Minden
With 99% of dwellings being separate houses and just 1,227 residents across 22 square kilometres, Minden is one of south-east Queensland's most distinctly rural-residential communities. Household income sits at the 60.6th percentile nationally, above the national median, while the median age of 37 runs 3 years below the national figure, reflecting an active, family-oriented population. Mortgage holders make up 60.5% of residents, well above outright owners at 28.3%, pointing to a suburb in active acquisition mode rather than settled wealth.
Local council: Somerset
Population
1,227
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,725/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
29
Monthly repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite 60.5% of residents carrying a mortgage. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99%, with 62.9% having 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the national average for suburban areas, which signals strong family demand. The $350 weekly rent translates to a rent-to-income ratio of 20.3%, also below stress levels, so both owners and renters are managing repayments comfortably relative to local incomes.
For Buyers
Monthly repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite 60.5% of residents carrying a mortgage. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99%, with 62.9% having 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the national average for suburban areas, which signals strong family demand. The $350 weekly rent translates to a rent-to-income ratio of 20.3%, also below stress levels, so both owners and renters are managing repayments comfortably relative to local incomes.
For Investors
Minden's rental market is small but tight: only 11.2% of residents rent, compared to national averages closer to 30%, which means fewer tenants compete for a limited pool. The 4.9% vacancy rate is elevated compared to most suburban markets, so investors should factor in longer vacancy periods between tenancies. Just 13 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, all small-scale works including a secondary dwelling and a shed, suggesting limited new supply pressure. Secondary dwelling activity in recent DA applications points to emerging granny flat interest, which could improve yields for well-positioned properties.
Development Activity
Total DAs
29
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Minden
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Minden State School
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, and couples with children at 515 families far outnumber couples without children at 287, confirming a young family skew. The overseas-born share is 10.9%, which is 10.7 percentage points below the national average, one of the more Anglo-Celtic compositions in Queensland. Ancestry is led by English (517), German (151), Irish (116) and Scottish (114), reflecting European settler heritage common to the Lockyer Valley. University qualifications reach only 16.7%, which is 13.4 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a blue-collar and trades-oriented local economy. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national figure, driven by the prevalence of larger family households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.0%
Houses
1.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Minden's housing stock is defined by scale and tenure: 99% separate houses and 62.9% with 4 or more bedrooms, a profile suited to larger families. Ownership is split between mortgage holders (60.5%) and outright owners (28.3%), with renters at just 11.2%, well below the national renting share of around 30%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3% leave meaningful financial headroom, suggesting the suburb attracts buyers who can service debt without stretching. The 4.9% vacancy rate is a caution flag for the rental segment, indicating supply modestly outpaces current rental demand.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$708
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
21
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.6%
Couples with children
42.2%
Couples, no children
9.4%
Single parent
351
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading employer at 16.3% of the workforce (60 workers), followed by Education at 12.2% (45 workers) and Construction at 11.1% (41 workers), a mix that reflects workers commuting out for government and services jobs while some trades work locally. Public Administration accounts for 9.5% and Manufacturing 7.0%, rounding out a diverse but modest local employment base. By occupation, Labourers (75), Community and Personal Service workers (72) and Clerical and Admin workers (70) lead, with Professionals (61) and Machinery Drivers (61) close behind, a trades-heavy profile consistent with the 16.7% university qualification rate, which is 13.4 points below national. The unemployment rate is 5.0% and the participation rate is 54.6%, below national averages, partly because 325 residents are not in the labour force, including the non-working spouses and retirees common in rural-residential communities.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
585
Unemployed
26
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.5%
Part-time
27.9%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
559
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.7%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
10.9%
Dwellings
407
Transport to Work
Car dependency is nearly absolute in Minden: 91.8% of residents drive to work, higher than the national average, because public transport options are minimal in this semi-rural setting. Walking and cycling accounts for just 1.7% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the Minden boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Lockyer Valley suburbs. The volunteering rate of 13.5% indicates meaningful community participation relative to population size. Housing stress is low, with both the rent-to-income ratio (20.3%) and mortgage-to-income ratio (20.3%) below the 30% stress threshold, meaning residents are not financially stretched by housing costs. The 8.1% of residents needing daily assistance (94 people) is notable for a community of just 1,227, suggesting some older or disability-support households present.
Drive
77.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
16.2%
Growth Outlook
Minden has no published ABS population forecast data at the suburb level, but the community's structural indicators point to steady if slow growth. The turnover rate is 19.6%, meaning about one in five residents moved in the five years prior to the last Census, while 80.4% stayed, indicating a relatively stable base that is not rapidly cycling through new arrivals. The 13 development applications over the past 12 months include a secondary dwelling application, suggesting gradual intensification of existing lots rather than greenfield expansion. Household income at the 60.6th percentile nationally sits above the national median, which supports ongoing owner-occupier demand from families seeking affordable acreage living within commuting distance of Ipswich and Brisbane. New supply remains constrained at 22 square kilometres with a density of just 55.6 residents per square kilometre.
Population trend: Somerset council area
Minden sits in the Somerset council area. These are the council area's residents, not Minden's.
Residents 2025
26,936
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.6%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Minden compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Minden a good suburb to live in?
Minden suits families and owner-occupiers looking for large detached homes at accessible prices. Household income sits at the 60.6th percentile nationally, above median, and housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 20.3%. The trade-off is near-total car dependence, with 91.8% of residents driving to work, and limited local services in this 22-square-kilometre rural-residential area.
What is the median house price in Minden?
Weekly rent averages $350, and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3% is well below the 30% stress threshold, making Minden more affordable to carry than many south-east Queensland suburban markets.
What schools are in Minden?
No schools are recorded inside the Minden boundary in this dataset. Families in this 1,227-person community rely on schools in neighbouring Lockyer Valley suburbs. University qualifications in Minden reach 16.7% of residents, which is 13.4 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the area's trades and services employment base.
Is Minden safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Minden are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low with both rent-to-income and mortgage-to-income ratios at 20.3%, and 80.4% of residents stayed in the area over the five years prior to the last Census, suggesting a stable and settled community rather than a high-turnover area.
Is Minden good for property investment?
However, the rental pool is small, with only 11.2% of residents renting compared to national averages near 30%, and the 4.9% vacancy rate is elevated. Only 13 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is low.
How is Minden's population changing?
Minden's population is 1,227 residents with a turnover rate of 19.6% over the prior five years. The 80.4% of residents who stayed signals a stable base. With a median age of 37, which is 3 years below the national figure, and a strong family household composition, the suburb is demographically positioned for gradual owner-occupier driven growth rather than speculative turnover.
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).
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