Kirwan
Kirwan's most distinctive feature is its scale: 20,780 residents live across 11.71 square kilometres, while 88.9% of dwellings are separate houses. The median age is 38, 2 years below the national comparison, but the trajectory is Aging because the senior share rose 7.5 points and the young share fell 4.5 points. Household income ranks at the 58.1st percentile, above the national midpoint, while annual growth is only 0.05%. Compared with nearby Aitkenvale, Kirwan presents a more detached family-house setting, with 46.0% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms.
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
40
Kirwan suits buyers prioritising space over apartment living. Separate houses account for 88.9% of dwellings, compared with 0.9% apartments and 10.2% semi-detached homes, so family-sized stock is much more common than compact formats. Four or more bedrooms make up 46.0% of homes and three bedrooms 44.6%, with the larger category slightly higher. A typical mortgage commitment is $1,450 per month, while weekly rent is $325; mortgage costs equal 20.0% of household income and rent 19.4%. The 37.2% mortgage tenure is higher than the 26.6% owned-outright share, so buyers should budget for detached-home maintenance as well as repayments. This profile is more house-oriented than denser Townsville options.
For Buyers
Kirwan suits buyers prioritising space over apartment living. Separate houses account for 88.9% of dwellings, compared with 0.9% apartments and 10.2% semi-detached homes, so family-sized stock is much more common than compact formats. Four or more bedrooms make up 46.0% of homes and three bedrooms 44.6%, with the larger category slightly higher. A typical mortgage commitment is $1,450 per month, while weekly rent is $325; mortgage costs equal 20.0% of household income and rent 19.4%. The 37.2% mortgage tenure is higher than the 26.6% owned-outright share, so buyers should budget for detached-home maintenance as well as repayments. This profile is more house-oriented than denser Townsville options.
For Investors
Kirwan has a substantial tenant base, with 35.1% of households rented versus 26.6% owned outright. Weekly rent is $325 and vacancy is 7.1%, so investors should test achievable rent and letting time at the individual property level rather than assume uniform returns. Development activity reached 37 applications in the last 12 months, including carport works and boundary realignment, pointing to ongoing property churn rather than a single large estate. The growth backdrop is subdued: annual trend is 0.05%, with overseas migration the primary driver. Compared with high-growth markets, Kirwan suits investors seeking established detached housing and service-linked demand, with yield depending on purchase price and asset condition.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
40
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
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Ryan Catholic College (Kirwan)
Kirwan State High School
Kirwan State School
The Willows State School
Demographics
Kirwan's 20,780 residents have a median age of 38, 2 years below the national comparison, and average 2.6 people per household, 0.1 higher than the national figure. University attainment is 22.4%, 7.7 percentage points below national, while overseas-born residents account for 13.7%, 7.9 points lower. English ancestry is largest at 7,808 people, followed by Irish at 2,274 and Scottish at 2,135. Christianity has 11,041 people and no religion 7,706, showing both established faith and secular households. Compared with nearby Thuringowa Central, Kirwan reads as a settled family suburb; 38.6% of families are couples with children and 21.1% are one-parent families, shaping demand for practical three and four-bedroom homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.9%
Houses
10.2%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Kirwan's tenure mix points to a settled but leveraged market. Only 26.6% of households own outright, compared with 37.2% paying a mortgage and 35.1% renting, so mortgage and rental demand both matter. The dwelling stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 88.9%, while semi-detached homes account for 10.2% and apartments 0.9%. Bedrooms follow the same family pattern: 46.0% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 44.6% have 3 bedrooms, together making up 90.6%. Mortgage costs equal 20.0% of household income and rent 19.4%, with rent slightly lower than mortgage burden. This house-heavy structure supports family use, but maintenance exposure is higher than in apartment-led suburbs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,450
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $325.
$550
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $550
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
38.6%
Couples with children
38.7%
Couples, no children
21.1%
Single parent
5,721
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kirwan's economy is anchored by healthcare at 22.8%, education at 14.0%, public administration at 12.5%, construction at 8.6% and retail at 6.8%. This mix links demand to essential services and government activity. Occupations are led by community and personal service work at 1,734 people, professionals at 1,682 and trades at 1,446. Labour-force participation is 64.0%, unemployment is 5.3%, and full-time employment reaches 6,262 compared with 3,223 part-time workers. Household income ranks at the 58.1st percentile, above the national midpoint. Socioeconomic results are uneven: IEO is decile 2, lower than IER and IRSD at decile 4, while IRSAD is decile 3, pointing to weaker education and occupation outcomes than the broader advantage profile.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
10,627
Unemployed
561
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
32.0%
Participation
64.0%
Employed
10,066
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.4%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
13.7%
Dwellings
7,463
Transport to Work
Kirwan is practical for car-based routines: 84.1% of residents drive to work, compared with 1.1% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling. Only 4.9% work from home, so access to employment and services remains important. Four local schools span three government schools, including Kirwan State High School, Kirwan State School and The Willows State School, plus the Catholic Ryan Catholic College. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb edges. The suburb covers 11.71 square kilometres at 1,774.5 people per square kilometre. IRSAD is decile 3, lower than more advantaged areas, so practical amenity and household budget matter more than prestige.
Drive
84.1%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
4.9%
Population Forecast
+0.05%/yr
(+8 people/yr)
EstablishedKirwan is in an established, slow-growth phase. The annual trend is 0.05%, far below expanding outer-market rates, and population change across the wider area is -5.7% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging because the senior share increased 7.5 percentage points while the young share fell 4.5 points. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but the gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Affordability improved from 44.9 in 2011 to 39.3 in 2021, while rent growth was 2.9% and real income growth fell 4.4%. Compared with faster-growing Queensland corridors, Kirwan's 0.05% trend points to stability rather than rapid expansion.
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 households wanting established detached housing, with 88.9% of dwellings separate houses and 46.0% containing 4 or more bedrooms. Car use at 84.1% is far higher than public transport use at 1.1%. The 4 local schools and 35.1% rental share broaden its appeal beyond owner-occupiers.
What is the median house price in Kirwan?
Use current comparable sales for a Kirwan property rather than relying on an unverified median. Separate houses make up 88.9% of dwellings, far higher than apartments at 0.9%, and 46.0% have 4 or more bedrooms, so price varies by dwelling type, land size and condition.
What schools are in Kirwan?
Four schools are in Kirwan: Kirwan State High School, Kirwan State School, The Willows State School and Ryan Catholic College. The mix has more government than Catholic provision, with 3 government schools and 1 Catholic non-state school across secondary, primary and college settings. Check the exact catchment because enrolment zones can differ by address.
Is Kirwan safe?
A suburb-wide safety judgement should not be made without a current crime rate. Check current Queensland Police information and inspect the exact street at different times. With 20,780 residents across 11.71 square kilometres, conditions can vary between pockets, and car access is much higher than public transport use at 84.1% versus 1.1%.
Is Kirwan good for property investment?
Kirwan may suit an investor seeking established houses, but returns depend on purchase price and property condition. Renting accounts for 35.1% of households, weekly rent is $325 and vacancy is 7.1%. Development activity reached 37 applications in 12 months, while annual growth is only 0.05%, so this is a steadier proposition than a rapid-growth market.
How is Kirwan's population changing?
Kirwan has 20,780 residents today. Population change across the wider area is -5.7% over 10 years and the annual trend is 0.05%, so growth is broadly flat rather than rapid. The trajectory is Aging because the senior share rose 7.5 percentage points and the young share fell 4.5 points. Overseas migration remains the primary driver.
What development is happening in Kirwan?
Development activity reached 37 applications in the last 12 months. Recent examples include carports within setbacks and a boundary realignment from 2 lots into 2 lots, suggesting incremental upgrades and land adjustments rather than a major redevelopment wave. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so the pipeline currently looks established rather than transformational.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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