49 positions, education 9.6% and 45, retail 5.8% and 27, and other services 5.4% and 25. The occupational mix follows this structure, led by 314 labourers, 148 trades workers and 66 machinery or driver roles. Unemployment is 4.5%, participation is 55.4% and the full-time employment rate is 59.6%. Household income of $1,354 per week sits at the 34.9th percentile, while IEO and IRSAD are both in decile 2, below IER at decile 5 and IRSD at decile 3. That gap suggests economic resources are stronger than education and occupational rankings alone imply.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
895
Unemployed
40
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.6%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
55.4%
Employed
855
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.1%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
32.4%
Dwellings
655
Transport to Work
Kilcoy has 2 nearby government schools covering state primary and state high school years. Families should compare enrolment zones and current capacity against the exact address, since catchments can affect practical access. Daily travel is strongly car-oriented: 76.2% drive, compared with 1.1% using public transport, 3.6% walking or cycling and 4.7% working from home. The IRSAD score is in decile 2, below IER at decile 5, while IRSD is in decile 3 and IEO in decile 2, indicating lower relative advantage across several measures. No suburb-wide crime rate is quoted, so safety decisions should compare recent incident patterns, lighting and street conditions rather than rely on a broad assumption about the whole 3.31 square kilometre area.
Drive
76.2%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
4.7%
Growth Outlook
Kilcoy's forecast trend is 1.4% annual growth, above zero, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 19.8% over 10 years, but the local trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share is up 5.0 percentage points, the young share is down 3.3 points and the working share is down 1.2 points. Rent growth of 27.9% is higher than real income growth of 22.2%, which may gradually pressure affordability even as the shift profile labels affordability Improving. Gentrification signals are mixed: the main status is Not gentrifying with a score of 8, while the shift profile records Early signs at 42. Compared with a rapidly changing market, this points to selective property activity rather than broad-based transformation.
Population trend: Somerset council area
Kilcoy sits in the Somerset council area. These are the council area's residents, not Kilcoy's.
Residents 2025
26,936
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.6%
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 Kilcoy compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kilcoy a good suburb to live in?
Kilcoy can suit households wanting detached homes, local government schools and a quieter regional setting. Separate houses make up 95.9% of dwellings, and 76.2% of commuters drive, so it is better suited to car-based living than a transit-oriented suburb.
What is the median house price in Kilcoy?
A dependable current median house price is not established for Kilcoy. Compared with relying on a headline figure, buyers should review recent comparable sales, because 95.9% of homes are separate houses and weekly rent is $335.
What schools are in Kilcoy?
Kilcoy has 2 government schools: Kilcoy State School and Kilcoy State High School. Families should compare the exact address with current enrolment zones and capacity, because school access can differ across nearby streets and surrounding rural properties.
Is Kilcoy safe?
Kilcoy's population is 1,996, but a suburb-wide crime rate is not quoted. Compare recent police incident patterns and street conditions before deciding, because safety can vary across the 3.31 square kilometre suburb.
Is Kilcoy good for property investment?
Kilcoy has 33.4% rental occupancy, $335 weekly rent and a 6.9% vacancy rate. Rent growth of 27.9% is supportive, but investors should compare individual properties carefully because 24 development applications included repairs and retaining works, not only new dwellings.
How is Kilcoy's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is forecast at 1.4% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver and 19.8% population change over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.0 points and the young share down 3.3 points.
What development is happening in Kilcoy?
Kilcoy recorded 24 development applications in 12 months, including retaining walls, earthworks affected by overlays and a repair to 1 dwelling. Compared with a simple new-home count, this is a broader activity measure, so inspect each approval before assuming additional housing supply.
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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