Parkside
At a median age of 31, Parkside residents are 9 years younger than the national figure, and the suburb's employment profile explains why. Mining accounts for 35.2% of local jobs, pulling in a younger, working-age cohort and lifting household income to the 89.2nd percentile nationally. The population of 1,530 occupies 1.48 square kilometres at a density of 1,030 residents per km2. Nearly half the residents rent, and the 24.8% vacancy rate is unusually high compared to tighter metro markets, reflecting the fly-in-fly-out and contract-worker dynamics common to resource towns.
Population
1,530
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,347/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$401K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $401,000 sits well below the national median for detached housing, making entry costs lower than the average Australian capital city market. Separate houses make up 75% of dwellings, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 29.7% of stock, so buyers can find genuine family-sized homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,428, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 14.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold and significantly lower than the national average. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 42% of stock. Only 17.2% of residents own outright, compared to 32.9% with a mortgage, reflecting a relatively young buyer base still building equity.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $401,000 sits well below the national median for detached housing, making entry costs lower than the average Australian capital city market. Separate houses make up 75% of dwellings, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 29.7% of stock, so buyers can find genuine family-sized homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,428, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 14.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold and significantly lower than the national average. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 42% of stock. Only 17.2% of residents own outright, compared to 32.9% with a mortgage, reflecting a relatively young buyer base still building equity.
For Investors
Renters account for 49.9% of households, more than double the typical owner-occupier balance, giving landlords a large and persistent tenant pool. Weekly rent of $320 against an estimated $401,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, which compares favourably to most metropolitan markets. The 24.8% vacancy rate is the main risk indicator, reflecting the seasonality of mining workforce demand rather than structural oversupply. Rent-to-income at 13.6% means tenants are under very little financial stress. The suburb recorded no development applications in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term competitive threat to existing landlords.
Schools in Parkside iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Spinifex State College - Mount Isa Education and Training Precinct
7-12 · 926 students
Demographics
The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, driven by the mining industry's young workforce intake. Males make up 51.6% of residents, a slight skew consistent with resource-sector demographics. Overseas-born residents sit at 19.6%, which is 2 points below the national average. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (460 residents), Irish (170) and Scottish (123). University qualifications reach 25.6% of residents, which is 4.5 points below the national average, reflecting the trade and machinery occupation base. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure. Couples with children (540 families) outnumber couples without children (303 families), consistent with the suburb's younger family demographic.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.0%
Houses
17.6%
Townhouse
7.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Three-quarters of dwellings are separate houses, placing Parkside firmly in detached-house territory compared to the higher-density mix of major cities. Semi-detached homes account for 17.6% and apartments just 7.5%, so unit product is scarce. Three-bedroom homes lead at 42%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 29.7% and 2-bedrooms at 20.9%. Tenure skews toward renting at 49.9%, with mortgage holders at 32.9% and outright owners at 17.2%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 14.1% and rent-to-income of 13.6% both sit well below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are relatively affordable against local incomes. The estimated median of $401,000 is well below comparable detached-house medians in southeast Queensland.
Mortgage / mo
$1,428
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,214
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
24.8%
Unoccupied
180
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.2%
Couples, no children
1,116
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining is the defining industry at 35.2% of employment (185 workers), a share that far exceeds the national average and anchors the suburb's elevated income position at the 89.2nd percentile. Healthcare follows at 17.9% (94 workers) and Education at 10.6% (56 workers), providing a secondary service-sector foundation. Public Admin contributes 7.4% and Construction 4.8%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 177 workers, followed by Machinery and Drivers at 103, a pairing that reflects both the engineering side of mining and the heavy-equipment roles. The unemployment rate is 3.7% with a full-time employment rate of 79.9%, both indicators of a tight local labour market. Participation stands at 67.9%, with 228 residents not in the labour force.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
79.9%
Part-time
16.4%
Participation
67.9%
Employed
785
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.6%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
19.6%
Dwellings
547
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 83.4% of residents driving to work and walking or cycling accounting for just 5.9%. Public transport data is not available in the brief. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary. The volunteering rate of 15.4% indicates community participation. Only 3.2% of residents (44 people) need daily assistance, below what might be expected, consistent with the young workforce demographic. Rent-to-income at 13.6% and mortgage-to-income at 14.1% both remain well below financial stress levels, giving residents more disposable income than many comparable regional markets. SEIFA socioeconomic index data is not available for this suburb in the current dataset.
Drive
83.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
5.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Parkside compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Parkside a good suburb to live in?
Parkside suits workers in the mining and healthcare sectors. Household income sits at the 89.2nd percentile nationally, and mortgage-to-income (14.1%) and rent-to-income (13.6%) are both well below financial stress thresholds. The suburb has 1,530 residents, a median age of 31, and 75% separate houses, but car dependency is high at 83.4% and no schools are recorded within the boundary.
What is the median house price in Parkside?
The estimated median house price is $401,000 (estimated from 2025 rental data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,428, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 14.1%, well below the national stress benchmark of 30%. Weekly rent averages $320, implying a gross yield near 4.2% for investors.
What schools are in Parkside?
No schools are recorded inside the Parkside suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring areas. The local university qualification rate is 25.6%, which is 4.5 points below the national average, reflecting the trade and mining occupation base.
Is Parkside safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Parkside in the current dataset. As a contextual indicator, only 3.2% of the 1,530 residents require daily assistance, and the unemployment rate is low at 3.7%. The suburb's strong employment base in mining and healthcare tends to correlate with economic stability.
Is Parkside good for property investment?
Renters make up 49.9% of households and weekly rent of $320 against an estimated $401,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than most major metro markets. The 24.8% vacancy rate is the key risk, tied to mining workforce cycles. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not an immediate concern.
How is Parkside's population changing?
No formal population forecast is available for Parkside. The suburb's 1,530 residents have a high turnover rate of 30.2%, meaning about a third moved in the five years prior to the census. Growth is tied to the mining sector rather than organic residential demand, making it more cyclical than typical southeast Queensland suburbs.
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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