Thuringowa Central
At a median house price of $398,000 and a household income at the 62.3rd percentile nationally, Thuringowa Central sits comfortably in the affordable mortgage belt of Townsville's suburban fringe. The suburb covers just 1.89 square kilometres yet holds 1,953 residents at a density of 1,032 per square kilometre. Detached houses dominate at 96.4% of dwellings, one of the highest separate-house rates found anywhere in Queensland, and 41% of those homes have four or more bedrooms. The workforce leans toward public services, with Healthcare (22.8%), Public Admin (15.5%) and Education (13.5%) accounting for more than half of local employment, a profile more stable than retail or construction-heavy suburbs.
Population
1,953
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,769/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$398K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $398,000 median house price is well below the national median, making Thuringowa Central one of the more accessible entry points in the Townsville corridor. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,408, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability gap compared to most capital-city suburbs is the clearest draw for buyers stretching their budget. Stock is almost entirely detached houses at 96.4%, and the bedroom mix skews large: 41% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 52.2% have three, so families get space without competing against apartments or townhouses. Outright owners account for 29.7% of households, with mortgage holders at 41.8%, a tenure split typical of an established, owner-occupier suburb.
For Buyers
The $398,000 median house price is well below the national median, making Thuringowa Central one of the more accessible entry points in the Townsville corridor. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,408, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability gap compared to most capital-city suburbs is the clearest draw for buyers stretching their budget. Stock is almost entirely detached houses at 96.4%, and the bedroom mix skews large: 41% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 52.2% have three, so families get space without competing against apartments or townhouses. Outright owners account for 29.7% of households, with mortgage holders at 41.8%, a tenure split typical of an established, owner-occupier suburb.
For Investors
A vacancy rate of 6.6% is the main caution flag for investors, running higher than the typical 3% landlord comfort zone. Weekly rent of $320 against a $398,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, which is reasonable by Townsville standards but modest nationally. The renter share of 28.5% gives a meaningful tenant pool, and rent stress is low at 18.1% rent-to-income, meaning existing tenants have capacity without being strained. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term competitor. The suburb's employment base in Healthcare, Public Admin and Education provides stable incomes among would-be tenants, which supports consistent demand compared to resource-dependent markets.
Schools in Thuringowa Central iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Weir State School
Prep-6 · 747 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years younger than the national figure, and average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above the national average, consistent with the four-bedroom-heavy housing stock attracting families. The overseas-born share is 12.4%, which is 9.2 percentage points below the national rate, while English, Irish and Scottish ancestries account for the three largest groups in the suburb. University qualifications reach 20.7%, sitting 9.4 points below the national figure, reflecting the trade and service occupations that dominate local employment. The top occupation categories are Community and Personal Services (172 workers), Clerical and Admin (140) and Professionals (125), which together point to a workforce grounded in practical, people-facing roles rather than knowledge-economy positions.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.4%
Houses
2.0%
Townhouse
1.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing mix is almost entirely separate houses at 96.4%, with apartments at just 1.6% and semi-detached at 2.0%. That detached-house dominance is higher than the Queensland state average and reinforces the suburb's family-oriented character. Three-bedroom homes are the modal type at 52.2%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 41%, meaning buyers rarely encounter small-format stock. Tenure splits into 29.7% outright owners, 41.8% mortgage holders and 28.5% renters. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4% and rent-to-income of 18.1% both sit well below stress thresholds, indicating the $398,000 price point is well-matched to local incomes. The household income sits at the 62.3rd percentile nationally, above the median, adding further capacity.
Mortgage / mo
$1,408
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$816
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
47
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.9%
Couples, no children
1,463
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry base at 22.8% of employed residents (128 workers), followed by Public Admin at 15.5% (87 workers) and Education at 13.5% (76 workers). These three public-service anchors together employ more than half the suburb's workforce, a concentration that makes local incomes relatively insulated from private-sector downturns. Retail (7.3%) and Construction (6.2%) round out the top five. The unemployment rate is 6.2%, above the national average, while the full-time employment rate of 65.7% and participation rate of 59.9% suggest a portion of residents work part-time or are not seeking work. Personal weekly income averages $816, family income $1,951, and household income $1,769, placing the suburb above the national median in household earning capacity.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.7%
Part-time
28.1%
Participation
59.9%
Employed
901
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.7%
Postgraduate
3.1%
Born Overseas
12.4%
Dwellings
639
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 88.6% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, while only 1.5% use public transport and 3.2% walk or cycle. That transport profile is typical of Townsville's suburban form and means households need at least one vehicle. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families use schools in neighbouring Townsville suburbs. The need-for-assistance rate is 7.7% (138 residents), modest for a suburb with a median age of 38. Volunteering at 14.3% indicates reasonable community participation. Housing stress indicators are favourable: both rent-to-income (18.1%) and mortgage-to-income (18.4%) sit well below the 30% stress threshold, which is lower than many comparable suburbs nationally.
Drive
88.6%
Public Transport
1.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Thuringowa Central compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thuringowa Central a good suburb to live in?
Thuringowa Central offers affordable detached housing, with a $398,000 median and mortgage-to-income at 18.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Employment is anchored in stable public-service sectors: Healthcare (22.8%), Public Admin (15.5%) and Education (13.5%). Car dependence is high at 88.6% of commuters, which is typical for Townsville suburbs and means households need a vehicle.
What is the median house price in Thuringowa Central?
The median house price is $398,000, estimated from rental data as of 2025. Weekly rent averages $320 and monthly mortgage repayments run $1,408, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4%. The household income sits at the 62.3rd percentile nationally, meaning most households can service a mortgage here without financial stress.
What schools are in Thuringowa Central?
No schools are recorded inside the Thuringowa Central suburb boundary in this dataset. Families use schools in surrounding Townsville suburbs. The suburb's university qualification rate is 20.7%, which is 9.4 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the trade and service occupations that dominate local employment.
Is Thuringowa Central safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Thuringowa Central in this dataset. As indirect indicators, housing stress is low (mortgage-to-income 18.4%, rent-to-income 18.1%) and the need-for-assistance rate is 7.7% (138 residents), both consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage residential area by Townsville standards.
Is Thuringowa Central good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $320 against a $398,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, reasonable by regional Queensland standards. The vacancy rate of 6.6% is the main concern, running above the 3% threshold. The renter share is 28.5% and rent-to-income is 18.1%, indicating tenants have financial capacity. Zero new DAs in the past 12 months means no immediate new supply pressure.
How is Thuringowa Central's population changing?
The current population is 1,953 in a 1.89 square kilometre suburb. The residential turnover rate is 25.7%, meaning roughly 1 in 4 households changed over the previous 5-year Census period, while 74.3% of residents stayed, indicating a stable long-term core. No ABS population growth forecast was available for this suburb in the brief.
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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