Longreach
Longreach's most striking feature is its very low density: 3,124 residents across 23,482.52 square kilometres, or 0.1 people per square kilometre. The town is detached-house led, with 88.9% separate houses, while vacancy is a high 17.2%. Its median age of 39 is 1 year below the national comparison, and household income sits at the 54.2nd percentile. Compared with nearby Winton, Longreach has a stronger regional-service identity, but both reflect remote western Queensland conditions. Population change across ten years is -12.9%, so this is a small, established community rather than a fast-growth market.
Population
3,124
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,625/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Longreach suits buyers prioritising space and low weekly holding costs over metropolitan price benchmarking. A median house price is not available, but the typical housing form is clear: 88.9% of dwellings are separate houses, with 42.8% having 3 bedrooms and 34.8% having 4 or more. Rent is $200 a week, while the indicative mortgage cost is $1,185 per month. Mortgage stress is flagged false, with mortgage payments at 16.8% of household income. Car access matters because 71.1% drive to work, while 12.1% walk or cycle. Compared with apartment-heavy city markets, Longreach offers a more detached, land-oriented choice, but buyers should inspect property condition and resale depth carefully because the population trend is -0.75% annually.
For Buyers
Longreach suits buyers prioritising space and low weekly holding costs over metropolitan price benchmarking. A median house price is not available, but the typical housing form is clear: 88.9% of dwellings are separate houses, with 42.8% having 3 bedrooms and 34.8% having 4 or more. Rent is $200 a week, while the indicative mortgage cost is $1,185 per month. Mortgage stress is flagged false, with mortgage payments at 16.8% of household income. Car access matters because 71.1% drive to work, while 12.1% walk or cycle. Compared with apartment-heavy city markets, Longreach offers a more detached, land-oriented choice, but buyers should inspect property condition and resale depth carefully because the population trend is -0.75% annually.
For Investors
Longreach presents a cash-flow-oriented rental profile, but vacancy risk is the central issue. Weekly rent is $200 and 40.1% of dwellings are rented, while the vacancy rate is a high 17.2%, so rental income may be less reliable than the headline yield suggests. New development activity was 0 projects in the past 12 months, limiting near-term supply additions but also signalling a small market. The forecast describes migration as Balanced and annual growth at -0.75%, which is weaker than a growth corridor. Rent growth has reached 25.0%, yet the population shift is Aging and ten-year population change is -12.9%. Investors should stress-test vacancy, maintenance and tenant turnover rather than assume scarcity will lift rents.
Schools in Longreach
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Our Lady's Catholic Primary School (Longreach)
Longreach School of Distance Education
Longreach State High School
Longreach State School
Demographics
Longreach has a settled, mostly English, Irish and Scottish ancestry profile and a modestly mobile population. English ancestry counts 1,188 people, followed by Irish at 366 and Scottish at 328; overseas-born residents account for 9.3%, 12.3 percentage points below the national comparison. University participation is 20.3%, 9.8 points below the national figure, which fits a local labour market led by practical, public and service roles. Average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below the national comparison. Couples without children make up 43.3% of families, while couples with children account for 38.1% and one-parent families 15.9%. Compared with nearby Winton, Longreach has a broader institutional and service base, but its aging trajectory is clear: the senior share has risen 6.0 points and the young share has fallen 5.9 points.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.9%
Houses
5.9%
Townhouse
2.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Longreach's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached and relatively affordable to hold, although the absence of a current median sale price makes purchase comparisons difficult. Separate houses represent 88.9% of dwellings, compared with 2.9% apartments and 5.9% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties are the largest group at 42.8%, followed by 4-plus-bedroom homes at 34.8%. Tenure is split across 31.0% owned outright, 23.4% with a mortgage and 40.1% rented, with 5.5% in other arrangements. Weekly rent is $200, and rent takes 12.3% of household income, below the mortgage share of 16.8%. The 17.2% vacancy rate is high versus a tightly supplied market, so buyers and landlords should distinguish low carrying costs from strong capital growth.
Mortgage / mo
$1,185
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$200
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$974
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.2%
Unoccupied
238
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
12.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.1%
Couples with children
43.3%
Couples, no children
15.9%
Single parent
735
Total families
Economy & Employment
Longreach's labour market is anchored by healthcare, education and public administration, which together account for 46.4% of employment across the top three industries: healthcare 19.7% with 203 workers, education 13.7% with 141, and public administration 13.0% with 134. Construction contributes 8.8% and agriculture 8.3%, giving the town both service and regional production roles. Unemployment is 1.4%, participation is 66.1% and full-time employment is 70.2%, indicating a more work-centred profile than a weak labour market label would suggest. Occupations are led jointly by managers and professionals at 271 each, followed by trades at 229, clerical and administration at 222, and labourers at 208. SEIFA deciles sit at 5 for education and occupation, 4 for economic resources, and 5 for advantage, close to the national middle rather than a top-decile position.
Unemployment
1.4%
Labour Force
1,673
Unemployed
24
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.2%
Part-time
23.9%
Participation
66.1%
Employed
1,649
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.3%
Postgraduate
3.4%
Born Overseas
9.3%
Dwellings
1,124
Transport to Work
Longreach offers a low-density lifestyle with practical town services rather than metropolitan convenience. The population is 3,124 across 23,482.52 square kilometres, and 71.1% travel as car drivers, while 12.1% walk or cycle and 10.7% work from home. Four schools cover government primary, government high school, government distance education and Catholic primary options, so families should check enrolment zones and subject availability against the exact address. Volunteering is 30.0%, supporting local participation, and 6.0% of residents need assistance. SEIFA places the suburb at the 5th IRSAD decile, with education and occupation also at decile 5, but economic resources at decile 4, below the other local decile measures. Compared with a capital-city suburb, services are more concentrated and driving is more important because distances are large. For safety, combine a local visit with current police advice, as a suburb-level crime rate is not stated.
Drive
71.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
12.1%
Work from Home
10.7%
Population Forecast
-0.75%/yr
(-28 people/yr)
EstablishedLongreach is on an established, slow-growth path. The annual trend is -0.75%, while population change across the wider area is -12.9% over ten years. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 6.0 points and the young share has declined 5.9 points, which can soften demand for larger family housing over time. Migration is classified as Balanced, so neither internal nor overseas movement is identified as the dominant growth engine. Gentrification is not occurring, with a forecast score of 0, while the separate shift score is 17. Affordability improved from 23.9% in 2011 to 21.3% in 2021 and real income growth was 13.8%, but these gains have not overcome the lower-growth trajectory. Compared with expanding regional centres, Longreach needs population retention and employment continuity to change direction.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+14
Net Internal / yr
-1
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Longreach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Longreach a good suburb to live in?
Longreach can suit households seeking space, local services and a quieter pace. It has 3,124 residents, 88.9% separate houses and 71.1% car commuting, so it is better for people comfortable with driving than inner-city living.
What is the median house price in Longreach?
A current median house price is not available for Longreach. Buyers can still compare the $200 weekly rent, 88.9% separate-house share and 17.2% vacancy rate, then seek recent local sales advice before making an offer.
What schools are in Longreach?
Longreach has 4 listed school options: a Catholic primary school, government primary and high schools, and a government school of distance education. Check enrolment zones, year levels and subject access for the exact address.
Is Longreach safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so use current Queensland Police information and inspect the street at different times. Longreach has 3,124 residents and a low density of 0.1 people per square kilometre, but those figures do not by themselves measure safety.
Is Longreach good for property investment?
It may suit a carefully managed rental strategy, but it is not a straightforward growth play. Weekly rent is $200, vacancy is 17.2%, annual trend is -0.75% and ten-year population change is -12.9%, so vacancy and resale risk need close testing.
How is Longreach's population changing?
Longreach is aging and contracting rather than expanding rapidly. The annual trend is -0.75%, population change across the wider area is -12.9% over ten years, the senior share is up 6.0 points and the young share is down 5.9 points.
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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