Queanbeyan West
Public administration dominates the Queanbeyan West economy to a degree that stands out even by Canberra-fringe standards, accounting for 33.1% of employed residents. The suburb scores decile 10 on both IRSD and IER, placing it in the top tier nationally for both low disadvantage and economic resources, while household income sits at the 79.7th percentile. At a median age of 35, residents are 5 years younger than the national figure. The housing stock is 71.4% separate houses across a compact 2.86 square kilometres, and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9% means the typical owner-occupier carries well below the 30% stress threshold.
Population
3,146
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,106/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Median House
$770K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $770,000 reflects a modest 3.3% pull-back from the 2024 peak of $796,500, giving buyers slightly more room than a year ago. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month, and with household incomes at the 79.7th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9% sits comfortably below the stress benchmark. Separate houses make up 71.4% of the stock, with semi-detached at 20.0% and apartments at 8.1%. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 46.5%, followed by four-plus bedroom homes at 34.1%, making the suburb well suited to families. With 24.7% of properties owned outright, the area carries a stable ownership base compared to many outer suburbs.
For Buyers
The median house price of $770,000 reflects a modest 3.3% pull-back from the 2024 peak of $796,500, giving buyers slightly more room than a year ago. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month, and with household incomes at the 79.7th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9% sits comfortably below the stress benchmark. Separate houses make up 71.4% of the stock, with semi-detached at 20.0% and apartments at 8.1%. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 46.5%, followed by four-plus bedroom homes at 34.1%, making the suburb well suited to families. With 24.7% of properties owned outright, the area carries a stable ownership base compared to many outer suburbs.
For Investors
A 34.0% renter share gives landlords a solid tenant pool, and weekly rent of $350 is affordable relative to median household incomes, reducing vacancy risk. The vacancy rate of 5.8% is elevated and warrants monitoring before committing, particularly in the apartment segment which is just 8.1% of stock. Net overseas migration adds 147 residents per year, partially offsetting internal outflow of 232 per year. Rent grew 17.9% over the measured period, which is meaningful income growth even if the gross yield on a $770,000 asset is relatively thin. Development activity logged 21 applications in the past 12 months, suggesting steady incremental activity rather than large-scale supply additions that could pressure rents.
Development Activity
Total DAs
83
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+91.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5 years below the national average, pointing to a working-age-heavy profile. University qualifications reach 30.1%, equal to the national figure, while overseas-born residents at 17.5% sit 4.1 points below national. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,094 residents), Irish (358) and Scottish (317). Non-English language speakers are a small share, with Macedonian, Nepali, Punjabi and Serbian each under 30 speakers, consistent with the 17.5% overseas-born figure. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure, and couples with children (1,016 families) substantially outnumber couples without children (589 families), reinforcing the family-oriented character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.4%
Houses
20.0%
Townhouse
8.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits heavily toward owner-occupiers: 24.7% own outright and 41.4% hold a mortgage, leaving 34.0% as renters. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9% and rent-to-income ratio of 16.6% both sit well below stress thresholds, unlike many comparable suburban markets. Prices have softened from $796,500 in 2024 to $770,000 in 2025, a 3.3% decline, which partly reflects the broader Canberra-fringe market cooling. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.5% of stock and four-plus bedroom homes make up 34.1%, meaning more than 80% of dwellings have at least three bedrooms. The share of separate houses at 71.4% is above the national norm, making the suburb distinctly detached-house territory.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,100
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.8%
Unoccupied
73
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.0%
Couples, no children
2,450
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration employs 33.1% of local workers (360 people), a concentration that anchors the suburb to Commonwealth government demand from nearby Canberra. Healthcare follows at 11.4%, Construction at 10.7%, Education at 9.6% and Retail at 6.5%. By occupation, Professionals (320) and Clerical/Admin workers (318) are the largest groups, with Managers at 231. The unemployment rate is 4.0% and the full-time employment rate is 73.7%. All four SEIFA indexes rank highly: IRSD at decile 10, IER at decile 10, IRSAD at decile 9 and IEO at decile 8, indicating a high-advantage workforce with strong economic resources but somewhat less advantage on education and occupation than on wealth metrics.
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
73.7%
Part-time
22.3%
Participation
65.7%
Employed
1,590
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.1%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
17.5%
Dwellings
1,184
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high: 89.3% of residents drive to work, while only 0.4% use public transport and 2.4% walk or cycle, reflecting the suburb's location on the Canberra fringe rather than near a train line or major bus corridor. Only 4.6% of residents (136 people) need daily assistance, well below what IRSD decile 10 status predicts as a norm nationally. The volunteering rate of 13.0% indicates moderate community participation. Rent-to-income at 16.6% keeps renting affordable for tenants. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas. SEIFA decile 10 on IRSD places the suburb among the least-disadvantaged nationally.
Drive
89.3%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.48%/yr
(+54 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 0.48% per year, adding around 54 residents annually, well below the pace of many outer-ring suburbs. The 10-year population change is 10.9%, showing steady but unspectacular expansion. Net overseas migration of 147 per year provides the primary growth driver, with internal migration running at a net outflow of 232 per year, meaning more people leave for other parts of Australia than arrive. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population rising from 11,251 in 2025 to around 11,849 by 2031. The gentrification score reads 0 (not gentrifying), because decile 10 SEIFA standing leaves no further upgrade trajectory. Affordability improved from 37.4% in 2011 to 33.1% in 2021, tracking lower than a decade ago.
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 West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Queanbeyan West a good suburb to live in?
Queanbeyan West scores decile 10 on both IRSD and IER nationally, the top advantage tier for low disadvantage and economic resources. Household incomes sit at the 79.7th percentile and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.9% is well below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-offs are high car dependence (89.3% drive) and limited public transport at 0.4%.
What is the median house price in Queanbeyan West?
The median house price is $770,000 as of 2025, down 3.3% from the 2024 peak of $796,500. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000. Weekly rent is $350, and the rent-to-income ratio of 16.6% keeps renting comfortably affordable relative to household incomes.
What schools are in Queanbeyan West?
No schools are recorded inside the Queanbeyan West boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The suburb has 30.1% university-qualified residents, equal to the national figure, and 9.6% of workers are employed in education, suggesting strong access to educational services nearby.
Is Queanbeyan West safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Queanbeyan West in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier nationally, and only 4.6% of its 3,146 residents (136 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, stable area.
Is Queanbeyan West good for property investment?
A 34.0% renter share and rent growth of 17.9% over the measured period support the rental income case. Against a $770,000 median and $350 weekly rent, the gross yield is around 2.4%. The vacancy rate of 5.8% is elevated. Population growth of 0.48% per year is modest, so returns depend more on the Canberra employment anchor than on rapid capital growth.
How is Queanbeyan West's population changing?
The suburb adds approximately 54 residents per year, a growth rate of 0.48% annually. Over 10 years the population rose 10.9%. Overseas migration contributes 147 arrivals per year, partially offset by a net internal outflow of 232 per year as residents relocate elsewhere in Australia. Medium forecasts show steady but slow growth through 2031.
How much development is happening in Queanbeyan West?
There were 21 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including a new dwelling house and subdivision modifications. This level of activity reflects incremental infill rather than large-scale new supply, consistent with an established suburb at 0.48% annual population growth and 71.4% separate house stock.
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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