Norman Gardens
Norman Gardens stands out for its 10,534 residents, 86.9% separate-house share and an aging trajectory rather than a rapid churn story. The median age is 37, which is 3 years below the national figure, while household income sits at the 62.3rd percentile nationally. A 51.4% share of homes with 4 or more bedrooms supports family occupancy, and 73.1% of residents stayed at the same address. Compared with nearby Frenchville and North Rockhampton, the suburb gives buyers a clear detached-home benchmark, but its 83.6% car-driver share makes daily access more road dependent.
Population
10,534
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,770/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Homebuyers in Norman Gardens are choosing a detached, family-sized market rather than a compact apartment setting. Separate houses account for 86.9% of dwellings, while 51.4% have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.7% have 3 bedrooms. That mix supports families needing space, although the 83.6% car-driver share means transport costs and school runs matter more than in a public-transport-led suburb. The recorded mortgage figure is $1,625 per month, with mortgage-to-income at 21.2%, higher than the 16.9% rent-to-income measure. Compared with Frenchville and North Rockhampton, the suburb offers a clear benchmark for detached-house buyers, but address-level sales evidence is essential because no median house price is stated.
For Buyers
Homebuyers in Norman Gardens are choosing a detached, family-sized market rather than a compact apartment setting. Separate houses account for 86.9% of dwellings, while 51.4% have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.7% have 3 bedrooms. That mix supports families needing space, although the 83.6% car-driver share means transport costs and school runs matter more than in a public-transport-led suburb. The recorded mortgage figure is $1,625 per month, with mortgage-to-income at 21.2%, higher than the 16.9% rent-to-income measure. Compared with Frenchville and North Rockhampton, the suburb offers a clear benchmark for detached-house buyers, but address-level sales evidence is essential because no median house price is stated.
For Investors
Investors get a mixed rental signal. Renting accounts for 28.8% of households and weekly rent is $300, creating a meaningful tenant base, while the 6.5% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market and calls for conservative occupancy assumptions. Rent growth of 20.0% supports the income story, but that gain should be weighed against the absence of a current median sale price for yield calculations. Development activity is modest at 8 applications across 12 months, including a dual-occupancy plan for 2 dwellings, so near-term competing supply appears limited. Migration is classified as Balanced, which is steadier than a strongly inward-driven market but less of a demand catalyst.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Norman Gardens
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lighthouse Christian School (Norman Gardens)
Demographics
Norman Gardens has a median age of 37, 3 years below the national figure, and a university-qualified share of 29.4%, 0.7 percentage points below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 16.9%, 4.7 points below the national share, while average household size is 2.6, or 0.1 above the national measure. English ancestry leads at 3,854 people, followed by Other at 1,043, Irish at 1,012 and Scottish at 838. Christianity counts 5,776 residents and no religion 3,266, with Hinduism at 316. The 73.1% same-address share indicates more stability than a high-turnover area because established households are less mobile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.9%
Houses
11.0%
Townhouse
1.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Norman Gardens is structurally detached: separate houses represent 86.9% of dwellings, versus 11.0% semi-detached homes and 1.9% apartments. Bedroom supply is similarly family weighted, with 51.4% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms compared with 37.7% containing 3 bedrooms. Tenure is split between 32.8% owned outright, 37.3% mortgaged and 28.8% rented, so the suburb combines a substantial owner base with a sizeable tenant pool. Mortgage-to-income is 21.2% and rent-to-income is 16.9%, with both stress flags inactive, suggesting current housing costs are lower than a heavily pressured profile. Vacancy is 6.5%, higher than a tightly occupied market. For comparisons with Frenchville or North Rockhampton, lot size, condition and renovation status will matter more than a single suburb-wide price statistic.
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $300.
$550
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $550 · units $380
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$836
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.5%
Unoccupied
260
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.7%
Couples with children
38.3%
Couples, no children
16.3%
Single parent
2,847
Total families
Economy & Employment
Norman Gardens has a service-led employment base. Healthcare is the largest industry at 24.3% with 792 workers, followed by Education at 16.0% and 520 workers, Public Administration at 8.5% and 276, Construction at 6.2% and 201, and Utilities at 5.3% and 174. This concentration supports demand from health, education and government households, while occupations span 1,027 Professionals, 788 Community/Personal workers, 704 Trades, 689 Clerical/Admin workers and 553 Labourers. The 63.3% participation rate and 4.0% unemployment rate indicate an active workforce, with 62.6% employed full-time. Household income sits at the 62.3rd national percentile, above the median position. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 4, IER decile 6, IRSD decile 5 and IRSAD decile 4, pointing to stronger economic resources than overall advantage outcomes alone would suggest.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
5,308
Unemployed
213
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.6%
Part-time
31.1%
Participation
63.3%
Employed
5,095
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.4%
Postgraduate
6.5%
Born Overseas
16.9%
Dwellings
3,741
Transport to Work
Norman Gardens is practical for drivers but less convenient for households seeking transit access. Car drivers account for 83.6% of journeys, compared with 1.3% using public transport, 2.0% walking or cycling and 4.8% working from home. That pattern makes a private vehicle important for work, shopping and school trips. One local school, Lighthouse Christian School, operates as a Non-State School in the Independent sector; families should check enrolment zones and transport against the exact address. The 7.5% need-assistance rate and IRSAD decile 4 indicate varied household needs, so access to services matters. With density at 794.7 people per square kilometre across 13.25 square kilometres, convenience will differ by street, and the car share is higher than the public transport share.
Drive
83.6%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
4.8%
Population Forecast
+1.36%/yr
(+153 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is forecast at 1.36% annually across the wider area, with migration classified as Balanced. The trajectory is Aging: senior share has increased by 4.8 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 1.4 points and the working share 1.3 points. That shift means demand may remain steady because established households are replacing younger cohorts, rather than because of a youth-led surge. Ten-year population change across the wider area is 21.3%, but gentrification remains Not gentrifying with a score of 8; the separate shift score is 15. Compared with a rapidly gentrifying corridor, Norman Gardens looks more like an established growth market, with affordability described as Stable at 35.8% in 2021 versus 36.8% in 2011.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+56
Net Internal / yr
+12
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +24% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Norman Gardens compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Norman Gardens a good suburb to live in?
Norman Gardens suits households wanting detached homes and road access: 86.9% are separate houses and 83.6% of commuters drive. Its median age of 37 is below the national figure by 3 years, while one local independent school provides an on-suburb option.
What is the median house price in Norman Gardens?
A current median house price is not stated for Norman Gardens. Buyers should compare recent comparable sales by dwelling type and condition, while noting the recorded mortgage figure of $1,625 per month and weekly rent of $300 as separate affordability indicators.
What schools are in Norman Gardens?
Norman Gardens has 1 local school, Lighthouse Christian School, classified as a Non-State School in the Independent sector. Families should check enrolment zones and transport against the exact address because 83.6% of commuters drive, compared with 1.3% using public transport.
Is Norman Gardens safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so safety decisions should use current Queensland Police information and compare incidents around the exact street. Norman Gardens has 10,534 residents and 7.5% report needing assistance; those figures describe community context, not crime risk.
Is Norman Gardens good for property investment?
Norman Gardens may suit investors targeting detached family rentals: 28.8% of households rent, weekly rent is $300 and vacancy is 6.5%. Rent growth of 20.0% is supportive, but 8 development applications and Balanced migration mean returns should be tested against comparable suburbs and the purchase price.
How is Norman Gardens's population changing?
The wider area's forecast annual growth is 1.36%, with migration classified as Balanced. Its trajectory is Aging: senior share rose 4.8 percentage points while young share fell 1.4 points, and 10-year population change is 21.3%. That points to steadier growth with an older age mix than a youth-led expansion.
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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