Underwood
Almost half of Underwood's residents (47.2%) were born overseas, 25.6 points above the national figure, yet the housing stock stays firmly suburban with 84.6% separate houses and apartments at just 1.4%. The combination produces large family households at an average of 3.1 people, 0.6 above national, in homes where 55.7% have four or more bedrooms. A $520,000 median house price keeps the suburb affordable, and at a median age of 34, six years below national, this is a younger, family-forming population rather than an established one. SEIFA places it at decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 8 on economic resources, comfortably above the midpoint but well short of the top advantage tiers.
Population
6,809
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,992/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
147
Median House
$520K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $520,000 median, Underwood sits well below Brisbane's pricier inner suburbs, and the value goes toward space rather than location. Detached houses make up 84.6% of dwellings, four-plus-bedroom homes reach 55.7% and three-bedroom homes another 37.9%, so buyers are purchasing genuine family houses rather than the apartments that dominate denser markets where they are only 1.4% here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income sits at the 74.7th percentile rather than the top tier. Mortgage holders (48.4%) far outnumber outright owners (23.8%), which fits the younger median age of 34 and points to a market of working families paying down recent purchases.
For Buyers
At a $520,000 median, Underwood sits well below Brisbane's pricier inner suburbs, and the value goes toward space rather than location. Detached houses make up 84.6% of dwellings, four-plus-bedroom homes reach 55.7% and three-bedroom homes another 37.9%, so buyers are purchasing genuine family houses rather than the apartments that dominate denser markets where they are only 1.4% here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income sits at the 74.7th percentile rather than the top tier. Mortgage holders (48.4%) far outnumber outright owners (23.8%), which fits the younger median age of 34 and points to a market of working families paying down recent purchases.
For Investors
A 27.8% renter share against weekly rent of $400 gives landlords a modest but steady tenant pool, and the $520,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, far stronger than the sub-2% yields common in premium Brisbane suburbs. The vacancy rate of 5.5% is higher than a tight market would show, so rental demand is adequate rather than scarce. Demand support comes mainly from overseas migration, which adds about 128 residents a year while internal movement removes 45, leaving net positive growth. Development activity is high at 143 applications in 12 months, including new dwellings and patio works, which signals ongoing supply that can cap rent escalation. With rent growth of 11.1% over the period and annual population growth of 1.89%, the case rests on yield and steady demand more than rapid capital gains.
Development Activity
Total DAs
347
Last 12 Months
147
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+126.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 34 runs 6.0 years below national, marking a young, family-forming population, and average household size at 3.1 sits 0.6 above national. Overseas-born residents reach 47.2%, which is 25.6 points above the national figure, among the more multicultural profiles in suburban Brisbane. Ancestry leans English (1,346) ahead of Chinese (958) and Indian (759), and the top non-English languages are Mandarin (265 speakers), Punjabi (224) and Korean (174). University qualifications at 43.9% run 13.8 points above national, a sign of a skilled migrant base. Religion is unusually mixed: Christianity leads at 2,328 residents but Islam follows at 1,061, far higher than most Australian suburbs, reflecting the South Asian and broader migrant communities settled here.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.6%
Houses
14.0%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward recent buyers: 48.4% carry a mortgage, 23.8% own outright and 27.8% rent. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners two to one points to a younger market still paying down homes rather than long-held wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 84.6% separate houses, with semi-detached at 14.0% and apartments a negligible 1.4%, so density stays low. Four-plus-bedroom homes dominate at 55.7% and three-bedroom homes at 37.9%, suited to the larger 3.1-person households. Against a $520,000 median, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6% and rent-to-income of 20.1% both sit well below the 30% stress line, which keeps the suburb affordable relative to higher-priced Brisbane markets despite household income at only the 74.7th percentile.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$803
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
125
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.9%
Couples, no children
5,858
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service sectors rather than high-finance: Healthcare leads at 18.7% (437 workers), Education follows at 10.0% (233) and Construction at 9.3% (218), with Professional/Tech at 8.3% and Retail at 7.9%. By occupation, Professionals (777) and Clerical/Admin (465) top the list, ahead of Managers (380). Unemployment reads 7.0%, above the national rate, and participation is 62.9% with a full-time rate of 64.9%, leaving 1,461 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA tells a consistent story: decile 8 on economic resources and decile 7 on education and occupation, both above the midpoint, while real incomes fell 5.1% over the decade, a headwind that explains why advantage scores hold mid-tier rather than climbing.
Unemployment
2.7%
Labour Force
4,261
Unemployed
114
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.9%
Part-time
28.1%
Participation
62.9%
Employed
3,073
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.9%
Postgraduate
12.0%
Born Overseas
47.2%
Dwellings
2,136
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 87.4% drive to work while only 4.2% take public transport and 2.0% walk or cycle, well below the active-transport shares of inner suburbs and a reflection of the detached, low-density layout at 1,626 residents per km2. The suburb earns decile 7 on IRSAD, above the national midpoint for relative advantage, and decile 6 on IRSD for disadvantage, meaning most residents avoid deprivation without the extreme comfort of top-tier areas. Only 4.0% of residents (263 people) need daily assistance, and volunteering runs at 13.4%. No schools are recorded inside the 4.19 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families with the suburb's larger 3.1-person households rely on institutions in neighbouring areas, a trade-off offset by the affordable $520,000 median.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
4.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.89%/yr
(+142 people/yr)
EstablishedUnderwood is growing steadily rather than transforming: annual population growth registers 1.89%, about 142 people a year, and the 10-year change reached 27.9%, well above the flat trajectories of established inner suburbs. The historical series rose from 7,234 in 2023 to 7,527 in 2025, and the medium forecast extends that to 8,445 by 2031. Overseas migration of 128 a year is the primary driver, partly offset by net internal outflow of 45. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying with a score of 12, so the growth is volume-led rather than wealth-led, consistent with affordability that improved from 52.3% in 2011 to 49.8% in 2021. The senior share rose 2.7 points while the working-age share fell 2.7, a gradual aging within an otherwise young suburb.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+128
Net Internal / yr
-45
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +35% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Underwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Underwood a good suburb to live in?
Underwood scores decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 8 on economic resources, both above the national midpoint, with household income at the 74.7th percentile. It suits families: the median age is 34, six years below national, and 84.6% of homes are detached houses. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 87.4% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Underwood?
The median house price is $520,000, well below Brisbane's pricier inner suburbs. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Underwood?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.19 km2 Underwood boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 43.9%, which is 13.8 points above the national figure.
Is Underwood safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Underwood in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national midpoint, and only 4.0% of its 263 residents who need it require daily assistance, both consistent with a moderate-advantage area.
Is Underwood good for property investment?
Rent of $400 a week against a $520,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, far stronger than the sub-2% yields in premium Brisbane suburbs. The vacancy rate is 5.5% and overseas migration adds about 128 residents a year, supporting steady rental demand for yield-focused investors.
How is Underwood's population changing?
Population growth runs 1.89% annually, about 142 people a year, with a 27.9% rise over 10 years. The count climbed from 7,234 in 2023 to 7,527 in 2025 and is forecast to reach 8,445 by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration of 128 a year.
What languages are spoken in Underwood?
About 47.2% of residents were born overseas, 25.6 points above the national figure. After English, the most common languages are Mandarin (265 speakers), Punjabi (224), Korean (174), Cantonese (116) and Hindi (84), reflecting a strong Chinese and South Asian migrant mix.
How much development is happening in Underwood?
There were 143 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, high for a 4.19 km2 suburb. These include new dwellings, garages and patio works, consistent with a growing area adding housing at an annual population growth rate of 1.89%.
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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