QLD 4503 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Murrumba Downs

Rapid growth is the standout signal in Murrumba Downs: a 10,795 person suburb with a forecast annual growth rate of 3.7% and a housing base still led by detached homes. Compared with nearby Kallangur, Griffin and North Lakes, its key distinction is the 73.6% separate house share paired with a mortgage belt profile, with 43.6% of dwellings under mortgage. Household income sits at the 65.9 percentile, above the national middle, while the median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure. That mix points to family demand because larger homes and commuting access remain central to local appeal.

Murrumba Downs urban fabric map

Population

10,795

Median Age

39.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,827/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

16

Median House

$480K

Estimated from rent (2025)

6.44 km²· 1,675.2 people/km²· Family income $2,138/wk

Homebuyers are mainly looking at a house and townhouse market rather than apartments, because 73.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 26.4% are semi detached and only 0.1% are apartments. With no current median house price available, affordability is best read through repayments: the median mortgage is $1,863 per month and mortgage costs take 23.5% of income, below common stress thresholds. Space is a major draw, with 55.5% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the 35.3% with 3 bedrooms. The 43.6% mortgage share also shows active upgrader and family buyer demand.

For Buyers

Homebuyers are mainly looking at a house and townhouse market rather than apartments, because 73.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 26.4% are semi detached and only 0.1% are apartments. With no current median house price available, affordability is best read through repayments: the median mortgage is $1,863 per month and mortgage costs take 23.5% of income, below common stress thresholds. Space is a major draw, with 55.5% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the 35.3% with 3 bedrooms. The 43.6% mortgage share also shows active upgrader and family buyer demand.

For Investors

For investors, Murrumba Downs is more income and growth led than yield scarce prestige buying. Renters make up 28.1% of households, lower than the 43.6% under mortgage, so the tenant pool is meaningful but not dominant. Median rent is $360 per week and vacancy is 4.2%, which is higher than a very tight rental market and means pricing needs discipline. Demand is supported because the forecast points to 3.7% annual growth, 323 net internal migrants a year and 237 net overseas migrants a year. Development activity is moderate, with 13 applications in 12 months rather than a large apartment pipeline.

Development Activity

Total DAs

31

Last 12 Months

16

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+23.1%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Change of Use
9
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
4
Garage / Carport / Shed
3
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
2
Subdivision
2
Other
2
Electrician
2
Signage / Advertising
1

Schools in Murrumba Downs iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Living Faith Lutheran Primary School

ICSEA 1080 Primary Independent

Prep-6 · 567 students

Undurba State School

ICSEA 1012 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 919 students

Murrumba State Secondary College

ICSEA 1001 Secondary Government

7-12 · 1682 students

Demographics

Murrumba Downs skews slightly younger and more family based than the national profile. The median age is 39, which is 1 year below the national benchmark, and average household size is 2.7, sitting 0.2 above the national figure. Overseas born residents are 23.9%, 2.3 percentage points above national, while university attainment is 27.2%, 2.9 points below national. English ancestry is the largest group at 4,505 people, followed by Scottish at 1,135 and Irish at 1,103. Punjabi, Hindi and Afrikaans speakers add smaller migrant layers, because internal and overseas movement both feed population growth.

Age Distribution

0-14
20.3%
15-24
12.2%
25-44
24.9%
45-64
25.5%
65+
17.1%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
1.4%
2 bed
7.8%
3 bed
35.3%
4+ bed
55.5%

Dwelling Structure

73.6%

Houses

26.4%

Townhouse

0.1%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 28.3% Mortgage 43.6% Rent 28.1%

The housing structure is strongly owner occupier and family sized. Outright owners are 28.3%, mortgage holders are higher at 43.6%, and renters are 28.1%, so ownership still outweighs renting. A published median house price is not available, but household pressure looks contained: rent takes 19.7% of income and mortgages take 23.5%, both below common stress levels. The bedroom profile explains the family pull, with 55.5% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and 35.3% having 3. Apartments are almost absent at 0.1%, meaning supply is less flexible than in denser centres.

Mortgage / mo

$1,863

Rent / wk

$360

HH Size

2.7

Personal Income / wk

$857

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

4.2%

Unoccupied

174

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

19.7%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.5%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Punjabi
68
Hindi
62
Afrikaans
46
Mandarin
31
Samoan
22
Arabic
17

Ancestry

English
4,505
Scottish
1,135
Irish
1,103
Other
1,088
German
634
Ancestry NS
369

Household Composition

25.3%

Couples, no children

9,198

Total families

Economy & Employment

Local workers are tied to stable service sectors, with healthcare the largest industry at 19.1%, ahead of education at 11.6%, construction at 10.1%, retail at 8.4% and public admin at 8.1%. Professionals are the biggest occupation group at 1,004 people, followed by clerical and admin workers at 825 and managers at 719. Employment is relatively steady, with unemployment at 4.8% and a 66.6% full time rate. SEIFA is middle to upper middle: IEO decile 5 is lower than IER decile 7, while IRSD and IRSAD are both decile 6, suggesting resources are stronger than education and occupation scores alone imply.

Unemployment

4.2%

Labour Force

16,435

Unemployed

684

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
6
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
7
Education & occupation
5

Full-time

66.6%

Part-time

28.6%

Participation

59.7%

Employed

4,890

Occupations

Professionals 1,004
Clerical/Admin 825
Managers 719
Community/Personal 698
Sales 551
Labourers 463
Machinery/Drivers 352

Top Industries

Healthcare 19.1%
Education 11.6%
Construction 10.1%
Retail 8.4%
Public Admin 8.1%

University

27.2%

Postgraduate

5.1%

Born Overseas

23.9%

Dwellings

3,912

Transport to Work

Livability is car oriented and school anchored. Car drivers account for 87.5% of commuting, far higher than the 4.8% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling, so daily convenience depends heavily on road access. The suburb has 3 schools with ICSEA scores from 1001 to 1080: Living Faith Lutheran Primary is the highest at 1080 with 567 students, while Murrumba State Secondary College has scale with 1,682 enrolments. The Government and Independent mix gives families choice, and IRSAD decile 6 sits above the national middle, supporting a solid but not elite amenity profile.

Drive

87.5%

Public Transport

4.8%

Walk / Cycle

1.3%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+3.7%/yr

(+1,004 people/yr)

Established

Growth is the clearest forward signal. The forecast trend is 3.7% a year, or about 1,004 additional people annually, with the medium population path rising to 33,470 by 2031. Internal migration is the primary driver at 323 net people a year, higher than the 237 net overseas migrants a year, so demand is strongly linked to households moving within Australia for family housing. The shift record shows 96.4% population growth over 10 years and 8.6% rent growth, while the gentrification score is 0 and stage is New development. That means change is more about expansion than prestige reinvention.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Internal Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+237

Net Internal / yr

+323

0

Gentrification Signal

New development

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Murrumba Downs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 4%
Household Income
Top 34%
Rent Level
Top 24%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Top 32%
Uni Educated
Top 41%
Public Transport
Top 36%
Born Overseas
Top 22%
Density
Top 10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Murrumba Downs a good suburb to live in?

Yes for buyers wanting family scale and growth. The suburb has 73.6% separate houses, 55.5% of homes with 4 or more bedrooms and household income at the 65.9 percentile, above the national middle.

What is the median house price in Murrumba Downs?

A current median house price is not available. Affordability can still be read through the $1,863 median monthly mortgage, with mortgage costs at 23.5% of income and rent at 19.7%.

What schools are in Murrumba Downs?

There are 3 local schools: Living Faith Lutheran Primary with ICSEA 1080 and 567 students, Undurba State School with ICSEA 1012 and 919 students, and Murrumba State Secondary College with ICSEA 1001 and 1,682 students.

Is Murrumba Downs safe?

A suburb level crime rate is not available. Broader context is moderate, with IRSD and IRSAD both in decile 6 and 87.5% of commuters driving, so buyers should still check street by street conditions.

Is Murrumba Downs good for property investment?

It suits investors seeking population led demand rather than a very tight vacancy play. Renters are 28.1%, median rent is $360 per week, vacancy is 4.2% and forecast growth is 3.7% a year.

How is Murrumba Downs's population changing?

The growth outlook is strong. The forecast adds about 1,004 people a year at 3.7%, with the medium path reaching 33,470 by 2031 and internal migration adding 323 net people annually.

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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