Mossman
At a median house price of $334,000 and a household income in just the 25th percentile nationally, Mossman is one of Queensland's most affordable towns, but that affordability carries a cost in labour market depth. A 6.8% unemployment rate sits above the national average, and the participation rate of 48.3% means more than half the resident population is outside the workforce. The 8.5% vacancy rate, well above typical coastal Queensland levels, signals soft rental demand relative to supply. Where Mossman stands out is owner-occupier stability: 32.9% own their home outright, and 73.9% of residents did not move in the previous five years, pointing to a settled population that chose to stay.
Population
1,935
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,197/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$334K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $334,000 median house price sits far below the Queensland state median, making Mossman one of the more accessible entry points in the Far North region. Mortgage repayments average $1,300 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.1% stays below the 30% stress threshold, giving buyers meaningful budget headroom compared to southeast Queensland markets. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 82.7%, with apartments at just 9.6% and semi-detached at 6.2%. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 46.1% of homes and four-or-more-bedroom homes account for 25.0%, so families will find plenty of space. Outright ownership at 32.9% and mortgage holders at 26.0% together exceed the 41.0% renter share, indicating a community where most households have long-term ownership equity.
For Buyers
The $334,000 median house price sits far below the Queensland state median, making Mossman one of the more accessible entry points in the Far North region. Mortgage repayments average $1,300 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.1% stays below the 30% stress threshold, giving buyers meaningful budget headroom compared to southeast Queensland markets. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 82.7%, with apartments at just 9.6% and semi-detached at 6.2%. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 46.1% of homes and four-or-more-bedroom homes account for 25.0%, so families will find plenty of space. Outright ownership at 32.9% and mortgage holders at 26.0% together exceed the 41.0% renter share, indicating a community where most households have long-term ownership equity.
For Investors
A 41.0% renter share is relatively high for a small regional town, providing a steady tenant pool for landlords. Weekly rent of $250 against a $334,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%, which is modest but meaningfully higher than most southeast Queensland metro markets. The 8.5% vacancy rate is the key risk: it is elevated compared to the Queensland state average and suggests supply exceeds demand at current rent levels. There were no development applications recorded in the past 12 months, so no new supply is adding pressure. The small population of 1,935 means any demand shift, positive or negative, has an outsized effect on vacancy and rent. Investors should weigh the accessible entry price against the thin and somewhat stagnant local employment base.
Schools in Mossman iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Augustine's School
Prep-6 · 109 students
Mossman State High School
7-12 · 553 students
Mossman State School
Prep-6 · 321 students
Demographics
With a median age of 43, Mossman residents are 3 years older than the national average, reflecting the retirement and semi-retirement appeal typical of rural Queensland coastal towns. Overseas-born residents at 14.3% are 7.3 percentage points below the national figure, making this a predominantly Australian-born community with ancestry led by English (644), Irish (180) and Scottish (156). University qualifications at 14.8% sit 15.3 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce concentrated in community services, manual labour and hospitality rather than professional roles. Average household size of 2.4 is marginally below the national figure. Volunteering is strong at 19.2% of residents, and 7.4% of the population require daily assistance, a share that reflects the older age profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.7%
Houses
6.2%
Townhouse
9.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Mossman's housing stock is almost entirely separate houses, which make up 82.7% of dwellings, well above the national average. The three-bedroom house dominates at 46.1%, followed by four-or-more bedrooms at 25.0%, and two-bedroom dwellings at 24.1%. Tenure splits to 32.9% owned outright, 26.0% with a mortgage, and 41.0% renting. The high outright ownership share points to long-held properties and an older resident base rather than recent investment churn. Rent of $250 per week keeps rent-to-income at 20.9%, below the 30% stress level, so the renter population is not financially squeezed. The 8.5% vacancy rate, however, suggests that some portion of the rental stock sits empty at any given time.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$625
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
66
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.1%
Couples, no children
1,380
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 15.0% of workers, followed closely by Education at 13.6%, Hospitality at 11.0%, Retail at 10.5% and Construction at 9.2%. The top occupations are Community and Personal Services (119 workers) and Labourers (113), with Professionals at just 87, which aligns with university qualification rates that are 15.3 points below the national average. Full-time employment captures 58.7% of employed residents, and 283 work part-time. The unemployment rate of 6.8% is above the national rate, and the participation rate of 48.3% is low, with 564 people not in the labour force. Weekly personal income of $625 and household income in the 25th percentile nationally reflect the predominantly service and trade-sector wage base rather than professional salaries.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.7%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
48.3%
Employed
686
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.8%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
14.3%
Dwellings
705
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high, with 77.6% of workers driving to work, typical for a rural town without regular public transport. A notably 13.0% walk or cycle to work, a high share for a regional centre, reflecting the compact town layout across 12.06 square kilometres. No schools are recorded inside the Mossman suburb boundary in this dataset, though Douglas Shire services the broader area. The 6.8% unemployment rate is above the national average, and SEIFA decile data are not available for comparison. Rent-to-income of 20.9% and mortgage-to-income of 25.1% both sit below stress thresholds, so housing costs do not weigh heavily on most residents. The volunteering rate of 19.2% indicates meaningful community participation, with 19.2% of residents contributing unpaid work.
Drive
77.6%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
13.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mossman compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mossman a good suburb to live in?
Mossman suits residents who value low housing costs and a stable community. The median house price of $334,000 is well below the Queensland state median, and mortgage-to-income sits at 25.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-off is a 6.8% unemployment rate above the national average and limited professional employment options locally.
What is the median house price in Mossman?
The median house price is $334,000 (estimated from 2025 rental data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.1%. Weekly rent averages $250, giving a rent-to-income ratio of 20.9% for the 41.0% of residents who rent.
What schools are in Mossman?
No schools are recorded inside the Mossman suburb boundary in this dataset. The broader Douglas Shire area services families in the region. University qualification rates in Mossman stand at 14.8%, which is 15.3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a workforce concentrated in trades and services.
Is Mossman safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Mossman in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 20.9% and mortgage-to-income at 25.1%, both below financial stress thresholds. The high residential stability rate of 73.9% of residents staying over five years suggests a settled community.
Is Mossman good for property investment?
At a $334,000 median and weekly rent of $250, the gross yield is approximately 3.9%, higher than southeast Queensland metro markets. However, the 8.5% vacancy rate is elevated compared to state averages, signalling soft rental demand. A 41.0% renter share provides a tenant base, but the thin local economy limits capital growth drivers.
How is Mossman's population changing?
The current population is 1,935 across 12.06 square kilometres, giving a density of 160 people per square kilometre. Residential stability is high, with 73.9% of residents not moving over the five-year census period. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, indicating a static supply environment with limited new household formation.
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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