Stafford Heights
At a $556,000 median house price, Stafford Heights sits well below Brisbane's pricier inner-north neighbours, yet a household income at the 82.2nd national percentile and university qualifications 12.8 points above the national rate signal a comfortable, established owner base. The contradiction of modest prices against high incomes resolves in the housing stock: 96.8% of dwellings are detached houses on 2.9 km2, with 56.8% holding three bedrooms and 36.8% holding four or more. With 70% of households owning outright or paying a mortgage and only 30% renting, this is a settled detached-house pocket rather than a churn-driven rental market.
Population
6,992
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,159/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Median House
$556K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $556,000 median house price keeps Stafford Heights accessible compared with most established Brisbane suburbs, and the affordability case strengthens against the income data: average household income sits at the 82.2nd percentile while monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 23.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. The market is overwhelmingly family-oriented because 96.8% of stock is separate houses, with three-bedroom homes at 56.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 36.8%, leaving apartments at only 1.1%. Owner-occupation is high, with 32.4% owning outright and 37.6% carrying a mortgage, so buyers compete in a low-turnover market where 78.9% of residents stayed put over the prior period.
For Buyers
The $556,000 median house price keeps Stafford Heights accessible compared with most established Brisbane suburbs, and the affordability case strengthens against the income data: average household income sits at the 82.2nd percentile while monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 23.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. The market is overwhelmingly family-oriented because 96.8% of stock is separate houses, with three-bedroom homes at 56.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 36.8%, leaving apartments at only 1.1%. Owner-occupation is high, with 32.4% owning outright and 37.6% carrying a mortgage, so buyers compete in a low-turnover market where 78.9% of residents stayed put over the prior period.
For Investors
Renters make up 30.0% of households, a smaller tenant pool than most inner-Brisbane suburbs, which limits the rental market but reflects an owner-occupier neighbourhood with stable demand. Weekly rent of $415 against the $556,000 median produces a gross yield near 3.9%, stronger than the sub-2% yields common in higher-priced inner suburbs. The 4.8% vacancy rate is elevated and points to softer near-term rental absorption, though rent grew 20.0% over the measured period. Development is modest at 21 applications in 12 months, dominated by minor design-and-siting referrals and one childcare proposal, so supply pressure is low. Net overseas migration of 69 per year supports demand while internal migration runs at negative 29, a mild domestic outflow.
Development Activity
Total DAs
57
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+109.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Stafford Heights iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Somerset Hills State School
Prep-6 · 103 students
Stafford Heights State School
Prep-6 · 303 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 runs 3 years below the national figure, and the household profile leans toward families: couples with children (2,424) outnumber couples without (1,531), and average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national average. Overseas-born residents at 19.4% sit 2.2 points below national, confirming an Anglo-leaning population led by English ancestry (2,756), Irish (1,079) and Scottish (811), with Italian (498) the largest non-Anglo group. Italian is also the top non-English language spoken at home (60 speakers), ahead of Mandarin (26). University qualifications at 42.9% are 12.8 points above national, an educated base consistent with the suburb's professional and healthcare workforce.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.8%
Houses
2.1%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is settled and owner-dominated: 32.4% own outright, 37.6% hold a mortgage, and 30.0% rent, so roughly 70% of households are owners. The dwelling stock is almost entirely detached, with separate houses at 96.8%, semi-detached at 2.1% and apartments at just 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes account for 56.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes 36.8%, while studios and one-bedroom dwellings are negligible at 1.2%, a structure built for families rather than singles or downsizers. The $556,000 median is affordable relative to incomes, with mortgage-to-income at 23.2% and rent-to-income at 19.2%, both comfortably below the 30% stress line because household income reaches the 82.2nd percentile. The IER decile of 6 trails the IRSAD decile of 7, a modest gap reflecting the wealth tied up in detached housing.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$415
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$929
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.8%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.6%
Couples, no children
5,756
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 20.7% (536 workers), followed by Professional and Technical services at 12.9% (335), Education at 11.8% (305), Construction at 10.3% (267) and Public Administration at 8.2% (213), a service-and-knowledge mix anchored by the nearby health and education precincts. Professionals dominate occupations at 1,081, with Managers a distant second at 492, and this skew explains the household income reaching the 82.2nd percentile. Full-time employment runs at 66.9% with unemployment at 4.8%, close to typical levels. The IEO decile of 8 places the suburb in the upper tier for education and occupation, higher than its IRSAD decile of 7, reflecting a well-qualified workforce whose aggregate wealth is moderated by the IER decile of 6.
Unemployment
5.6%
Labour Force
4,949
Unemployed
279
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.9%
Part-time
28.3%
Participation
59.6%
Employed
3,227
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.9%
Postgraduate
9.3%
Born Overseas
19.4%
Dwellings
2,596
Transport to Work
Stafford Heights is car-oriented, with 84.7% of commuters driving compared with just 6.5% using public transport and 2.4% walking or cycling, reflecting a low-density layout of 2,414 people per km2 across 2.9 km2. Residential stability is high because 78.9% of residents stayed in place over the prior period, with turnover at only 21.1%, a marker of settled family households. The IRSAD decile of 7 places the suburb in the upper-middle band for socio-economic advantage, above the national midpoint, and housing costs sit comfortably below stress thresholds, with rent-to-income at 19.2% and mortgage-to-income at 23.2%. The volunteering rate of 15.9% points to an engaged local community.
Drive
84.7%
Public Transport
6.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.06%/yr
(+79 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is steady rather than rapid, running at 1.06% per year (about 79 persons), with a 10-year change of 14.5%, slower than Brisbane's fast-developing greenfield fringe. Estimated resident population reached 7,421 in 2025, and the medium trend projection lifts it to 7,880 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 69 net arrivals per year, while internal migration runs at negative 29, a mild domestic outflow typical of a built-out detached suburb with little new supply. Affordability improved from 45.0% in 2011 to 37.2% in 2021 as real incomes grew 18.2%, and the gentrification score of 6 marks the suburb as not gentrifying, consistent with a stable established profile rather than a transitioning one.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+69
Net Internal / yr
-29
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +18% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Stafford Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stafford Heights a good suburb to live in?
Stafford Heights suits families wanting space and value: 96.8% of homes are detached houses, the median price of $556,000 is affordable against household income at the 82.2nd percentile, and the IRSAD decile of 7 sits in the upper-middle advantage band. The trade-off is car dependence, with 84.7% driving and only 6.5% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Stafford Heights?
The median house price is $556,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $415 and monthly mortgage repayments around $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Gross rental yield works out near 3.9%.
What schools are in Stafford Heights?
No schools fall inside the 2.9 km2 Stafford Heights boundary in our dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs within the surrounding catchments. The educated base shows in the numbers, with university qualifications at 42.9%, which is 12.8 points above the national rate.
Is Stafford Heights safe?
Suburb-level crime statistics are not available for Stafford Heights in our dataset, so a crime rate cannot be reported. The profile is a settled, owner-occupied area where 70% of households own outright or hold a mortgage and 78.9% of residents stayed in place over the prior period, indicators consistent with a stable residential neighbourhood.
Is Stafford Heights good for property investment?
Gross yield is around 3.9%, from $415 weekly rent against a $556,000 median, stronger than the sub-2% yields in higher-priced inner suburbs. Renters are only 30.0% of households and the 4.8% vacancy rate is elevated, so the tenant pool is shallower than inner-city markets despite 20.0% rent growth over the measured period.
How is Stafford Heights's population changing?
Growth is steady at 1.06% per year (about 79 people), with a 10-year change of 14.5%. Population reached 7,421 in 2025 and is projected at 7,880 by 2031. Overseas migration drives it at 69 net arrivals per year, offset by internal migration of negative 29, a mild domestic outflow.
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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