Kirkwood
At a median age of just 28, Kirkwood skews 12 years younger than the national average, one of the most pronounced age gaps recorded across Australian suburbs. Household income sits at the 88.4th percentile nationally, unusually high for a suburb priced at an estimated $463,000 median. That combination, young earners in affordable detached housing, explains why 97.5% of the 2,513 residents live in separate houses and 88.7% of those homes have 4 or more bedrooms. The suburb is squarely in mortgage-belt territory: 42.9% carry mortgages, yet housing stress is low because mortgage repayments run at only 17.7% of income, well below the 30% stress threshold.
Population
2,513
Median Age
28.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,313/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$463K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $463,000 is well below state and national medians, making Kirkwood accessible to first-home buyers who might otherwise be priced out. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,777, and at 17.7% of income, mortgage stress is absent compared to many higher-cost QLD suburbs. Almost all dwellings are separate houses at 97.5%, and 88.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, which suits growing families more than downsizers or couples. The outright ownership rate is low at 8.9%, reflecting the young, mortgage-driven buyer profile rather than long-held wealth. With 48.2% of residents renting, competition for purchase stock among owner-occupiers is relatively concentrated.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $463,000 is well below state and national medians, making Kirkwood accessible to first-home buyers who might otherwise be priced out. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,777, and at 17.7% of income, mortgage stress is absent compared to many higher-cost QLD suburbs. Almost all dwellings are separate houses at 97.5%, and 88.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, which suits growing families more than downsizers or couples. The outright ownership rate is low at 8.9%, reflecting the young, mortgage-driven buyer profile rather than long-held wealth. With 48.2% of residents renting, competition for purchase stock among owner-occupiers is relatively concentrated.
For Investors
A 48.2% renter share gives landlords a large tenant pool, with weekly rents at $350 producing a gross yield of approximately 3.9% against the $463,000 median, above the yield available in most capital-city submarkets. The vacancy rate of 8.4% is elevated and warrants attention, suggesting rental supply is running ahead of current demand. The suburb's young demographic base, median age 28 versus the national 40, implies ongoing household formation as residents age into family-stage renting and buying. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, indicating minimal new supply pressure from construction. The high 4-plus bedroom concentration at 88.7% suits the family rental segment, which typically produces lower turnover than studios or 1-bedroom units.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
Demographics
The median age of 28 is 12 years below the national figure, placing Kirkwood among the youngest-skewing suburbs in Queensland. Overseas-born residents account for 22.1%, roughly in line with the national average. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (844 people), Scottish (201) and Irish (182), with German (165) also prominent. Average household size is 3.1, which is 0.6 above the national figure, consistent with the high share of couples with children: 1,290 of the 2,191 families fall into that category. University qualifications at 24.0% sit 6.1 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the workforce's orientation toward trade, manufacturing and operational roles rather than knowledge-sector careers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.5%
Houses
2.5%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Kirkwood's housing stock is almost entirely separate detached houses at 97.5%, with semi-detached at 2.5% and no meaningful apartment supply recorded. The bedroom profile is strongly skewed toward large family homes: 88.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, which is unusually uniform and points to a deliberate planning context for family accommodation. Tenure breaks down to 8.9% owned outright, 42.9% mortgaged and 48.2% renting, a higher renter share than the QLD average for a predominantly detached suburb. At an estimated $463,000 median, the price-to-household-income ratio is modest compared to SEQ capitals, and rent-to-income runs at only 15.1%, well below stress levels. Mortgage repayments average $1,777 monthly, which is materially lower than Brisbane metro equivalents.
Mortgage / mo
$1,777
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$990
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
73
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.1%
Couples, no children
2,191
Total families
Economy & Employment
Manufacturing is the largest employer at 16.6% of the workforce (137 jobs), followed by Healthcare at 12.3% (102) and Education at 11.7% (97), then Construction at 10.4% (86) and Transport at 7.4% (61). The occupation spread is broad: Professionals lead at 214, followed by Labourers (143), Community and Personal service workers (134) and Machinery and Drivers (131). Personal weekly income averages $990 and household income sits at the 88.4th percentile nationally, high relative to the price level. The full-time employment rate is 68.8% and the unemployment rate of 5.4% is moderately above national averages. Labour force participation at 70.7% is healthy, consistent with the young, working-age skew of the population. No SEIFA index data is available for this suburb.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.8%
Part-time
25.8%
Participation
70.7%
Employed
1,167
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.0%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
22.1%
Dwellings
798
Transport to Work
Car dependency is very high at 90.6% of residents driving to work, with public transport use at just 1.0% and walking or cycling also at 1.0%. This pattern is typical of outer-ring Queensland suburbs where infrastructure and distances favour private vehicles. No schools are recorded within the Kirkwood boundary in this dataset, so families depend on neighbouring schools. The need-for-assistance rate is 4.2% (101 residents), roughly in line with national norms. Volunteering participation sits at 14.9%, which is moderate compared to more established communities. Housing stress is low across both tenure types: rent-to-income at 15.1% and mortgage-to-income at 17.7% are both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, making the suburb financially accessible relative to most QLD markets.
Drive
90.6%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kirkwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kirkwood a good suburb to live in?
Kirkwood suits young families well. Household income sits at the 88.4th percentile nationally while the estimated median house price of $463,000 keeps housing affordable, with mortgage repayments at only 17.7% of income. The suburb's 2,513 residents skew young, with a median age of 28, and 88.7% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. The main limitation is high car dependency at 90.6%, with very limited public transport.
What is the median house price in Kirkwood?
The estimated median house price is $463,000 (derived from 2025 rent data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,777, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.7% is well below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $350, giving a gross rental yield of approximately 3.9%.
What schools are in Kirkwood?
No schools are recorded within the Kirkwood boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs within the Gladstone region. The suburb's university qualification rate is 24.0%, which is 6.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a workforce oriented toward trade and operational industries rather than knowledge-sector roles.
Is Kirkwood safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Kirkwood in this dataset. As indirect indicators, housing stress is low with rent-to-income at 15.1% and mortgage-to-income at 17.7%, and household income sits at the 88.4th percentile nationally. Only 4.2% of the 2,513 residents need daily assistance, broadly in line with national norms.
Is Kirkwood good for property investment?
The 48.2% renter share and $350 weekly rent produce an estimated gross yield of 3.9% against the $463,000 median, above most inner-city alternatives. However, the vacancy rate of 8.4% is elevated, suggesting current rental supply exceeds demand. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, limiting new supply risk. The young median age of 28 supports ongoing household formation and future rental demand.
How is Kirkwood's population changing?
Kirkwood's population stands at 2,513. No formal forecast data is available, but the suburb shows a turnover rate of 37.6%, meaning roughly 1 in 3 residents moved in the prior census period, higher than more established suburbs. The median age of 28 is 12 years below the national figure, pointing to a young, mobile population that tends to drive household formation growth over time.
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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