Tully
Agriculture employs 28.9% of Tully's workers, giving the town a stronger primary-industry identity than many Queensland suburban markets. Its population is 2,368, median age is 38, and 83.8% of homes are separate houses, supporting a practical detached-home setting. Household income sits at the 28.7th percentile, below the national midpoint, while 40.7% of households rent. Compared with nearby Mission Beach and Cardwell, Tully reads more as an agricultural and service centre than a coastal lifestyle market. The trajectory is aging, with senior share up 8.6 percentage points, so demand should favour affordability, access and manageable upkeep over premium amenity.
Local council: Cassowary Coast
Population
2,368
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,270/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
No current median house price is available, so buyers should assess recent comparable sales and property condition rather than anchor decisions to a single suburb figure. Tully's $250 weekly rent and $1,100 monthly mortgage marker provide practical budgeting references, while rent-to-income is 19.7%. The housing stock leans heavily toward separate houses at 83.8%, with 3-bedroom dwellings making up 48.0% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 25.1%. Mortgage-to-income is 20.0%, only slightly higher than rent-to-income at 19.7%, supporting a measured affordability case. Compared with apartment-heavy centres, the choice is more likely to centre on detached homes, space and maintenance because the local stock is so house-led.
For Buyers
No current median house price is available, so buyers should assess recent comparable sales and property condition rather than anchor decisions to a single suburb figure. Tully's $250 weekly rent and $1,100 monthly mortgage marker provide practical budgeting references, while rent-to-income is 19.7%. The housing stock leans heavily toward separate houses at 83.8%, with 3-bedroom dwellings making up 48.0% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 25.1%. Mortgage-to-income is 20.0%, only slightly higher than rent-to-income at 19.7%, supporting a measured affordability case. Compared with apartment-heavy centres, the choice is more likely to centre on detached homes, space and maintenance because the local stock is so house-led.
For Investors
Investor demand has a clear rental base because 40.7% of occupied dwellings are rented, while weekly rent is $250 and vacancy is 9.9%. That vacancy rate calls for careful leasing assumptions, since available stock can reduce pricing power even after rent growth of 20.5%. Development activity reached 30 applications in 12 months, but examples include lift work, a 386.25 square metre shed extension and land filling rather than a stated pipeline of new dwellings. Growth is forecast at 0.54% annually and driven primarily by overseas migration, while the gentrification score is 13 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Rent growth is higher than the annual population trend, so returns depend more on purchase discipline and tenant stability than rapid capital uplift.
Development Activity
Total DAs
31
Last 12 Months
31
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 Tully
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Clare's School (Tully)
Tully State High School
Tully State School
Demographics
Tully's median age is 38, which is 2.0 years below the national comparison, but the direction is aging: senior share has risen 8.6 percentage points while young share has fallen 3.2. University attainment is 14.4%, 15.7 points below the national level, consistent with a workforce concentrated in practical and service occupations. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 624 people, followed by Irish at 261 and Italian at 210; Christianity counts 1,192 and no religion 723. Overseas-born residents make up 21.8%, just 0.2 points above the national comparison. Compared with nearby Mission Beach and Cardwell, Tully is shaped more by agricultural employment, established households and regional services than by a coastal lifestyle economy. Average household size is 2.4, lower than the national figure by 0.1.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.8%
Houses
1.3%
Townhouse
14.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tully's housing is detached-dominant: 83.8% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 14.1% apartments and 1.3% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 48.0%, while 4-plus-bedroom homes represent 25.1%, so the stock is better suited to family households and larger floorplans than a compact apartment market. Tenure is split between 40.7% renting, 35.5% owning outright and 22.5% paying a mortgage, with renting higher than outright ownership. Vacancy is 9.9%, which can give tenants more choice but may temper investor pricing power. Mortgage-to-income is 20.0% and rent-to-income is 19.7%, with both reported stress flags false. Compared with nearby Mission Beach and Cardwell, Tully's conventional detached stock supports a practical service-town housing profile.
Mortgage / mo
$1,100
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$250
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$727
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.9%
Unoccupied
92
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.8%
Couples with children
43.6%
Couples, no children
19.4%
Single parent
541
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture dominates Tully's recorded industry mix at 28.9% and 147 workers, followed by healthcare at 11.8% and 60, education at 11.2% and 57, manufacturing at 9.8% and 50, and retail at 8.3% and 42. This spread gives the town more than one employment base, but agriculture remains the key reason local conditions can track seasonal and regional production cycles. Labourers number 378, ahead of managers at 132, while 686 workers are full-time and 313 part-time. Unemployment is 3.5% and participation is 55.8%, with household income at the 28.7th percentile, below the national midpoint. SEIFA results are uneven: IEO is decile 1, IER decile 3, IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 2. The low education and occupation rankings sit below the relative disadvantage result, pointing to constrained educational and job profiles rather than a single income-only issue.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
1,106
Unemployed
39
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.3%
Part-time
29.3%
Participation
55.8%
Employed
1,067
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.4%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
21.8%
Dwellings
839
Transport to Work
Tully covers 13.02 square kilometres at a density of 181.8 people per square kilometre, giving everyday services a regional-town scale rather than an inner-city pattern. Transport is car-led: 57.8% travel as car drivers, compared with 19.6% using public transport and 7.0% walking or cycling. That split matters because agriculture is the largest industry at 28.9%, making reliable road access more important for work and errands. Three nearby schools span 2 government options, including a state school and state high school, plus 1 Catholic non-state school; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. The IRSAD result is decile 2, below the middle of the national distribution, so access to services and household resources should be considered alongside housing cost. For safety, check recent police information and street-level conditions at different times before buying or renting.
Drive
57.8%
Public Transport
19.6%
Walk / Cycle
7.0%
Work from Home
4.5%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than rapid, with an annual trend of 0.54% and population change across the wider area of 7.9% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the social direction is explicitly Aging: senior share has increased 8.6 percentage points, while the young share has decreased 3.2 and the working share 3.8. Affordability was nearly unchanged at 41.2 in 2011 and 41.1 in 2021, so the affordability trend is Stable rather than sharply worsening. The gentrification score is 13 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Rent growth of 20.5% is higher than the 0.54% annual population trend, which suggests housing pressure can build without rapid resident growth. Development recorded 30 applications in 12 months, supporting ongoing activity but not a confirmed wave of new dwellings.
Population trend: Cassowary Coast council area
Tully sits in the Cassowary Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Tully's.
Residents 2025
30,666
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tully compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tully a good suburb to live in?
Tully suits buyers and renters seeking a regional town with detached housing, practical services and agricultural employment. About 83.8% of dwellings are separate houses, while 57.8% travel as car drivers, so it is more car-oriented than walkable. The aging trajectory and 38 median age also favour quieter, established living.
What is the median house price in Tully?
A current median house price is not available for Tully. Buyers should compare recent sales by dwelling type and condition, while using the 83.8% separate-house share and 48.0% three-bedroom share to frame the local stock. Weekly rent is $250, which provides an affordability reference but is not a sale-price substitute.
What schools are in Tully?
Tully has 3 nearby schools: 2 government schools, including a state primary school and a state high school, plus 1 Catholic non-state school. Enrolment zones can differ by address, so families should confirm eligibility before signing a lease or contract. School options are broader than a single-campus town, but location alone does not indicate performance.
Is Tully safe?
Safety should be checked through recent police information and an inspection at different times of day. Tully has 2,368 residents across 13.02 square kilometres, and street conditions can vary more than a headline suburb figure suggests. Ask about lighting, flood exposure, traffic and property security before deciding.
Is Tully good for property investment?
Tully can suit a yield-focused investor but needs conservative assumptions. Renting accounts for 40.7% of occupied dwellings, weekly rent is $250 and vacancy is 9.9%, so tenant demand and re-leasing time need close attention. Growth is 0.54% annually, while the gentrification score is 13 and the stage is Not gentrifying, making purchase price and asset condition more important than a rapid-growth thesis.
How is Tully's population changing?
Tully's direction is Aging rather than youth-led expansion. Population change across the wider area is 7.9% over 10 years, with annual growth trending at 0.54%. The senior share has risen 8.6 percentage points and the young share has fallen 3.2 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so change is gradual and older-skewed compared with a fast-growing family corridor.
What development is happening in Tully?
Development activity reached 30 applications in the past 12 months, including lift installation preparation, a 386.25 square metre shed extension and land filling. Those examples indicate ongoing building and operational work, but they do not confirm 30 new homes. Investors should check each approval, dwelling count and flood or infrastructure condition before treating the activity as a supply signal. Activity is broader than a single residential project.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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