Normanton
With a population of just 1,391 spread across 7,167 square kilometres, Normanton ranks among Queensland's most remote and sparsely settled communities at just 0.2 residents per square kilometre. The median age of 31 sits 9 years below the national figure, making this one of the younger resident bases in the state. Two facts stand out: 72.4% of households rent rather than own, far above the national average, and the vacancy rate is 19.7%, reflecting a transient workforce drawn by public sector jobs. Household income lands in the 59.4th percentile nationally, above median despite the remote setting, because government and essential services employment pushes wages higher than the local private economy alone would support.
Population
1,391
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,691/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$239K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $239,000 sits well below the Queensland state median, making Normanton one of the most affordable entry points in the state for outright purchase. Monthly mortgage repayments average $992, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 13.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate the housing stock at 86.5%, with apartments accounting for only 8.8%. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 50.4% of homes, followed by two-bedroom at 24.4% and four-plus bedroom at 14.5%. The low ownership rate of 19.8% owning outright and 7.8% on a mortgage reflects the transient character of the population rather than unaffordability. For buyers seeking low debt servicing costs relative to income, this market compares favourably against most Queensland regional centres.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $239,000 sits well below the Queensland state median, making Normanton one of the most affordable entry points in the state for outright purchase. Monthly mortgage repayments average $992, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 13.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate the housing stock at 86.5%, with apartments accounting for only 8.8%. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 50.4% of homes, followed by two-bedroom at 24.4% and four-plus bedroom at 14.5%. The low ownership rate of 19.8% owning outright and 7.8% on a mortgage reflects the transient character of the population rather than unaffordability. For buyers seeking low debt servicing costs relative to income, this market compares favourably against most Queensland regional centres.
For Investors
A 72.4% renter share is the defining investor signal in Normanton, well above the state average and driven by the concentration of public sector, education and healthcare workers on fixed-term postings. Weekly rent of $170 against a $239,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.7%, higher than most coastal Queensland markets. The 19.7% vacancy rate is the primary risk, indicating that roughly one in five dwellings sits empty at any given time, which compresses effective rental income and increases holding costs. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, so new supply is not the driver of vacancies. The thin private market means investor returns depend heavily on maintaining government-linked tenants. Income sits in the 59.4th percentile nationally, supporting rent payment capacity among employed residents.
Schools in Normanton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gulf Christian College
Prep-11 · 111 students
Normanton State School
Prep-10 · 149 students
Demographics
The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, pointing to a workforce-age population actively recruited for essential services roles rather than long-term settlers. Overseas-born residents make up just 5.1% of the population, 16.5 percentage points below national, indicating a predominantly locally-born community. University qualifications stand at 15.9%, which is 14.2 points below the national average, consistent with trade and public service occupations rather than professional credentials. The average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above the national figure, reflecting the younger family profile. English ancestry leads (226 residents), followed by Irish (55) and Scottish (52). Full-time employment runs at 78.9% among those employed, but the unemployment rate of 10.6% and participation rate of 49.9% reveal a significant portion of the working-age population outside the formal labour market.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.5%
Houses
1.8%
Townhouse
8.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Normanton's housing tenure is strongly skewed toward renting: 72.4% of households rent, compared to the national average closer to 30%, while only 19.8% own outright and 7.8% hold a mortgage. This imbalance reflects the transient government workforce rather than unaffordability, since mortgage-to-income sits at just 13.5% and rent-to-income at 10.1%, both well below stress thresholds. Separate houses account for 86.5% of stock, a higher proportion than most Queensland urban areas. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.4%. The estimated median house price of $239,000 is low by state standards. The 19.7% vacancy rate suggests landlords face periods without tenants, because the tenant pool turns over with employment postings rather than growing organically.
Mortgage / mo
$992
Rent / wk
$170
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$750
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.7%
Unoccupied
96
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
10.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.4%
Couples, no children
1,005
Total families
Economy & Employment
The three dominant industries are Public Administration (19.3%, 52 workers), Education (18.5%, 50 workers) and Healthcare (18.1%, 49 workers), together accounting for more than half of local employment. This public-sector concentration explains the above-median household income in the 59.4th percentile nationally, because government roles carry award wages regardless of remoteness. Construction follows at 11.5% (31 workers), reflecting ongoing infrastructure investment in remote Queensland. By occupation, Professionals lead with 91 workers, followed by Community and Personal Service (80), Managers (64) and Clerical and Admin (62). The unemployment rate of 10.6% is elevated compared to national levels, and the participation rate of 49.9% is low, together indicating that a substantial share of residents is not engaged in formal employment, likely including unpaid caring roles and community activities.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
78.9%
Part-time
10.5%
Participation
49.9%
Employed
455
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.9%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
5.1%
Dwellings
386
Transport to Work
Walkability and active transport are notably high for a remote town: 23.0% of residents walk or cycle to work, a proportion above most regional Queensland centres, reflecting the compact core of a small community where destinations are close. Car use at 68.3% is lower than expected for a remote area, reinforcing this pattern. No schools are recorded in the dataset for Normanton. The rent-to-income ratio of 10.1% and mortgage-to-income of 13.5% both sit well below the national stress thresholds, meaning housing costs consume a smaller share of income than in state capital suburbs. The volunteering rate of 16.9% is above average nationally, and only 3.1% (38 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the younger median age of 31. The core trade-off for residents is the 19.7% housing vacancy rate and the distance from major services, not housing affordability.
Drive
68.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
23.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Normanton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Normanton a good suburb to live in?
Normanton suits people employed in public administration, education or healthcare, where government wages in the 59.4th percentile nationally cushion the cost of remote living. Housing costs are low, with mortgage-to-income at 13.5% and rent-to-income at 10.1%, well below stress thresholds. The main trade-off is remoteness, a 19.7% housing vacancy rate, and limited private sector employment, with unemployment at 10.6%.
What is the median house price in Normanton?
The estimated median house price in Normanton is $239,000, well below the Queensland state median. Weekly rent averages $170 and monthly mortgage repayments average $992. At these prices, the mortgage-to-income ratio is just 13.5%, making Normanton one of the most affordable borrowing markets in the state.
What schools are in Normanton?
No schools are recorded in this dataset for the Normanton postcode 4890. Normanton is the administrative centre of the Burke Shire, and families with school-age children typically access education through local state schools not captured in this data. The local population holds university qualifications at 15.9%, which is 14.2 points below the national figure.
Is Normanton safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Normanton in this dataset. As indirect indicators, only 3.1% of residents (38 people) need daily assistance, and the volunteering rate of 16.9% suggests community engagement above the national average. The young median age of 31 and high public sector employment share (over 56% across government, education and health) are generally associated with more stable community outcomes.
Is Normanton good for property investment?
The gross rental yield is approximately 3.7%, based on $170 weekly rent against a $239,000 median price, higher than many coastal Queensland markets. However, the 19.7% vacancy rate is the primary risk, meaning periods without rental income are common. With zero development applications in the past 12 months, supply is not growing. Returns depend on securing government-linked tenants on fixed-term postings.
How is Normanton's population changing?
Normanton's population of 1,391 is characterised by high turnover rather than growth, with 22.3% of residents changing address in a recent period. The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, indicating ongoing recruitment of young workers into public service, education and healthcare roles. The 49.9% participation rate suggests a significant share of the population is outside formal employment.
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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