Scarborough
Scarborough's most distinctive feature is its age profile: the median age is 53, or 13 years above the national comparison, while 9,178 residents occupy 3.48 sq km at a density of 2,637.6 people per sq km. On the Redcliffe Peninsula, it has an established housing base with 60.6% separate houses and 29.1% apartments. Compared with nearby Redcliffe and Margate, the older resident profile is a stronger defining feature. Average household size is 2.2, or 0.3 below the national comparison, and 38.5% of homes are owned outright. The setting suits quieter routines, although 68.5% drive to work and only 2.1% use public transport, making car access more important than in a transit-led suburb.
Population
9,178
Median Age
53.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,336/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
37
Without a current median sale price, homebuyers need to balance an established owner base with mortgage pressure. Weekly rent is $350 and the listed mortgage payment is $1,907 per month, while mortgage costs equal 33.0% of household income, above a prudent affordability threshold. Separate houses account for 60.6% of dwellings, apartments 29.1%, semi-detached homes 8.7%, and 3-bedroom homes 42.0%. Outright ownership is 38.5%, higher than the 27.2% paying a mortgage, which can support neighbourhood stability but may reduce turnover. Compared with Redcliffe, buyers should assess each address for body-corporate, maintenance and coastal exposure costs because the dwelling mix varies by street.
For Buyers
Without a current median sale price, homebuyers need to balance an established owner base with mortgage pressure. Weekly rent is $350 and the listed mortgage payment is $1,907 per month, while mortgage costs equal 33.0% of household income, above a prudent affordability threshold. Separate houses account for 60.6% of dwellings, apartments 29.1%, semi-detached homes 8.7%, and 3-bedroom homes 42.0%. Outright ownership is 38.5%, higher than the 27.2% paying a mortgage, which can support neighbourhood stability but may reduce turnover. Compared with Redcliffe, buyers should assess each address for body-corporate, maintenance and coastal exposure costs because the dwelling mix varies by street.
For Investors
Scarborough's rental case combines 29.9% renting with $350 weekly rent and a 9.6% vacancy rate. Vacancy is higher than a tightly supplied market, so investors should allow for leasing competition and test net yield after insurance, maintenance and body-corporate costs. Development activity reached 39 applications in the last 12 months, including health-care and building-related changes, which may improve services because the resident base is ageing but can create local disruption. Forecast growth is 2.37% annually and is driven by internal migration, supporting demand, while 42.0% of homes have 3 bedrooms. Compared with Margate, this is a market for careful asset selection rather than assuming every property will perform alike.
Development Activity
Total DAs
95
Last 12 Months
37
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Scarborough
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Australian Trade College North Brisbane (Scarborough)
Southern Cross Catholic College (Scarborough)
Scarborough State School
Demographics
Scarborough is older and more settled than Australia overall: its median age is 53, or 13 years above the national comparison, and 73.3% of residents stayed at the same address while turnover was 26.7%. English ancestry is recorded for 4,198 people, followed by Irish at 1,451 and Scottish at 1,219. Christianity accounts for 4,753 people, while 3,614 report no religion. Overseas-born residents are 25.6%, 4 percentage points above national, and university attainment is 29.1%, 1 point below national. The average household has 2.2 people, 0.3 below national, aligning with 52.4% of families being couples without children. Compared with Redcliffe, Scarborough's stronger ageing signal is likely to lift demand for accessible homes and nearby services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.6%
Houses
8.7%
Townhouse
29.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Scarborough's tenure pattern is owner-oriented despite a substantial apartment component. Outright ownership is 38.5%, mortgage ownership 27.2% and renting 29.9%, with 4.4% in other tenure categories. Separate houses make up 60.6% of dwellings, compared with 29.1% apartments and 8.7% semi-detached homes. The largest bedroom group is 3-bedroom at 42.0%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 26.8% and 2-bedroom homes at 24.5%. Household income is $1,336 weekly, at the 33.9th percentile nationally, while mortgage payments are $1,907 monthly. The mortgage burden is higher than the rent burden, at 33.0% versus 26.2%, making cash-flow checks important for buyers.
Mortgage / mo
$1,907
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $350.
$670
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $670 · units $575
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$712
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.6%
Unoccupied
429
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.0% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.2%
Couples with children
52.4%
Couples, no children
16.3%
Single parent
2,637
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Scarborough's largest industry at 22.7% of jobs, with 609 workers, followed by education at 11.4% and 305, construction at 10.1% and 271, public administration at 8.0% and 215, and professional and technical services at 7.6% and 204. That service weighting provides some resilience because employment is spread across care, education, government and building trades rather than one sector. The leading occupations are professionals at 904, clerical and administration at 556, managers at 540, community and personal services at 513, and trades at 494. Participation is 52.0%, unemployment 5.7%, and household income sits at the 33.9th percentile, below the national midpoint. All four SEIFA decile measures are 7, above the middle decile but below a top-decile result.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
4,159
Unemployed
236
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.4%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
52.0%
Employed
3,923
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.1%
Postgraduate
7.1%
Born Overseas
25.6%
Dwellings
4,015
Transport to Work
Daily life in Scarborough is practical for drivers and remote workers: 68.5% travel as car drivers, 21.9% work from home and 2.1% use public transport. Three local schools span government, Catholic and independent sectors, including a state school, a Catholic college and a trade-focused independent college. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. SEIFA disadvantage and advantage measures both sit in decile 7, above the middle decile, while 9.0% of residents need assistance. Average household size is 2.2 and median age is 53, supporting quieter routines but increasing the importance of accessible services. Compared with a transit-led suburb, car access matters more here.
Drive
68.5%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
21.9%
Population Forecast
+2.37%/yr
(+431 people/yr)
EstablishedScarborough is classified as established, yet its forward profile is not static. The annual trend is 2.37%, with internal migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 36.1% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.9 percentage points, the working share has fallen 3.7 points and the young share has eased 0.6 points. Gentrification is rated Active with a score of 59, although another shift measure records Early signs at 34, suggesting momentum is uneven rather than uniform. Affordability improved from 53.2 in 2011 to 50.4 in 2021, while rents grew 35.0%. Compared with a flat established suburb, Scarborough has stronger growth signals, but services and housing need to adapt as the age profile changes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+148
Net Internal / yr
+538
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +56% since 2011, Net internal migration +538/yr, Accelerating: 6% → 47%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Scarborough compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scarborough a good suburb to live in?
Scarborough suits residents seeking an established peninsula suburb with a median age of 53, 21.9% working from home and 3 local schools. Car access matters because 68.5% drive, while public transport use is 2.1%. Its quieter, older profile may suit downsizers more than nightlife-focused renters.
What is the median house price in Scarborough?
A current median house price is not stated. The housing mix is 60.6% separate houses, 29.1% apartments and 8.7% semi-detached homes, while weekly rent is $350. Buyers should check recent comparable sales and the exact property's tenure, body-corporate and condition before relying on a price estimate.
What schools are in Scarborough?
Scarborough has 3 local schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors: Scarborough State School, Southern Cross Catholic College and Australian Trade College North Brisbane. School choice depends on year level and enrolment zone, so families should confirm catchments and transport before signing a lease or contract.
Is Scarborough safe?
There is no reliable suburb-level crime rate to quote. Practical checks still matter: inspect the street at different times, review lighting and parking, and compare the exact address with surrounding areas. Scarborough has 9.0% of residents needing assistance, so accessible housing and support-service proximity may also affect household wellbeing.
Is Scarborough good for property investment?
Scarborough can suit investors seeking established rental demand, with 29.9% of households renting, $350 weekly rent and a 9.6% vacancy rate. The vacancy level is higher than a tightly supplied market, so yield calculations should include maintenance, insurance and body-corporate costs. Annual growth is forecast at 2.37%, but returns depend on the individual property.
How is Scarborough's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 36.1% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 2.37% and internal migration the primary driver. Scarborough's trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 5.9 percentage points while the working share has fallen 3.7 points. That points to demand for accessible homes and services.
What development is happening in Scarborough?
Thirty-nine development applications were lodged in the last 12 months, including health-care and building-related changes. This may improve services because the resident base is ageing, but it can also create short-term noise or traffic. Check the exact proposal and timing before buying.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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