Queenscliff
At 8,058 people per square kilometre, Queenscliff is one of Sydney's most densely populated 0.42 km2 pockets, yet it sits in the 96.8th percentile nationally for household income. That pairing is unusual: high density normally correlates with affordability pressure, but here the weekly household income of $2,903 supports a $1,400,000 median house price with a mortgage-to-income ratio below 25%. The stock is 80.1% apartments, and 45.9% of residents rent rather than own, higher than typical for such an affluent area. University qualifications reach 60.5%, which is 30.4 percentage points above the national figure, and 39.3% of residents were born overseas, 17.7 points above national.
Population
3,407
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,903/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,400,000 reflects a market that has corrected from its recent peak. Prices reached $1,470,000 in 2024 before easing to $1,350,000 in 2025, a decline of 8.2% over one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold even though the suburb income sits in the 96.8th percentile nationally. Stock is 80.1% apartments with only 17.0% separate houses, so buyers seeking a detached home face constrained supply. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.0% of the housing stock, making the suburb better suited to couples and small households, consistent with the average household size of 2.2, which is 0.3 below national.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,400,000 reflects a market that has corrected from its recent peak. Prices reached $1,470,000 in 2024 before easing to $1,350,000 in 2025, a decline of 8.2% over one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,033, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold even though the suburb income sits in the 96.8th percentile nationally. Stock is 80.1% apartments with only 17.0% separate houses, so buyers seeking a detached home face constrained supply. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.0% of the housing stock, making the suburb better suited to couples and small households, consistent with the average household size of 2.2, which is 0.3 below national.
For Investors
A 45.9% renter share provides landlords with a broad tenant pool, and weekly rent of $650 gives a gross yield near 2.4% against the $1,400,000 median, low by income-property standards but consistent with premium coastal apartments. The vacancy rate of 10.0% is elevated, signalling that supply is absorbing demand rather than being short of it, and investors should weigh absorption risk carefully. Development activity recorded 23 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations to existing dwellings rather than new supply creation. The high concentration of professionals, with 60.5% holding university qualifications and industries dominated by Professional/Tech (23.3%) and Finance (10.0%), sustains rental demand from working-age residents, particularly given 34.7% annual turnover in the resident base.
Development Activity
Total DAs
142
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-7.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age, professionally employed population. University qualifications at 60.5% run 30.4 percentage points above the national average, among the highest concentrations in NSW. Overseas-born residents account for 39.3%, compared to the national average by 17.7 points. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,437), Irish (496), Scottish (401), and Italian (221) are the leading groups. Non-English languages are spoken by a small share, with Portuguese (39), French (17), and Italian (17) the most common. The household composition is couple-oriented, with 44.3% of families being couples without children and no recorded one-parent families, pointing to a predominantly dual-income, pre-family or post-family profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
17.0%
Houses
2.9%
Townhouse
80.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is 80.1% apartments and just 17.0% separate houses, which is consistent with the suburb's 0.42 km2 footprint and 8,058 residents per km2. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.0%, followed by three-bedroom at 19.1% and one-bedroom or studios at 15.1%. Tenure splits with 45.9% renting, 27.6% paying a mortgage, and 26.5% owning outright, meaning renters are the plurality. Prices fell from $1,470,000 in 2024 to $1,350,000 in 2025, an 8.2% decline over one year. Despite the correction, rent-to-income at 22.4% stays below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 24.1% is also below stress levels, suggesting residents at current incomes can absorb the carrying cost compared to many other Sydney coastal markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,033
Rent / wk
$650
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,532
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.0%
Unoccupied
166
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.3%
Couples, no children
2,454
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans heavily toward knowledge industries. Professional/Tech leads at 23.3% of employed residents (410 workers), followed by Healthcare at 11.5% (202), Finance at 10.0% (176), Construction at 8.6% (152), and Education at 6.4% (113). By occupation, Professionals (828) and Managers (505) together represent the largest share, a concentration that aligns with household income in the 96.8th percentile nationally. The unemployment rate is 3.2%, matching the national low-unemployment baseline, and the full-time employment rate stands at 74.0%. Weekly personal income of $1,532 and household income of $2,903 both sit well above national averages, with the household income percentile placing Queenscliff in the top 3.2% of suburbs nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
74.0%
Part-time
22.8%
Participation
68.9%
Employed
1,989
Occupations
Top Industries
University
60.5%
Postgraduate
15.8%
Born Overseas
39.3%
Dwellings
1,494
Transport to Work
Despite sitting in one of Sydney's most compact footprints, 9.1% of residents walk or cycle to work, well above the national average, and 6.5% use public transport, reflecting the suburb's walkable coastal setting. Car dependency at 81.7% is still the norm, but the walk/cycle share is higher than many outer suburbs. Housing stress is low for both renters, with rent-to-income at 22.4%, and mortgage holders, at 24.1%, both below the 30% threshold. Only 1.7% of residents (56 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 36, which is 4.0 years below national. No schools are recorded within the 0.42 km2 boundary, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb.
Drive
81.7%
Public Transport
6.5%
Walk / Cycle
9.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Queenscliff compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Queenscliff a good suburb to live in?
Queenscliff offers household income in the 96.8th percentile nationally, a young median age of 36, and a walk/cycle commute share of 9.1% that reflects a walkable coastal setting. University qualifications are 30.4 percentage points above the national figure at 60.5%. The main trade-offs are an 80.1% apartment-dominated stock and a 10.0% vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Queenscliff?
The median house price is $1,400,000. Prices peaked at $1,470,000 in 2024 before easing to $1,350,000 in 2025, a fall of 8.2% over one year. Weekly rent averages $650 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,033, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%.
What schools are in Queenscliff?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.42 km2 Queenscliff boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident population is highly educated, with 60.5% holding university qualifications, which is 30.4 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Queenscliff safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Queenscliff in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, household income sits in the 96.8th percentile nationally and only 1.7% of residents (56 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, professionally employed area.
Is Queenscliff good for property investment?
Rent of $650 a week against a $1,400,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, which is low for an income-property. The 10.0% vacancy rate signals excess supply in the apartment segment, which is 80.1% of stock. A 45.9% renter share and high professional workforce provide demand support, but the 8.2% price decline in 2025 warrants caution.
How is Queenscliff's population changing?
The current population is 3,407 spread across 0.42 km2, producing a density of 8,058 per km2. Annual resident turnover is 34.7%, meaning roughly a third of households change each year. This high turnover reflects the 45.9% renter share and a younger median age of 36 compared to the national figure of 40.
What languages are spoken in Queenscliff?
About 39.3% of residents were born overseas, which is 17.7 percentage points above the national average. English dominates but Portuguese (39 speakers), French (17), Italian (17), and German (16) are the most common non-English languages, reflecting the suburb's internationally mobile professional population.
How much development is happening in Queenscliff?
There were 23 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are alterations to existing dwelling houses rather than new supply, consistent with a fully built-out suburb of just 0.42 km2 and a density of 8,058 residents per km2. New dwelling additions are unlikely to materially change the housing 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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