Parkinson
Family-scale housing dominates Parkinson: 86.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 83.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, giving it a stronger detached profile than many middle-ring Brisbane suburbs near Calamvale and Algester. The suburb has 11,148 residents, a median age of 37, and household income in the 83.3 percentile, so it reads as an above-average income mortgage belt. Its 44.9% overseas-born share, 23.3 percentage points above the national level, adds demand depth because larger homes suit multigenerational and family households.
Population
11,148
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,188/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$557K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Parkinson suits buyers prioritising space and repayment capacity over apartment convenience. A current median house price is not available, so buyers need to compare recent individual sales, but the housing mix is clear: 86.1% separate houses, 13.8% semi-detached homes, and only 0.1% apartments. The typical mortgage is $1,950 per month, with mortgage costs at 20.6% of income, below common stress thresholds because household income sits in the 83.3 percentile. With 52.4% of homes under mortgage, competition is likely from other family buyers rather than downsizers alone.
For Buyers
Parkinson suits buyers prioritising space and repayment capacity over apartment convenience. A current median house price is not available, so buyers need to compare recent individual sales, but the housing mix is clear: 86.1% separate houses, 13.8% semi-detached homes, and only 0.1% apartments. The typical mortgage is $1,950 per month, with mortgage costs at 20.6% of income, below common stress thresholds because household income sits in the 83.3 percentile. With 52.4% of homes under mortgage, competition is likely from other family buyers rather than downsizers alone.
For Investors
Investor appeal is more about steady family rental demand than high turnover. Renting is 20.2%, below the combined owner share of 79.8%, so the tenant pool is smaller but likely to favour larger houses. Weekly rent is $450 and vacancy is 4.0%, which means leasing risk needs closer checking than in tighter markets. The 22 development applications in 12 months point to ongoing local activity, while forecast rent growth of 12.5% and overseas migration of 271 people a year support demand because new arrivals often seek established family areas.
Development Activity
Total DAs
80
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+68.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Parkinson is younger than the national benchmark by 3.0 years, with a median age of 37 and an average household size of 3.1, which is 0.6 above the national figure. Education levels are notably higher: 45.1% hold university qualifications, 15.0 percentage points above national. The suburb is also migrant-heavy, with 44.9% born overseas and 23.3 points above national. English ancestry leads at 2,776 people, followed by Chinese at 2,214 and Indian at 858, while Mandarin has 743 speakers, shaping local retail, worship, and school-catchment priorities.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.1%
Houses
13.8%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is strongly family-oriented compared with higher-density suburbs. Separate houses make up 86.1% of dwellings, far above the 0.1% apartment share, while 83.4% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and just 2.3% have 2 bedrooms. Ownership is also stable: 27.4% owned outright, 52.4% mortgaged, and 20.2% rented. A median house price is not published, so affordability is better read through costs: rent and mortgage payments each sit at 20.6% of income, below stress territory because incomes are high for the area.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$845
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
143
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.0%
Couples, no children
9,977
Total families
Economy & Employment
Parkinson's workforce leans into services and white-collar roles, which helps explain its above-average household incomes. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.2% and 716 workers, followed by education at 12.0%, professional and tech at 8.8%, retail at 8.6%, and construction at 7.2%. Professionals number 1,292, ahead of 938 clerical and admin workers and 704 managers. Unemployment is 5.2%, with 64.1% participation and 65.2% of employed people full-time. SEIFA is strong but uneven: IER decile 9 is higher than IEO decile 7, while IRSD and IRSAD both sit at decile 7.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
9,693
Unemployed
322
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.2%
Part-time
29.6%
Participation
64.1%
Employed
5,318
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.1%
Postgraduate
13.1%
Born Overseas
44.9%
Dwellings
3,435
Transport to Work
Daily life in Parkinson is car-led. Driving accounts for 87.5% of work trips, far higher than public transport at 5.9% and walking or cycling at 0.4%, so access to arterial roads matters because most households are not relying on active travel. The social base is comfortable, with IRSAD decile 7 and IRSD decile 7, while 5.2% of residents need assistance. Volunteering is 12.9%, and the average household size of 3.1 is above the national figure, reinforcing a family-oriented rhythm. The main tradeoff is convenience: spacious housing comes with lower transport choice.
Drive
87.5%
Public Transport
5.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.44%/yr
(+247 people/yr)
EstablishedParkinson is forecast to grow at 1.44% a year, adding about 247 people annually, which is steady rather than speculative. Compared with the 2025 population of 17,108 used in the projection series, the medium path reaches 19,062 by 2031. Migration is the key driver: overseas migration adds 271 people a year, while internal migration is negative at -125 a year. The gentrification score is 15 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so growth is more about family and migrant inflow than rapid reinvention. Aging is visible too, with seniors up 4.9 points and young residents down 1.9 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+271
Net Internal / yr
-125
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +15% since 2011, Net internal outflow -125/yr, Strong overseas inflow +271/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Parkinson compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Parkinson a good suburb to live in?
Yes for households wanting larger homes, above-average incomes, and a family setting. Parkinson has 86.1% separate houses, 83.4% homes with 4 or more bedrooms, and household income in the 83.3 percentile, but public transport use is only 5.9%.
What is the median house price in Parkinson?
A current median house price is not available for Parkinson. Buyers should compare recent sales closely, using the suburb's structure as context: 86.1% separate houses, 52.4% mortgaged homes, and a typical mortgage of $1,950 per month.
What schools are in Parkinson?
Parkinson has 0 schools within the suburb boundary. With 4,908 couples with children and an average household size of 3.1, buyers should check catchments and nearby schools rather than assuming a local campus is available.
Is Parkinson safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Parkinson, so buyers should check current police maps and street-level patterns. Broader social indicators are above average, with IRSD decile 7, IRSAD decile 7, and 5.2% of residents needing assistance.
Is Parkinson good for property investment?
Parkinson can suit investors seeking family tenants rather than high-density turnover. Renting is 20.2%, weekly rent is $450, vacancy is 4.0%, and 22 development applications in 12 months suggest ongoing activity compared with a static suburb.
How is Parkinson's population changing?
Parkinson is growing steadily, with a forecast annual rate of 1.44% and about 247 extra people a year. Overseas migration is the main driver at 271 people a year, while internal migration is lower at -125 a year.
What languages are spoken in Parkinson?
Parkinson has a strong multilingual profile, with 44.9% of residents born overseas, 23.3 percentage points above the national level. Mandarin has 743 speakers, followed by Cantonese at 217, Punjabi at 209, Malayalam at 115, and Korean at 90.
Is there much development in Parkinson?
There is a moderate level of activity, with 22 development applications recorded over 12 months. That is meaningful for an established suburb, but the forecast gentrification score is only 15 and the stage is Not gentrifying.
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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