Sunnybank
More than half of Sunnybank's 8,892 residents were born overseas, with the overseas-born share reaching 58.9%, or 37.3 percentage points above the national figure. Chinese ancestry is the largest reported background at 3,113 people. Across 4.49 square kilometres, density reaches 1,981.3 people per square kilometre, yet 86.1% of dwellings are separate houses. The median age is 35, five years below national, while university attainment is 48.8%, 18.7 points above national. Compared with nearby Macgregor and Sunnybank Hills, Sunnybank has a particularly strong migrant-majority identity alongside established detached housing and access to multicultural services.
Population
8,892
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,586/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Sunnybank suits buyers who value established detached housing, larger floorplans and access to a strongly international local population. Separate houses account for 86.1% of dwellings, while 51.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.1% have 3 bedrooms, making the suburb more family-house oriented than apartment-led areas. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare recent comparable sales rather than rely on a single suburb figure. The reported mortgage commitment is $2,000 per month, with mortgage costs at 29.1% of household income, higher than rent-to-income at 25.2%. Neither measure is flagged as stressed, although the 21.5% mortgage tenure share is below the 40.1% renting share.
For Buyers
Sunnybank suits buyers who value established detached housing, larger floorplans and access to a strongly international local population. Separate houses account for 86.1% of dwellings, while 51.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 37.1% have 3 bedrooms, making the suburb more family-house oriented than apartment-led areas. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare recent comparable sales rather than rely on a single suburb figure. The reported mortgage commitment is $2,000 per month, with mortgage costs at 29.1% of household income, higher than rent-to-income at 25.2%. Neither measure is flagged as stressed, although the 21.5% mortgage tenure share is below the 40.1% renting share.
For Investors
Sunnybank has a substantial tenant base, with 40.1% of households renting compared with 35.9% owning outright. Weekly rent is $400, but the 8.4% vacancy rate means investors should test achievable rent and holding costs carefully rather than assume tight supply. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, supporting demand from internationally connected households and helping sustain local hospitality, retail and service activity. Development activity is also notable, with 45 applications recorded over 12 months, although the sample includes referral agency responses and does not establish a specific dwelling pipeline. Rent growth of 11.1% and annual area growth of 1.06% provide a stronger demand setting than a stagnant market, but purchase-price analysis remains essential.
Development Activity
Total DAs
172
Last 12 Months
48
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
Schools in Sunnybank
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Carinity Education - Southside (Sunnybank)
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School (Sunnybank)
St Thomas More College (Sunnybank)
Sunnybank Special School
Sunnybank State High School
Demographics
Sunnybank has a younger age profile than Australia overall: the median age is 35, five years below national. The suburb is also highly migrant-connected, with 58.9% of residents born overseas, 37.3 percentage points above national, and university attainment of 48.8%, 18.7 points above national. Chinese ancestry is reported by 3,113 people, while Mandarin is spoken by 1,185 residents and Canton by 284. Average household size is 3.0 people, 0.5 above national, reflecting a substantial family presence. No religion is the largest reported category at 3,975 people, ahead of Christianity at 2,971 and Buddhism at 663. Compared with nearby Macgregor and Sunnybank Hills, Sunnybank is a particularly concentrated centre of Asian migration, multilingual households and established family living.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.1%
Houses
13.1%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Sunnybank's housing stock is predominantly detached and comparatively spacious. Separate houses account for 86.1% of dwellings, versus 13.1% semi-detached homes and just 0.7% apartments. Four-plus-bedroom homes make up 51.9%, higher than the 37.1% share of 3-bedroom homes, which supports demand from larger households. Tenure is mixed: 35.9% own outright, 21.5% hold a mortgage and 40.1% rent. Weekly rent is $400 against household income of $1,586 per week, producing rent-to-income of 25.2%; mortgage-to-income is higher at 29.1%. This mix gives Sunnybank more rental exposure than outright ownership and more detached-house capacity than apartment-focused neighbourhoods. With no current median house price, comparisons with Macgregor and Sunnybank Hills should focus on exact dwelling condition, land size and recent comparable sales.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $400.
$690
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $690 · units $620
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$627
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
264
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.7%
Couples with children
38.1%
Couples, no children
17.6%
Single parent
2,160
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Sunnybank's largest listed industry at 20.6%, with 556 workers, followed by hospitality at 10.0%, professional and technical services at 8.5%, retail at 8.3% and education at 8.2%. This mix gives the local economy a stronger service orientation than a manufacturing-led suburb, because employment is spread across care, food, commerce and professional activity. Professionals number 829, while trades account for 567 and labourers 532. The labour force totals 4,336, with 3,594 employed and an unemployment rate of 7.6%; participation is 57.4%. Household income sits near the middle at the 52.1 percentile. Socioeconomic results are uneven: IEO is decile 6, higher than IER and IRSD at decile 3, while IRSAD is decile 5. That gap suggests education and occupation conditions are stronger than broader economic and disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
7.6%
Labour Force
4,336
Unemployed
329
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.1%
Part-time
39.6%
Participation
57.4%
Employed
4,007
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.8%
Postgraduate
14.0%
Born Overseas
58.9%
Dwellings
2,855
Transport to Work
Sunnybank is practical for households that rely on cars, with 63.5% travelling as car drivers compared with 10.8% using public transport, 3.4% walking or cycling and 14.7% working from home. Seven schools serve Sunnybank and nearby catchments, covering 4 government schools, 2 Catholic schools and 1 independent provider, including primary, secondary and special-school options. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because they can cross suburb boundaries. A current crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available for a reliable safety comparison, so recent Queensland Police information should be reviewed before making a street-level decision. IRSAD is at decile 5 and IEO at decile 6, with IEO higher than IRSAD, indicating a middle socioeconomic position rather than uniformly premium conditions. The 4.49 square kilometre area also keeps shops, schools and services relatively close together.
Drive
63.5%
Public Transport
10.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
14.7%
Population Forecast
+1.06%/yr
(+112 people/yr)
EstablishedSunnybank has a growing established-suburb outlook rather than a declining trajectory. Annual growth is forecast at 1.06%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while the shift profile is labelled "Growing (all ages)". Population change across the wider area is 11.6% over ten years, and rent growth has reached 11.1%. Real income growth of 22.8% is higher than rent growth, which may help local spending power even as housing costs require scrutiny. Gentrification remains at the "Early signs" stage, with scores of 28 in the main measure and 42 in the shift measure. The suburb also recovered from a 2.6% COVID dip, followed by 11.9% recovery. These signals point to steady multicultural demand and gradual change rather than a completed premium-market transition.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+542
Net Internal / yr
-230
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +24% since 2011, Net internal outflow -230/yr, Strong overseas inflow +542/yr, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sunnybank compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunnybank a good suburb to live in?
Sunnybank can suit households seeking detached housing, multicultural amenities and access to schools. Its median age is 35, 86.1% of dwellings are separate houses and average household size is 3.0 people. Compared with apartment-focused locations, it provides more family-sized housing, although car use at 63.5% is higher than public transport at 10.8%.
What is the median house price in Sunnybank?
No current median house price is available for Sunnybank. Buyers can use the $400 weekly rent as a market reference, but should compare recent sales by land size, condition and bedroom count. With 86.1% of dwellings being separate houses and 51.9% having 4 or more bedrooms, property types vary enough that a suburb-wide median may be less useful than comparable evidence.
What schools are in Sunnybank?
Seven schools serve Sunnybank and nearby catchments. The mix includes 4 government schools, 2 Catholic schools and 1 independent provider, covering primary, high-school and special-school settings. Families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address, as catchments can differ even within a 4.49 square kilometre suburb.
Is Sunnybank safe?
A current crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available for a firm safety comparison. Sunnybank covers 4.49 square kilometres and has 8,892 residents, so street-level conditions can vary. Review recent Queensland Police figures, visit the property at different times and compare the exact location with nearby streets before deciding.
Is Sunnybank good for property investment?
Sunnybank has several investment-supporting features, including 40.1% renters, $400 weekly rent, overseas migration as the main growth driver and 45 development applications in 12 months. However, the 8.4% vacancy rate is a reason to test demand carefully. With no current median house price, investors should calculate yield and borrowing costs from property-specific purchase prices.
How is Sunnybank's population changing?
Sunnybank's wider-area outlook is growing across all ages, with annual growth of 1.06% and population change of 11.6% over ten years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while gentrification is at the early signs stage with a score of 28. These indicators point to gradual growth rather than a sharp, completed transformation.
Is there much development in Sunnybank?
Development activity is relatively active, with 45 applications recorded over 12 months. The sample includes referral agency responses, and one sample records 1 dwelling, so the count should not be treated as 45 completed homes. Buyers and owners should check the exact street for planning impacts, construction timing and changes to local traffic.
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.
Explore Sunnybank on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map