Runcorn
Runcorn's standout feature is how international and educated it is: 55.7% of residents were born overseas, 34.1 percentage points above the national share, and 47.0% hold a university qualification. With 14,199 residents at density of 2137.6 per sq km, it feels established rather than sprawling. Sitting between Sunnybank and Kuraby, it reads as a family-house suburb rather than an apartment market, with 69.4% separate houses, while the 34 median age sits 6 years below the national median.
Population
14,199
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,742/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median House
$480K
Estimated from rent (2025)
For homebuyers, Runcorn is mainly a family-space market rather than a unit market: 69.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 30.4% are semi-detached and only 0.1% are apartments. The 3-bedroom stock dominates at 55.9%, with 37.7% at 4 bedrooms or more, so choice is strongest for households needing rooms. A current median house price is not available, but the $1,600 monthly mortgage load is lower than the rent burden as a share of income, 21.2% vs 23.0%.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Runcorn is mainly a family-space market rather than a unit market: 69.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 30.4% are semi-detached and only 0.1% are apartments. The 3-bedroom stock dominates at 55.9%, with 37.7% at 4 bedrooms or more, so choice is strongest for households needing rooms. A current median house price is not available, but the $1,600 monthly mortgage load is lower than the rent burden as a share of income, 21.2% vs 23.0%.
For Investors
Investors get a clear tenant pool, with 38.8% of homes rented and a median rent of $400 per week. The caution is vacancy: 5.2% is higher than many landlords want, so leasing quality matters more than headline demand. Development is moderate at 18 applications in 12 months, including multiple-dwelling and subdivision activity, which can refresh supply. Rent growth in the shift indicators is 11.1%, compared with a 0.67% annual population trend, so income momentum is firmer than population growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
99
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-10.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Runcorn iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Runcorn Heights State School
Prep-6 · 553 students
Runcorn State High School
7-12 · 838 students
Demographics
Runcorn is younger, larger-household and more international than the national average. Median age is 34, which is 6 years below national, while average household size is 2.9, 0.4 above national. Overseas-born residents make up 55.7%, 34.1 percentage points above national, and university attainment is 47.0%, 16.9 points higher. Chinese ancestry leads at 3470 people, followed by English at 2502 and Indian at 1065; Mandarin has 1076 speakers, Punjabi 653 and Korean 381.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.4%
Houses
30.4%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure is unusually balanced: 27.9% owned outright, 33.3% with a mortgage and 38.8% renting, so renters are higher than outright owners by 10.9 percentage points. Detached homes still dominate at 69.4%, but the 30.4% semi-detached share gives buyers alternatives below a full house block. With 55.9% of homes at 3 bedrooms and 37.7% at 4 or more, family demand is structural. A median sale price and price-to-income ratio cannot be stated, so affordability is best read through the 21.2% mortgage-to-income load.
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$737
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
264
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples, no children
11,418
Total families
Economy & Employment
Runcorn's workforce leans into services that travel well across Brisbane. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.7% or 866 workers, followed by education at 10.2%, professional and tech at 9.5%, retail at 8.0% and transport at 8.0%. Professionals are the top occupation group with 1644 people. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 7 sits above IER decile 5, while IRSD is decile 5 and IRSAD decile 6, suggesting skills and qualifications are stronger than household economic resources. Unemployment is 7.1%.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
9,053
Unemployed
391
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.2%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
59.9%
Employed
6,431
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.0%
Postgraduate
14.6%
Born Overseas
55.7%
Dwellings
4,782
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-led but not isolated. 80.4% drive to work, above the 11.4% using public transport and far above the 1.5% walking or cycling, so train and bus access helps but parking still matters. Education is compact: 2 local government schools cover primary and secondary, led by Runcorn Heights State School with ICSEA 1028 and Runcorn State High School at 973, an ICSEA range of 973 to 1028. IRSAD decile 6 points to slightly above-middle advantage without the top-decile price signal.
Drive
80.4%
Public Transport
11.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.67%/yr
(+105 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive. The trend forecast is 0.67% a year, about 105 people annually, taking the medium population path from 15536 in 2026 to 16060 in 2031. Migration explains the pattern: overseas migration is the primary driver at +546 people a year, while internal migration is -322 a year. That churn fits an aging trajectory, with seniors up 4.9 points and young share down 0.8. Gentrification is still early signs, with a score of 24, below a rapid-change profile.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+546
Net Internal / yr
-322
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal outflow -322/yr, Strong overseas inflow +546/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Runcorn compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Runcorn a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Runcorn can work well for family and commuter households. It has 14,199 residents, 69.4% separate houses, 2 local schools and 11.4% public transport commuting, with a younger median age of 34 than the national median.
What is the median house price in Runcorn?
A reliable current median house price is not available for Runcorn. Price context is still useful: typical mortgage payments are $1,600 per month, median rent is $400 per week and 69.4% of dwellings are separate houses.
What schools are in Runcorn?
Runcorn has 2 local government schools: Runcorn Heights State School, a primary school with ICSEA 1028 and 553 enrolments, and Runcorn State High School, a secondary school with ICSEA 973 and 838 enrolments.
Is Runcorn safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not available, so safety should be checked by street and time of day. Runcorn has 14,199 residents, IRSD decile 5 and IRSAD decile 6, which points to a middle to slightly above-middle socioeconomic setting.
Is Runcorn good for property investment?
Runcorn has investor appeal because 38.8% of homes are rented and median rent is $400 per week. The main caution is the 5.2% vacancy rate, which is higher than a very tight rental market, so dwelling quality and location matter.
How is Runcorn's population changing?
Runcorn is growing slowly. The forecast trend is 0.67% a year, or about 105 extra people annually, with the medium path rising from 15536 in 2026 to 16060 in 2031. Overseas migration adds +546 people a year, compared with -322 internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Runcorn?
Languages other than English are prominent, with 55.7% of residents born overseas. Mandarin has 1076 speakers, Punjabi 653, Canton 417 and Korean 381, reflecting links with nearby Sunnybank as well as broader south Brisbane migration.
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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