QLD 4116 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Stretton

With 60.1% of residents born overseas, Stretton stands out for its international population and large-home format. The suburb has 4,686 people across 5.09 square kilometres, with a median age of 38, two years below the national figure. Household income sits at the 81.7th percentile, while 98.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 94.3% have four or more bedrooms. Those features point to established family demand, reinforced by an average household size of 3.4, which is 0.9 above the national measure. Compared with nearby Calamvale and Sunnybank Hills, buyers should focus on whether Stretton's spacious, car-oriented format fits their budget and routine, because 67.8% drive to work and only 5.7% use public transport.

Stretton urban fabric map

Population

4,686

Median Age

38.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,144/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

12

5.09 km²· 920.4 people/km²· Family income $2,051/wk

Stretton is most relevant to buyers wanting established, high-capacity family housing: 98.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 94.3% contain four or more bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so affordability needs to be tested through comparable sales, repayments and rent. The typical mortgage payment is $2,167 per month, while weekly rent is $550. Mortgage costs equal 23.3% of household income, below the 25.7% rent-to-income figure, and 44.8% of homes are owned outright versus 39.9% with a mortgage. Compared with smaller-home options, this stock is likely to suit households prioritising space, although the 3.4-person average household size means buyers should check whether the extra capacity is useful rather than simply expensive.

For Buyers

Stretton is most relevant to buyers wanting established, high-capacity family housing: 98.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 94.3% contain four or more bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so affordability needs to be tested through comparable sales, repayments and rent. The typical mortgage payment is $2,167 per month, while weekly rent is $550. Mortgage costs equal 23.3% of household income, below the 25.7% rent-to-income figure, and 44.8% of homes are owned outright versus 39.9% with a mortgage. Compared with smaller-home options, this stock is likely to suit households prioritising space, although the 3.4-person average household size means buyers should check whether the extra capacity is useful rather than simply expensive.

For Investors

Stretton presents a selective rental-market question for investors rather than a broad tenant-market play. Only 13.8% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 44.8% owned outright and 39.9% mortgaged, so the tenant pool is smaller than the owner base. Weekly rent is $550 and vacancy is 4.5%, which calls for conservative cash-flow modelling and careful property selection. Twelve development applications in the past 12 months indicate some ongoing activity, but not a large pipeline on this count alone. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver and may support demand for well-located family homes because 94.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms. Investors should test insurance, maintenance and resale depth against nearby Calamvale and Sunnybank Hills.

Development Activity

Total DAs

37

Last 12 Months

12

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+50.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
15
Other
3
Commercial / Industrial
1
Change of Use
1

Schools in Stretton

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Stretton State College

State School Government

Demographics

Stretton has a strong overseas-born majority: 60.1% of residents were born overseas, 38.5 percentage points above the national comparison. Chinese ancestry is the largest recorded group at 1,782 people, followed by Other at 960, English at 569 and Indian at 483. Mandarin is spoken by 559 residents and Canton by 239, while no religion accounts for 1,732 and Christianity 1,500. The median age is 38, two years below national, but the trajectory is aging; 57.5% of families are couples with children and average household size is 3.4, 0.9 above national. With 83.3% staying at the same address, compared with 16.7% turnover, Stretton is likely to retain established family networks as overseas migration continues.

Age Distribution

0-14
20.0%
15-24
13.6%
25-44
26.1%
45-64
26.3%
65+
14.1%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.0%
2 bed
0.2%
3 bed
5.4%
4+ bed
94.3%

Dwelling Structure

98.5%

Houses

1.5%

Townhouse

0.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 44.8% Mortgage 39.9% Rent 13.8% Other 1.5%

Stretton's housing stock is unusually concentrated in detached, high-bedroom homes: 98.5% are separate houses, 94.3% have four or more bedrooms and 1.5% are semi-detached. Tenure is similarly owner-led, with 44.8% owned outright, 39.9% mortgaged and 13.8% rented. The outright-owned share is higher than the mortgaged share, suggesting a substantial settled base, while the 3.4-person average household helps explain demand for larger floor plans. Weekly rent is $550, vacancy is 4.5%, mortgage cost is $2,167 per month and mortgage-to-income is 23.3%, below rent-to-income at 25.7%. A current median sale price is unavailable, so comparisons with Calamvale and Sunnybank Hills should use like-for-like four-bedroom sales rather than headline suburb averages.

Mortgage / mo

$2,167

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $550.

$650

Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $650

HH Size

3.4

Personal Income / wk

$708

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

4.5%

Unoccupied

65

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

25.7%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.3%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
559
Canton
239
Hindi
55
Arabic
50
Punjabi
46
Korean
44

Ancestry

Chinese
1,782
Other
960
English
569
Indian
483
Vietnamese
163
Irish
143

Household Composition

57.5%

Couples with children

29.4%

Couples, no children

11.9%

Single parent

1,333

Total families

Economy & Employment

Stretton's economy combines health, professional work and education with a high-skilled resident base. Healthcare is the leading industry at 21.8% of employment, followed by Professional/Tech at 13.0%, Retail 10.8%, Education 8.8% and Construction 6.5%. Professionals number 635 and Managers 364, while Clerical/Admin adds 321. Household income ranks at the 81.7th percentile, and university education reaches 58.1%, 28 percentage points above the national comparison. SEIFA is above the midpoint across all four measures: IEO decile 7, IER 8, IRSAD 7 and IRSD 6. The IER-IRSD gap indicates stronger resources than disadvantage outcomes alone suggest. Unemployment is 6.3%, participation 62.5% and full-time work 57.3%, so professional strength coexists with some labour-market slack.

Unemployment

6.3%

Labour Force

2,347

Unemployed

148

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
7
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
8
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

57.3%

Part-time

35.6%

Participation

62.5%

Employed

2,199

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 635
Managers 364
Clerical/Admin 321
Sales 204
Trades 196
Community/Personal 182
Labourers 148
Machinery/Drivers 112

Top Industries

Healthcare 21.8%
Professional/Tech 13.0%
Retail 10.8%
Education 8.8%
Construction 6.5%

University

58.1%

Postgraduate

18.0%

Born Overseas

60.1%

Dwellings

1,374

Transport to Work

Stretton works best for households comfortable with car-based routines. About 67.8% drive to work, compared with 5.7% using public transport and 0.6% walking or cycling; 19.3% work from home. Stretton State College is the local government state school, so families should confirm catchment boundaries and year-level availability for the exact address. With density of 920.4 people per square kilometre across 5.09 square kilometres, the suburb is compact but dominated by detached homes. IRSAD sits in decile 7 and IEO in decile 7, both above the national midpoint, while 4.6% need assistance with core activities. That combination supports a settled residential setting, but transport choice and school access should be checked street by street.

Drive

67.8%

Public Transport

5.7%

Walk / Cycle

0.6%

Work from Home

19.3%

Population Forecast

+1.77%/yr

(+451 people/yr)

Established

Stretton's growth outlook is steady rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.77%, driven primarily by overseas migration, and population change across the wider area is 23.7% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 4.5 percentage points, while the working share has fallen 1.3 points. Compared with a no-growth baseline, those figures point to continuing demand but a changing age mix. Gentrification has a score of 20 and a stage of Early signs, while the trajectory is also described as Not gentrifying with a score of 18. Rent growth of 10.5% makes holding costs and tenant affordability important as the suburb matures.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+643

Net Internal / yr

-296

20

Gentrification Signal

Early signs

Population +31% since 2011, Net internal outflow -296/yr, Strong overseas inflow +643/yr

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Stretton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 12%
Household Income
Top 18%
Rent Level
Top 4%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Bottom 46%
Uni Educated
Top 5%
Public Transport
Top 21%
Born Overseas
Top 1%
Density
Top 16%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Stretton a good suburb to live in?

Stretton suits households seeking large detached homes, with 98.5% of dwellings separate houses and 94.3% containing four or more bedrooms. Its median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, while household income ranks at the 81.7th percentile.

What is the median house price in Stretton?

A current median house price is not available. For a realistic comparison, examine recent four-bedroom-plus sales and model the $2,167 monthly mortgage figure against $2,144 weekly household income and $550 weekly rent.

What schools are in Stretton?

Stretton State College is the local government state school. Confirm the enrolment zone and year levels for the address, because boundaries can change across streets. Stretton has 1 named local school.

Is Stretton safe?

Check recent Queensland Police Service figures for the exact street and compare them with nearby suburbs before deciding. Stretton has 4,686 residents, and 67.8% of workers drive, so traffic and road layout may matter during a home inspection.

Is Stretton good for property investment?

Stretton may suit investors targeting family-sized rentals: 13.8% of dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $550 and vacancy is 4.5%. Annual growth is forecast at 1.77%, but buyers should stress-test maintenance and insurance on large homes.

How is Stretton's population changing?

Growth is running at 1.77% a year and is driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 23.7% over 10 years, while Stretton's trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.5 percentage points and the working share down 1.3 points.

What languages are common in Stretton?

Mandarin is the most common listed non-English language, spoken by 559 residents, followed by Canton at 239. Hindi accounts for 55, Arabic 50 and Punjabi 46. The overseas-born share is 60.1%, which is 38.5 percentage points above the national comparison.

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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