Plainland
At $439,000, Plainland's median house price sits well below the national median, yet 51.2% of households carry a mortgage and 61.1% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, pointing to a suburb of growing families choosing affordability over proximity. Household income sits at the 52.6th percentile nationally, roughly average but with a heavily detached housing stock at 98.4% separate houses. The suburb covers 22.35 square kilometres with a population of 1,930, giving a density of just 86 people per square kilometre, well below urban averages. Car dependence is near-absolute at 91.5% of residents driving to work, reflecting limited public transport options compared to metropolitan centres.
Population
1,930
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,601/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$439K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $439,000 places Plainland below major Queensland metropolitan markets, making it accessible to families priced out of Ipswich or Brisbane. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.4%, with 61.1% having four or more bedrooms, a profile that suits families more than downsizers. Mortgage holders make up 51.2% of residents and monthly repayments average $1,500, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold. Only 17.6% of residents rent, lower than the state average, and 31.1% own their property outright. The vacancy rate of 6.3% is moderately elevated compared to tighter urban markets, which can reflect the semi-rural pace of turnover.
For Buyers
The median house price of $439,000 places Plainland below major Queensland metropolitan markets, making it accessible to families priced out of Ipswich or Brisbane. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.4%, with 61.1% having four or more bedrooms, a profile that suits families more than downsizers. Mortgage holders make up 51.2% of residents and monthly repayments average $1,500, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold. Only 17.6% of residents rent, lower than the state average, and 31.1% own their property outright. The vacancy rate of 6.3% is moderately elevated compared to tighter urban markets, which can reflect the semi-rural pace of turnover.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 6.3% is higher than typical sub-3% targets and signals limited rental competition, which can compress yields. Weekly rent averages $360, and against the $439,000 median house price that implies a gross yield of approximately 4.3%, above the yields of most southeast Queensland metro suburbs. Only 17.6% of residents rent, a lower share than most regional centres, so the rental pool is shallow. Development activity recorded 5 applications in the past 12 months, mostly sheds, indicating slow construction growth rather than speculative expansion. The suburb's affordability relative to Ipswich and Toowoomba means it may attract buyers seeking cheaper land, but investor returns depend on rental demand growing faster than the current thin pool suggests.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
6
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
Schools in Plainland iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Faith Lutheran College - Plainland
7-12 · 848 students
Sophia College
7-11 · 450 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years younger than the national figure, consistent with the suburb's family-oriented profile of large homes and a high share of couples with children at 42.5% of households. Overseas-born residents make up just 12.4%, which is 9.2 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a strongly Anglo-Celtic population. Ancestry is led by English (789 residents), followed by Irish (209), German (197) and Scottish (182). University qualifications reach only 17.9%, which is 12.2 percentage points below national, suggesting most residents work in trades, services or manual occupations rather than professional roles. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above the national figure of 2.5.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.4%
Houses
1.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Plainland's housing tenure shows 31.1% owning outright, 51.2% with a mortgage and 17.6% renting, a mortgage-heavy split that reflects a suburb still building its owner base. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 98.4%, with semi-detached homes accounting for the remaining 1.6% and virtually no apartments. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 61.1% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes for 31.7%, so the supply is skewed toward larger family homes rather than units or starter stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%, below stress thresholds compared to many coastal or capital-city markets. Rent averages $360 per week, and rent-to-income sits at 22.5%, also below the 30% stress marker.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$722
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.3%
Unoccupied
45
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.0%
Couples, no children
1,569
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 21.2% of local workers (103 people), well above its share in most comparable regional suburbs, followed by Education at 12.3% and Construction at 9.7%. Public Administration contributes 8.6% and Other Services 6.6%. Labourers form the largest occupation group (122 workers), followed by Community and Personal Service (115), Clerical and Admin (107) and Professionals (98), indicating a mixed blue-collar and service economy. The unemployment rate of 6.6% is above the national average, and the labour force participation rate of 53.3% is below typical levels, with 543 residents not in the labour force. Full-time employment accounts for 67.5% of jobs among those employed, which is comparable to state norms.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.5%
Part-time
25.9%
Participation
53.3%
Employed
756
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.9%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
12.4%
Dwellings
671
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 91.5% of residents driving to work, with only 2.1% walking or cycling, well below the national average for active transport, because the suburb lacks dense transit infrastructure compared to urban centres. No schools were recorded inside the Plainland boundary in the current dataset, so families rely on nearby towns for schooling. Crime statistics are not available for Plainland in this dataset. Housing stress indicators are favourable: mortgage-to-income at 21.6% and rent-to-income at 22.5% are both below the 30% stress threshold, indicating financial pressure is lower here than in most coastal Queensland markets. Volunteering runs at 12.5% and 7.8% of residents need daily assistance, broadly in line with comparable regional communities.
Drive
91.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Plainland compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plainland a good suburb to live in?
Plainland suits families who want space and affordability. At $439,000 median house price with mortgage-to-income at 21.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold, costs are manageable by national standards. The suburb is car-dependent with 91.5% of residents driving to work, and schools are not within the boundary, so access to services requires travel.
What is the median house price in Plainland?
The median house price is $439,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $360 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,500. At that price point Plainland is significantly cheaper than Brisbane and most Ipswich suburbs, making it accessible for first-home buyers or upsizers seeking larger blocks.
What schools are in Plainland?
No schools are recorded inside the Plainland boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Laidley and Gatton, both within approximately 10 to 15 kilometres. The local university qualification rate is 17.9%, which is 12.2 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce concentrated in trades and services.
Is Plainland safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Plainland in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 22.5% and mortgage-to-income at 21.6%, both below the 30% stress threshold, which correlates with more stable community conditions. The suburb has a population of 1,930 across 22.35 square kilometres.
Is Plainland good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $360 against a $439,000 median implies a gross yield of approximately 4.3%, higher than most southeast Queensland metro suburbs. However the rental vacancy rate of 6.3% is elevated, and only 17.6% of residents rent, limiting the tenant pool. Development activity is low at 5 applications in the past 12 months, so supply pressure is minimal.
How is Plainland's population changing?
The current population is 1,930 across a 22.35 square kilometre area, giving a density of 86 people per square kilometre, well below urban averages. The 5-year residential turnover rate was 29.2%, with 70.8% of residents staying over that period. No forward forecast data is available in the current dataset for Plainland specifically.
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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