Pialba
Pialba's most striking feature is its age profile: median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, making it one of the older communities along the Fraser Coast. Despite that, the suburb has grown 25.9% over the past decade, driven by internal migration averaging 444 arrivals per year. Household income sits in the 9.7th percentile nationally, pairing affordable house prices around $379,000 with the practical reality that rent consumes 33.3% of income for many households. SEIFA places the suburb at decile 2 on both IRSD and IRSAD, signalling genuine disadvantage compared to the national distribution.
Population
4,151
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$932/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$379K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a median house price of $379,000, Pialba sits well below the Queensland coastal market average, which is the main draw for buyers priced out of the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.2% exceeds the 30% stress threshold because incomes are low, placing the suburb in the 9.7th percentile nationally. Separate houses account for 64.0% of stock, with semi-detached at 28.3% and apartments at 5.8%, giving buyers reasonable choice. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 47.4% of homes and 4-plus bedrooms 23.0%, favouring family buyers. Outright owners at 38.0% outnumber mortgage holders at 19.1%, suggesting many residents purchased years ago and have since paid off loans.
For Buyers
At a median house price of $379,000, Pialba sits well below the Queensland coastal market average, which is the main draw for buyers priced out of the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.2% exceeds the 30% stress threshold because incomes are low, placing the suburb in the 9.7th percentile nationally. Separate houses account for 64.0% of stock, with semi-detached at 28.3% and apartments at 5.8%, giving buyers reasonable choice. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 47.4% of homes and 4-plus bedrooms 23.0%, favouring family buyers. Outright owners at 38.0% outnumber mortgage holders at 19.1%, suggesting many residents purchased years ago and have since paid off loans.
For Investors
Renters make up 42.9% of residents, well above the national average, giving landlords a deep tenant base relative to the total population of 4,151. Weekly rent of $310 returned a 32.1% increase over the period, outpacing income growth of 12.1%. Vacancy stands at 8.6%, above comfortable levels, so investors face meaningful competition from other rental stock. Development applications ran to 4 in the past 12 months, indicating limited new supply pressure. Internal migration of 444 net arrivals per year is the primary demand engine, and the medium forecast projects the broader SA2 population climbing from 17,754 in 2025 to 20,013 by 2031. The gentrification score of 53 signals active change, consistent with population up 38% since 2011.
Development Activity
Total DAs
30
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+75.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Pialba iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hervey Bay State High School
7-12 · 1280 students
Pialba State School
Prep-6 · 367 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, and the trend reinforces this gap: the senior share rose 8.2 points while the working-age share fell 2.9 points over the decade. University qualifications at 21.4% run 8.7 points below national, consistent with the decile 2 IEO score for education and occupation. Overseas-born residents at 20.2% sit 1.4 points below national. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,790), Irish (473) and Scottish (419) the top three groups. Average household size is 2.1, compared to the national figure of 2.5, reflecting the prevalence of couples without children: 36.8% of families fall into that category. The 10.9% unemployment rate is notably higher than national norms, linked to the low participation rate of 38.8% driven partly by the older age profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
64.0%
Houses
28.3%
Townhouse
5.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Pialba is unusual: outright owners at 38.0% and renters at 42.9% together leave mortgage holders at only 19.1%, far below national norms. This split reflects an older population that has paid off loans combined with a large rental segment attracted by the $379,000 median, which compares favourably to most Queensland coastal markets. Separate houses dominate at 64.0%, semi-detached at 28.3% and apartments at 5.8%. Three-bedroom homes account for 47.4% and 4-plus bedrooms 23.0%, skewing toward family-sized stock. Rent-to-income at 33.3% flags stress for the renter majority, given household weekly income of $932 against the $310 weekly rent. Housing stress affects both tenure groups because the suburb's household income sits in the bottom 9.7th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$529
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
172
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.3% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.8%
Couples, no children
2,858
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 32.1% of workers (286 people), roughly three times its national share, pointing to the aged care and medical services that serve the older resident base. Education follows at 10.5% (94 workers), Retail at 9.9% (88), Construction at 8.2% (73) and Public Admin at 6.5% (58). By occupation, Professionals (244) and Community/Personal service workers (231) are nearly equal in size, reflecting the healthcare concentration. Unemployment sits at 10.9%, well above national, and the participation rate of 38.8% is low because 1,799 residents are not in the labour force, many of them retirees. SEIFA places the suburb at decile 2 on IRSAD, indicating high disadvantage relative to all Australian suburbs, which the income data confirms: personal weekly income averages just $529.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
7,058
Unemployed
402
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.3%
Part-time
32.8%
Participation
38.8%
Employed
1,221
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.4%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
20.2%
Dwellings
1,820
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 83.5% driving to work, while public transport covers only 0.6% of commuters, reflecting the regional location rather than a gap in services. Walking and cycling reaches 7.7%, above what the suburban form might suggest, likely due to beachfront access. No schools are recorded within the Pialba boundary in this dataset, so families draw on institutions in neighbouring Fraser Coast suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb. As an indirect indicator, the decile 2 IRSAD score places Pialba among the more disadvantaged suburbs nationally, which typically correlates with higher rates of property crime. The 12.2% of residents needing daily assistance (472 people) is substantially above national norms, linked to the median age of 50 and the large not-in-labour-force population of 1,799.
Drive
83.5%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
7.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.16%/yr
(+384 people/yr)
EstablishedPialba grew 25.9% over the past decade, a rate that classifies the gentrification stage as Active with a score of 53. Net internal migration of 444 people per year is the primary driver, with overseas migration adding 88 annually. The broader SA2 population reached 17,754 in 2025 and the medium forecast projects growth to 20,013 by 2031, adding about 384 people per year at 2.16% annually. Rent rose 32.1% over the period against real income growth of 12.1%, compressing affordability from 68.3% in 2011 to 65.4% in 2021. The aging-trajectory signal is the structural counterweight: the senior share has climbed 8.2 points while the young adult share fell 3.9 points, so population growth comes from in-migration rather than natural increase.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+88
Net Internal / yr
+444
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +38% since 2011, Net internal migration +444/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 25%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Pialba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pialba a good suburb to live in?
Pialba offers affordable housing at a $379,000 median and a growing population up 25.9% over 10 years, but it ranks at decile 2 on IRSAD nationally, placing it among the more disadvantaged suburbs in Australia. Household income sits in the 9.7th percentile nationally. The tradeoff is low entry costs with limited income and service depth compared to metropolitan areas.
What is the median house price in Pialba?
The median house price is approximately $379,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data). Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,300. Despite the low price point, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.2% exceeds the 30% stress threshold because household weekly income averages only $932.
What schools are in Pialba?
No schools are recorded within the Pialba boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Fraser Coast suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 21.4%, which is 8.7 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the suburb's decile 2 IEO score for education and occupation.
Is Pialba safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Pialba in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb ranks at decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage nationally, which historically correlates with higher property crime rates than decile 7-10 areas. The 12.2% of residents needing daily assistance and 10.9% unemployment are additional context points.
Is Pialba good for property investment?
Renters make up 42.9% of residents and rent rose 32.1% over the study period, supporting a landlord case. However, an 8.6% vacancy rate indicates oversupply, and the median of $379,000 against $310 weekly rent implies a gross yield around 4.2%. Internal migration of 444 net arrivals per year and a population forecast to reach 20,013 by 2031 support medium-term demand.
How is Pialba's population changing?
The broader SA2 population grew 25.9% over the past decade and reached 17,754 in 2025, with forecasts projecting 20,013 by 2031 at 2.16% annually. Internal migration of 444 net arrivals per year is the main driver. The profile is aging: the senior share rose 8.2 points and the young adult share fell 3.9 points over the decade.
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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