Tolga
Nearly half of Tolga's 3,177 residents own their home outright, a figure that sits well above the national average and signals a settled, debt-light community on the Atherton Tablelands. The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and the household income ranks at just the 46th percentile nationally, yet housing stress is low because the mortgage-to-income ratio holds at only 25%. Almost all dwellings, 98%, are separate houses spread across an 85 sq km footprint, giving the suburb a density of 37 residents per km2.
Population
3,177
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,479/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$405K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $405,000 makes Tolga accessible compared to Queensland coastal markets and well below the state capital median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers at the median price retain reasonable financial headroom. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98%, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 46.3% and four-or-more bedroom homes accounting for 39.8%, giving families genuine size options. Weekly rent of $300 is low in absolute terms, though buyers outweigh renters substantially, with only 14.4% of households renting versus 49.6% owning outright.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $405,000 makes Tolga accessible compared to Queensland coastal markets and well below the state capital median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers at the median price retain reasonable financial headroom. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98%, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 46.3% and four-or-more bedroom homes accounting for 39.8%, giving families genuine size options. Weekly rent of $300 is low in absolute terms, though buyers outweigh renters substantially, with only 14.4% of households renting versus 49.6% owning outright.
For Investors
A vacancy rate of 6.8% indicates the rental market is soft compared to tighter Queensland regional markets, and with just 14.4% of households renting, the tenant pool is narrow. Weekly rent of $300 against a $405,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%, moderate for a regional location. Development activity in the past 12 months stands at 3 applications, all minor works, suggesting limited new supply pressure but also minimal capital-driven momentum. The low unemployment rate of 2.5% and stable employment base in healthcare and agriculture support rental demand from essential workers, though yield-focused investors should weigh the high vacancy rate against that stability.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tolga iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Tolga State School
Prep-6 · 269 students
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, consistent with a community where couples without children make up 36.5% of families and the overall household size of 2.5 matches the national average exactly. Overseas-born residents account for 15.3%, which is 6.3 points below the national figure, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born population. Ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,157), Irish (376) and Scottish (313), with Italian (290) notable as a fourth group, likely reflecting historical migration to the Tablelands farming region. University qualifications reach 19.1%, which is 11 points below the national average, consistent with an economy anchored in healthcare, agriculture and trade rather than knowledge-sector employment.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by outright ownership at 49.6%, nearly double the renter share of 14.4%, which points to long-established residents who have paid off their homes. Mortgage holders represent 36.0% of households, and at a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25%, they are not under financial pressure by national standards. The housing stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 98%, with no meaningful apartment component. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.3% and four-plus bedrooms for 39.8%, so larger family homes are the norm rather than the exception. The rent-to-income ratio of 20.3% is comfortable for tenants, below the 30% stress threshold, and weekly rent of $300 is among the lower figures for regional Queensland.
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$715
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
83
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.5%
Couples, no children
2,401
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 17.1% of the workforce, followed by Education at 13.0% and Agriculture at 11.2%, a combination typical of a regional service hub for surrounding farming communities. Public Administration (9.3%) and Retail (8.9%) round out the top five industries. By occupation, Labourers (229) are the single largest group, reflecting the agricultural and construction base, followed closely by Managers (217) and Professionals (200). The unemployment rate is low at 2.5%, and the full-time employment rate among those employed is 65.2%. Household income ranks at the 46th percentile nationally, below the median, because the industry mix skews toward essential services and primary production rather than high-income professional sectors.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.2%
Part-time
32.3%
Participation
53.6%
Employed
1,363
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.1%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
15.3%
Dwellings
1,133
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 82.8% of commuters driving compared to just 6.7% using public transport, a typical pattern for regional Queensland where distances between townships make transit impractical. Walking and cycling accounts for 4.1% of commute modes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families use facilities in nearby Atherton or Mareeba. The volunteering rate of 18.7% is above average for regional communities and reflects the social cohesion of a stable, long-established population. Only 4.4% of residents, approximately 128 people, need daily assistance, and housing stress is absent by both rent-to-income (20.3%) and mortgage-to-income (25.0%) measures. SEIFA data is not available for this suburb.
Drive
82.8%
Public Transport
6.7%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tolga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tolga a good suburb to live in?
Tolga suits those who value space, low housing costs and community stability. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 25%, below the 30% stress threshold, and 49.6% of residents own their homes outright. Unemployment is only 2.5%. The trade-off is limited public transport, with 82.8% of commuters driving, and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Tolga?
The estimated median house price is $405,000 (2025 estimate derived from rental data). Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25%. The stock is 98% separate houses, so house prices reflect almost the entire market.
What schools are in Tolga?
No schools are recorded inside the Tolga suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in nearby Atherton, which is the main service centre for the Atherton Tablelands. The local workforce includes 13.0% employed in Education, indicating education services are present in the broader area.
Is Tolga safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Tolga in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the unemployment rate is low at 2.5%, only 4.4% of residents need daily assistance, and community stability is high with 80.4% of residents remaining at the same address over five years, all consistent with a settled, low-stress community.
Is Tolga good for property investment?
The $405,000 median against $300 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 3.8%, moderate for a regional location. The vacancy rate of 6.8% is elevated, indicating a soft rental market. With only 14.4% of households renting, the tenant pool is limited. Development applications total just 3 in the past 12 months, so supply pressure is low, but demand drivers are modest compared to growth corridors.
How is Tolga's population changing?
No official population growth forecast is available for Tolga in this dataset. The suburb shows very high stability, with 80.4% of residents remaining at the same address in the five years prior to the Census, a turnover rate of just 19.6%. The median age of 44 is 4 years above national, suggesting the community is aging gradually rather than attracting large numbers of younger arrivals.
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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