Sun Valley
At IEO decile 1 nationally, Sun Valley ranks among Queensland's most educationally and occupationally disadvantaged postcodes, yet its 1,296 residents carry comparatively modest housing costs with a median house price of $353,000. Household income sits at the 47.6th percentile nationally, and unemployment runs at 11.3%, nearly double typical suburban benchmarks. The suburb is almost entirely detached housing (96%), densely packed into just 1.05 square kilometres, and car dependency is near-total at 89.5% of commuters. These three signals together point to a working-class, family-oriented enclave where affordability is the primary draw.
Population
1,296
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,520/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$353K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $353,000 is affordable relative to most Queensland coastal markets, and mortgage stress is contained: monthly repayments average $1,400, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 96% of all dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes dominant at nearly 60% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for a further 34.4%. This bedroom profile suits families more than couples or singles. Outright owners represent 29% of the suburb, mortgage holders 40.8% and renters 30.3%, indicating a mortgage-belt community still building equity. First-home buyers face limited apartment or townhouse alternatives, since less than 4% of dwellings are non-detached.
For Buyers
The median house price of $353,000 is affordable relative to most Queensland coastal markets, and mortgage stress is contained: monthly repayments average $1,400, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 96% of all dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes dominant at nearly 60% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for a further 34.4%. This bedroom profile suits families more than couples or singles. Outright owners represent 29% of the suburb, mortgage holders 40.8% and renters 30.3%, indicating a mortgage-belt community still building equity. First-home buyers face limited apartment or townhouse alternatives, since less than 4% of dwellings are non-detached.
For Investors
Sun Valley carries meaningful headwinds for property investors. The vacancy rate is 10.7%, well above the 3% benchmark that indicates a tight rental market, suggesting landlords face real competition to fill properties. Weekly rent of $260 against a $353,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%, modest given the risk profile. The suburb scores IRSAD decile 2 nationally, placing it in the bottom 20% for socioeconomic advantage, which historically correlates with softer long-term capital growth than higher-decile areas. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, indicating low investor activity and limited new supply. With an unemployment rate of 11.3% and household income at the 47.6th percentile, tenant stability and affordability of rent at $260 per week are the key factors supporting rental demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
Demographics
Sun Valley's population of 1,296 skews slightly male (51.1%) with a median age of 38, which is 2 years below the national figure, reflecting a younger-than-average working-age profile. Only 11.1% of residents were born overseas, which is 10.5 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (572 residents), Irish (151) and Scottish (134) dominate. University qualifications reach just 15.2%, sitting 14.9 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the suburb's IEO decile 1 ranking. Average household size of 2.6 is marginally above national, and couples with children (377 families) outnumber couples without children (273), reinforcing the family-oriented character. Residential stability is notable: 78.2% of residents remained in the same address over the measured period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.0%
Houses
0.6%
Townhouse
3.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing defines Sun Valley almost completely, with 96% of dwellings being separate houses and just 3.4% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 59.9% of the stock, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 34.4%, which means very little stock exists below the 3-bedroom threshold. Tenure splits broadly into mortgage holders (40.8%), renters (30.3%) and outright owners (29.0%). The median house price of $353,000, estimated from 2025 rental data, gives a price-to-weekly-household-income ratio of around 232, lower than many comparable Queensland suburbs. Mortgage repayments averaging $1,400 per month sit at 21.3% of household income, below the stress threshold. Rent-to-income at 17.1% is also comfortable for tenants, which partly explains why the suburb retains a renter population despite its suburban, owner-occupier character.
Mortgage / mo
$1,400
Rent / wk
$260
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$699
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.7%
Unoccupied
58
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.0%
Couples, no children
1,049
Total families
Economy & Employment
Manufacturing is the largest employment sector at 17% of the workforce (59 workers), followed by Construction at 15% (52 workers) and Healthcare at 11.8% (41 workers), with Education adding 11.2%. By occupation, Labourers (84) and Machinery/Drivers (71) together form the largest group, with Professionals a close equal to Machinery/Drivers at 71 workers each. This trade and manual-labour concentration aligns with the IEO decile 1 score, which measures education and occupation level. The unemployment rate of 11.3% is substantially above typical suburban benchmarks, and the participation rate of 60.1% means a significant share of working-age residents are outside the labour market (323 people). Full-time employment reaches 64.9% of those employed, suggesting most workers in the suburb hold stable rather than casual positions.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.9%
Part-time
23.8%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
544
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.2%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
11.1%
Dwellings
472
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total in Sun Valley: 89.5% of residents drive to work, and only 0.7% use public transport, well below most urban suburbs. Just 2.6% walk or cycle. This makes proximity to the Gladstone road network a practical necessity for daily life. The suburb scores IRSAD decile 2 nationally, placing it in the bottom fifth for socioeconomic advantage, which affects access to services and infrastructure. Rent-to-income at 17.1% keeps housing affordable for renters relative to incomes at the 47.6th percentile. Volunteering participation stands at 18.7%, a sign of community engagement above what disadvantage measures alone would suggest. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on nearby Gladstone-area schools. The need-for-assistance rate of 6.9% (85 residents) is moderate.
Drive
89.5%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sun Valley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sun Valley a good suburb to live in?
Sun Valley offers affordable housing with a $353,000 median and mortgage-to-income of 21.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold. However, it scores IEO decile 1 nationally, placing it in the bottom tier for education and occupation access, and unemployment runs at 11.3%. Residents prioritising affordability and a detached-house, family-oriented setting will find it suits those needs.
What is the median house price in Sun Valley?
The median house price is approximately $353,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $260 and monthly mortgage repayments are around $1,400, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%. The suburb is priced well below most Southeast Queensland coastal markets.
What schools are in Sun Valley?
No schools are recorded inside the Sun Valley boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Gladstone area (postcode 4680). The suburb's university qualification rate of 15.2% is 14.9 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the local IEO decile 1 disadvantage ranking.
Is Sun Valley safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Sun Valley in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores IRSD decile 3 nationally for relative disadvantage, placing it in the lower third. The unemployment rate of 11.3% is elevated compared to typical suburban benchmarks, which can correlate with higher property crime in some contexts.
Is Sun Valley good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $260 against a $353,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%, but the vacancy rate is 10.7%, well above the 3% threshold for a tight market. The suburb scores IRSAD decile 2, in the bottom 20% nationally for socioeconomic advantage, and no development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, limiting upside signals.
How is Sun Valley's population changing?
Formal population forecasts are not available for Sun Valley. The current population is 1,296, with a turnover rate of 21.8% indicating moderate residential movement. No new development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so near-term supply growth is unlikely. The median age of 38 is 2 years below national, suggesting a younger working-age base.
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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