Manly West
At 78.1% separate houses and only 0.5% apartments, Manly West reads as Brisbane bayside family territory rather than an inner-unit market. Its 12,436 residents sit just inland from Manly and Wynnum, with median age 41, household income at the 76.3 national percentile and density of 2,425.1 people per sq km. The suburb is more mortgage-led than renter-led: 43.6% of homes have a mortgage compared with 23.6% renting. That points to settled owner-occupier demand because larger 3 and 4-plus bedroom homes dominate.
Population
12,436
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,039/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
40
Median House
$554K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers are buying into detached and semi-detached stock, not apartments: 78.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 21.4% are semi-detached and apartments are just 0.5%. Family-sized layouts lead, with 46.2% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 41.8% having 4 or more, far above the 1.3% share of 0 to 1 bedroom dwellings. Mortgage repayments sit at $2,053 a month and absorb 23.3% of income, which leaves the mortgage-stress flag untriggered. That suits households wanting bayside access without relying on high-rise supply.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are buying into detached and semi-detached stock, not apartments: 78.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 21.4% are semi-detached and apartments are just 0.5%. Family-sized layouts lead, with 46.2% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 41.8% having 4 or more, far above the 1.3% share of 0 to 1 bedroom dwellings. Mortgage repayments sit at $2,053 a month and absorb 23.3% of income, which leaves the mortgage-stress flag untriggered. That suits households wanting bayside access without relying on high-rise supply.
For Investors
Investors face a steady but not heavily rental-led market. Renters make up 23.6% of households, lower than the 76.4% owner-occupier base, while the median weekly rent is $430 and rent-to-income is 21.1%. Vacancy is 4.1%, so tenant depth needs checking street by street rather than assumed. The 25 development applications over 12 months signal small-scale renewal because design and siting referrals dominate, and forecast growth of 0.8% a year adds demand without a rapid-supply story.
Development Activity
Total DAs
100
Last 12 Months
40
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+81.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Manly West iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Moreton Bay College
Prep-12 · 1236 students
Moreton Bay Boys' College
Prep-12 · 568 students
Wondall Heights State School
Prep-6 · 588 students
Manly West State School
Prep-6 · 232 students
Demographics
Manly West has a slightly older, education-heavy profile. Median age is 41, which is 1.0 year above the national benchmark, and 21.8% of residents were born overseas, only 0.2 percentage points above national. Education is a differentiator: 35.4% hold university qualifications, 5.3 points above national, supporting the suburb's professional workforce. English, Irish and Scottish ancestries total 8,885 people, while the largest non-English language groups are small, led by French at 39 speakers and Mandarin at 30.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.1%
Houses
21.4%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Manly West's housing market is defined more by tenure and dwelling mix than by a current median house-price figure. Ownership is high: 32.8% own outright and 43.6% are paying a mortgage, compared with 23.6% renting. The bedroom profile is deep, with 88.0% of homes having 3 or more bedrooms, because detached dwellings account for 78.1% of stock. Household income sits at the 76.3 national percentile, and mortgage costs take 23.3% of income, with the mortgage-stress flag false.
Mortgage / mo
$2,053
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$897
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
198
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.6%
Couples, no children
10,569
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is tilted to health, education and professional roles rather than a single industrial employer. Healthcare employs 763 residents, or 17.5%, followed by education at 586, construction at 480, professional and tech at 468, and public admin at 320. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,484, above clerical/admin at 975 and managers at 967. Unemployment is 4.7% with 60.9% participation. SEIFA ranks decile 7 for IRSAD, IRSD and education/occupation, while resources ranks decile 8, so household resources sit higher than the broader advantage score.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
7,505
Unemployed
180
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.7%
Part-time
28.6%
Participation
60.9%
Employed
5,737
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.4%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
21.8%
Dwellings
4,586
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for car-based family routines. School choice is a clear plus with 4 local campuses spanning ICSEA 992 to 1139; Moreton Bay College at 1139 and Moreton Bay Boys' College at 1125 give high-ICSEA Independent options, while Wondall Heights State School adds a Government primary at 1041. Public transport commuting is lower at 5.3%, car driving is 87.6% and walking or cycling is 1.8%, so convenience depends on road access. SEIFA IRSAD decile 7 and household income at the 76.3 national percentile point to above-average local resources.
Drive
87.6%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.8%/yr
(+99 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth looks measured rather than speculative. The forecast trend is 0.8% a year, or about 99 people annually, taking the medium population path from 12,556 in 2026 to 13,052 in 2031. Migration is mixed: overseas migration is the primary driver at +76 people a year, while internal migration averages -44, suggesting some local outflow despite bayside appeal. The longer shift is not a major gentrification wave: the score is 4 and the stage is Not gentrifying, compared with earlier signals of 12.9% real income growth and 19.2% rent growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+76
Net Internal / yr
-44
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 West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manly West a good suburb to live in?
Yes for households who value space, schools and bayside access over inner-city transport. Homes are 78.1% separate houses, 4 schools sit in the suburb, and household income is at the 76.3 national percentile. It is more car-dependent, with 87.6% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Manly West?
A current median house price is not available for Manly West. The clearer housing signal is structure: 78.1% separate houses, 21.4% semi-detached homes and only 0.5% apartments, with 88.0% of dwellings having 3 or more bedrooms.
What schools are in Manly West?
Manly West has 4 schools: Moreton Bay College, Moreton Bay Boys' College, Wondall Heights State School and Manly West State School. ICSEA scores range from 992 to 1139, with the 2 Independent combined campuses above 1100.
Is Manly West safe?
A current crime rate per 1,000 is not available for Manly West, so safety should be checked against current police maps and street-level inspections. Local context is supportive: SEIFA IRSAD is decile 7, need for assistance is 5.5%, and volunteering is 17.1%.
Is Manly West good for property investment?
It suits investors seeking stable family-rental demand rather than high churn. Renters are 23.6% of households, weekly rent is $430, vacancy is 4.1%, and 25 development applications in 12 months point to some renewal. Forecast growth is 0.8% a year, below boom-style rates.
How is Manly West's population changing?
Population is growing slowly. The medium path rises from 12,556 in 2026 to 13,052 in 2031, equal to 0.8% annual growth or about 99 people a year. Overseas migration adds an average 76 people annually, compared with -44 from internal migration.
Is there much development in Manly West?
There is moderate activity rather than large-scale transformation. There were 25 development applications in the past 12 months, with recent examples focused on design and siting referrals. That fits the established housing base, where 78.1% of dwellings are separate houses.
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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