St George
With only 0.3 people per square kilometre spread across 11,071 square kilometres, St George is one of Queensland's most sparsely populated service towns, functioning as the agricultural hub of the Balonne Shire. The median house price sits around $296,000, well below the Queensland state median, yet the town supports a meaningful renter population at 41.1% of households. Agriculture drives 22.2% of local employment, more than double the national share, because the surrounding floodplain supports large-scale cotton and grain operations. Household income ranks in the 40th percentile nationally, reflecting the wage structure of a rural service economy rather than high-income professional clusters.
Population
3,130
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,399/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$296K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of approximately $296,000 is substantially below the Queensland state median, giving first-home buyers an accessible entry point compared to coastal markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,224, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is strongly detached-dominant, with 91.4% separate houses and just 1.3% apartments, so buyers almost exclusively compete for freestanding homes on their own land. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.1% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes 35.7%, skewing toward larger family configurations than is typical for regional towns. Outright owners make up 31.9% of households, slightly above the mortgage-holder share of 27.0%, indicating a mature ownership base rather than a heavily leveraged market.
For Buyers
The median house price of approximately $296,000 is substantially below the Queensland state median, giving first-home buyers an accessible entry point compared to coastal markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,224, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is strongly detached-dominant, with 91.4% separate houses and just 1.3% apartments, so buyers almost exclusively compete for freestanding homes on their own land. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.1% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes 35.7%, skewing toward larger family configurations than is typical for regional towns. Outright owners make up 31.9% of households, slightly above the mortgage-holder share of 27.0%, indicating a mature ownership base rather than a heavily leveraged market.
For Investors
The rental market carries risk signals that warrant careful analysis. The vacancy rate of 14.7% is well above typical investment thresholds, which points to structural oversupply relative to tenant demand in a population of only 3,130. Weekly rent averages $210, and with a median house price near $296,000 that implies a gross yield approaching 3.7%, higher than major cities but reflecting the vacancy risk. Renters account for 41.1% of households, providing a broad tenant pool, but the population density of 0.3 per square kilometre and limited migration inflows constrain demand growth. The 22.5% household turnover rate means the renter pool is reasonably active. With agriculture representing 22.2% of local jobs, rental demand is tied to seasonal commodity cycles rather than stable government or knowledge-sector employment.
Schools in St George iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Patrick's School
Prep-6 · 149 students
St George State High School
7-12 · 189 students
St George State School
Prep-6 · 149 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, suggesting the population skews slightly younger than average for a regional town. Overseas-born residents make up just 7.4%, which is 14.2 percentage points below the national average, giving St George one of the more locally-born profiles in Queensland. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,016 residents), Irish (289) and Scottish (251), with German heritage (151) also notable. University qualifications reach 20.4% of residents, running 9.7 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with an economy concentrated in agriculture, labouring and community services rather than professional sectors. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure. Christianity accounts for 1,854 of 3,130 residents, reflecting a traditional rural community structure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.4%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure profile shows 31.9% of households owning outright, 27.0% carrying a mortgage and 41.1% renting, with renters the single largest group. That high renter share relative to a small town is partly explained by the presence of agricultural and public-sector workers on fixed-term postings. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 91.4%, with semi-detached homes at 5.5% and apartments at just 1.3%. Bedroom distribution is weighted toward larger homes, with 45.1% three-bedroom and 35.7% four-plus bedroom dwellings, which is notably higher than metropolitan averages. Rent stress is absent at a rent-to-income ratio of 15.0%, below the 30% threshold, and mortgage stress is also low at 20.2%. At $296,000 median, the price-to-income relationship is more favourable than most Queensland coastal or metropolitan markets.
Mortgage / mo
$1,224
Rent / wk
$210
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$776
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.7%
Unoccupied
195
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.4%
Couples, no children
2,267
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture dominates the local economy at 22.2% of employed residents, a concentration far above the national average that reflects the Balonne Shire's role as one of Queensland's major cotton and grain regions. Healthcare is the second-largest employer at 18.1% and Education at 13.8%, together making up the public service backbone of any rural service centre. Public Administration accounts for 8.1% and Construction 7.7%. By occupation, Managers (284 workers) lead, followed by Labourers (232) and Professionals (206), a distribution that reflects both farm management and the manual work of agricultural operations. The unemployment rate of 4.8% and full-time employment rate of 70.1% are both reasonable. Household weekly income averages $1,399, placing the town in the 40th income percentile nationally, below the median, because rural wages compress at the base compared to city knowledge-sector roles.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.1%
Part-time
25.1%
Participation
58.9%
Employed
1,390
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.4%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
7.4%
Dwellings
1,122
Transport to Work
Car use dominates daily travel, with 83.5% of workers driving, well above the national average, because public transport options in a town covering 11,071 square kilometres are limited. Walking and cycling account for 9.6% of commutes, a reasonable share for a small compact town centre. No schools are recorded in the brief dataset for St George, though as the Balonne Shire's administrative centre the town does serve local education needs. Volunteering reaches 22.9% of residents, above the national average, consistent with rural communities where civic participation is higher than in metropolitan areas. Only 4.9% of residents need daily assistance, and housing stress indicators are low, with rent-to-income at 15.0% and mortgage-to-income at 20.2%. The combination of affordable housing, low stress metrics and community engagement gives the town a practical liveability profile suited to residents who prioritise low cost of living over urban amenity.
Drive
83.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
9.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How St George compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St George a good suburb to live in?
St George suits residents who prioritise affordable living and community ties over urban services. The median house price is around $296,000, well below the Queensland state median, and housing stress is low at a rent-to-income ratio of 15.0%. Volunteering reaches 22.9%, above national rates. The trade-off is limited public transport in a 11,071 square kilometre area and a 14.7% vacancy rate that reflects limited population growth.
What is the median house price in St George?
The median house price is approximately $296,000, based on a 2025 rental estimate. Weekly rent averages $210 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,224, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold. This positions St George as one of Queensland's more affordable regional markets.
What schools are in St George?
No schools are recorded in the current dataset for St George, though as the administrative centre of Balonne Shire the town does serve the local region. The suburb has a university qualification rate of 20.4%, which is 9.7 percentage points below the national average, consistent with an economy focused on agriculture and community services.
Is St George safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for St George in the current dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low with rent-to-income at 15.0% and mortgage-to-income at 20.2%, and only 4.9% of residents need daily assistance. Volunteering at 22.9%, above the national average, also points to a community with strong social participation.
Is St George good for property investment?
The gross yield on a $296,000 median at $210 weekly rent approaches 3.7%, higher than major city markets, but the 14.7% vacancy rate signals real oversupply risk. With a population of only 3,130 and an agricultural employment base of 22.2%, demand is tied to seasonal commodity cycles. The 41.1% renter share provides a broad tenant pool, but caution is warranted given thin population growth drivers.
How is St George's population changing?
Detailed population forecasts are not in the current dataset for St George. The existing population of 3,130 has a residential stability rate of 77.5%, suggesting most residents plan to stay. Employment is tied to agriculture at 22.2% of jobs, meaning population trends follow commodity cycles. The 22.5% household turnover and 58.9% participation rate indicate a functioning but slow-growing labour market.
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 St George on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map