Southside
A $370,000 median house price sits alongside a median age of 46, which is 6.0 years above the national figure, and the two facts reinforce each other in Southside. Household income lands in the 23.5th percentile nationally, well below average, yet 39.6% of residents own their homes outright, more outright owners than the 30.6% still paying a mortgage. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 88.1% separate houses against just 0.9% apartments, and large family homes dominate, with 46.7% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms. University qualifications reach only 17.6%, which is 12.5 points below national, and 10.5% of residents were born overseas, 11.1 points under the national rate, marking an affordable, settled, Anglo-leaning area.
Population
6,312
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,175/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$370K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $370,000 median, Southside ranks among the more affordable detached-housing markets in regional Queensland, far below metro Brisbane levels. The trade-off for that price is space rather than scarcity: 88.1% of dwellings are separate houses, only 0.9% are apartments, and 46.7% carry four or more bedrooms while another 41.3% have three, so small or low-maintenance stock is rare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,387, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes sitting in the 23.5th percentile. Outright owners at 39.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 30.6%, a sign the market is held by established, debt-free families rather than recent buyers, which keeps turnover modest at 25.1%.
For Buyers
At a $370,000 median, Southside ranks among the more affordable detached-housing markets in regional Queensland, far below metro Brisbane levels. The trade-off for that price is space rather than scarcity: 88.1% of dwellings are separate houses, only 0.9% are apartments, and 46.7% carry four or more bedrooms while another 41.3% have three, so small or low-maintenance stock is rare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,387, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes sitting in the 23.5th percentile. Outright owners at 39.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 30.6%, a sign the market is held by established, debt-free families rather than recent buyers, which keeps turnover modest at 25.1%.
For Investors
A 29.8% renter share and weekly rent of $285 give landlords a steady tenant base, and against the $370,000 median that rent implies a gross yield near 4.0%, well above the sub-2% returns common in capital-city markets. The 6.3% vacancy rate is moderate and points to balanced rather than oversupplied demand. The catch is thin growth potential: development activity is light at just 8 applications in 12 months, mostly material change-of-use requests rather than new dwellings, so supply stays tight but so does fresh investment momentum. With household income in the 23.5th percentile, rent-to-income already runs at 24.3%, limiting how far rents can climb before affordability bites. The case here rests on yield and low entry cost more than rapid capital appreciation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
9
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 Southside iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gympie South State School
Prep-6 · 518 students
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, and the resident base skews settled: turnover runs at 25.1% while 74.9% of residents stayed put. Overseas-born residents reach only 10.5%, which is 11.1 points below national, and ancestry leans heavily Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,901), Irish (697), Scottish (694) and German (539). University qualifications at 17.6% run 12.5 points under national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and services rather than knowledge sectors. Average household size is 2.4, 0.1 below national, fitting an older profile where couples without children make up 33.3% of families, almost matching the 1,619 couples with children. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 3,268 residents, far ahead of any other faith.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.1%
Houses
10.8%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward ownership: 39.6% own outright, 30.6% carry a mortgage and 29.8% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders signals long-held, debt-free family wealth rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 88.1% separate houses and only 0.9% apartments, with semi-detached dwellings at 10.8%, so density is minimal across the 18.64 km2 footprint. Four-or-more-bedroom homes account for 46.7% and three-bedroom 41.3%, leaving smaller dwellings scarce. Against the $370,000 median, mortgage-to-income sits at 27.3% and rent-to-income at 24.3%, both below the 30% stress threshold, which keeps housing comfortable despite household incomes in the 23.5th percentile. Affordable purchase prices relative even to modest local incomes explain the high outright-ownership rate.
Mortgage / mo
$1,387
Rent / wk
$285
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$585
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.3%
Unoccupied
165
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.3%
Couples, no children
4,846
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service and trade sectors rather than high-paying knowledge industries: Healthcare leads at 20.1% (296 workers), Education follows at 13.6% (200) and Construction at 10.7% (157), with Manufacturing at 9.2% and Retail at 8.6%. By occupation, Labourers (363) edge out Professionals (352), with Community and Personal Service workers (329) and Clerical staff (314) close behind, a spread that helps explain why university qualifications sit 12.5 points below national. Unemployment is elevated at 6.3% and participation reads just 45.8%, well below average, because the aging profile leaves 2,405 residents not in the labour force. The full-time employment rate of 59.3% and household income in the 23.5th percentile together point to a modest, services-driven local economy.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
45.8%
Employed
2,261
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.6%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
10.5%
Dwellings
2,453
Transport to Work
Southside is heavily car-dependent: 90.9% of residents drive to work while only 0.9% use public transport and 1.2% walk or cycle, far above the national reliance on cars and consistent with a low-density area at 338.6 residents per km2. The affordability picture is the standout positive, with rent-to-income at 24.3% and mortgage-to-income at 27.3%, both below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in the 23.5th percentile. Volunteering runs at 17.9%, indicating an engaged settled community, though the older profile shows in the 12.0% of residents (715 people) who need daily assistance, above what a younger suburb would record. No schools are recorded inside the 18.64 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Southside compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southside a good suburb to live in?
Southside suits buyers wanting affordable detached housing, with a $370,000 median house price and mortgage-to-income at 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-offs are household income in the 23.5th percentile and heavy car dependence, since 90.9% of residents drive to work and only 0.9% use public transport.
What is the median house price in Southside?
The median house price is $370,000, affordable by regional Queensland standards. Weekly rent averages $285 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,387, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.3%, which stays below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in the 23.5th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Southside?
No schools are recorded inside the 18.64 km2 Southside boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring areas. The local education profile is modest, with university qualifications at 17.6%, which is 12.5 points below the national figure.
Is Southside safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Southside in this dataset. As context, the suburb has a settled population with low turnover of 25.1% and 74.9% of residents staying put, alongside a volunteering rate of 17.9%, both consistent with an established, stable community.
Is Southside good for property investment?
Rent of $285 a week against a $370,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, well above the sub-2% returns in capital cities, and the vacancy rate is moderate at 6.3%. The catch is light development at 8 applications a year and household income in the 23.5th percentile, so returns lean on yield over capital growth.
How is Southside's population changing?
Southside is a settled, slow-moving market with low turnover of 25.1% and 74.9% of residents staying put. The median age of 46 runs 6.0 years above national and 2,405 residents sit outside the labour force, pointing to an aging base, while development is light at just 8 applications over 12 months.
What is the population of Southside?
Southside has a population of 6,312 across an 18.64 km2 area, giving a low density of 338.6 residents per km2. The median age is 46, which is 6.0 years above the national figure, reflecting an older, settled resident base in a predominantly detached-housing area.
Who works in Southside and in what industries?
The largest employment sectors are Healthcare at 20.1% (296 workers), Education at 13.6% (200) and Construction at 10.7% (157). Unemployment is elevated at 6.3% and participation sits at 45.8%, below national, partly because 2,405 residents are outside the labour force given the older age profile.
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.
Explore Southside on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map