Queanbeyan East
Half of Queanbeyan East's residents rent, which sets it apart from most Canberra-fringe suburbs and keeps the median house price at $566,000, well below the ACT border. The suburb sits in the 58.6th household income percentile nationally, yet rent-to-income runs at only 18.4%, making it one of the more affordable renter markets in the region. University-qualified residents make up 38.3% of the population, 8.2 points above the national average, reflecting the public-sector spillover from Canberra. With a median age of 34, six years below national, and a mix of apartments (37.5%) and semi-detached dwellings (34.2%), the suburb reads as a younger, more transient pocket than its postcode neighbours.
Population
4,240
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,687/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$566K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $566,000 the median house price is affordable compared to the ACT average, and the price moved from $550,000 in 2024 to $570,000 in 2025, a 3.6% gain over one year. Only 28.3% of dwellings are separate houses, the lowest share among the tenure types, while apartments account for 37.5% and semi-detached for 34.2%, so buyers chasing detached homes compete for scarce stock. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 46.1%, useful for couples and small families, with 3-bedroom stock at 24.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. With outright owners at only 18.9% and 30.9% holding a mortgage, most residents carry debt, which means upward price pressure could emerge if interest rates fall further.
For Buyers
At $566,000 the median house price is affordable compared to the ACT average, and the price moved from $550,000 in 2024 to $570,000 in 2025, a 3.6% gain over one year. Only 28.3% of dwellings are separate houses, the lowest share among the tenure types, while apartments account for 37.5% and semi-detached for 34.2%, so buyers chasing detached homes compete for scarce stock. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 46.1%, useful for couples and small families, with 3-bedroom stock at 24.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. With outright owners at only 18.9% and 30.9% holding a mortgage, most residents carry debt, which means upward price pressure could emerge if interest rates fall further.
For Investors
A 50.2% renter share places Queanbeyan East well above the national average for rental demand, giving landlords a broad tenant base in a suburb where the median house sits at $566,000. Weekly rent of $310 implies a gross yield near 2.8%, modest but competitive against its price point. The 8.6% vacancy rate warrants attention since it sits above the typical 3-4% threshold for a balanced market, suggesting some oversupply in the apartment segment that makes up 37.5% of stock. Net overseas migration averages 147 arrivals a year, partly offset by net internal outflow of 232, a pattern common to ACT-fringe suburbs where government workers cycle in and out. With 26 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, activity is present but focused on industrial uses rather than new residential supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
114
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6.0 years below the national figure, pulling the suburb toward a younger working-age profile. Overseas-born residents account for 27.8%, which is 6.2 points above national, and the top non-English languages are Punjabi (66 speakers), Macedonian (47) and Nepali (39), pointing to South Asian and Balkan migration streams. English ancestry leads at 1,409 residents, followed by Irish (456) and Scottish (370), so the base is Anglo-Celtic with a growing multicultural layer. University qualifications at 38.3% run 8.2 points above national average, consistent with spillover employment from the federal public service across the ACT border. Average household size of 2.0 is 0.5 below national, reflecting the high share of couples without children at 28.4% and a relatively low one-parent family count.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
28.3%
Houses
34.2%
Townhouse
37.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split is unusually renter-heavy: 50.2% rent, 30.9% carry a mortgage and only 18.9% own outright, compared to higher ownership rates in most similar NSW suburbs. Two-bedroom dwellings at 46.1% dominate the stock, which is dense relative to Sydney regional averages, and the combined apartment and semi-detached share reaches 71.7%, leaving separate houses at just 28.3%. The median house price rose from $550,000 in 2024 to $570,000 in 2025, a compound annual growth rate of 3.6%. Rent-to-income sits at 18.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.5%, both below standard stress thresholds, making housing costs manageable relative to local incomes at the 58.6th household income percentile nationally. The density of 1,007 residents per km2 across 4.21 km2 indicates a compact, medium-density urban form.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,079
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
186
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.4%
Couples, no children
2,765
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration is the dominant industry at 27.5% of employed residents (462 workers), a direct consequence of the Canberra federal public service sitting adjacent across the ACT border. Healthcare follows at 15.5% (261 workers) and Education at 8.4% (141), creating a sector mix tilted toward government and social services. Professional/Technical services (7.9%) and Construction (7.1%) round out the top five, showing some private-sector depth. By occupation, Professionals lead at 500 workers, followed by Clerical/Admin (392) and Community/Personal Services (335). The unemployment rate is 4.2% against a full-time employment rate of 75.3%, above most comparable suburbs. The SEIFA IEO decile of 6 (education and occupation) aligns with the professional workforce, though the IER decile of 3 signals lower economic resources, partly because half the population rents rather than owns assets.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
6,827
Unemployed
137
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.3%
Part-time
20.5%
Participation
68.4%
Employed
2,333
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.3%
Postgraduate
12.7%
Born Overseas
27.8%
Dwellings
1,963
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 87.6% of residents drive to work, while only 1.6% use public transport and 5.0% walk or cycle. This reflects a suburb layout oriented around road access to Canberra rather than transit. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on schools in surrounding Queanbeyan areas. The IRSAD decile of 6 places the suburb in the upper-middle advantage tier nationally, and rent stress is absent with rent-to-income at 18.4%. The volunteering rate of 13.0% is reasonable for a transient, renter-majority area, and 5.1% (203 residents) need daily assistance, in line with the relatively young median age of 34. The 32.5% turnover rate in five years indicates a mobile population, which can lower community cohesion relative to higher-ownership suburbs.
Drive
87.6%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
5.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.48%/yr
(+54 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow: the annual rate is 0.48% adding around 54 residents a year, and the 10-year change was 10.9%. The broader SA2 population tracked at 11,391 in 2023 and declined to 11,251 by 2025, with the medium forecast projecting a recovery to 11,849 by 2031. Net internal migration averages minus 232 a year, the dominant drag, while overseas migration contributes 147 arrivals annually. Rent growth reached 17.9% over the period and real income growth came in at 8.1%, so purchasing power has not kept pace with rents. The gentrification score of 25 with an early-signs classification reflects modest improvement rather than full-cycle change, and affordability improved from 37.4% in 2011 to 33.1% in 2021, a positive shift compared to many high-growth NSW markets that moved in the opposite direction.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+147
Net Internal / yr
-232
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -232/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Queanbeyan East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Queanbeyan East a good suburb to live in?
Queanbeyan East sits in the 58.6th household income percentile nationally with rent-to-income at 18.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.5%, both below stress thresholds. The IRSAD decile of 6 places it in the upper-middle advantage tier. The main trade-offs are high car dependency (87.6% drive) and a 8.6% vacancy rate signalling some rental oversupply.
What is the median house price in Queanbeyan East?
The median house price is $566,000 as of the 2024-2025 period. Prices rose from $550,000 in 2024 to $570,000 in 2025, a 3.6% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647 and weekly rent is $310, giving a gross rental yield near 2.8%.
What schools are in Queanbeyan East?
No schools are recorded inside the Queanbeyan East boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Queanbeyan area. The suburb itself has a well-educated adult population, with 38.3% holding university qualifications, which is 8.2 points above the national figure.
Is Queanbeyan East safe?
Detailed crime data is not available for Queanbeyan East in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSAD decile 6, in the upper-middle advantage tier nationally, and only 5.1% of its 4,240 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a relatively low-disadvantage area.
Is Queanbeyan East good for property investment?
The 50.2% renter share is well above the national average, providing a large tenant base. Weekly rent of $310 against a $566,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.8%. However, the 8.6% vacancy rate is above the 3-4% balanced-market threshold, and net internal outflow of 232 residents per year limits demand. Rent growth of 17.9% over the period supports the income side of the case.
How is Queanbeyan East's population changing?
Annual growth is 0.48%, adding about 54 residents per year. The 10-year population change was 10.9%. Net internal migration averages minus 232 per year, offset by 147 overseas arrivals annually. The medium forecast projects the SA2 population rising from 11,251 in 2025 to 11,849 by 2031.
How much development is happening in Queanbeyan East?
There were 26 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent samples focus on industrial development and alterations rather than new residential dwellings, consistent with a compact suburb at 1,007 residents per km2 where residential land is largely built out.
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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