Sandgate
A bayside Brisbane suburb where the median age of 49 runs a full 9 years above the national figure, Sandgate pairs an older resident base with a $466,000 median house price that keeps it affordable by capital-city standards. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 72.3% of dwellings, university qualifications reach 40.4% (10.3 points above national), and household income sits in the 64.2nd percentile. SEIFA reads decile 8 for advantage on IRSAD, so residents are comfortable rather than wealthy, and the 3.13 km2 footprint holds 4,926 people at a moderate 1,574 per km2.
Population
4,926
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,804/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
Median House
$466K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $466,000 median house price, Sandgate is well below Brisbane's pricier bayside neighbours, and the affordability shows in low housing stress: the mortgage-to-income ratio is 27.7%, under the 30% stress threshold, with average repayments near $2,167 a month. Buyers get genuine houses here because 72.3% of dwellings are separate houses and only 24.3% are apartments. Family-sized stock dominates, with 35.2% three-bedroom and 31.4% four-plus-bedroom homes, so the suburb suits households needing space rather than singles. Ownership is split fairly evenly, 32.1% own outright and 35.1% carry a mortgage, a balance that reflects both long-settled retirees and younger families still paying down loans.
For Buyers
At a $466,000 median house price, Sandgate is well below Brisbane's pricier bayside neighbours, and the affordability shows in low housing stress: the mortgage-to-income ratio is 27.7%, under the 30% stress threshold, with average repayments near $2,167 a month. Buyers get genuine houses here because 72.3% of dwellings are separate houses and only 24.3% are apartments. Family-sized stock dominates, with 35.2% three-bedroom and 31.4% four-plus-bedroom homes, so the suburb suits households needing space rather than singles. Ownership is split fairly evenly, 32.1% own outright and 35.1% carry a mortgage, a balance that reflects both long-settled retirees and younger families still paying down loans.
For Investors
Renters make up 32.7% of households and weekly rent averages $294, which against the $466,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.3%, healthier than premium Brisbane markets where high prices compress returns. The vacancy rate of 6.9% is the main caution, signalling that tenant demand does not fully absorb available stock. Development is modest at 26 applications in 12 months, so new supply is limited and unlikely to flood the market. With only 24.3% of dwellings being apartments, the rental pool leans toward houses, which favours family tenants over transient renters. Rent-to-income for tenants sits at a comfortable 16.3%, below stress levels, suggesting room for measured rent growth rather than affordability-capped stagnation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
120
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+14.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Sandgate iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart Primary School
Prep-6 · 187 students
Sandgate State School
Prep-6 · 387 students
Demographics
The median age of 49 is 9.0 years above the national figure, and the aging profile shapes much of the suburb. University qualifications reach 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above national, an unusually educated reading for an affordable bayside area. Overseas-born residents are 19.6%, sitting 2.0 points below national, so the community is more Australian-born than the country as a whole. Ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (2,183), Irish (852) and Scottish (639). Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, and couples without children make up 27.6% of families, a share consistent with the older demographic where adult children have moved out.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.3%
Houses
2.3%
Townhouse
24.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is balanced three ways: 32.1% own outright, 35.1% carry a mortgage and 32.7% rent, with outright ownership reflecting the older resident base that has paid off homes over decades. The stock is 72.3% separate houses and only 24.3% apartments, so the suburb stays detached-dominant despite Brisbane's broader apartment push. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 35.2% and four-plus-bedroom 31.4%, leaving smaller one and two-bedroom homes a minority. The $466,000 median house price keeps the mortgage-to-income ratio at 27.7%, below the 30% stress line, while tenant rent-to-income at 16.3% is even more comfortable. That dual affordability is rare for a bayside suburb and stems from the older, modestly priced housing rather than new premium builds.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$294
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$774
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
139
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.6%
Couples, no children
3,600
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in care and public sectors: Healthcare leads at 19.0% (309 workers), Education follows at 14.6% (237), Professional/Tech at 10.8% (176) and Public Admin at 10.6% (173), with Construction at 8.6%. By occupation, Professionals (693) and Managers (370) dominate, which aligns with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is moderate at 5.5% and the full-time rate is 63.9%. Participation reads just 52.8%, well below the level the income would suggest, because the aging profile leaves 1,564 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA shows decile 8 on IRSAD advantage but only decile 6 on IER for economic resources, a gap driven by the 32.7% renter base and retirees on fixed incomes that depress aggregate wealth measures.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.9%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
52.8%
Employed
2,065
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.4%
Postgraduate
10.2%
Born Overseas
19.6%
Dwellings
1,861
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 80.2% of commuters driving, above the suburban norm, while public transport carries just 9.0% and active travel 5.4%, reflecting the bayside location away from dense rail corridors. The suburb scores decile 7 on IRSD for relative disadvantage and decile 8 on IRSAD advantage, both above the national midpoint, meaning few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 18.0%, a strong civic reading consistent with the settled, older community. With 12.5% of residents (595 people) needing daily assistance, well above what a younger suburb would show, the median age of 49 drives demand for accessible services. No schools are recorded inside the 3.13 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions nearby.
Drive
80.2%
Public Transport
9.0%
Walk / Cycle
5.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sandgate compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sandgate a good suburb to live in?
Sandgate scores decile 8 on IRSAD advantage, above the national midpoint, with university qualifications at 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above national. Housing is affordable at a $466,000 median, and mortgage-to-income stays at 27.7%, below the 30% stress line. The trade-off is an older profile with a median age of 49.
What is the median house price in Sandgate?
The median house price is $466,000, well below pricier Brisbane bayside markets. Weekly rent averages $294 and average mortgage repayments run about $2,167 a month, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.7%, which sits under the 30% stress threshold and keeps the suburb genuinely affordable.
What schools are in Sandgate?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.13 km2 Sandgate boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above the national figure.
Is Sandgate safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Sandgate in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national midpoint, and decile 8 on IRSAD advantage, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, settled bayside area.
Is Sandgate good for property investment?
Rent of $294 a week against a $466,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.3%, healthier than premium Brisbane suburbs. Renters make up 32.7% of households, but the 6.9% vacancy rate is a caution. Light development of 26 applications a year means limited new supply to dilute returns.
How is Sandgate's population changing?
Sandgate is an established, slow-growth suburb of 4,926 residents with a median age of 49, a full 9.0 years above national. Development is light at 26 applications in 12 months, and the 72.3% detached housing share limits density-led growth, pointing to stability rather than rapid expansion.
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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