Murgon
At a median age of 48, Murgon's population is 8 years older than the national figure, which is the most striking demographic fact about this South Burnett town of 2,220 residents. Household income sits at the 12.4th percentile nationally, placing it firmly among Australia's lower-income markets, yet median house prices of $262,000 remain well below the national average, making ownership accessible: 41.8% of households own their home outright compared to the national average of roughly 31%. Healthcare and education together account for nearly half of all local employment at 49.1%, anchoring the economy in government-funded services rather than private-sector growth.
Population
2,220
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$984/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$262K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $262,000 is well below the Queensland median, and 94.2% of dwellings are separate houses, so buyers get a detached home rather than an apartment. Mortgage repayments average $867 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3% sits below the stress threshold of 30%, giving buyers comfortable serviceability despite incomes in the 12.4th percentile nationally. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.3% of stock and four-plus bedroom at 22.8%, meaning family-sized housing is the norm. With 41.8% of homes owned outright, a significant share has no mortgage at all, indicating long-term owner stability rather than speculative buying. Buyers seeking affordable regional Queensland entry points will find pricing well below coastal alternatives.
For Buyers
The median house price of $262,000 is well below the Queensland median, and 94.2% of dwellings are separate houses, so buyers get a detached home rather than an apartment. Mortgage repayments average $867 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3% sits below the stress threshold of 30%, giving buyers comfortable serviceability despite incomes in the 12.4th percentile nationally. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.3% of stock and four-plus bedroom at 22.8%, meaning family-sized housing is the norm. With 41.8% of homes owned outright, a significant share has no mortgage at all, indicating long-term owner stability rather than speculative buying. Buyers seeking affordable regional Queensland entry points will find pricing well below coastal alternatives.
For Investors
The rental market here requires careful evaluation. Weekly rent of $220 against a $262,000 median implies a gross yield of around 4.4%, higher than many coastal suburbs and above the national average for established markets. However, the 13.4% vacancy rate is elevated and signals soft demand, with 32.8% of dwellings rented. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, confirming this is not a growth market. The high vacancy rate, combined with household incomes in the 12.4th percentile nationally, points to constrained tenant affordability. Investors drawn by yield need to weigh the high vacancy carefully, as low turnover (75.3% of residents stayed in the same address) suggests the rental pool is relatively static.
Schools in Murgon iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Murgon State School
Prep-6 · 108 students
Murgon State High School
7-12 · 318 students
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 105 students
Demographics
English ancestry leads at 821 residents, followed by German (270) and Irish (189), reflecting a deeply Anglo-Celtic heritage profile. The overseas-born share of 9.8% is 11.8 percentage points below the national figure, making Murgon one of the more culturally homogenous regional towns in Queensland. University qualifications at 13.9% run 16.2 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a town where manual trades, community services, and government employment dominate over professional careers. The median age of 48 is 8 years above national, and the average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below national, both consistent with an aging population where children have moved away and couples remain. Volunteering reaches 19.3% of the population, reflecting strong community participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.2%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
5.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure patterns reveal a high degree of outright ownership: 41.8% own with no mortgage, 25.4% carry a mortgage, and 32.8% rent, which compares to a national renting share closer to 30%. The stock is 94.2% separate houses, with apartments at only 5.1%, so the housing market is essentially a detached-home market. Bedroom distribution concentrates at 3 bedrooms (57.3%) and 4-plus (22.8%), with 2-bedroom homes at 17.4%. At a $262,000 median price well below the Queensland average, the price-to-income ratio is more manageable than coastal markets. Rent-to-income at 22.4% stays below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting tenants are not under significant financial pressure relative to their incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$867
Rent / wk
$220
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$546
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.4%
Unoccupied
133
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.7%
Couples, no children
1,532
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 27.9% of the local workforce (112 workers) and Education adds 21.2% (85 workers), together making public-sector services the dominant economic driver. Public Administration accounts for a further 9.5% (38 workers). The unemployment rate of 6.5% is higher than the national average, and the labour force participation rate of 39.9% is low, reflecting both the aging population and the concentration of working-age residents in part-time roles (251 part-time versus 425 full-time workers). Community and Personal Service occupations lead at 153 workers, followed by Labourers (121) and Professionals (101). Weekly household income of $984 places Murgon well below the Queensland median, consistent with the service-industry employment base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.9%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
39.9%
Employed
676
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.9%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
860
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 87.1% of residents drive to work, while only 0.7% use public transport, far below the national average of around 10%, reflecting the absence of rail links and the distances typical of South Burnett. Walking and cycling accounts for 7.2%, which is reasonable for a regional town. The 13.3% of residents needing assistance (267 people) is above the national average, consistent with the aging population and lower socioeconomic profile. Housing stress indicators are positive: rent-to-income at 22.4% and mortgage-to-income at 20.3% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, meaning residents are not paying excessive proportions of income on housing compared to income levels.
Drive
87.1%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
7.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Murgon compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Murgon a good suburb to live in?
Murgon offers affordable housing at a $262,000 median well below the Queensland average, with mortgage costs at 20.3% of income, below the 30% stress threshold. The town's economy is anchored in healthcare and education, providing stable employment for 49.1% of local workers. The trade-offs are limited public transport (0.7% use it), a 6.5% unemployment rate above national, and household incomes in the 12.4th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Murgon?
The median house price in Murgon is $262,000, well below the Queensland median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867 and weekly rent averages $220. With 94.2% of dwellings being separate houses, buyers get detached housing at prices significantly lower than coastal Queensland markets.
What schools are in Murgon?
No schools are recorded in this dataset for Murgon. However, as the main service centre of the South Burnett region, Murgon is known to have local schooling options typical of a regional town of 2,220 residents. University qualification rates locally are 13.9%, which is 16.2 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Murgon safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available in this dataset for Murgon. As an indirect indicator, 13.3% of residents (267 people) need daily assistance, above the national average, reflecting the aging population with a median age of 48, which is 8 years above national. The town's reliance on community and healthcare services (27.9% of employment) indicates a strong care network.
Is Murgon good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $220 against a $262,000 median implies a gross yield of about 4.4%, higher than many coastal markets. However, the 13.4% vacancy rate is elevated, signalling soft rental demand. No development applications were recorded in 12 months, and household incomes sit in the 12.4th percentile nationally, limiting tenant affordability and capital growth prospects.
How is Murgon's population changing?
Murgon's 2,220 residents show a stable but aging profile: the median age of 48 is 8 years above the national figure, and 75.3% of residents remained at the same address, indicating low in-migration. With no development applications in 12 months and employment concentrated in healthcare and education, population growth is limited. The aging base creates structural pressure on natural population levels.
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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