Pullenvale
Household income at the 99.6th percentile nationally is the headline number, and it shapes everything else about Pullenvale. With a median age of 43, three years above the national figure, and 61.4% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 31.3 percentage points above national, this is a suburb where established professional households have chosen space over density. Virtually every dwelling is a separate house (99.3%) and 85.8% have four or more bedrooms. The renter share of just 6.2% is among the lowest you will find in any suburb, reflecting how deeply owner-occupied this community is.
Population
3,276
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$4,149/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$856K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price sits at $856,000, with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $3,033. Despite that price point, mortgage-to-income at 16.9% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes average $4,149 per week. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99.3%, and 85.8% of those have four or more bedrooms, so buyers seeking large family homes on land face a market with limited substitutes. Outright owners make up 39.8% and mortgage holders 54.1%, a tenure mix typical of a suburb where long-term residents have accumulated equity alongside newer buyers who still carry debt. Rent is $685 per week for those in the small renting cohort (6.2%).
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $856,000, with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $3,033. Despite that price point, mortgage-to-income at 16.9% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes average $4,149 per week. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99.3%, and 85.8% of those have four or more bedrooms, so buyers seeking large family homes on land face a market with limited substitutes. Outright owners make up 39.8% and mortgage holders 54.1%, a tenure mix typical of a suburb where long-term residents have accumulated equity alongside newer buyers who still carry debt. Rent is $685 per week for those in the small renting cohort (6.2%).
For Investors
A 6.2% renter share and 3.2% vacancy rate describe a thin rental market where demand is structurally low, not because the suburb lacks appeal, but because buyers here buy. Weekly rent of $685 against an $856,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, modest but higher than many comparable prestige suburbs. Net overseas migration runs at 45 residents per year and internal migration adds 14, giving balanced but steady demand support. Only 10 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, consistent with a large-lot suburb where demolish-and-rebuild activity is rare. Rent grew 18.9% over the measured period, above the growth in mortgage burdens, suggesting the rental market is tightening even within a small tenant pool.
Development Activity
Total DAs
57
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Pullenvale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Brisbane Independent School
Prep-6 · 60 students
Pullenvale State School
Prep-6 · 389 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, and the trend is accelerating: the senior share rose 7.3 percentage points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.8 points. University qualifications at 61.4% run 31.3 percentage points above the national average, one of the highest concentrations in Queensland. Overseas-born residents make up 30.5%, which is 8.9 points above national. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,498), Scottish (482) and Irish (442), with German (202) also notable. Average household size is 3.2, which is 0.7 above the national figure, reflecting the prevalence of large families in four-plus-bedroom homes. The volunteering rate of 23.7% signals a population with significant community engagement.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupancy dominates: 39.8% own outright and 54.1% carry a mortgage, leaving just 6.2% renting, far below national norms. The stock is 99.3% separate houses with only 0.7% apartments, making this one of the most detached-dominant suburbs in Queensland. The bedroom profile reinforces the family orientation: 85.8% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, compared to the national distribution where such homes are far less common. Mortgage-to-income at 16.9% and rent-to-income at 16.5% both sit well below stress levels, because household incomes at $4,149 per week place residents in the 99.6th percentile nationally. The median house price is $856,000 with a monthly mortgage of $3,033.
Mortgage / mo
$3,033
Rent / wk
$685
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,198
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.2%
Unoccupied
33
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.4%
Couples, no children
3,010
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce skews strongly toward knowledge professions. Professional/Tech leads industry representation at 19.9% (271 workers), followed by Healthcare at 16.1% (219) and Education at 13.7% (187), with Construction at 7.8% and Public Admin at 6.2%. By occupation, Professionals (655) and Managers (433) together account for the majority of employed residents, consistent with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation advantage. The full-time employment rate is 63.6% and the unemployment rate is 4.1%. Real income grew 11.2% over the decade. The SEIFA scores are decile 10 across all four indexes, meaning Pullenvale ranks in the top 10% nationally on education, occupation, income and economic resources simultaneously.
Unemployment
1.9%
Labour Force
3,167
Unemployed
60
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.6%
Part-time
32.3%
Participation
63.7%
Employed
1,610
Occupations
Top Industries
University
61.4%
Postgraduate
21.1%
Born Overseas
30.5%
Dwellings
992
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 87.7% driving to work, with public transport used by just 3.6%, below both state and national averages for an urban suburb. This reflects the semi-rural character of a 19.59 sq km area with low density of 167 per sq km rather than any service gap. All four SEIFA indexes score decile 10, placing Pullenvale in the top advantage tier nationally. The need-for-assistance rate of 3.2% (104 residents) is low given a median age of 43, suggesting residents in this income bracket access private support services proactively. Mortgage-to-income at 16.9% and rent-to-income at 16.5% both indicate financial comfort well below stress thresholds. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on surrounding suburbs for schooling.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.76%/yr
(+45 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth runs at 0.76%, adding roughly 45 residents per year, and the medium forecast projects the broader SA2 population rising from 5,885 in 2025 to around 6,237 by 2031. The 10-year population change was 5.8%, slower than Queensland's overall growth, which reflects the suburb's physical capacity limit as a large-lot area of 19.59 sq km with a density of only 167 residents per sq km. Migration is balanced: overseas arrivals add 45 per year and internal movement contributes 14, with no dominant single source. The aging trajectory is the defining structural shift, with the senior share up 7.3 points and young share down 4.9 points over the decade. Gentrification signals are early, with a score of 28, though affordability improved from 54.1% in 2011 to 47.0% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+45
Net Internal / yr
+14
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Pullenvale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pullenvale a good suburb to live in?
Pullenvale ranks in the top decile on all four SEIFA indexes, meaning it is in the top 10% nationally on education, occupation, income and economic resources. Household income sits in the 99.6th percentile nationally, university qualifications reach 61.4%, and mortgage-to-income is a comfortable 16.9%. The main trade-off is high car dependence with only 3.6% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Pullenvale?
The median house price is $856,000, with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $3,033 and weekly rent at $685. Despite that price, mortgage-to-income sits at just 16.9% because household incomes average $4,149 per week, placing residents in the 99.6th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Pullenvale?
No schools are recorded within the Pullenvale suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Education levels locally are very high: 61.4% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 31.3 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Pullenvale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Pullenvale in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, placing it in the top advantage tier nationally, and only 3.2% of residents (104 people) need daily assistance. Both measures are consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-crime profile.
Is Pullenvale good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $685 against an $856,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, reasonable for a prestige suburb, and rent grew 18.9% over the measured period. However, the renter share is just 6.2% and vacancy sits at 3.2%, so the tenant pool is thin. Annual population growth of 0.76% provides steady but not rapid demand growth. Returns are likely to favour long-term capital growth over yield.
How is Pullenvale's population changing?
The broader SA2 population was 5,885 in 2025, up from 5,852 in 2023, with annual growth of 0.76% adding roughly 45 residents per year. Overseas migration contributes 45 per year and internal movement adds 14. The 10-year change was 5.8%. The key structural shift is an aging profile, with the senior share up 7.3 percentage points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Pullenvale?
About 30.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 8.9 percentage points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Afrikaans recorded as a notable non-English language (20 speakers). The ancestry profile is primarily Anglo-Celtic: English (1,498 residents), Scottish (482) and Irish (442) are the top three groups.
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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