Ormiston
A $563,000 median house price alongside a median age of 47, seven years above the national figure, defines Ormiston more than any single factor. The bayside Redland suburb is 75.7% separate houses on 4.96 km2, with 52.3% of dwellings carrying four or more bedrooms, so the housing stock reads as established family homes rather than apartments, which make up only 3.5%. Household income lands in the 71.4th percentile nationally, and 41.6% of residents own outright, well above the share carrying a mortgage. University qualifications reach 37.1%, about 7 points above national, and 30.3% were born overseas, 8.7 points above the national rate.
Population
6,379
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,913/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$563K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $563,000 median house price, Ormiston sits below Brisbane's pricier bayside markets while offering a detached-house profile that buyers in the inner city cannot match: 75.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 52.3% have four or more bedrooms, against just 3.5% apartments. The trade-off is that stock skews large and family-oriented, so a two-bedroom entry point is scarce at 13.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most metropolitan Brisbane suburbs. With 41.6% of homes owned outright versus 37.1% mortgaged, much of the market is held by long-settled owners, which thins the supply of homes coming up for sale and supports prices despite the affordable median.
For Buyers
At a $563,000 median house price, Ormiston sits below Brisbane's pricier bayside markets while offering a detached-house profile that buyers in the inner city cannot match: 75.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 52.3% have four or more bedrooms, against just 3.5% apartments. The trade-off is that stock skews large and family-oriented, so a two-bedroom entry point is scarce at 13.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most metropolitan Brisbane suburbs. With 41.6% of homes owned outright versus 37.1% mortgaged, much of the market is held by long-settled owners, which thins the supply of homes coming up for sale and supports prices despite the affordable median.
For Investors
Renters make up 21.2% of households, a modest tenant pool that limits rental scale, and weekly rent of $450 against the $563,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, healthier than yields in higher-priced Brisbane suburbs. The vacancy rate of 5.1% is on the higher side, pointing to soft short-term rental demand rather than scarcity. Demand support is steady rather than strong: net overseas migration adds about 85 residents a year and net internal migration 70, a balanced mix. Development activity is effectively nil with zero applications recorded in the past 12 months, so new rental supply is not expanding. With annual population growth of 1.16% and rent growth of 20.0% over the period, the case rests on yield and gradual capital growth more than turnover.
Schools in Ormiston iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ormiston College
Prep-12 · 1524 students
Ormiston State School
Prep-6 · 570 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 runs 7.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6.3 points while the working-age share fell 3.9 points over the decade, which explains why 1,977 residents sit outside the labour force. Overseas-born residents reach 30.3%, 8.7 points above national, yet ancestry stays strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,978), Scottish (856) and Irish (813). The largest non-English languages are Mandarin (39 speakers) and Afrikaans (37), a small international layer. University qualifications at 37.1% run about 7 points above national. Average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above national, and couples without children make up 30.8% of families, consistent with the older, established-family profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.7%
Houses
20.9%
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward outright ownership: 41.6% own their home debt-free, 37.1% carry a mortgage and only 21.2% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held wealth and an aging resident base rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is 75.7% separate houses and 20.9% semi-detached, leaving apartments at just 3.5%, and 52.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms against 32.3% with three. The $563,000 median house price keeps the suburb affordable relative to its 71.4th-percentile household income. Both stress measures stay below the threshold, with mortgage-to-income at 24.1% and rent-to-income at 23.5%, a comfortable position that reflects how moderate prices are against local earnings.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$811
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
130
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.8%
Couples, no children
5,372
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service sectors: Healthcare leads at 18.6% (397 workers), Education follows at 12.0% (257) and Professional/Tech at 11.6% (248), with Construction at 9.5% and Retail at 7.3%. By occupation, Professionals (768) and Managers (537) form the largest groups, which aligns with the decile 7 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.3% and the full-time employment rate is 64.3%. Participation reads just 55.2%, below what the income would suggest, because the aging profile leaves 1,977 residents not in the labour force. The suburb scores decile 9 on IER for economic resources, higher than its decile 7 education ranking, because the high 41.6% outright-ownership rate lifts household wealth measures even where current earnings are moderate.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
3,981
Unemployed
80
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.3%
Part-time
31.4%
Participation
55.2%
Employed
2,816
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.1%
Postgraduate
10.2%
Born Overseas
30.3%
Dwellings
2,388
Transport to Work
Ormiston is heavily car-dependent: 87.7% of residents drive to work, well above the national average, while only 4.5% use public transport and 2.2% walk or cycle, a pattern typical of a low-density bayside suburb at 1,286 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 8 on both IRSAD and IRSD, the upper advantage tiers nationally, meaning relatively few residents face disadvantage. Volunteering runs at 16.7%, and 6.0% of residents (370 people) need daily assistance, a share consistent with the older median age of 47. No schools are recorded inside the 4.96 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Redland suburbs, a practical trade-off for the quiet, detached-housing setting.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
4.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.16%/yr
(+82 people/yr)
EstablishedOrmiston is an established suburb growing slowly: annual population growth registers 1.16%, about 82 residents a year, and the 10-year change is 13.0%. Historical counts climbed from 6,754 in 2023 to 7,042 in 2025, and the medium forecast carries the population to 7,378 by 2031. Growth is balanced across drivers, with net overseas migration of about 85 a year and net internal migration of 70. The gentrification stage reads early signs at a score of 31, supported by population up 21% since 2011 and accelerating internal inflows, though it remains below the threshold for active gentrification. Affordability improved from 58.7% in 2011 to 55.5% in 2021, easing pressure even as the resident base ages.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+85
Net Internal / yr
+70
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Net internal migration +70/yr, Accelerating: 3% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ormiston compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ormiston a good suburb to live in?
Ormiston scores decile 8 on both IRSAD and IRSD, the upper advantage tiers nationally, with household income in the 71.4th percentile. University qualifications reach 37.1%, about 7 points above national. It suits established families, with 75.7% separate houses, though it is car-dependent at 87.7% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Ormiston?
The median house price is $563,000, affordable relative to pricier Brisbane bayside markets. Weekly rent averages $450 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Ormiston?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.96 km2 Ormiston boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Redland suburbs. The resident base is well educated, with university qualifications at 37.1%, about 7 points above the national figure.
Is Ormiston safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Ormiston in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, an upper tier, and only 6.0% of its residents, about 370 people, need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Ormiston good for property investment?
Rent of $450 a week against a $563,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than pricier Brisbane suburbs. The renter share is modest at 21.2% and vacancy sits at 5.1%, so with 1.16% annual population growth, returns lean on yield and gradual capital growth rather than turnover.
How is Ormiston's population changing?
Population grew 1.16% annually, about 82 residents a year, with a 13.0% rise over 10 years from a 2023 base of 6,754 to 7,042 in 2025. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.3 points and the working-age share down 3.9 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Ormiston?
About 30.3% of residents were born overseas, 8.7 points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Mandarin (39 speakers), Afrikaans (37), Cantonese (14) and German (14) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a small international resident mix.
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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