Nanango
With a median age of 53 and a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 1, Nanango sits at the lower end of the national advantage scale, yet it draws consistent internal migration of around 212 residents per year. The town of 3,679 people carries a household income in the 6.5th percentile nationally, yet 43% of residents own their home outright, meaning the affordability gap is bridgeable at a $278,000 median price. Healthcare and education together account for 38.5% of local employment, making the area more service-dependent than production-driven compared to the state average.
Population
3,679
Median Age
53.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$865/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$278K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $278,000 median house price, Nanango is well below QLD state median levels, reflecting its regional and income profile. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 88.7%, so buyers get space rather than density. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 48%, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 24.3%, giving families practical options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning ownership is more manageable here than in most QLD coastal markets. The 43% outright ownership rate is notably high, signalling long-term residents who have cleared their debt, not speculative buyers.
For Buyers
At a $278,000 median house price, Nanango is well below QLD state median levels, reflecting its regional and income profile. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 88.7%, so buyers get space rather than density. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 48%, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 24.3%, giving families practical options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning ownership is more manageable here than in most QLD coastal markets. The 43% outright ownership rate is notably high, signalling long-term residents who have cleared their debt, not speculative buyers.
For Investors
Nanango's rental market yields a $220 weekly median against a $278,000 median price, implying a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than most SEQ suburbs. However, the 9.9% vacancy rate is elevated, meaning landlords face real competition for tenants. The renter share of 33.2% provides a base pool, and net internal migration of 212 per year adds demand. Development activity is minimal at 0 applications in the past 12 months, so existing stock is not being diluted. Rent grew 17.9% over the measured period, outpacing real income growth of 6.6%, which supports further rent upside. Investors need to weigh yield potential against the high vacancy and a 10.0% unemployment rate that pressures rental affordability.
Schools in Nanango iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Patrick's Primary School
Prep-6 · 73 students
Nanango State School
Prep-6 · 334 students
Nanango State High School
7-12 · 488 students
Demographics
The median age of 53 is 13.0 years above the national figure, the clearest single fact about Nanango's population. The senior share rose 10.3 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 4.8 points, a pronounced aging trajectory compared to the state trend. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,601), Irish (414), Scottish (360) and German (271) lead, with overseas-born residents at 12.7%, which is 8.9 percentage points below the national rate. University qualifications reach only 13.6%, sitting 16.5 points below national, consistent with the regional and service-sector employment base. The average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, reflecting the older couples-without-children demographic: 36.5% of families are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.7%
Houses
0.9%
Townhouse
7.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses make up 88.7% of dwellings, well above the national average, and three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 48.0%. Tenure splits into 43.0% outright owners, 23.8% mortgage holders and 33.2% renters, an unusual configuration where outright owners nearly double mortgage holders. This reflects a long-settled, older population that has paid down debt rather than a market driven by new buyers. The $278,000 median is estimated from rental data, so price-tracking precision is limited. The rent-to-income ratio of 25.4% is below the 30% stress threshold, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7% is similarly contained. The 9.9% vacancy rate is the main housing market risk, sitting above typical healthy-market thresholds.
Mortgage / mo
$1,000
Rent / wk
$220
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$472
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.9%
Unoccupied
166
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.5%
Couples, no children
2,464
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare (19.7%, 109 workers) and Education (18.8%, 104 workers) together employ more than a third of local residents, a pattern common in regional service towns where public-sector jobs anchor the economy. Construction, Retail and Public Administration each contribute 7.4%. The occupation mix leans toward Labourers (199), Professionals (155) and Community/Personal Services (137). The unemployment rate of 10.0% is high relative to state and national levels, and the participation rate of 33.8% is low, meaning a large share of the 1,686 residents not in the labour force are retirees rather than discouraged workers. SEIFA scores place Nanango at decile 1 on IRSAD, IRSD and IEO, ranking it in the bottom 10% nationally on education, occupation and socio-economic disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
8.0%
Labour Force
4,259
Unemployed
341
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
33.0%
Participation
33.8%
Employed
949
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.6%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
1,500
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 82.6% of commuters driving, compared to a national urban average well above 70%, though the 9.4% walk or cycle share is reasonable for a low-density regional town. Public transport usage at 1.6% reflects the limited network typical of inland Queensland. No schools are recorded inside the Nanango suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in the surrounding South Burnett area. The IRSAD decile 1 ranking places Nanango in the most disadvantaged tier nationally, and 14.5% of residents (481 people) need daily assistance, higher than average. The volunteering rate of 15.7% signals an engaged community despite those challenges. Rent stress at 25.4% and mortgage stress at 26.7% are both below the 30% threshold, meaning housing costs are not the primary pressure on households.
Drive
82.6%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
9.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.91%/yr
(+99 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 0.91% per year, adding roughly 99 people annually, and the 10-year change was 6.3%. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population reaching about 11,263 by 2031 from the current 10,843. Internal migration is the primary driver at a net 212 per year, while overseas migration contributes only 16 per year, a ratio that differs sharply from coastal QLD towns. The gentrification score of 44 is rated Active, with signals including a 13% population rise since 2011 and the internal migration rate accelerating from 2% to 11%. Affordability improved from 55.1% in 2011 to 49.6% in 2021, making entry more accessible than a decade ago and supporting continued interest from lifestyle-change movers.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+16
Net Internal / yr
+212
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal migration +212/yr, Accelerating: 2% → 11%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Nanango compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nanango a good suburb to live in?
Nanango offers affordable housing at a $278,000 median, with 43% of residents owning their home outright and housing-cost-to-income ratios below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-offs are a SEIFA IRSAD decile 1 ranking, placing it in the bottom 10% nationally, a 10.0% unemployment rate, and a 9.9% rental vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Nanango?
The median house price is estimated at $278,000, with weekly rent at $220 implying a gross yield near 4.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7% is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Nanango?
No schools are recorded inside the Nanango suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the area rely on schools in the broader South Burnett region. Locally, 13.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 16.5 percentage points below the national average.
Is Nanango safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Nanango in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSD decile 1, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, and 14.5% of its 3,679 residents require daily assistance. The high unemployment rate of 10.0% is a background factor relevant to community safety assessments.
Is Nanango good for property investment?
Rental yield is attractive at roughly 4.1% gross based on $220 weekly rent against a $278,000 median, and rent grew 17.9% over the measured period. However, the 9.9% vacancy rate is elevated compared to healthy-market levels, and the 10.0% unemployment rate limits tenant pool depth. Internal migration of 212 per year supports demand modestly.
How is Nanango's population changing?
Population is growing at 0.91% per year, adding about 99 people annually. Internal migration is the main driver at a net 212 residents per year. The SA2 population has grown 6.3% over 10 years and medium forecasts project it reaching around 11,263 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share rising 10.3 points over the decade.
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.
Explore Nanango on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map