Toowoomba City
A 62.1% renter majority sets Toowoomba City apart from most Queensland suburbs, and the figure is reinforced by a strikingly high 17.5% vacancy rate across a compact 2.72 sq km footprint. Household income sits at the 16.9th percentile nationally, well below the national median, yet median house prices remain at $344,000, which is affordable relative to the broader QLD market. The suburb's 2,321 residents skew toward an older median age of 41, one year above the national figure, and the workforce leans heavily on public services, with Healthcare (24.3%) and Education (15.3%) accounting for nearly four in ten employed residents.
Population
2,321
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,084/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
12
Median House
$344K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $344,000 places Toowoomba City well below the national median for capital-city and regional centres, making entry-level purchasing more accessible than in most QLD coastal markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,355, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.9%, which sits just below the standard 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 53.0% of stock, with apartments at 23.7% and semi-detached dwellings at 23.3%, providing a wider range of price points than typical suburban areas. Two-bedroom properties dominate at 36.1%, followed by three-bedroom at 34.5%, while four-plus bedroom homes are just 13.2% of supply. Outright owners account for only 18.9% of occupied dwellings, lower than the national average, reflecting the area's lower-income, renter-dominated profile.
For Buyers
The median house price of $344,000 places Toowoomba City well below the national median for capital-city and regional centres, making entry-level purchasing more accessible than in most QLD coastal markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,355, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.9%, which sits just below the standard 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 53.0% of stock, with apartments at 23.7% and semi-detached dwellings at 23.3%, providing a wider range of price points than typical suburban areas. Two-bedroom properties dominate at 36.1%, followed by three-bedroom at 34.5%, while four-plus bedroom homes are just 13.2% of supply. Outright owners account for only 18.9% of occupied dwellings, lower than the national average, reflecting the area's lower-income, renter-dominated profile.
For Investors
With 62.1% of households renting, Toowoomba City offers landlords a deep tenant base, but the 17.5% vacancy rate is a significant concern. Weekly rent of $255 against a $344,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%, moderate rather than high given the elevated vacancy risk. Development activity recorded 10 applications in the past 12 months, mostly operational works and one material change of use, indicating limited new residential supply pressures. The rent-to-income ratio sits at 23.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting existing tenants can sustain current rent levels. Income at the 16.9th percentile nationally means tenant financial fragility is a real factor when assessing rent collection risk compared to higher-income suburban markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
57
Last 12 Months
12
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Toowoomba City iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
The Industry School - Toowoomba
10-12 · 92 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is one year above the national figure, pointing to a moderately aging resident base. Overseas-born residents make up 21.5%, which is roughly in line with the national average, just 0.1 percentage points below. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (782 people), Irish (332) and Scottish (236) are the three largest recorded ancestries. University qualifications reach 27.4% of residents, which is 2.7 percentage points below the national figure, a modest gap that aligns with the area's service-sector employment profile. Average household size of 2.0 is 0.5 below the national figure, consistent with a higher proportion of singles and couples without children. Christianity is the dominant religion (937 residents), with Buddhism noted at 48 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.0%
Houses
23.3%
Townhouse
23.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is overwhelmingly renter-driven: 62.1% rent, compared to 19.1% carrying a mortgage and 18.9% owning outright. The renter share is substantially higher than typical Australian suburbs, reflecting the area's affordable price point and lower-income base at the 16.9th percentile nationally. Stock is fairly balanced across types, with separate houses at 53.0%, apartments at 23.7% and semi-detached at 23.3%. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom dwellings together account for 70.6% of all homes. The 17.5% vacancy rate is notably elevated, suggesting supply exceeds current occupancy demand. Rent-to-income at 23.5% and mortgage-to-income at 28.9% both sit below stress thresholds, indicating that housing costs, while significant given low incomes, are not at crisis levels for current occupants.
Mortgage / mo
$1,355
Rent / wk
$255
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$667
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.5%
Unoccupied
192
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.7%
Couples, no children
1,197
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local employment base at 24.3% (158 workers), followed by Education at 15.3% (99 workers) and Public Administration at 8.9% (58 workers). Together, these three public-service sectors employ nearly half the suburb's workforce, which is higher than state and national norms and reflects Toowoomba's role as a regional service hub. Professionals are the leading occupation group (227 workers), with Community and Personal service workers second (138). The unemployment rate is 7.0%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 46.4% is low, largely because 688 residents are not in the labour force. Household income at the 16.9th percentile nationally confirms that despite a professional workforce cluster, median earnings remain well below national benchmarks, partly because part-time and community-sector roles dominate over high-paying corporate positions.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.1%
Part-time
27.9%
Participation
46.4%
Employed
866
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.4%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
21.5%
Dwellings
906
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling account for 18.8% of commute trips, a notably high proportion compared to most regional QLD suburbs, reflecting the compact 2.72 sq km footprint and central location within Toowoomba. Car use at 72.5% is below typical suburban averages. Public transport use is low at 0.4%, suggesting limited bus or rail connections relative to pedestrian accessibility. The need-for-assistance rate is 11.6% (229 residents), higher than most suburban areas and consistent with the older median age of 41 and lower-income profile at the 16.9th percentile nationally. Volunteering reaches 15.9% of residents, above the national norm. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Toowoomba suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb in the current dataset.
Drive
72.5%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
18.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Toowoomba City compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toowoomba City a good suburb to live in?
Toowoomba City suits renters and lower-budget buyers well. The suburb has a median house price of $344,000, below the national median, and a rent-to-income ratio of 23.5%, within comfortable range. The walkability rate of 18.8% is high for a regional area, though the 17.5% vacancy rate and household income at the 16.9th percentile nationally signal a lower-income, higher-turnover environment.
What is the median house price in Toowoomba City?
The median house price is $344,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,355, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.9%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $255, giving an estimated gross yield near 3.9% against the current median.
What schools are in Toowoomba City?
No schools are recorded within the Toowoomba City suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding Toowoomba suburbs. University qualifications are held by 27.4% of residents, which is 2.7 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the area's service-sector workforce composition.
Is Toowoomba City safe?
Crime statistics specific to Toowoomba City are not available in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, 11.6% of residents (229 people) require daily assistance, higher than typical suburban areas, and household income sits at the 16.9th percentile nationally. Toowoomba's broader regional crime profile would be the best reference for safety assessments.
Is Toowoomba City good for property investment?
The 62.1% renter majority provides a large tenant pool, and at $344,000 median the entry cost is low compared to most QLD markets. However, the 17.5% vacancy rate is elevated, and household income at the 16.9th percentile nationally limits rent growth potential. Gross yield is near 3.9%, moderate but with above-average vacancy risk relative to tighter rental markets.
How is Toowoomba City's population changing?
The suburb has 2,321 residents across 2.72 sq km, giving a density of 854 per sq km. A turnover rate of 34.5% over five years reflects the renter-majority profile, with 65.5% of residents remaining at the same address. Development activity is low at 10 applications in the past 12 months, suggesting limited near-term population growth pressure.
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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