Manly
At 46, Manly's median age sits 6 years above the national figure, making its aging resident base the suburb's clearest signature. The compact 2.16 sq km bayside area houses 4,273 people at 1,979.9 residents per sq km, while household income sits at the 78.2nd percentile. Its compact footprint gives it a different feel from the broader Wynnum area and nearby Lota. For buyers, Manly combines an established setting with strong owner-occupation and a settled population profile.
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
43
Manly suits buyers prioritising established houses and manageable household costs, although a current median house price is not stated. Mortgage repayments are listed at $2,200 a month and mortgage costs equal 24.4% of household income, higher than the 19.4% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as mortgage stress. Separate houses make up 70.6% of dwellings, while 37.0% have 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the 7.8% share of 0 to 1 bedroom homes. That mix favours families and downsizers seeking space, with exact-address checks important when comparing Manly with Wynnum or Lota.
For Buyers
Manly suits buyers prioritising established houses and manageable household costs, although a current median house price is not stated. Mortgage repayments are listed at $2,200 a month and mortgage costs equal 24.4% of household income, higher than the 19.4% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as mortgage stress. Separate houses make up 70.6% of dwellings, while 37.0% have 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the 7.8% share of 0 to 1 bedroom homes. That mix favours families and downsizers seeking space, with exact-address checks important when comparing Manly with Wynnum or Lota.
For Investors
Manly's rental case is supported by a 30.4% renting share, weekly rent of $403 and a 7.4% vacancy rate. Vacancy deserves close attention because available stock can weaken leasing competition even when rents appear attractive. Development activity is notable at 44 applications in 12 months, which may expand choice and increase competition between properties. Growth is forecast at 0.81% annually, driven by overseas migration. Compared with the 36.5% owned-outright share, the rental base is material, but the missing median sale price makes entry-cost and gross-yield calculations essential.
Development Activity
Total DAs
166
Last 12 Months
43
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+43.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Manly
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St John Vianney's Primary School (Manly)
Darling Point Special School
Manly State School
Demographics
Manly's median age of 46 is 6 years above national, while university attainment at 41.4% is 11.3 percentage points higher. Overseas-born residents account for 24.8%, 3.2 points above national, so the suburb is more internationally connected than its Anglo-leaning ancestry profile suggests. English ancestry counts 1,989, followed by Irish at 745 and Scottish at 604; Christianity counts 2,182 versus 1,759 reporting no religion. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, consistent with 41.7% couples without children and 41.9% couples with children. Compared with nearby Wynnum and Lota, Manly's 73.7% same-address retention points to a settled rather than high-turnover population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.6%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
16.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Manly is detached-house dominant: 70.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 16.1% apartments and 6.5% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix leans spacious, with 37.0% of homes at 4 or more bedrooms and 31.9% at 3 bedrooms, higher than the 7.8% share of 0 to 1 bedroom dwellings. Tenure is split between 36.5% owned outright, 32.3% mortgaged and 30.4% rented, so outright ownership is higher than renting. Weekly rent is $403, while monthly mortgage costs are $2,200. For buyers weighing Manly against Wynnum or Lota, the dwelling mix is a useful starting point because a median price is not stated.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $403.
$730
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $730
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
41.9%
Couples with children
41.7%
Couples, no children
15.0%
Single parent
1,197
Total families
Economy & Employment
Manly's employment base is anchored by healthcare at 15.1% or 238 workers, followed by professional and technical services at 13.1% or 207, education at 11.2% or 176, construction at 10.2% or 161, and public administration at 7.1% or 112. Professionals number 566 and managers 458, which helps explain household income at the 78.2nd percentile. Labour-force participation is 65.8%, unemployment is 4.8%, and 1,299 workers are full-time versus 709 part-time. IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD all sit at decile 8, above the midpoint, indicating relative socioeconomic advantage, although 1,090 people are outside the labour force.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
2,320
Unemployed
112
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.8%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
65.8%
Employed
2,208
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.4%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
24.8%
Dwellings
1,675
Transport to Work
Manly's compact 2.16 sq km footprint and 1,979.9 residents per sq km support a neighbourhood feel, but daily travel remains car-led: 59.3% drive, compared with 5.6% using public transport and 3.5% walking or cycling. Work-from-home is 28.2%, which can reduce commuting pressure for some households. Three nearby schools span government state, Catholic non-state primary and government special-school provision; check enrolment zones against the exact address. An IRSAD decile of 8 places the suburb above the middle of the socioeconomic distribution, while volunteering is 18.9% and need for assistance is 4.4%. Safety decisions should use current local checks rather than assume the area matches the wider bayside.
Drive
59.3%
Public Transport
5.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
28.2%
Population Forecast
+0.81%/yr
(+67 people/yr)
EstablishedManly's established-area forecast points to steady rather than rapid change: annual growth is 0.81%, while population change across the wider area is 10.5% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, even as the trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 4.3 points and the young share down 1.2. Gentrification is assessed at score 4 and stage "Not gentrifying", although the shift profile records score 30 and "Early signs", suggesting limited but emerging change. The 44 development applications in 12 months could add pressure to infrastructure and rental competition, so the 0.81% pace is measured compared with a 10.5% ten-year change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+99
Net Internal / yr
+1
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +12% since 2011
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?
Yes, especially for households wanting established housing and a settled bayside setting. Manly's median age is 46, 70.6% of dwellings are separate houses and IRSAD sits in decile 8, above the national midpoint.
What is the median house price in Manly?
A current median house price is not stated for Manly. Buyers can frame the market using $2,200 monthly mortgage costs, $403 weekly rent and the 70.6% separate-house share, then compare recent sales with Wynnum and Lota.
What schools are in Manly?
Manly has 3 nearby school options spanning government state, Catholic non-state primary and government special-school provision. Confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, because school access can differ across boundaries.
Is Manly safe?
Use current Queensland Police information and an address-level check before deciding. Manly's socioeconomic profile is relatively strong at IRSAD decile 8, above the midpoint, while 4.4% report needing assistance, a separate measure from crime.
Is Manly good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking established rental demand, with 30.4% renting, $403 weekly rent and a 7.4% vacancy rate. However, 44 development applications in 12 months and no median sale price stated mean yield and competition need careful checking.
How is Manly's population changing?
Manly's wider-area growth trend is 0.81% annually, with 10.5% population change over 10 years and overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.3 points, so change is steady but older than the national pattern.
How do people commute from Manly?
Car use dominates, with 59.3% driving compared with 5.6% using public transport and 3.5% walking or cycling. The 28.2% work-from-home rate is higher than the active travel share, which may reduce daily commuting for some residents.
Does Manly have more owners or renters?
Owners outnumber renters: 36.5% own outright and 32.3% have a mortgage, compared with 30.4% renting. That owner-occupied base is higher than the rental share and supports a more settled housing profile.
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.
Explore Manly on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map