Moorooka
Moorooka stands out for its combination of density, education and relatively strong household earnings. The suburb has 10,783 residents across 4.07 square kilometres, creating a density of 2,649.8 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, while 50.4% of residents have a university qualification, 20.3 percentage points above national levels. Overseas-born residents account for 26.1%, or 4.5 points above the national comparison. With 41.3% renting and 23.8% living in apartments, Moorooka has a more mixed housing profile than a detached-house-only market. For buyers comparing Moorooka with nearby Yeronga or Tarragindi, the suburb's dense, mixed-tenure setting is a central consideration.
Population
10,783
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,864/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Moorooka suits buyers who want established housing choice but need to assess each dwelling carefully, because a current median house price is unavailable. Separate houses make up 60.6% of homes, while apartments account for 23.8% and semi-detached dwellings 15.5%, creating more choice than a detached-only market. Three-bedroom homes are the largest group at 41.5%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 29.3%. The typical mortgage repayment is $2,000 per month, compared with weekly rent of $360. Mortgage costs equal 24.8% of household income and rent equals 19.3%, with neither measure flagged as stressed. A 41.3% renter share versus 22.3% outright ownership also points to a competitive, mixed-tenure market.
For Buyers
Moorooka suits buyers who want established housing choice but need to assess each dwelling carefully, because a current median house price is unavailable. Separate houses make up 60.6% of homes, while apartments account for 23.8% and semi-detached dwellings 15.5%, creating more choice than a detached-only market. Three-bedroom homes are the largest group at 41.5%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 29.3%. The typical mortgage repayment is $2,000 per month, compared with weekly rent of $360. Mortgage costs equal 24.8% of household income and rent equals 19.3%, with neither measure flagged as stressed. A 41.3% renter share versus 22.3% outright ownership also points to a competitive, mixed-tenure market.
For Investors
Moorooka has a substantial tenant base, with 41.3% of occupied dwellings rented compared with 22.3% owned outright. Weekly rent is $360 and vacancy is 6.9%, so investors should test achievable rent against competing properties rather than assume automatic rental scarcity. The suburb recorded 43 development applications in the latest 12 months, including subdivision and design-and-siting matters, which can gradually add competing stock or improve housing choice. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver and the annual growth trend is 0.93%, supporting ongoing demand without indicating a rapid expansion cycle. Compared with outright ownership, renting is higher by 19 percentage points, making tenant retention and dwelling condition important to returns. A current sale price is still needed to calculate yield or estimate capital requirements.
Development Activity
Total DAs
173
Last 12 Months
48
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+29.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Moorooka
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Brendan's Primary School (Moorooka)
Moorooka State School
Demographics
Moorooka has a median age of 36, which is 4 years below the national comparison, and a university qualification rate of 50.4%, 20.3 percentage points above the national figure. The overseas-born share is 26.1%, or 4.5 points higher than nationally, while average household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national level. English ancestry is recorded for 3,954 residents, followed by Other at 1,765, Irish at 1,618 and Scottish at 1,358. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 5,047 people, compared with 4,369 identifying with Christianity. Arabic and Punjabi each account for 47 residents, with Greek at 35. This younger, highly educated profile supports demand from professionals, couples and smaller households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.6%
Houses
15.5%
Townhouse
23.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Moorooka's housing stock is split between 60.6% separate houses, 23.8% apartments and 15.5% semi-detached dwellings, giving buyers more format choice than a predominantly detached suburb. Three-bedroom homes account for 41.5% of dwellings and two-bedroom homes 29.3%, while 20.7% have four or more bedrooms and 8.6% have zero or one bedroom. Renting at 41.3% is higher than outright ownership at 22.3%, with 35.6% paying a mortgage. The typical mortgage repayment is $2,000 per month and weekly rent is $360. Mortgage costs at 24.8% of household income are higher than rent at 19.3%, although neither is flagged as stressed. Vacancy is 6.9%, so property condition and exact location remain important when comparing homes.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $360.
$720
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $720 · units $570
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$973
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
328
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.2%
Couples with children
39.7%
Couples, no children
14.9%
Single parent
2,798
Total families
Economy & Employment
Moorooka's employment base is led by healthcare, with 902 workers or 19.8% of the industry mix, followed by education at 671 or 14.7%, professional and technical services at 562 or 12.3%, public administration at 457 or 10.0%, and construction at 294 or 6.5%. Professionals number 2,090, well above managers at 744 and trades workers at 644. Labour-force participation is 70.4%, unemployment is 4.7% and full-time employment is 60.2%, indicating a substantial working population. Household income sits at the 67.4 percentile, above the midpoint. SEIFA results are uneven: IEO is decile 8, while IER is decile 4; IRSD and IRSAD are both decile 7. The higher education and occupation ranking versus economic-resources decile suggests professional capacity coexists with housing and budget constraints.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
6,281
Unemployed
297
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.2%
Part-time
31.1%
Participation
70.4%
Employed
5,984
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.4%
Postgraduate
14.1%
Born Overseas
26.1%
Dwellings
4,438
Transport to Work
Moorooka's density of 2,649.8 people per square kilometre supports access to established services, but daily travel remains car-led: 59.5% drive, compared with 8.3% using public transport and 3.7% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 24.1%, which may support demand for two- and three-bedroom homes that can accommodate a study. Families have access to 2 local primary schools, with a government state school and a Catholic non-state school represented. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries and available places can vary. An IRSAD decile of 7 and IEO decile of 8 place Moorooka above the middle deciles for relative advantage and education or occupation. For safety decisions, review Queensland Police statistics for the latest 12 months and compare the specific street or precinct.
Drive
59.5%
Public Transport
8.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
24.1%
Population Forecast
+0.93%/yr
(+111 people/yr)
EstablishedMoorooka is classified as established, with an annual growth trend of 0.93% driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 8.4% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Stable, pointing to gradual rather than rapid expansion. Rents increased by 16.1%, and the affordability measure moved from 46.9 in 2011 to 37.0 in 2021, labelled Improving. Gentrification signals are mixed: the shift profile records a score of 39 at the Early signs stage, while the dedicated gentrification indicator records a score of 5 and labels Moorooka Not gentrifying. The latter score is lower than the early-signs measure, suggesting incremental change rather than a major repricing cycle. With 43 development applications in 12 months, growth is likely to arrive through ongoing infill and renewal.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+155
Net Internal / yr
-36
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +14% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Moorooka compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moorooka a good suburb to live in?
Moorooka can suit households seeking established services, mixed housing and access to Brisbane's southern employment areas. It has 10,783 residents, a median age of 36 and a university qualification rate of 50.4%, which is above the national comparison. Travel is car-led, with 59.5% driving and 8.3% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Moorooka?
A current median house price for Moorooka is unavailable. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by dwelling type, because 60.6% of homes are separate houses, 23.8% are apartments and 15.5% are semi-detached. Weekly rent is $360, which provides a separate reference point for the local housing market.
What schools are in Moorooka?
Moorooka has 2 local primary schools: Moorooka State School, a government state school, and St Brendan's Primary School, a Catholic non-state school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone and current places for each address. The suburb's average household size is 2.3 people, with both family and smaller households represented.
Is Moorooka safe?
Use Queensland Police's latest 12-month statistics and compare the exact street or precinct before deciding. Moorooka has 10,783 residents, and travel patterns vary, with 59.5% driving while 8.3% use public transport. Activity and conditions can therefore differ around major roads, shopping areas, schools and transit stops.
Is Moorooka good for property investment?
Moorooka has a sizeable tenant base, with 41.3% renting compared with 22.3% owning outright. Weekly rent is $360 and vacancy is 6.9%, while 43 development applications were recorded in the latest 12 months. Overseas migration is the main growth driver and the annual trend is 0.93%, but a sale price is needed to assess yield.
How is Moorooka's population changing?
Moorooka's current population is 10,783. The annual growth trend is 0.93%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 8.4% over 10 years and the trajectory is Stable, indicating gradual growth rather than a rapid expansion cycle. The suburb is classified as Not gentrifying.
What development is happening in Moorooka?
Moorooka recorded 43 development applications in the latest 12 months. Recent examples include subdivision of land and design-and-siting matters under Queensland development controls. This level of activity points to incremental infill and property renewal rather than a single large project. Buyers should check proposed works near any address.
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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