Torquay
Two facts define Torquay and they pull against each other: a low $371,000 median house price sits alongside a 12.1% vacancy rate, both unusually high for a Hervey Bay beachside pocket. Household income falls in the 9.2nd percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 2 on IEO, IER and IRSD plus decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier in the country. The median age of 55 runs 15 years above the national figure, and the senior share rose 5.3 points over the decade while working-age residents fell 3.0 points. University qualifications reach just 17.4%, which is 12.7 points below national, consistent with a retirement-weighted population of 6,533.
Population
6,533
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$917/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Median House
$371K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $371,000 the median house price is well below most coastal Queensland markets, which keeps entry costs low for buyers who want a beach-adjacent home. The stock is genuinely house-oriented: 69.6% are separate houses against just 8.3% apartments and 17.7% semi-detached, so detached living is the norm rather than the exception. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.5%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 24.8% and two-bedroom at 29.0%. The catch is affordability relative to local wages. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,299, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits in the 9.2nd percentile nationally. Outright owners (42.4%) far outnumber mortgage holders (18.3%), a sign that much of the stock is held by retirees who bought long ago rather than recent purchasers carrying debt.
For Buyers
At $371,000 the median house price is well below most coastal Queensland markets, which keeps entry costs low for buyers who want a beach-adjacent home. The stock is genuinely house-oriented: 69.6% are separate houses against just 8.3% apartments and 17.7% semi-detached, so detached living is the norm rather than the exception. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.5%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 24.8% and two-bedroom at 29.0%. The catch is affordability relative to local wages. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,299, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits in the 9.2nd percentile nationally. Outright owners (42.4%) far outnumber mortgage holders (18.3%), a sign that much of the stock is held by retirees who bought long ago rather than recent purchasers carrying debt.
For Investors
A 39.3% renter share and weekly rent of $300 give landlords a workable tenant base, and the yield maths are far stronger here than in premium markets. Against the $371,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, healthy by Queensland coastal standards. The concern is the 12.1% vacancy rate, well above a balanced market, which points to softer tenant demand than the renter share alone suggests. Demand support is balanced rather than booming: net internal migration adds 186 residents a year and overseas migration 170, both modest. Rent grew 47.1% over the decade, the clearest positive signal, while development activity is thin at 10 applications in 12 months. The case rests on yield and rent escalation more than capital churn, with the high vacancy a real risk to manage.
Development Activity
Total DAs
27
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1700.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Torquay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Star of the Sea Catholic School
Prep-6 · 388 students
Torquay State School
Prep-6 · 183 students
Demographics
The median age of 55 is 15.0 years above the national figure, the defining demographic fact, and the trajectory is aging further: the senior share rose 5.3 points while the working-age share fell 3.0 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 19.4%, which is 2.2 points below national, so the suburb is more Australian-born than the country overall. Ancestry leans firmly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,945), Irish (769), Scottish (750) and German (484), and Christianity (3,026 residents) dominates the religious profile. University qualifications at 17.4% run 12.7 points below national, reflecting a retiree base rather than a knowledge-worker one. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, consistent with the older couples-without-children profile that makes up 41.2% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.6%
Houses
17.7%
Townhouse
8.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here is owner-heavy with a large rental tail: 42.4% own outright, 18.3% carry a mortgage and 39.3% rent. Outright owners more than doubling mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free homes owned by retirees rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is 69.6% separate houses with apartments at only 8.3% and semi-detached at 17.7%, a low-density detached profile. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 37.5% and 4-plus bedroom homes 24.8%, while two-bedroom make up 29.0%. The median house price reads $371,000, low for a coastal market. Both stress ratios sit at 32.7%, above the 30% threshold, which is striking at a sub-$400,000 median and reflects how low local incomes are: the household figure lands in the 9.2nd percentile nationally rather than any excess in house prices.
Mortgage / mo
$1,299
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$518
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.1%
Unoccupied
387
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.7% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.2%
Couples, no children
4,366
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans heavily on care and service sectors: Healthcare dominates at 34.2% (448 workers), Education follows at 10.9% (143) and Construction at 8.9% (116), with Hospitality at 8.4% and Retail at 6.6%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (403) edge out Professionals (365), Clerical and Admin (230) and Labourers (224), a mix tilted toward service delivery rather than knowledge work. Unemployment is high at 11.2% and the full-time rate is 54.5%, while participation reads just 36.6%, far below national, because the aging profile leaves 2,935 residents out of the labour force. The SEIFA picture is consistently low: decile 2 on IEO, IER and IRSD and decile 1 on IRSAD, the bottom advantage tier. Real incomes still grew 21.3% over the decade, a positive against an otherwise disadvantaged base.
Unemployment
1.4%
Labour Force
14,773
Unemployed
207
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.5%
Part-time
34.3%
Participation
36.6%
Employed
1,848
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.4%
Postgraduate
3.5%
Born Overseas
19.4%
Dwellings
2,763
Transport to Work
Torquay is heavily car-dependent: 86.8% drive to work while public transport carries just 0.6% and only 5.5% walk or cycle, well below the national share for active and public transport. The suburb scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally, and decile 2 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, so material hardship is more common than in most areas. That reads through in the 12.9% of residents (772 people) who need daily assistance, elevated even against the older median age of 55. Volunteering runs at 14.0%, a modest civic anchor. No schools are recorded inside the 4.33 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in the wider Hervey Bay area, a practical trade-off in a retirement-weighted, low-density beachside setting.
Drive
86.8%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
5.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.98%/yr
(+792 people/yr)
EstablishedTorquay is growing steadily for an established suburb: annual population growth registers 2.98% and the 10-year change reached 63.6%, well above the flat profile of older coastal pockets. Migration is balanced, with net internal inflow of 186 residents a year and overseas migration of 170, neither dominating. The trajectory is aging, the senior share up 5.3 points and the working-age share down 3.0 points over the decade, so growth is being driven more by older arrivals than young families. Rent rose 47.1% across the period, far outpacing the stable affordability trend that moved only from 50.7% to 50.0%. The gentrification score sits at 38, an early-signs stage, with internal migration and an accelerating advantage trend the main signals, so change is underway but not yet pronounced.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+170
Net Internal / yr
+186
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal migration +186/yr, Accelerating: 23% → 39%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Torquay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Torquay a good suburb to live in?
Torquay offers a low $371,000 median house price and a beachside Hervey Bay setting, but it scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 9.2nd percentile. The median age of 55 is 15 years above national, suiting retirees more than young families or commuters.
What is the median house price in Torquay?
The median house price is $371,000, low for a coastal Queensland market. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,299, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.7%, above the 30% stress threshold because local incomes sit in the 9.2nd percentile nationally.
What schools are in Torquay?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.33 km2 Torquay boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools across the wider Hervey Bay area. The resident base is older, with a median age of 55 and university qualifications at 17.4%, which is 12.7 points below the national figure.
Is Torquay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Torquay in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a lower tier, and 12.9% of its 6,533 residents need daily assistance, both pointing to a higher-need population than average.
Is Torquay good for property investment?
Rent of $300 a week against a $371,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, healthy for the area, and rent grew 47.1% over the decade. The risk is a 12.1% vacancy rate, well above a balanced market, so returns depend on yield and rent escalation rather than easy occupancy.
How is Torquay's population changing?
Population growth is 2.98% annually with a 63.6% rise over 10 years, strong for an established suburb of 6,533. Growth is balanced between internal migration of 186 a year and overseas migration of 170. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.3 points and working-age down 3.0 points.
What is the rental market like in Torquay?
About 39.3% of residents rent, with weekly rent averaging $300 and rent growth of 47.1% over the decade. The rent-to-income ratio reaches 32.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, and the vacancy rate of 12.1% sits well above a balanced market, signalling softer tenant demand than the renter share suggests.
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.
Explore Torquay on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map