Shoal Point
Household income at the 91.3rd percentile nationally sits alongside an IEO decile of just 3, a combination that flags Shoal Point as a high-earning, trade-and-resource-sector community rather than a credentialled professional enclave. The suburb of 1,104 residents holds 87% separate houses and over half (51.8%) have 4 or more bedrooms, pointing to family-scale owner-occupier stock. A 10.1% vacancy rate is elevated, partly because fewer than 20% of dwellings are rented. Population has grown 13.9% over the decade, faster than many coastal Queensland towns, driven by both internal and overseas migration.
Population
1,104
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,434/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$516K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $516,000 median house price, Shoal Point sits well below the national median for detached houses, making it accessible relative to income. Mortgage repayments average $2,050 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 87%, with 51.8% having 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers get space for the price. Outright owners make up 30.4% of households and mortgage holders 49.7%, a higher mortgage share than typical for a suburb this affordable, suggesting recent buyer activity. Semi-detached (6.9%) and apartments (6.1%) are a small minority compared to the national apartment share, giving the area a distinctly suburban character.
For Buyers
At a $516,000 median house price, Shoal Point sits well below the national median for detached houses, making it accessible relative to income. Mortgage repayments average $2,050 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 87%, with 51.8% having 4 or more bedrooms, so buyers get space for the price. Outright owners make up 30.4% of households and mortgage holders 49.7%, a higher mortgage share than typical for a suburb this affordable, suggesting recent buyer activity. Semi-detached (6.9%) and apartments (6.1%) are a small minority compared to the national apartment share, giving the area a distinctly suburban character.
For Investors
A 19.9% renter share is thin by most standards, limiting the tenant pool, and the 10.1% vacancy rate signals that rental supply already exceeds demand at current levels. Weekly rent averages $380, giving a gross yield close to 3.8% against the $516,000 median, moderate but not standout. Rental stress is not a factor here: rent-to-income sits at 15.6%, well below the 30% threshold. Population growth of 1.47% per year driven by balanced internal and overseas migration suggests the suburb is growing, which is a longer-term positive. Development activity is minimal at 1 application in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term pressure. The high vacancy rate is the main risk and warrants factoring into vacancy allowances.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national average, and the demographic trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 4.3 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.3 points. University qualifications reach 23.4%, which is 6.7 points below the national figure, consistent with the IEO decile 3 score for education and occupation. Overseas-born residents are 18.4% of the population, 3.2 points below the national share. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic: English (520), Irish (174) and Scottish (152) are the top three groups. Average household size is 2.7, slightly above the national average of 2.5. Couples with children make up 413 of 901 total families, and 28.6% are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.0%
Houses
6.9%
Townhouse
6.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership dominates: 30.4% own outright, 49.7% carry a mortgage, and only 19.9% rent, well below the national renter share. The 10.1% vacancy rate is elevated relative to most suburbs, meaning a meaningful portion of the dwelling stock sits unoccupied. Separate houses dominate at 87%, with just 6.1% apartments and 6.9% semi-detached. The bedroom profile skews large: 51.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 34.6% have 3, so only about 13.6% have 2 or fewer. The $516,000 median house price is estimated from rental data (2025) rather than transaction records. Mortgage stress (19.5% ratio) and rental stress (15.6% ratio) are both absent, pointing to an affordable, financially stable owner-occupier community.
Mortgage / mo
$2,050
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,104
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.1%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.6%
Couples, no children
901
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 20.6% of the workforce (76 workers), followed by Mining at 15.7% (58 workers) and Education at 13.8% (51 workers). Public Administration at 10% and Manufacturing at 6.2% round out the top five. The Mining share is notable given the suburb's proximity to Mackay, a Queensland coal export hub. By occupation, Professionals lead at 116 workers and Managers at 73, yet the IEO score sits at decile 3, reflecting that many workers in this catchment are in trades and resource extraction rather than credentialled roles. Unemployment is low at 2.9%, full-time employment runs at 70.8%, and participation stands at 65.4%. Household income at the 91.3rd percentile nationally outpaces the education profile because resource-sector wages are high relative to qualification requirements.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
3,856
Unemployed
97
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.8%
Part-time
26.3%
Participation
65.4%
Employed
561
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.4%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
18.4%
Dwellings
393
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 94.3% of residents drive to work, compared to the national driver share of roughly 72%, and public transport use is just 1.9%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in surrounding Mackay suburbs. Crime statistics are not available in this dataset; as a proxy, the IRSD decile 6 score indicates the suburb sits at mid-range nationally for relative disadvantage. The IER decile of 7 signals solid economic resources. Volunteering is reasonably active at 15.4% of residents. Rental and mortgage stress are both absent, and only 3.0% of residents (31 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a relatively healthy, working-age and family-focused community despite the aging trend.
Drive
94.3%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.47%/yr
(+97 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has expanded 13.9% over the decade, reaching 1,104 residents, and the annual growth rate of 1.47% translates to roughly 16 additional residents per year. Migration is balanced, with an average of 20 net internal arrivals and 26 net overseas arrivals annually. The medium forecast projects the wider SA2 reaching 7,204 by 2031, up from 6,590 in 2025. The suburb is classified as not gentrifying, with a gentrification score of 7 and the single positive signal being the 20% population rise since 2011. Affordability has improved from 49.3% in 2011 to 40.4% in 2021, a 8.9 point shift that reflects income growth outpacing any house price movement. Real income growth over the period ran at negative 5.9%, a slight real-terms contraction that is worth monitoring against future affordability trends.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+26
Net Internal / yr
+20
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Shoal Point compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shoal Point a good suburb to live in?
Shoal Point suits families seeking space and affordability. The $516,000 median house price is accessible, mortgage stress runs at just 19.5%, and 87% of homes are detached houses. The main trade-offs are a lack of public transport (94.3% of residents drive), no schools within the suburb boundary, and a 10.1% vacancy rate suggesting low rental demand.
What is the median house price in Shoal Point?
The median house price is estimated at $516,000 based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $380, and monthly mortgage repayments are around $2,050, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.5%. This is well below the 30% stress threshold, making Shoal Point more affordable than most coastal Queensland markets.
What schools are in Shoal Point?
No schools are recorded within the Shoal Point suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Mackay suburbs. The local workforce includes 13.8% employed in Education (51 workers), but these residents likely commute to institutions elsewhere in the Mackay region.
Is Shoal Point safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Shoal Point are not available in this dataset. As a proxy indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 6 nationally for relative disadvantage, placing it at mid-range rather than high-disadvantage. Only 3.0% of residents (31 people) need daily assistance, and unemployment is low at 2.9%, both consistent with a stable community.
Is Shoal Point good for property investment?
The 10.1% vacancy rate is the primary caution: rental supply already exceeds demand in this 1,104-person suburb where only 19.9% of households rent. Gross yield is around 3.8% at $380 weekly rent against a $516,000 median. Population growth of 1.47% annually and balanced migration support a steady, if modest, longer-term demand outlook.
How is Shoal Point's population changing?
Population grew 13.9% over the past decade, reaching 1,104 residents, with an annual growth rate of 1.47% adding roughly 16 people per year. Migration is balanced, averaging 20 net internal and 26 net overseas arrivals annually. The demographic trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 4.3 points over the decade.
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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