Shorncliffe
A median age of 47, which is 7.0 years above the national figure, is the clearest signal in Shorncliffe's profile. The suburb has 1,907 residents in 1.22 sq km, with 82.2% of homes being separate houses and household income at the 87.1 percentile. Compared with nearby Sandgate and Deagon, its small footprint and older, detached character are pronounced. A 41.1% university-educated share, 29.2% working from home and 37.6% outright ownership support a settled lifestyle, while 0.22% annual growth points to a slower trajectory than rapid expansion.
Local council: Brisbane
Population
1,907
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,259/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Homebuyers need to price Shorncliffe by recent comparable sales because a current median house price is not available. The built form is strongly detached: 82.2% of homes are separate houses compared with 15.9% apartments, and 40.1% contain four or more bedrooms. That suits buyers seeking family space, although larger homes can require more upkeep because they generally involve greater building area. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,201 sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, compared with rent-to-income of 12.2%. With 37.6% owning outright, the suburb is more oriented to long-term house ownership than apartment-led markets.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to price Shorncliffe by recent comparable sales because a current median house price is not available. The built form is strongly detached: 82.2% of homes are separate houses compared with 15.9% apartments, and 40.1% contain four or more bedrooms. That suits buyers seeking family space, although larger homes can require more upkeep because they generally involve greater building area. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,201 sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.5%, compared with rent-to-income of 12.2%. With 37.6% owning outright, the suburb is more oriented to long-term house ownership than apartment-led markets.
For Investors
Investor conditions are mixed. Weekly rent is $275 and 25.1% of households rent, while the vacancy rate is 6.9%, so tenant demand should be tested against current listings rather than assumed. There were 21 development matters in the past 12 months, which may add some choice but does not by itself indicate a large construction pipeline. Rent growth of 16.1% is higher than the 0.22% annual population trend, a gap that may support income growth but can also reflect rental adjustments in established stock. Migration is Balanced and the gentrification score is 0, so the case is more about dwelling quality and rental operations than rapid neighbourhood transformation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
80
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+15.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Shorncliffe
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Patrick's College (Shorncliffe)
Shorncliffe State School
Demographics
Shorncliffe has an older, relatively settled demographic profile. Median age is 47, 7.0 years above national, while 41.1% of residents have university qualifications, 11.0 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 17.3%, 4.3 points below national, and average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above national. Mobility is low, with 81.8% staying at the same address, which fits the 37.6% outright ownership rate. English ancestry is reported by 881 people, followed by Irish at 354 and Scottish at 284. Compared with a younger, more migrant-heavy profile, Shorncliffe is more Anglo-leaning and ageing, partly because older owner-occupiers are less likely to move.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.2%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
15.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Shorncliffe's housing stock is detached and family-sized compared with its apartment component. Separate houses account for 82.2% of dwellings, compared with 15.9% apartments, while 40.1% have four or more bedrooms and 35.1% have three. Tenure is split between 37.6% owned outright, 36.2% with a mortgage and 25.1% rented. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,201, with mortgage-to-income at 22.5%; rent-to-income is 12.2%. This pattern reflects an established owner-occupier base, while the 6.9% vacancy rate gives renters a reason to compare several properties before committing. Compared with Sandgate and Deagon, buyers should focus closely on dwelling condition, lot size and address-level planning constraints.
Mortgage / mo
$2,201
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $275.
$675
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $675 · units $560
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$930
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
53
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
12.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.8%
Couples with children
35.0%
Couples, no children
13.5%
Single parent
512
Total families
Economy & Employment
Shorncliffe's employment base is led by healthcare at 18.2% with 130 workers, education at 13.9% with 99, professional and technical services at 12.2% with 87, public administration at 10.7% with 76, and construction at 10.4% with 74. The occupation mix reinforces this: 301 professionals and 168 managers sit above clerical and administrative, community and personal, and trades groups of 117, 113 and 103. Unemployment is 3.5%, participation is 62.0% and full-time employment is 57.0%. Household income ranks at the 87.1 percentile. SEIFA deciles are 8 for education and occupation, 6 for economic resources, 7 for disadvantage and 8 for advantage, so education and occupational standing are higher than financial-resource ranking, partly consistent with a median age of 47 and 534 people outside the labour force.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
976
Unemployed
34
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
35.4%
Participation
62.0%
Employed
942
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.1%
Postgraduate
12.9%
Born Overseas
17.3%
Dwellings
712
Transport to Work
Daily life is more car-oriented than transit-oriented: 59.4% drive as a car driver, compared with 5.3% using public transport and 3.5% walking or cycling. A 29.2% work-from-home share may reduce commuting pressure for some households. Two local schools provide a government state option and a Catholic non-state option; check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cut across suburb lines. An IRSAD decile of 8 indicates stronger relative advantage than lower-decile locations, while the median age of 47 points to services and activities that suit an older resident base. For safety decisions, check current street-level police information rather than relying on assumptions from area-wide figures.
Drive
59.4%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
29.2%
Growth Outlook
Growth is modest and ageing-led. The annual trend is 0.22%, above zero but well below a rapid-growth trajectory, while migration is labelled Balanced. Across the wider area, population change is 4.3% over 10 years, and the shift trajectory is Aging: senior share rose 4.6%, young share fell 1.7% and working-age share fell 2.8%. Rent growth of 16.1% is higher than the population trend, which may reflect rental adjustments in established stock rather than a large influx. Gentrification is scored at 0 and classified as Not gentrifying, so change is more likely to come through ageing, turnover and incremental redevelopment than wholesale neighbourhood change.
Population trend: Brisbane council area
Shorncliffe sits in the Brisbane council area. These are the council area's residents, not Shorncliffe's.
Residents 2025
1,375,301
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.6%
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 Shorncliffe compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shorncliffe a good suburb to live in?
Shorncliffe can suit households seeking an established, lower-turnover setting: the median age is 47, 82.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 29.2% of workers work from home. Its 1.22 sq km footprint and 5.3% public transport use mean buyers should assess parking, local services and commuting needs.
What is the median house price in Shorncliffe?
A current median house price is not available. Buyers should compare recent sales by dwelling type and land size, while noting that 82.2% of homes are separate houses, 40.1% have four or more bedrooms and the monthly mortgage figure is $2,201.
What schools are in Shorncliffe?
Shorncliffe has 2 local schools: Shorncliffe State School, a government state school, and St Patrick's College, a Catholic non-state school. Check the exact address for enrolment zones and transport, especially because 59.4% of residents drive and 5.3% use public transport.
Is Shorncliffe safe?
Safety is best judged using current police incident information and an inspection of the exact street. Shorncliffe has 1,907 residents in 1.22 sq km, so conditions can vary within a compact area. The median age of 47 should not be treated as a safety measure, and buyers should compare local observations with nearby suburbs.
Is Shorncliffe good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking an established rental market, with weekly rent of $275, 25.1% renting and a 6.9% vacancy rate. However, a purchase-price-based yield needs current sales evidence. Rent growth was 16.1%, while the gentrification score is 0 and 21 development matters were recorded over 12 months.
How is Shorncliffe's population changing?
Shorncliffe is ageing slowly rather than expanding rapidly. The wider-area trend is 0.22% annually and population change is 4.3% over 10 years, while senior share rose 4.6% and young share fell 1.7%. Migration is Balanced and the gentrification score is 0, pointing to gradual change.
What development is occurring in Shorncliffe?
There were 21 development matters over the past 12 months, with recent examples including design-and-siting referral responses. One listed matter specified 1 dwelling. Buyers should check the current approval status, construction timing and any address-level impacts before relying on development activity in an investment decision.
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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