Tara
At a median house price of $221,000 and a vacancy rate of 29.4%, Tara stands as one of the most affordable owner-occupier towns in Queensland, yet that affordability reflects structural pressures rather than undiscovered value. Household income sits at the 6.8th percentile nationally, and all four SEIFA indexes place Tara in decile 1, the lowest advantage tier in the country. The median age of 48 is 8 years above the national figure, and the population has contracted 7% over the past decade. Agriculture, education and healthcare form the economic base across a vast 1,292 square kilometre footprint with a density of just 1.5 people per square kilometre.
Population
1,980
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$867/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$221K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $221,000 is well below the Queensland state median, making Tara one of the more accessible markets for cash or low-mortgage buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $758, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership at 57.3% is high compared to most suburban markets, reflecting a long-established owner base rather than recent purchasers. Detached housing dominates at 94.4% of all dwellings, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 40.8% of stock, followed by four-plus bedroom at 23.3%. Apartments make up just 1.4%, so buyers have few options outside the traditional family house. The high vacancy rate of 29.4% signals that supply significantly exceeds demand.
For Buyers
The median house price of $221,000 is well below the Queensland state median, making Tara one of the more accessible markets for cash or low-mortgage buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $758, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership at 57.3% is high compared to most suburban markets, reflecting a long-established owner base rather than recent purchasers. Detached housing dominates at 94.4% of all dwellings, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 40.8% of stock, followed by four-plus bedroom at 23.3%. Apartments make up just 1.4%, so buyers have few options outside the traditional family house. The high vacancy rate of 29.4% signals that supply significantly exceeds demand.
For Investors
Investors face a challenging combination in Tara: weekly rent of $180 against a $221,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.2%, higher than many coastal markets, but the 29.4% vacancy rate signals weak absorption. The renter share is 25.6% of households, a moderate pool, but the rental market is thin given the small population of around 2,000 residents. Development activity is minimal at 4 applications in 12 months, well below any growth threshold. Population is declining at 0.35% per year with a forecast medium-case trajectory to around 3,891 by 2031, down from the current SA2 level of 4,030. Net internal migration averages a positive 9 persons per year, but the broader aging and population-loss trend limits capital growth prospects.
Development Activity
Total DAs
24
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tara iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 52 students
Tara Shire State College
Prep-12 · 353 students
Demographics
Tara's median age of 48 sits 8 years above the national average, and the senior share of the population increased 6.9 points over the decade while the young-adult share fell 5.1 points, accelerating the aging trajectory. The overseas-born share of 10.3% is 11.3 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the inland rural character rather than migration flows. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (776 residents), Scottish (202) and Irish (199), with German heritage also present at 126. University qualifications reach just 11.0%, which is 19.1 points below the national rate, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile 1 ranking. Average household size is 2.2, slightly below the national figure, with couples without children representing 33.3% of all families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.4%
Houses
1.7%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers dominate Tara: 57.3% own outright and 17.1% hold a mortgage, while 25.6% rent. The 57.3% outright-ownership rate is well above the national average and reflects a long-settled rural community with low debt levels. Separate houses account for 94.4% of all dwellings, the dominant form by a wide margin, with apartments at just 1.4%. Three-bedroom homes are most common at 40.8%, followed by four-plus bedroom at 23.3% and two-bedroom at 20.7%. The vacancy rate of 29.4% is exceptionally high compared to most Australian markets, pointing to demographic contraction and outmigration. Rent-to-income at 20.8% and mortgage-to-income at 20.2% are both below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing costs are manageable for those who stay.
Mortgage / mo
$758
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$479
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
29.4%
Unoccupied
320
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.3%
Couples, no children
1,266
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education is the largest employing sector at 21.3% of local workers (64 people), followed by Healthcare at 16.0% (48) and Public Admin at 12.7% (38). Agriculture accounts for 11.3% (34), which is a higher share than in most Australian towns, reflecting the surrounding farming district. By occupation, Managers and Labourers are tied at 91 workers each, pointing to a workforce split between farm management and manual work. The unemployment rate of 18.1% is significantly above national norms, and the participation rate of just 38.8% reflects the large share of retired or not-in-labour-force residents, at 790 out of the adult population. SEIFA IRSD and IRSAD both sit at decile 1, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, driven by low incomes and qualification levels.
Unemployment
12.8%
Labour Force
1,825
Unemployed
234
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.8%
Part-time
21.1%
Participation
38.8%
Employed
520
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.0%
Postgraduate
1.6%
Born Overseas
10.3%
Dwellings
763
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 77.0% of residents drive to work, while only 0.7% use public transport, well below any metropolitan benchmark. The walk and cycle share of 16.4% is notably high, likely reflecting short distances within the small town centre rather than dedicated infrastructure. Crime data is not available in the dataset, but the SEIFA IRSAD decile 1 ranking indicates the highest level of disadvantage nationally, which correlates broadly with limited access to services. The need-for-assistance rate of 14.6% (259 residents) is elevated, consistent with the aging population. No schools are recorded in the suburb dataset. Volunteering at 17.7% is an above-average participation rate, suggesting an active community relative to population size.
Drive
77.0%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
16.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.35%/yr
(-14 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation in the Tara SA2 area peaked before COVID, dipped 2.5% to a low of 3,891 and recovered to approximately 4,030 by 2025. The longer trend is negative: a 7.0% decline over 10 years and an annual run rate of minus 0.35%, equivalent to about 14 fewer residents per year. The medium-case forecast projects the SA2 population declining to around 3,891 by 2031. The gentrification score of 10 out of 100 places Tara firmly in the not-gentrifying category, with no signals of investment-led change. Rent has grown 38.5% over the observed period, faster than real income growth of 7.7%, which is squeezing renters. Migration is described as balanced, with a small net overseas gain of 13 per year and internal gain of 9 per year, insufficient to offset natural decline.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+13
Net Internal / yr
+9
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tara compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tara a good suburb to live in?
Tara suits buyers seeking outright affordability in rural Queensland. Housing costs are low, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2% and a $221,000 median price. Trade-offs include SEIFA decile 1 rankings across all four indexes, an 18.1% unemployment rate, limited public transport at 0.7%, and a declining population down 7% over 10 years.
What is the median house price in Tara?
The median house price in Tara is $221,000, far below the Queensland state median. Weekly rent averages $180, and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $758, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Tara?
No schools are recorded inside the Tara suburb boundary in this dataset. University qualifications among residents reach just 11.0%, which is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate, suggesting limited local access to higher education pathways historically.
Is Tara safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Tara in this dataset. As a broader indicator, all four SEIFA indexes place Tara in decile 1, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, and the unemployment rate of 18.1% is significantly above the national average, both factors that correlate with higher community stress.
Is Tara good for property investment?
The investment case is limited. While rent of $180 per week against a $221,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.2%, the 29.4% vacancy rate signals weak demand. Population is forecast to decline to around 3,891 by 2031, and the gentrification score of 10 out of 100 reflects no upward pressure on values.
How is Tara's population changing?
The Tara SA2 population sits at approximately 4,030 in 2025 and is declining at 0.35% per year, about 14 fewer residents annually. Over the past 10 years the population fell 7.0%. The medium-case forecast projects a further decline to around 3,891 by 2031, driven by an aging resident base with a median age of 48.
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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