Kirwan
Detached housing defines Kirwan more than almost anything else: 88.9% of dwellings are separate houses and apartments are only 0.9%. The suburb has 20,780 residents, a median age of 38 and household income in the 58.1st percentile, so it sits slightly above middle-income Australia while its age is 2 years below the national benchmark. Compared with nearby Condon and Thuringowa Central, Kirwan reads as a settled family belt with large-school infrastructure. The caution is momentum: the forecast trend is only 0.05% annual growth, because internal migration is running at -199 people a year.
Population
20,780
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,673/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$407K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers come to Kirwan for space and predictable costs rather than inner-city density. Separate houses make up 88.9% of stock, while 4 bedroom or larger homes are 46.0% and 3 bedroom homes are 44.6%, giving families more choice than apartment-heavy markets. The current median house price is not available, so affordability is best read through repayments: the median mortgage is $1,450 a month and mortgage costs take 20.0% of income, below common stress thresholds. Car reliance is high at 88.5%, so buyers should factor in commuting.
For Buyers
Homebuyers come to Kirwan for space and predictable costs rather than inner-city density. Separate houses make up 88.9% of stock, while 4 bedroom or larger homes are 46.0% and 3 bedroom homes are 44.6%, giving families more choice than apartment-heavy markets. The current median house price is not available, so affordability is best read through repayments: the median mortgage is $1,450 a month and mortgage costs take 20.0% of income, below common stress thresholds. Car reliance is high at 88.5%, so buyers should factor in commuting.
For Investors
Kirwan has a sizeable rental pool, with 35.5% of homes rented and a median rent of $325 a week. The yield story depends on purchase price, which is not published here, but the demand side is mixed because the vacancy rate is 7.1%, higher than a tight rental market. Development pressure looks modest with only 3 applications in the past 12 months, reducing near-term supply shocks. Rent growth of 2.9% is positive, yet population growth of 0.05% a year is below high-growth investor markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
11
Last 12 Months
11
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 Kirwan iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ryan Catholic College
Prep-12 · 2019 students
The Willows State School
Prep-6 · 876 students
Kirwan State School
Prep-6 · 698 students
Kirwan State High School
7-12 · 1922 students
Demographics
Kirwan is locally rooted and less internationally mobile than the national norm. Overseas-born residents are 13.7%, which is 7.9 percentage points below the national benchmark, and university attainment is 22.4%, 7.7 points lower. The median age of 38 is 2 years below national, but the forecast trajectory is aging, with seniors rising by 7.5 points. English ancestry leads at 7,808 people, followed by Irish at 2,274 and Scottish at 2,135, while Christianity accounts for 11,041 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.9%
Houses
10.2%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Kirwan's housing mix is strongly suburban: 88.9% separate houses, 10.2% semi-detached homes and just 0.9% apartments. Compared with denser Townsville nodes such as Aitkenvale, apartment exposure is lower and family housing is higher, because 90.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms. Tenure is balanced, with 26.9% owned outright, 37.6% mortgaged and 35.5% rented. Housing costs are contained relative to income, with rent at 19.4% and mortgage costs at 20.0%, both below stress markers.
Mortgage / mo
$1,450
Rent / wk
$325
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$809
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.1%
Unoccupied
569
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.8%
Couples, no children
16,358
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kirwan's workforce is anchored in public and population-serving sectors. Healthcare employs 1,404 workers, or 22.8%, followed by education at 863, public administration at 768, construction at 532 and retail at 420. Occupations reinforce that service base, led by community and personal workers at 1,734 and professionals at 1,682. The anomaly is that household income sits in the 58.1st percentile, while SEIFA is lower: IEO decile 2, IRSAD decile 3, and IRSD and IER both decile 4, reflecting modest education and advantage scores.
Unemployment
11.3%
Labour Force
3,529
Unemployed
400
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.0%
Part-time
28.4%
Participation
60.5%
Employed
9,485
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.4%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
13.7%
Dwellings
7,463
Transport to Work
Kirwan suits households that want schools and car access more than frequent public transport. Four local schools span an ICSEA range of 919 to 1,020, led by Ryan Catholic College at 1,020 with 2,019 enrolments and The Willows State School at 956 with 876 enrolments; the mix includes Catholic and Government options. Public transport use is only 1.1%, below car driving at 88.5%, so daily life is vehicle-led. IRSAD decile 3 points to lower socio-economic advantage than the state average, but school scale supports family routines.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.05%/yr
(+8 people/yr)
EstablishedKirwan is forecast to be almost flat rather than expansionary. The trend rate is 0.05% a year, equal to only 8 extra people annually, and the medium scenario rises from 15,418 in 2026 to 15,457 in 2031. Migration explains the slow path: overseas migration is the primary driver at +78 a year, but it is outweighed by net internal movement of -199 a year. The shift profile is aging, with young share down 4.5 points and senior share up 7.5 points. Gentrification is scored 0 and labelled Not gentrifying, below renewal markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+78
Net Internal / yr
-199
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -199/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kirwan compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kirwan a good suburb to live in?
Kirwan can suit families wanting detached housing and schools, with 88.9% separate houses and 4 local schools. It is less suited to households relying on public transport, because only 1.1% of commuters use it while 88.5% drive.
What is the median house price in Kirwan?
A current median house price is not available for Kirwan. Affordability can still be judged through costs: the median mortgage is $1,450 a month and mortgage payments take 20.0% of income, which is below common stress thresholds.
What schools are in Kirwan?
Kirwan has 4 schools: Ryan Catholic College, The Willows State School, Kirwan State School and Kirwan State High School. ICSEA scores range from 919 to 1,020, with Ryan Catholic College the largest at 2,019 enrolments.
Is Kirwan safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Kirwan, so buyers should check current Queensland Police information before committing. For context, it is a car-based family suburb with 4 schools and 88.9% separate houses.
Is Kirwan good for property investment?
Kirwan has investor demand signals, including 35.5% renters and a median rent of $325 a week. The caution is vacancy at 7.1%, which is higher than a tight market, while population growth is forecast at only 0.05% a year.
How is Kirwan's population changing?
Kirwan is barely growing. The forecast trend is 0.05% a year, or about 8 people annually, with the medium scenario moving from 15,418 in 2026 to 15,457 in 2031. Net internal migration is negative at -199 people a year.
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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