Manly
At a median age of 46, Manly QLD sits 6 years above the national figure, making it one of Brisbane's more mature bayside communities. Household income ranks in the 78.2nd percentile nationally, yet the estimated median house price of $551,000 places it well below many comparable income-level suburbs. The suburb scores decile 8 across all four SEIFA indexes, reflecting established advantage without the extreme price premium of decile 10 areas. With 37.0% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 70.6% being separate houses, the housing stock skews toward families and long-term owner-occupiers, consistent with the 73.7% of residents who did not move in the five years to the Census.
Population
4,273
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,079/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
37
Median House
$551K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $551,000 offers a relatively accessible entry point compared to Brisbane's inner suburbs, backed by household income in the 78.2nd percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers at the median price are not in financial distress. Separate houses dominate at 70.6% of dwellings, with 37.0% having 4 or more bedrooms and 31.9% having 3, so families will find ample stock. Only 32.6% of residents carry a mortgage versus 36.8% who own outright, signalling an established owner base. Apartments account for just 16.1% and semi-detached 6.5%, so buyers seeking a house will not be crowded out by higher-density competition.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $551,000 offers a relatively accessible entry point compared to Brisbane's inner suburbs, backed by household income in the 78.2nd percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers at the median price are not in financial distress. Separate houses dominate at 70.6% of dwellings, with 37.0% having 4 or more bedrooms and 31.9% having 3, so families will find ample stock. Only 32.6% of residents carry a mortgage versus 36.8% who own outright, signalling an established owner base. Apartments account for just 16.1% and semi-detached 6.5%, so buyers seeking a house will not be crowded out by higher-density competition.
For Investors
A 30.6% renter share provides a steady tenant pool, and weekly rent of $403 against the $551,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.8%, moderate but higher than inner-city Sydney benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 7.4% is above typical Queensland levels and warrants caution, as it suggests some softness in rental demand relative to supply. Development activity reached 33 applications in the past 12 months, dominated by material change of use and referral agency responses rather than large new residential supply, so existing stock is unlikely to be overwhelmed near term. The 73.7% residential stability rate means turnover is low, which limits forced-sale price pressure but also reduces transaction volume for investors seeking to buy below market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
151
Last 12 Months
37
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+23.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Manly iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Manly State School
Prep-6 · 691 students
St John Vianney's Primary School
Prep-6 · 452 students
Demographics
Manly's median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national average, one of the more pronounced aging signals in coastal Queensland. University qualifications reach 41.4% of residents, which is 11.3 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting the professional workforce that is drawn to bayside living. Overseas-born residents make up 24.8%, which is 3.2 percentage points above national. Ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,989) the top group followed by Irish (745) and Scottish (604). Average household size is 2.4, marginally below the national figure, consistent with an older couples and empty-nester profile where couples without children represent 29.2% of families. The volunteering rate of 18.9% reflects a civically engaged community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.6%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
16.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Manly skews toward ownership: 36.8% own outright and 32.6% hold a mortgage, while 30.6% rent. The outright-owner share exceeding the mortgage-holder share points to long-established wealth and a suburb that has largely passed its debt-accumulation phase. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 70.6%, with apartments at 16.1% and semi-detached at 6.5%. Bedroom sizes lean large, with 37.0% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, compared to only 7.8% having 0 to 1 bedrooms. The estimated median house price is $551,000 and rent is $403 per week. Mortgage repayments average $2,200 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4% and a rent-to-income ratio of 19.4%, both below stress thresholds, so housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wk
$403
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$986
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.4%
Unoccupied
134
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.2%
Couples, no children
3,402
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 15.1% of employed residents (238 workers), followed by Professional and Technical services at 13.1% (207) and Education at 11.2% (176). Construction employs 10.2% (161) and Public Administration 7.1% (112), a broad spread that reflects a mature outer-suburban economy rather than a single-sector dependency. By occupation, Professionals (566) and Managers (458) are the two largest groups, aligning with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation advantage. The unemployment rate is 5.3%, above the national average, and the participation rate is 60.2%, partly because 1,090 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older age profile where retirement is more common. Full-time employment runs at 64.7% of those employed.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
60.2%
Employed
2,008
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.4%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
24.8%
Dwellings
1,675
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 82.7% of residents driving to work, compared to just 7.7% using public transport and 4.9% walking or cycling. This is typical of bayside Brisbane suburbs where road access is easier than rail. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it in the upper tier of advantage nationally, with only 4.4% of residents (181 people) requiring daily assistance. Crime data is not available in this dataset, though the SEIFA decile 8 position is generally consistent with low disadvantage areas. Housing stress is absent on both measures: rent-to-income sits at 19.4% and mortgage-to-income at 24.4%, both below the 30% benchmark. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring areas.
Drive
82.7%
Public Transport
7.7%
Walk / Cycle
4.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Manly compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manly a good suburb to live in?
Manly QLD scores decile 8 across all four SEIFA indexes, placing it in the upper tier of advantage nationally. Household income ranks in the 78.2nd percentile and university qualifications are 11.3 percentage points above the national average at 41.4%. Housing costs are manageable, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4% and rent-to-income of 19.4%, both below the 30% stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Manly?
The estimated median house price in Manly QLD is $551,000 (estimated from 2025 rental data). Weekly rent averages $403 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,200. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4% is below the 30% stress threshold, so the suburb is more affordable than many comparable income-level areas.
What schools are in Manly?
No schools are recorded inside the Manly QLD boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated for a Queensland suburb, with 41.4% holding university qualifications, which is 11.3 percentage points above the national average.
Is Manly safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Manly QLD in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it in the upper advantage tier nationally. Only 4.4% of its 4,273 residents (181 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Manly good for property investment?
A 30.6% renter share and $403 weekly rent against the $551,000 median give a gross yield around 3.8%, above inner-city benchmarks. The 7.4% vacancy rate is above typical Queensland levels and requires monitoring. Residential stability at 73.7% limits forced-sale pressure, and 33 development applications over the past 12 months indicate limited new supply.
How is Manly's population changing?
Manly QLD has a population of 4,273 across 2.16 km2. Precise forecast data is not available, but the suburb shows characteristics of slow organic growth: 73.7% of residents did not move in the five years to the Census, and the median age of 46 is 6 years above the national average, suggesting a stable, aging rather than expanding population.
How much development is happening in Manly?
There were 33 development applications lodged in Manly QLD in the past 12 months. Applications are dominated by material change of use and referral agency responses rather than large-scale new residential projects, consistent with an established 2.16 km2 suburb where infill and small-scale conversion is more common than greenfield development.
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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