Queenstown
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, the vacancy rate hits 27.6%, and mining accounts for 18.4% of local employment, higher than almost any comparable Tasmanian community. These three facts are connected: as younger workers cycle through mining rosters and then leave, the resident base ages and dwellings stand empty longer. Unemployment runs at 11.7%, well above state and national averages, and labour force participation is just 44.0%.
Local council: West Coast
Population
1,808
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$851/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Monthly mortgage repayments average $574, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 15.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 96.1% of dwellings, so buyers get genuine detached properties rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 60.7%, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 15.8%. Outright owners account for 52.1% of households, the highest tenure category, suggesting long-term residents who paid off their mortgages rather than a market driven by recent leveraged buyers.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $574, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 15.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 96.1% of dwellings, so buyers get genuine detached properties rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 60.7%, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 15.8%. Outright owners account for 52.1% of households, the highest tenure category, suggesting long-term residents who paid off their mortgages rather than a market driven by recent leveraged buyers.
For Investors
The 27.6% vacancy rate is the single most important number for any investor. At roughly 1-in-4 homes sitting empty, landlord demand is structurally weak compared to most Australian markets. Renting households represent 24.1% of the suburb, a modest pool. The 11.7% unemployment rate and 44.0% participation rate limit rent growth. With no development applications in the past 12 months and price data last recorded in 2008, the market lacks the transaction volume that supports confident forward projections.
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7.0 years above the national figure, one of the clearest markers of an aging regional town. University qualifications reach 16.9%, which is 13.2 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and resource industries. Overseas-born residents are 10.4%, some 11.2 points below national, reflecting the town's predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry: English (801), Irish (187) and Scottish (94) are the top three. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below national, and couples without children make up 37.3% of families. The volunteering rate of 17.8% is notable for a community of 1,808 people and suggests strong local participation despite economic pressures.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.1%
Houses
1.3%
Townhouse
1.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Queenstown's housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 96.1%, with apartments at 1.8% and semi-detached at 1.3%. Ownership is the dominant tenure at 52.1% outright plus 23.8% with a mortgage, leaving just 24.1% renting. Rent-to-income sits at 17.6% and mortgage-to-income at 15.6%, both below stress levels, which means existing owners and renters face manageable housing costs relative to income, even with incomes at the 6.3rd percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$574
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$150
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$509
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
27.6%
Unoccupied
311
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.2%
Couples with children
49.4%
Couples, no children
20.3%
Single parent
453
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining is the largest industry at 18.4% of employed residents (66 workers), reflecting the West Coast's copper and mineral heritage and placing Queenstown above most Tasmanian communities on mining dependence. Education follows at 14.8% (53 workers) and Healthcare at 12.8% (46 workers), providing some public-sector stability. Hospitality at 10.3% and Public Administration at 9.2% round out the top five. The occupation profile leans manual: Labourers (108) and Machinery and Drivers (99) are the top two categories, well ahead of Professionals (67). Unemployment is 11.7%, notably above national and state averages, and the participation rate of 44.0% is low, partly because 664 residents are not in the labour force at all against an employed workforce of 588.
Unemployment
10.7%
Labour Force
726
Unemployed
78
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.6%
Part-time
35.2%
Participation
48.0%
Employed
648
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.9%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
10.4%
Dwellings
819
Transport to Work
Car use at 79.1% reflects Queenstown's remote West Coast location with limited public transport options. Walking and cycling account for 12.7% of journeys, above many rural Tasmanian towns, likely because the compact town centre makes short trips practical. No crime data is available in this dataset. Housing stress is low by conventional measures, with rent-to-income at 17.6% and mortgage-to-income at 15.6%, both well below the 30% threshold. However, 10.6% of residents (177 people) need daily assistance, higher than many comparable towns, which aligns with the aged resident profile: at a median age of 47, the community skews toward older households who may require support services.
Drive
75.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
12.1%
Work from Home
4.6%
Growth Outlook
No transaction data exists after 2008, so the current market position is unknown. Residential stability is high: 83.6% of residents stayed in the same address over the measured period, and turnover of 16.4% is low compared to fast-growing urban suburbs. With no development approvals in the past 12 months and a 27.6% vacancy rate, the suburb shows no signs of supply-driven growth pressure. Household income at the 6.3rd percentile nationally means demand-side growth catalysts are limited unless external investment or resource sector activity lifts employment.
Population trend: West Coast council area
Queenstown sits in the West Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Queenstown's.
Residents 2025
4,320
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.0%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Queenstown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Queenstown a good suburb to live in?
Queenstown suits buyers who prioritise affordability and a quiet, established community over urban amenity. The population of 1,808 has a median age of 47, 7 years above national, and unemployment runs at 11.7%, so employment options are limited compared to larger centres.
What schools are in Queenstown?
No schools are recorded inside the Queenstown suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the area would rely on schools in the broader West Coast municipal district. University qualifications among residents reach 16.9%, which is 13.2 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a trade and resource-sector workforce.
Is Queenstown safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Queenstown in this dataset. As a broader indicator, 10.6% of residents (177 people) need daily assistance, and the town's economic base sits at the 6.3rd percentile for household income nationally, reflecting the economic pressures common to remote mining communities.
Is Queenstown good for property investment?
The numbers present a mixed picture. Unemployment at 11.7% and no development activity in the past 12 months signal a low-growth market with limited near-term demand drivers.
How is Queenstown's population changing?
Queenstown's population stands at 1,808 with a median age of 47, which is 7 years above the national figure. The high proportion of older residents and a 27.6% vacancy rate suggest gradual population decline rather than growth. Labour force participation at 44.0% is low, partly reflecting the aging demographic rather than only unemployment.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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