Mooroobool
At 7,136 residents across 4.6 sq km, Mooroobool combines a 77.2% separate-house share with an aging trajectory and household incomes at the 46.7th percentile nationally. Its median age of 41 is 1 year above the national figure, while 26.6% were born overseas, 5.0 percentage points above the national comparison. Compared with nearby Earlville's more mixed housing feel, Mooroobool has a more detached, established profile. That mix suits buyers seeking conventional homes, but growth is measured at 0.7% annually.
Population
7,136
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,495/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
With no current median house price available, buyers need address-level sales evidence rather than a suburb-wide benchmark. The housing stock is mostly separate houses at 77.2%, with 15.8% semi-detached and 7.0% apartments; 78.6% of dwellings have 3 or 4-plus bedrooms, supporting family demand. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,517 and mortgage costs equal 23.4% of household income, higher than the 22.1% rent-to-income share. Compared with nearby Earlville's more mixed housing feel, Mooroobool offers a clearer detached-home focus.
For Buyers
With no current median house price available, buyers need address-level sales evidence rather than a suburb-wide benchmark. The housing stock is mostly separate houses at 77.2%, with 15.8% semi-detached and 7.0% apartments; 78.6% of dwellings have 3 or 4-plus bedrooms, supporting family demand. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,517 and mortgage costs equal 23.4% of household income, higher than the 22.1% rent-to-income share. Compared with nearby Earlville's more mixed housing feel, Mooroobool offers a clearer detached-home focus.
For Investors
Mooroobool has a meaningful rental base: 32.9% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 34.7% mortgaged and 31.4% owned outright. Weekly rent is $330 and vacancy is 8.2%, a combination that may require sharper property selection because available stock can be more plentiful than in tighter markets. The development pipeline records 8 applications over 12 months, including a 4-dwelling multiple dwelling proposal and a dual-occupancy application. Annual growth is 0.7%, below the 27.8% rent-growth rate, making yield and maintenance discipline more important than relying on rapid price uplift.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
9
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 Mooroobool
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Balaclava State School
Demographics
Mooroobool's 41 median age is 1 year above the national comparison, and its aging trajectory is reinforced by a 7.1 percentage-point rise in the senior share and a 4.6-point fall in the young share. University attainment is 26.5%, 3.6 points below the national comparison, while overseas-born residents account for 26.6%, 5.0 points above it. English ancestry counts 2,086, with Irish at 652 and Scottish at 582. Christianity records 3,390 people versus 2,573 reporting no religion. Compared with younger inner Cairns areas such as Manunda, Mooroobool presents an older household profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.2%
Houses
15.8%
Townhouse
7.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached homes shape Mooroobool: 77.2% of dwellings are separate houses, versus 15.8% semi-detached and 7.0% apartments. 3-bedroom homes account for 44.2%, while 4-plus-bedroom stock contributes 34.4%, so larger formats dominate over 0-1 bedroom dwellings at 2.8%. Tenure is relatively balanced, with 31.4% owned outright, 34.7% mortgaged and 32.9% rented. The 23.4% mortgage-to-income ratio is higher than the 22.1% rent ratio, but neither stress flag is active. Compared with nearby Earlville, Mooroobool's housing profile is more clearly oriented to detached family homes, although the 8.2% vacancy rate gives renters more choice than a tightly supplied market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $330.
$680
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $680 · units $510
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$734
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
229
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.6%
Couples with children
38.3%
Couples, no children
22.9%
Single parent
1,848
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Mooroobool's largest listed industry, employing 505 people or 23.8%, followed by Education at 226 or 10.7%, Construction at 187 or 8.8%, Public Administration at 160 or 7.6%, and Hospitality at 158 or 7.5%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 633, ahead of Community/Personal at 489 and Trades at 449. Labour-force participation is 59.9%, unemployment is 6.3%, and household income sits at the 46.7th percentile, below the midpoint of the national distribution. With 58.4% of workers full time and 14.2% working from home, the economy combines essential services with trade and administrative roles rather than a single dominant employer.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
3,469
Unemployed
219
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
35.3%
Participation
59.9%
Employed
3,250
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
26.6%
Dwellings
2,563
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 74.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.9% using public transport and 2.7% walking or cycling; 14.2% work from home. One local school, Balaclava State School, is in the government sector, so families should check enrolment zones and nearby options against the exact address rather than assume access. The suburb records 16.4% volunteering and an average household size of 2.5, supporting a settled community pattern. SEIFA places relative disadvantage at the 3rd IRSAD decile and advantage/disadvantage at the 4th, below the 5th IER decile. Use current local police information for safety checks, since a suburb crime rate is not provided. Compared with a walkable inner suburb, Mooroobool requires more reliance on a car.
Drive
74.0%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
14.2%
Population Forecast
+0.7%/yr
(+73 people/yr)
EstablishedThe established-area outlook points to annual growth of 0.7%, driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 8.6% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 7.1 percentage points and the young share down 4.6 points. Rent growth of 27.8% outpaced real income growth, which fell 2.8%, worsening affordability from 41.3% in 2011 to 44.1% in 2021. Gentrification signals are limited: the current stage is Not gentrifying with a score of 0, although an earlier-shift indicator records 24 and Early signs. Compared with a rapid-growth suburb, Mooroobool is changing gradually because demographic aging tempers demand.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+84
Net Internal / yr
-48
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mooroobool compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mooroobool a good suburb to live in?
Yes, it can suit households wanting detached housing and a settled setting. Mooroobool has 7,136 residents, 77.2% separate houses and a 74.0% car-driver share. Its IRSAD decile is 4, below the 5th IER decile, so buyers should weigh local services, transport and budget rather than assume the profile matches every Cairns suburb.
What is the median house price in Mooroobool?
A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare recent sales by street, land size and condition rather than rely on a single suburb figure. Weekly rent is $330, and 77.2% of dwellings are separate houses. Mortgage-to-income is 23.4%, higher than rent-to-income at 22.1%.
What schools are in Mooroobool?
Balaclava State School is the local school identified, and it is a government school. Families should confirm the exact catchment and nearby choices before buying, because enrolment boundaries can differ by address. Mooroobool records 7,136 residents and an average household size of 2.5, while 36.6% of families are couples with children, a higher share than one-parent families at 22.9%.
Is Mooroobool safe?
No suburb crime rate is provided, so a definite safe or unsafe rating would be misleading. Check current Queensland Police information for the exact streets and recent incidents. Mooroobool has 7,136 residents and 8.2% report a need for assistance, compared with 6.3% unemployment; those figures describe community conditions, not crime risk.
Is Mooroobool good for property investment?
It may suit an income-focused strategy, but the numbers call for caution. Rent is $330 a week, vacancy is 8.2%, and 32.9% of dwellings are rented, below the 34.7% mortgage share. Only 8 development applications were recorded over 12 months, while annual growth is 0.7%, lower than rent growth of 27.8%. Compare yield, insurance, flood exposure and maintenance costs before committing.
How is Mooroobool's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 8.6% over 10 years, while the annual growth trend is 0.7%. Mooroobool is on an Aging trajectory: the senior share rose 7.1 percentage points and the young share fell 4.6 points. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, so change is likely to be gradual and lower than the pace of a high-growth expansion area.
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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