QLD 4208 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Ormeau Hills

With a median age of 32, Ormeau Hills sits 8 years below the national figure, making it one of the younger established suburbs on the Gold Coast corridor. Household income lands in the 87.9th percentile nationally, yet the estimated median house price of $571,000 reflects a market that remains more accessible than its income profile might suggest. Almost all dwellings are separate houses at 99.1%, and 84.2% have 4 or more bedrooms, a combination that signals this area draws families at a specific life stage. The 27.7% overseas-born share runs 6.1 percentage points above the national average, adding demographic breadth to what is otherwise a predominantly Anglo-Celtic residential base.

Ormeau Hills urban fabric map

Population

4,521

Median Age

32.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,297/wk

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

0

Median House

$571K

Estimated from rent (2025)

8.6 km²· 525.7 people/km²· Family income $2,355/wk

The estimated median house price for Ormeau Hills is $571,000, with average monthly mortgage repayments of $2,076 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That cost structure makes meaningful buying capacity available relative to the suburb's above-average household incomes. Stock is overwhelmingly detached: 99.1% of dwellings are separate houses, and 84.2% have 4 or more bedrooms, so the market caters almost exclusively to families needing space. Outright ownership is low at 16.2%, while 58.1% carry a mortgage, confirming this is an active purchase market rather than an entrenched long-term-holder base. The 25.7% renter share is moderate. Rent-to-income sits at 19.6%, below the stress level of 30%, meaning tenants are not stretched.

For Buyers

The estimated median house price for Ormeau Hills is $571,000, with average monthly mortgage repayments of $2,076 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That cost structure makes meaningful buying capacity available relative to the suburb's above-average household incomes. Stock is overwhelmingly detached: 99.1% of dwellings are separate houses, and 84.2% have 4 or more bedrooms, so the market caters almost exclusively to families needing space. Outright ownership is low at 16.2%, while 58.1% carry a mortgage, confirming this is an active purchase market rather than an entrenched long-term-holder base. The 25.7% renter share is moderate. Rent-to-income sits at 19.6%, below the stress level of 30%, meaning tenants are not stretched.

For Investors

Weekly rent of $450 against an estimated $571,000 median house price implies a gross yield near 4.1%, reasonable by southeast Queensland standards. The vacancy rate is 3.3%, slightly above the 3% tightness benchmark, suggesting the rental market is balanced rather than undersupplied. The suburb recorded 0 development applications in the past 12 months, meaning new supply is not competing with existing landlords in the short term. Renters account for 25.7% of households, providing a consistent tenant pool. Average household size is 3.1, higher than the national average, which supports demand for the dominant 4-plus bedroom stock. The suburb's young median age of 32 compared to the national figure of 40 points to a resident base that will continue forming families and renting before purchasing.

Demographics

The median age of 32 is 8 years below the national figure, and the average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above national, consistent with a suburb anchored by families with dependent children. Couples with children make up 2,208 of 3,991 total family units, while couples without children account for 806. Overseas-born residents reach 27.7%, which is 6.1 percentage points above the national rate. Ancestry is predominantly English (1,805 residents), followed by Scottish (446) and Irish (379), with German (249) also notable. Non-English languages are present but modest in scale: Punjabi (34 speakers), Afrikaans (16), Hindi (16) and Mandarin (13) reflect a small but varied international component. University qualifications stand at 27.8%, which is 2.3 points below the national figure, broadly in line with the suburban, family-oriented occupational mix.

Age Distribution

0-14
26.7%
15-24
11.9%
25-44
34.0%
45-64
20.5%
65+
6.8%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.2%
2 bed
0.9%
3 bed
14.7%
4+ bed
84.2%

Dwelling Structure

99.1%

Houses

0.6%

Townhouse

0.3%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 16.2% Mortgage 58.1% Rent 25.7%

Separate houses account for 99.1% of all dwellings, higher than the vast majority of Australian suburbs, and 84.2% of those have 4 or more bedrooms. This near-total dominance of large detached housing limits product diversity but makes Ormeau Hills a reliable address for families requiring space. Mortgage holders at 58.1% outnumber outright owners (16.2%) and renters (25.7%), indicating a suburb still mid-cycle in its ownership transition. The estimated median house price of $571,000 sits below many comparable southeast Queensland family suburbs, partly because the rental yield base of $450 per week implies a price level consistent with those cash flows. Mortgage-to-income at 20.9% and rent-to-income at 19.6% are both below stress thresholds, meaning residents across all tenures are carrying housing costs at manageable levels relative to local incomes in the 87.9th percentile nationally.

Mortgage / mo

$2,076

Rent / wk

$450

HH Size

3.1

Personal Income / wk

$988

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

3.3%

Unoccupied

48

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

19.6%

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

20.9%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Punjabi
34
Afrikaans
16
Hindi
16
Mandarin
13
Guj
13

Ancestry

English
1,805
Other
554
Scottish
446
Irish
379
German
249
Ancestry NS
246

Household Composition

20.2%

Couples, no children

3,991

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare leads local employment at 16.6% (266 workers), followed by Construction at 14.1% (227) and Education at 11.5% (185). Professional/Technical services account for 7.7% (123) and Manufacturing for 7.6% (122). By occupation, Professionals are the largest group (452), ahead of Clerical/Admin (365), Managers (324), Community/Personal (256) and Sales (230). The unemployment rate is 4.6% and the labour force participation rate is 69.1%, with full-time employment accounting for 69.0% of those in work. Family weekly income of $2,355 and household weekly income of $2,297 both place residents at the 87.9th percentile nationally, above the national median household income. A volunteering rate of 11.8% suggests moderate civic engagement relative to comparable suburbs.

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

Full-time

69.0%

Part-time

26.4%

Participation

69.1%

Employed

2,188

Occupations

Professionals 452
Clerical/Admin 365
Managers 324
Community/Personal 256
Sales 230
Labourers 190
Machinery/Drivers 170

Top Industries

Healthcare 16.6%
Construction 14.1%
Education 11.5%
Professional/Tech 7.7%
Manufacturing 7.6%

University

27.8%

Postgraduate

5.2%

Born Overseas

27.7%

Dwellings

1,404

Transport to Work

Transport options in Ormeau Hills are car-dependent: 93.2% of residents commute by car, compared to just 1.9% using public transport and 0.7% walking or cycling. This reflects the suburb's suburban footprint and limited public transit infrastructure relative to inner-city areas. No schools are recorded within Ormeau Hills in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The need-for-assistance rate is 3.7% (161 people), consistent with the young population profile. Housing stress is absent by standard benchmarks, with mortgage-to-income at 20.9% and rent-to-income at 19.6% both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The average household size of 3.1, higher than the national average of 2.5, and the 55.3% couples-with-children family share point to a community structured around family life rather than singles or retirees.

Drive

93.2%

Public Transport

1.9%

Walk / Cycle

0.7%

Work from Home

N/A

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

How Ormeau Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 12%
Household Income
Top 12%
Rent Level
Top 10%
Apartments
Bottom 4%
Renters
Top 36%
Uni Educated
Top 39%
Public Transport
Bottom 32%
Born Overseas
Top 16%
Density
Top 19%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ormeau Hills a good suburb to live in?

Ormeau Hills suits families well. Household income sits in the 87.9th percentile nationally, housing cost ratios are below stress thresholds (mortgage-to-income 20.9%), and 99.1% of dwellings are large detached houses. The main trade-off is strong car dependency, with 93.2% of residents driving to work and public transport used by only 1.9%.

What is the median house price in Ormeau Hills?

The estimated median house price is $571,000 (2025). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,076 and weekly rent is $450. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9% is well below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership relatively affordable for households at the 87.9th income percentile nationally.

What schools are in Ormeau Hills?

No schools are recorded inside Ormeau Hills in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs within the Gold Coast corridor. The suburb's 27.8% university qualification rate is close to the national average, and the population of 4,521 includes a large share of families with children.

Is Ormeau Hills safe?

Crime statistics are not available for Ormeau Hills in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is absent (mortgage-to-income 20.9%, rent-to-income 19.6%), unemployment is 4.6%, and 70.3% of residents stayed in place between census periods, which is a sign of community stability compared to higher-turnover suburbs.

Is Ormeau Hills good for property investment?

The gross rental yield implied by $450 weekly rent against a $571,000 median is approximately 4.1%, reasonable by southeast Queensland standards. Vacancy sits at 3.3%, near the equilibrium benchmark. Zero development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply competing in the short term. The 25.7% renter share provides a steady tenant pool.

How is Ormeau Hills's population changing?

Current population is 4,521 with a median age of 32, which is 8 years below the national figure. Residents are stable with 70.3% remaining in place between census periods. Overseas-born residents account for 27.7%, running 6.1 percentage points above the national average, reflecting steady migration inflows to the Gold Coast corridor. Forward forecast data is not available in this dataset.

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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