South Gladstone
A compact Gladstone residential pocket, South Gladstone combines 3,476 residents with a density of 1,054.1 people per sq km across 3.3 sq km. The median age is 39, one year below the national comparison, while household income sits at the 29.7th percentile. Renting is prominent at 48.6% and vacancy is 15.1%, pointing to a mobile market. Compared with nearby Gladstone and Toolooa, the suburb reads as an established, car-oriented area with an aging trajectory rather than a high-growth redevelopment zone.
Population
3,476
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,283/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
For buyers, the clearest signal is the housing mix rather than a current median sale price, which is not available. Separate houses make up 64.5% of dwellings, while semi-detached homes account for 23.1%, apartments 10.7% and 2-bedroom dwellings 27.6%. The listed monthly mortgage cost is $1,430, equal to 25.7% of household income, while weekly rent is $240 and rent consumes 18.7% of income. Compared with nearby Gladstone, South Gladstone suits buyers willing to compare older houses, townhouses and smaller units street by street. The 48.6% rental share and 15.1% vacancy rate can create choice, but they also warrant careful checks on building condition, body corporate costs and resale depth.
For Buyers
For buyers, the clearest signal is the housing mix rather than a current median sale price, which is not available. Separate houses make up 64.5% of dwellings, while semi-detached homes account for 23.1%, apartments 10.7% and 2-bedroom dwellings 27.6%. The listed monthly mortgage cost is $1,430, equal to 25.7% of household income, while weekly rent is $240 and rent consumes 18.7% of income. Compared with nearby Gladstone, South Gladstone suits buyers willing to compare older houses, townhouses and smaller units street by street. The 48.6% rental share and 15.1% vacancy rate can create choice, but they also warrant careful checks on building condition, body corporate costs and resale depth.
For Investors
South Gladstone has a strong rental orientation: 48.6% of occupied dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $240 and vacancy is 15.1%. That vacancy level is higher than a tightly held rental market would normally show, so investors should allow for leasing time and avoid assuming automatic rent growth. Development activity is limited, with 1 application in the past 12 months for a subdivision from 1 lot to 2, which is below the volume expected in an active expansion corridor. Forecast growth runs at 0.56% annually and is driven by overseas migration, while the gentrification score is 15 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Compared with nearby Gladstone, the case is yield and tenant-demand dependent rather than a clear redevelopment premium.
Development Activity
Total DAs
53
Last 12 Months
1
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
Schools in South Gladstone
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Toolooa State High School
Gladstone South State School
Demographics
South Gladstone has 3,476 residents, a median age of 39 and an average household size of 2.2, with age one year below the national comparison and household size 0.3 below the national figure. The population is anglo-leaning: English ancestry counts 1,355 people, followed by Scottish 337 and Irish 307, while no religion is recorded for 1,515 residents versus 1,477 identifying with Christianity. Overseas-born residents account for 17.8%, 3.8 percentage points below the national comparison, and university attainment is 20.9%, 9.2 points below nationally. Compared with nearby Gladstone, the smaller household size and 66.9% stay rate suggest a settled but gradually aging social profile; turnover is still 33.1%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
64.5%
Houses
23.1%
Townhouse
10.7%
Apartment
Tenure
South Gladstone's tenure pattern is more renter-heavy than an owner-led suburb: 48.6% rent, 27.7% hold a mortgage and 22.0% own outright. The dwelling stock remains predominantly low-rise, with 64.5% separate houses, 23.1% semi-detached homes and 10.7% apartments; 38.6% have 3 bedrooms and 29.5% have 4 or more. Mortgage payments are listed at $1,430 monthly and represent 25.7% of household income, while rent is $240 weekly and 18.7% of income, so neither burden is flagged as stress. Compared with nearby Gladstone, this mix makes South Gladstone more suitable for buyers who value housing choice over a single dominant dwelling type. The 15.1% vacancy rate is well above what a tightly held market would imply, which may support negotiation but can also signal uneven demand.
Mortgage / mo
$1,430
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $240.
$510
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $510 · units $400
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$712
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.1%
Unoccupied
255
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.6%
Couples with children
37.2%
Couples, no children
22.9%
Single parent
853
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is anchored by manufacturing at 13.6% and 139 workers, healthcare at 13.3% and 136, education at 11.1% and 114, construction at 10.0% and 102, and transport at 8.2% and 84. The occupational mix supports that spread, led by trades at 258 people, professionals at 248, labourers at 204, community and personal services at 188, and machinery or drivers at 171. Yet unemployment is 10.6% from a labour force of 1,702, with participation at 59.7%, so job access is weaker than the industry list alone suggests. Socioeconomic scores sit in low comparison bands: IEO decile 2, IER decile 1, IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 1. This combination indicates industrial and service employment alongside below-average education, income and advantage outcomes; household income is at the 29.7th percentile.
Unemployment
10.6%
Labour Force
1,702
Unemployed
181
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.5%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
59.7%
Employed
1,521
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.9%
Postgraduate
4.0%
Born Overseas
17.8%
Dwellings
1,436
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-dependent: 83.4% travel as a car driver, compared with only 0.7% using public transport, 3.9% walking or cycling and 4.6% working from home. Two nearby government schools cover primary and high-school stages, including a state school and a state high school; families should check enrolment zones because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. The suburb's 3.3 sq km area and density of 1,054.1 people per sq km support short local trips, but the transport mix is less flexible than a transit-oriented area. IRSAD is in decile 1, below the national comparison, and 7.5% of residents need assistance, so access to health, support and everyday services matters. Compared with nearby Gladstone, car reliance and school access should be weighed against limited public transport.
Drive
83.4%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.9%
Work from Home
4.6%
Population Forecast
+0.56%/yr
(+38 people/yr)
EstablishedSouth Gladstone is forecast to follow an established, low-intensity path: annual growth is 0.56%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is -2.2% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.2% and the young share down 1.2%. This creates a contrast between modest near-term trend growth and a softer long-run demographic base. The gentrification score is 15 and the stage is Not gentrifying, while rent growth is -17.9% and affordability improved from 39.9% in 2011 to 33.4% in 2021. Compared with nearby Gladstone and Toolooa, South Gladstone's outlook is more likely to involve selective infill than broad-based transformation.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+98
Net Internal / yr
+16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Accelerating: -5% → 11%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Gladstone compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Gladstone a good suburb to live in?
South Gladstone can suit households wanting a compact, established area with 3,476 residents across 3.3 sq km. It has 2 nearby government schools, but only 0.7% use public transport and IRSAD sits in decile 1, so amenity, support services and commuting should be checked against budget and lifestyle.
What is the median house price in South Gladstone?
A current median house price is not available for South Gladstone. Buyers can frame affordability using the $1,430 monthly mortgage figure, $240 weekly rent and 25.7% mortgage-to-income share, then compare recent settled sales for comparable 3-bedroom and 4-plus-bedroom homes.
What schools are in South Gladstone?
South Gladstone has 2 nearby government schools: Gladstone South State School and Toolooa State High School. The mix covers primary and high-school years, but families should verify the catchment for the exact address, transport options and enrolment availability because school boundaries do not always match suburb boundaries.
Is South Gladstone safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not quoted for South Gladstone, so a definitive safety comparison is not possible. South Gladstone covers 3.3 sq km and has 1,054.1 people per sq km; inspect the exact street, lighting, traffic and property security rather than relying on a suburb label alone.
Is South Gladstone good for property investment?
It can suit an investor seeking a high-rental-share market, with 48.6% renting, $240 weekly rent and 15.1% vacancy. Growth is forecast at 0.56% annually, development activity was 1 application in 12 months, and gentrification is Not gentrifying with a score of 15. Review property condition and tenant demand before relying on gross yield.
How is South Gladstone's population changing?
The local population is 3,476 today, while the wider-area forecast records -2.2% change over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.2% and young share down 1.2%; annual trend growth is 0.56% and overseas migration is the primary driver. That points to modest activity alongside demographic ageing rather than a rapid population surge.
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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