Mareeba
A 480.2 sq km regional centre with 11,825 residents, Mareeba combines an older age profile with a strongly detached housing base. Median age is 41, or 1 year above the national comparison, and 89.3% of dwellings are separate houses. Household income sits at the 29.7th percentile nationally, while 38.9% of homes are owned outright. Healthcare leads employment at 17.2%, followed by agriculture at 12.8%, supporting a practical service and land-based economy. Compared with nearby Atherton or Kuranda, buyers should expect a more car-oriented, house-led search, with 74.3% driving to work and only 2.4% using public transport.
Population
11,825
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,282/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Homebuyers in Mareeba are choosing space and manageable holding costs more than apartment living. Separate houses account for 89.3% of dwellings, with 44.0% containing 3 bedrooms and 34.2% having 4 or more. The $1,495 monthly mortgage figure sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, with mortgage stress flagged false. Weekly rent is $285 and rent-to-income is 22.2%. Outright ownership is 38.9%, compared with 27.3% paying a mortgage, so established owners are a visible part of the market. Mareeba's household income is at the 29.7th percentile nationally, which may keep price sensitivity higher than in affluent Queensland markets. Buyers should also budget for car dependence, as 74.3% drive and 2.4% use public transport.
For Buyers
Homebuyers in Mareeba are choosing space and manageable holding costs more than apartment living. Separate houses account for 89.3% of dwellings, with 44.0% containing 3 bedrooms and 34.2% having 4 or more. The $1,495 monthly mortgage figure sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, with mortgage stress flagged false. Weekly rent is $285 and rent-to-income is 22.2%. Outright ownership is 38.9%, compared with 27.3% paying a mortgage, so established owners are a visible part of the market. Mareeba's household income is at the 29.7th percentile nationally, which may keep price sensitivity higher than in affluent Queensland markets. Buyers should also budget for car dependence, as 74.3% drive and 2.4% use public transport.
For Investors
Investor appeal rests on rental demand from a regional service and agricultural base, but vacancy requires careful assessment. Renting accounts for 31.4% of occupied dwellings, weekly rent is $285, and vacancy is 8.4%. Compared with a tight low-vacancy market, that vacancy level can give tenants more choice and temper short-term pricing power, so returns should allow for vacancy, insurance and maintenance. Thirty-eight development matters were recorded over 12 months, including a tourism attraction extension, a 1-lot-into-3-lots reconfiguration and a quarantine assessment for low-impact industry. The forecast labels migration Balanced and annual growth 1.25%, suggesting a steadier strategy than a high-growth bet. Separate houses make up 89.3%, supporting family-oriented rental stock but increasing upkeep exposure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
251
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mareeba
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Stephen's Catholic College (Mareeba)
St Thomas' School (Mareeba)
Mareeba State High School
Mareeba State School
Demographics
Mareeba's demographic profile is older and less university-qualified than the national picture. Median age is 41, 1 year above the national comparison, while 19.1% of residents have a university qualification, 11 percentage points below the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 19.0%, or 2.6 points below the national comparison, and average household size is 2.5, equal to the national benchmark. English ancestry is recorded for 3,565 people and Italian ancestry for 1,639. Christianity counts 6,106 people and no religion 3,933. Family households include 1,063 couples with children, 1,359 couples without children and 586 one-parent families, helping explain demand for both larger houses and practical local services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.3%
Houses
0.9%
Townhouse
7.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Mareeba is overwhelmingly detached: 89.3% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 7.3% apartments and 0.9% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is similarly spacious, with 44.0% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 34.2% having 4 or more, while 6.3% are studios or 1-bedroom dwellings. Tenure is split between 38.9% owned outright, 27.3% mortgaged and 31.4% rented. Weekly rent is $285 and rent-to-income is 22.2%, while mortgage-to-income is 26.9% and mortgage stress is flagged false. Compared with Atherton or Kuranda, buyers assessing Mareeba should focus on its house-led, car-dependent format rather than assume an apartment-style market. That pattern suits families but can mean greater upkeep and longer trips for households without a car.
Mortgage / mo
$1,495
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $285.
$580
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $580 · units $365
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$689
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
391
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.7%
Couples with children
44.4%
Couples, no children
19.1%
Single parent
3,062
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mareeba's employment base is anchored by essential and land-based industries. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.2% with 505 workers, followed by agriculture at 12.8% and 376, public administration at 10.7% and 316, education at 10.6% and 312, and construction at 8.2% and 242. Labourers lead occupations at 952, ahead of trades at 705, professionals at 631, community and personal service at 628, and managers at 621. Labour-force participation is 54.6%, unemployment is 5.8%, and 62.0% of employed residents work full time. All four SEIFA measures sit at decile 2, below the national midpoint, with household income at the 29.7th percentile. This combination points to demand shaped by services, agriculture and trades rather than high-income professional sectors.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
5,267
Unemployed
307
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.0%
Part-time
30.2%
Participation
54.6%
Employed
4,960
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.1%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
19.0%
Dwellings
4,249
Transport to Work
Daily life is practical and vehicle-led. About 74.3% of workers drive, compared with 2.4% using public transport, while 5.6% walk or cycle and 8.3% work from home. Four schools provide a mix of 2 government options and 2 Catholic schools, spanning primary and secondary years, but enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Healthcare, education and public administration account for 17.2%, 10.6% and 10.7% of jobs respectively, helping keep core services relevant locally. The IRSAD measure is at decile 2, below the national midpoint, so affordability and access may matter more than premium amenity. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, Mareeba rewards households with reliable cars and tolerance for regional distances. Prospective residents should check current police and council safety information, as street conditions can vary.
Drive
74.3%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
8.3%
Population Forecast
+1.25%/yr
(+159 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.25%, migration is labelled Balanced, and population change across the wider area is 16.1% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 3.6 percentage points while the young share has fallen 2.7 points, which is likely to lift demand for healthcare and accessible services. The dedicated gentrification signal is score 15, stage Not gentrifying, even though the broader shift measure records a gentrification score of 47 and stage Active. That contrast calls for measured interpretation rather than a redevelopment narrative. Compared with higher-growth corridors, Mareeba's pattern is more consistent with incremental housing, service and employment expansion supported by its established regional role.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+102
Net Internal / yr
+63
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +22% since 2011, Net internal migration +63/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mareeba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mareeba a good suburb to live in?
Mareeba can suit households seeking detached housing, regional services and a practical lifestyle. It has 11,825 residents, 4 local schools and 89.3% separate houses. The median age of 41 is above the national comparison, while 74.3% drive to work and only 2.4% use public transport, so car access is more important than in transit-oriented suburbs.
What is the median house price in Mareeba?
No current median house price is stated for Mareeba. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by dwelling type instead of relying on an old benchmark. The $285 weekly rent and 89.3% separate-house share provide useful context when assessing listings against comparable regional markets.
What schools are in Mareeba?
Mareeba has 4 schools: Mareeba State School, Mareeba State High School, St Thomas' School and St Stephen's Catholic College. The mix is 2 government and 2 Catholic schools, giving families both sectors compared with a single-sector catchment. Enrolment zones should be checked for each address.
Is Mareeba safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not stated for Mareeba, so prospective residents should compare current police and council safety information with nearby Atherton and Kuranda. Street conditions can vary across a 480.2 sq km area, making lighting, traffic, services and the exact locality important factors beyond a single suburb label.
Is Mareeba good for property investment?
Mareeba may suit investors seeking regional rental exposure, with 31.4% of dwellings rented and weekly rent of $285. However, the 8.4% vacancy rate is higher than in tight rental markets and may give tenants more choice. There were 38 development matters over 12 months, while annual growth is forecast at 1.25% with Balanced migration.
How is Mareeba's population changing?
Mareeba has 11,825 residents today. Across the wider area, population change is 16.1% over 10 years and the annual trend is 1.25%. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.6 percentage points and the young share down 2.7 points, indicating slower demographic renewal than in younger growth corridors.
What development is occurring in Mareeba?
Mareeba recorded 38 development matters over 12 months. Examples include an extension to a tourist attraction, a reconfiguration from 1 lot into 3 lots and a quarantine assessment for low-impact industry. Compared with a purely residential pipeline, this mix points to tourism, land subdivision and employment-related activity alongside housing.
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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