Maryborough
Maryborough reads as an older inland service centre rather than a fast turnover coastal market: the median age is 49, 9 years above the national benchmark, and household income sits at the 9.5 national percentile. Compared with nearby Hervey Bay, the profile is less beach driven and more detached, with 85.0% separate houses and only 5.7% apartments. The population base of 15,287 is supported by healthcare, education and public services, while slow growth of 0.31% a year keeps pressure lower than in faster migration corridors. The trade off is weaker labour depth, with 13.0% unemployment and SEIFA decile 1 scores.
Population
15,287
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$926/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$301K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers get a very house based market, not a unit market: 85.0% of dwellings are separate houses compared with 5.7% apartments, and 49.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so affordability is better read through carrying costs: the median mortgage is $1,008 a month and mortgage payments absorb 25.1% of income. The area suits buyers who value space because 39.6% of homes are owned outright, higher than the 25.0% still under mortgage, but the 49 median age means turnover can be slower.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a very house based market, not a unit market: 85.0% of dwellings are separate houses compared with 5.7% apartments, and 49.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so affordability is better read through carrying costs: the median mortgage is $1,008 a month and mortgage payments absorb 25.1% of income. The area suits buyers who value space because 39.6% of homes are owned outright, higher than the 25.0% still under mortgage, but the 49 median age means turnover can be slower.
For Investors
Investors should treat Maryborough as a yield and management market rather than a scarcity market. Renters make up 35.4% of households, higher than the 25.0% mortgage segment, and median rent is $250 a week, but the 8.8% vacancy rate points to more leasing risk than a tight rental suburb. Only 7 development applications were recorded in 12 months, so new supply pressure looks limited. Demand is more likely to come from healthcare and education workers than from rapid population uplift because forecast growth is just 0.31% a year.
Development Activity
Total DAs
65
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+27.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Maryborough iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's College
7-12 · 313 students
St Mary's Primary School
Prep-6 · 359 students
Riverside Christian College
Prep-12 · 1329 students
Maryborough State High School
7-12 · 1214 students
Aldridge State High School
7-12 · 581 students
Demographics
Demographically, Maryborough is older and more locally born than Australia overall. The median age is 49, which is 9 years above the national figure, while only 9.8% of residents were born overseas, 11.8 percentage points below national. University attainment is also lower, at 13.4% and 16.7 points below national, shaping a workforce with more practical and service roles. English ancestry is the largest reported background at 6,790 people, followed by Scottish at 1,676 and Irish at 1,675; Christianity records 7,115 people.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.0%
Houses
8.7%
Townhouse
5.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by established detached stock. Separate houses account for 85.0% of dwellings compared with 8.7% semi-detached homes and 5.7% apartments, so buyers seeking low maintenance units have a smaller pool. Tenure is split between 39.6% owned outright, 25.0% mortgaged and 35.4% renting, which fits the older age profile and modest incomes. The bedroom mix is practical rather than oversized: 49.1% are 3 bedroom homes, 26.8% are 2 bedroom, and 17.8% have 4 or more bedrooms.
Mortgage / mo
$1,008
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$496
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.8%
Unoccupied
618
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.1%
Couples, no children
10,526
Total families
Economy & Employment
Maryborough's economy leans on services that suit an older regional catchment. Healthcare is the largest industry at 27.4% of workers, well above education at 13.2%, with retail at 8.7%, public administration at 7.7% and manufacturing at 7.3%. The occupation mix is hands on, led by 894 community and personal service workers and 709 labourers. Weak labour market depth matters: unemployment is 13.0%, participation is 40.0%, and all 4 SEIFA measures sit in national decile 1, below most suburbs.
Unemployment
7.9%
Labour Force
8,404
Unemployed
668
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.6%
Part-time
30.4%
Participation
40.0%
Employed
4,492
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.4%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
6,386
Transport to Work
Daily life is car oriented. 83.5% of workers drive, much higher than the 0.5% using public transport, although 7.9% walk or cycle. School access is a strength for families, with 9 schools across Government, Catholic and Independent sectors and an ICSEA range from 863 to 1010. St Mary's College, St Mary's Primary School and Riverside Christian College sit at the top of the local ICSEA range, while Maryborough State High adds a large Government secondary option with 1,214 enrolments. Area disadvantage is material, with IRSAD decile 1 nationally.
Drive
83.5%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
7.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.31%/yr
(+60 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than transformative. The forecast trend is 0.31% a year, or about 60 people annually, taking the medium path from 19,221 in 2026 to 19,523 in 2031. Migration is led by internal moves, with +149 people a year vs +42 from overseas, so the pull is regional relocation more than global inflow. The shift profile is Aging: seniors rose 5.7 points while the young share fell 3.3 points. A gentrification score of 19 and stage of Not gentrifying point to lower redevelopment pressure than inner urban markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+42
Net Internal / yr
+149
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +149/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Maryborough compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maryborough a good suburb to live in?
Maryborough suits people wanting an established, car based regional centre with 85.0% separate houses, 9 schools and a median age of 49. It is below national income levels at the 9.5 percentile, so lifestyle fit depends on work access and comfort with a slower local economy.
What is the median house price in Maryborough?
A current median house price is not available for Maryborough, so buyers should use recent settled sales and comparable streets. The cost picture still shows modest carrying costs, with a $1,008 median monthly mortgage and $250 weekly median rent.
What schools are in Maryborough?
Maryborough has 9 schools in the suburb, spanning Government, Catholic and Independent sectors. The highest ICSEA entries are St Mary's College at 1010, St Mary's Primary School at 1005 and Riverside Christian College at 1004.
Is Maryborough safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not available, so safety should be checked at street level and by property type. For liveability context, 83.5% of workers drive, 7.9% walk or cycle, and the area has 9 schools, which influences daily activity patterns.
Is Maryborough good for property investment?
Maryborough can suit income focused investors because 35.4% of households rent and the median rent is $250 a week. The caution is vacancy: 8.8% is higher than a tight rental setting, so tenant selection and realistic leasing times matter.
How is Maryborough's population changing?
Maryborough is changing slowly. The forecast trend is 0.31% annual growth, about 60 people a year, with the medium path reaching 19,523 by 2031. Internal migration is the main driver at +149 people a year vs +42 from overseas.
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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