Parkwood
With 90.7% of dwellings separate houses and 66.8% containing four or more bedrooms, Parkwood has a strongly family-oriented physical profile across just 5.56 square kilometres. Its population of 8,837 sits at a density of 1,589.1 people per square kilometre, so the suburb is compact even though detached homes dominate. Household income reaches the 77.7th percentile, higher than a median-position area, while the median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national comparison. Compared with denser nearby Southport, Parkwood is more house-led and car-oriented, which helps explain its 75.6% driver share and established owner-occupier profile.
Population
8,837
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,064/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Parkwood suits buyers prioritising space over apartment living: 66.8% of homes have four or more bedrooms, 90.7% are separate houses and only 1.6% are apartments. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,894 compares with weekly rent of $538, but buyers should assess current listings, borrowing capacity and recent comparable sales rather than rely on one headline median. Ownership is split between 41.6% with a mortgage and 27.7% owning outright, while mortgage payments equal 21.2% of household income, lower than the 26.1% rent-to-income measure. This structure points to established family households, with more scope for upsizers than buyers seeking low-maintenance units.
For Buyers
Parkwood suits buyers prioritising space over apartment living: 66.8% of homes have four or more bedrooms, 90.7% are separate houses and only 1.6% are apartments. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,894 compares with weekly rent of $538, but buyers should assess current listings, borrowing capacity and recent comparable sales rather than rely on one headline median. Ownership is split between 41.6% with a mortgage and 27.7% owning outright, while mortgage payments equal 21.2% of household income, lower than the 26.1% rent-to-income measure. This structure points to established family households, with more scope for upsizers than buyers seeking low-maintenance units.
For Investors
Parkwood's rental profile includes a 30.2% renting share, weekly rent of $538 and a 3.1% vacancy rate. Renting is lower than the 41.6% mortgage cohort, so the suburb has a substantial owner-occupier base that may moderate turnover while still providing tenant demand. Forecast rent growth of 6.2% adds an income-growth signal, and overseas migration is the primary forecast driver. Only 2 development lodgements were recorded over 12 months, pointing to limited near-term new-supply pressure compared with a heavily developing market. Detached housing makes up 90.7%, favouring family tenants, although investors should test maintenance and insurance costs on larger four-plus-bedroom properties.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Parkwood's median age is 37, which is 3.0 years below the national comparison, yet its forecast trajectory is Aging and the senior share has risen by 6.0 percentage points. Families remain prominent: couples with children account for 46.0% of families, couples without children 35.8%, and average household size is 3.0, or 0.5 above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents represent 33.3%, 11.7 percentage points higher than the national comparison, helping explain language counts of Mandarin 139, Canton 44, Japan 37, Arabic 29 and Hindi 26. English ancestry is reported by 3,393 people, ahead of Irish at 820 and Scottish at 793. Compared with nearby Southport, Parkwood presents a more family-household profile because detached homes and larger dwellings dominate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.7%
Houses
7.7%
Townhouse
1.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Parkwood's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached: separate houses comprise 90.7%, semi-detached homes 7.7% and apartments 1.6%. Larger layouts are also common, with 66.8% of dwellings containing four or more bedrooms compared with 31.1% containing three bedrooms. Tenure leans toward active borrowers, with 41.6% paying a mortgage, 27.7% owning outright and 30.2% renting. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,894, while rent is $538 per week; mortgage-to-income pressure is 21.2%, lower than rent-to-income pressure of 26.1%. Buyers comparing Parkwood with nearby Southport should focus on dwelling size, land, condition and finance costs rather than assume apartment-style pricing.
Mortgage / mo
$1,894
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $538.
$850
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $850 · units $695
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$736
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.1%
Unoccupied
88
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.0%
Couples with children
35.8%
Couples, no children
16.8%
Single parent
2,350
Total families
Economy & Employment
Household income is $2,064 per week and sits at the 77.7th percentile, higher than a median-position household, while personal income is $736 and family income is $2,103. Healthcare is the largest industry at 23.3% and 683 workers, followed by Education at 12.6% and 370, Construction at 10.4% and 304, Retail at 8.2% and 240, and Professional/Tech at 7.5% and 221. Professionals number 993, ahead of Trades at 659 and Community/Personal work at 567. Labour-force participation is 64.8%, unemployment is 6.1% and full-time employment is 52.2%. SEIFA places IER at decile 7, above IEO, IRSD and IRSAD, each at decile 6. Healthcare and Education provide a relatively stable employment base, while the mixed occupation profile supports household incomes above many lower-ranked areas.
Unemployment
6.1%
Labour Force
4,786
Unemployed
294
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.2%
Part-time
36.2%
Participation
64.8%
Employed
4,492
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.1%
Postgraduate
9.2%
Born Overseas
33.3%
Dwellings
2,757
Transport to Work
Parkwood's compact 5.56-square-kilometre footprint and density of 1,589.1 people per square kilometre support a settled suburban feel, but daily movement is strongly car dependent: 75.6% travel as car drivers compared with 3.4% using public transport and 2.4% walking or cycling. Work-from-home participation is 13.0%, so local convenience and road access remain important. The IRSAD score is 1,017 at decile 6, above a low-decile profile, while need for assistance is 5.8%. With couples with children representing 46.0% of families, households should check nearby school catchments and travel times against the exact address. Parkwood is better suited to residents who value detached space and driving convenience than those seeking a highly walkable or transit-led lifestyle.
Drive
75.6%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
13.0%
Population Forecast
+0.32%/yr
(+49 people/yr)
EstablishedParkwood is on a slow-growth path: the forecast annual trend is 0.32%, while population change across the wider area is 3.4% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, which should support demand even as the local trajectory is labelled Aging. The senior share has increased by 6.0 percentage points, the working share has fallen by 2.5 points and real income growth is -6.5%, so household composition is shifting faster than headline growth. Rent growth of 6.2% may add pressure for tenants. A gentrification score of 10 and the stage Not gentrifying place Parkwood below a transformation-led market, while affordability is labelled Improving after moving from 49.8 to 46.1. This is an established area with gradual change rather than a rapid redevelopment cycle.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+269
Net Internal / yr
-95
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +269/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Parkwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Parkwood a good suburb to live in?
Parkwood can suit households seeking detached space, with 90.7% separate houses and 66.8% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms. Its 75.6% car-driver share means it is better suited to drivers than households relying on public transport.
What is the median house price in Parkwood?
Buyers should compare current Parkwood listings and recent comparable sales rather than rely on a single median figure. Finance costs provide a useful guide, including a $1,894 monthly mortgage figure and household income of $2,064 per week.
What schools are in Parkwood?
Families considering Parkwood should check nearby school options, enrolment zones and travel times against the exact address. Car access matters more than public transport for many households, with 75.6% driving compared with 3.4% using public transport.
Is Parkwood safe?
Safety should be assessed through current local information and an inspection of the exact streets around a prospective home, rather than judged from the suburb name alone. Parkwood covers 5.56 square kilometres and has a density of 1,589.1 people per square kilometre.
Is Parkwood good for property investment?
Parkwood has investment fundamentals to test, including $538 weekly rent, 3.1% vacancy and 6.2% forecast rent growth. However, only 30.2% rent, below the 41.6% mortgage share, and just 2 development lodgements suggest an owner-occupier-led market rather than a high-supply rental precinct.
How is Parkwood's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 3.4% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.32% and overseas migration the primary driver. Parkwood is also labelled Aging, with the senior share up 6.0 points, so change is likely to be gradual rather than a rapid young-family surge.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Parkwood on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map