Upper Caboolture
Upper Caboolture combines a population of 5,087 with a 96.5% separate-house share and a household income percentile of 70.2, making it more mortgage-belt than apartment-oriented. Its median age of 33 is 7 years below the national figure, while average household size is 3.1 people, 0.6 above national. Compared with nearby Caboolture and Morayfield, the suburb reads as lower-density and more family-focused because 78.1% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 45.6% of families include children. Yet the trajectory is ageing, with the senior share up 5.8 percentage points, so future demand may broaden beyond young households.
Population
5,087
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,879/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
35
Homebuyers in Upper Caboolture are choosing a detached, family-sized market, but a current median house price is not available for the suburb. The physical profile is clear: 96.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 78.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with an apartment-led area where unit demand would be more visible. Mortgage holders pay $1,820 per month, equal to 22.4% of household income, while renters pay $360 a week and represent 22.3% of households. Because 51.3% are paying a mortgage and only 26.0% own outright, buyers should stress-test rates, insurance and commuting costs rather than rely on dwelling size alone.
For Buyers
Homebuyers in Upper Caboolture are choosing a detached, family-sized market, but a current median house price is not available for the suburb. The physical profile is clear: 96.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 78.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with an apartment-led area where unit demand would be more visible. Mortgage holders pay $1,820 per month, equal to 22.4% of household income, while renters pay $360 a week and represent 22.3% of households. Because 51.3% are paying a mortgage and only 26.0% own outright, buyers should stress-test rates, insurance and commuting costs rather than rely on dwelling size alone.
For Investors
Upper Caboolture suits investors seeking detached-house exposure rather than a high-density rental strategy. Separate houses account for 96.5% of dwellings, while apartments are 1.2%, so tenant demand is likely to centre on larger homes. The renting share is 22.3%, weekly rent is $360 and vacancy is 3.8%, a combination that points to an active but not obviously tight rental market. Thirty-five development applications in 12 months add planning activity, although the examples include building and operational works rather than confirming 35 new dwellings. Forecast migration is Balanced and annual growth is 1.56%, so the case rests more on steady occupancy and regional access than on a sharp speculative upswing. Compared with an apartment-led market, maintenance and land exposure will matter more.
Development Activity
Total DAs
79
Last 12 Months
35
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+40.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Upper Caboolture has a median age of 33, which is 7 years below the national figure, but its trajectory is ageing. Households average 3.1 people, 0.6 above the national average, and couples with children account for 45.6% of families, compared with 36.7% couples without children. English ancestry is recorded for 2,279 residents, followed by Irish at 482, Scottish at 466 and German at 352, giving the area an Anglo-leaning profile. No religion is the largest affiliation at 2,632 people, ahead of Christianity at 2,029. Overseas-born residents are 15.2%, 6.4 percentage points below national, while university participation is 16.2%, 13.9 points below national, which helps explain the strong trades and practical-services presence.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.5%
Houses
2.3%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing profile is unusually detached: 96.5% of dwellings are separate houses, versus 1.2% apartments and 2.3% semi-detached homes. Four-plus-bedroom properties make up 78.1%, while 3-bedroom homes account for 17.8%, so space is a defining feature compared with a unit-oriented suburb such as central Caboolture. Tenure is mortgage-heavy, with 51.3% paying a mortgage, 26.0% owning outright and 22.3% renting. This mix fits a family market, because 45.6% of families include children and average household size is 3.1. Mortgage costs of $1,820 monthly equal 22.4% of household income, while rent is 19.2% of income, indicating lower reported stress than a budget-stretched market. A current median sale price is not available, so buyers should compare recent settled sales by street and bedroom count.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $360.
$590
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $590 · units $460
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$780
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
64
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.6%
Couples with children
36.7%
Couples, no children
17.2%
Single parent
1,448
Total families
Economy & Employment
Upper Caboolture's employment base is led by healthcare at 19.3% of industry employment, construction at 15.6%, education at 11.0%, retail at 8.1% and manufacturing at 6.2%. The occupation mix reinforces that practical orientation: trades number 417, clerical and administration 312, labourers 294, community and personal services 293, and professionals 287. Labour-force participation is 64.4%, unemployment is 4.9% and full-time employment is 58.2%, while 248 employed residents work away from the suburb. Household income sits at the 70.2 percentile, above the midpoint, and the economic-resources index is in decile 10. By contrast, education and occupation is decile 4, while relative socioeconomic disadvantage is decile 8 and advantage is decile 6. This split suggests strong material resources alongside lower formal qualification measures, rather than a uniformly professional economy.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
2,488
Unemployed
122
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.2%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
64.4%
Employed
2,366
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.2%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
15.2%
Dwellings
1,610
Transport to Work
Day-to-day life is strongly car-oriented. Car drivers account for 78.3% of commuting, compared with 2.1% using public transport and 1.1% walking or cycling; 12.8% work from home, which may soften some travel demand. At 316.0 people per square kilometre across 16.1 square kilometres, Upper Caboolture is lower-density than a built-up centre, so trip planning matters for shopping, services and school runs. Families should check the number of nearby school options and enrolment zones by exact address across Upper Caboolture, Caboolture and Morayfield, including government, Catholic and independent choices, rather than infer access from suburb boundaries. The IRSAD score is 1,011 in decile 6 and the IRSD is decile 8, above the midpoint for relative disadvantage. A suburb-specific crime rate is not available, so inspect recent local safety information and street conditions before renting or buying.
Drive
78.3%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
12.8%
Population Forecast
+1.56%/yr
(+56 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth around Upper Caboolture is steady, with the annual trend at 1.56% and migration marked Balanced. Population change across the wider area is 22.6% over 10 years, indicating momentum, but the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.8 percentage points, the young share has fallen 3.5 points and the working share has declined 1.6 points. The shift measure labels gentrification Active at 47, while the separate gentrification score is 11 with a stage of Not gentrifying, making the signals mixed. Rent growth of 20.0% and real income growth of 15.7% suggest changing costs and earnings, while affordability improved from 60.1 in 2011 to 50.7 in 2021. Compared with a frontier development area, established services and household turnover of 27.4% should matter more than sudden population expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+10
Net Internal / yr
+49
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +32% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Upper Caboolture compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Upper Caboolture a good suburb to live in?
Upper Caboolture can suit households wanting space and a car-based routine. Separate houses make up 96.5% of dwellings, 78.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, and the median age is 33. The trade-off is transport dependence, with 78.3% driving to work and only 2.1% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Upper Caboolture?
A current median house price is not available for Upper Caboolture. For context, weekly rent is $360, 96.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 51.3% of households have a mortgage. Buyers should use recent settled sales for the exact street, land size and bedroom mix rather than convert rent into a sale estimate.
What schools are in Upper Caboolture?
School choices should be checked by exact address and enrolment zone, especially across Upper Caboolture, Caboolture and Morayfield. The suburb's 78.3% car-driver share means school travel is likely to be car-oriented, while 2.1% use public transport. Confirm the relevant government, Catholic or independent options and current places directly.
Is Upper Caboolture safe?
No suburb-specific crime rate is available for Upper Caboolture, so a simple safe or unsafe label would be unreliable. Prospective residents should check recent Queensland Police information, visit the street at different times and review lighting and traffic conditions. The suburb has 5,087 residents across 16.1 square kilometres, so conditions can vary between pockets.
Is Upper Caboolture good for property investment?
Upper Caboolture may suit a long-term investor seeking detached family housing. Weekly rent is $360, the vacancy rate is 3.8% and 22.3% of households rent. Annual growth is 1.56% with Balanced migration, while 35 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Compare likely yield, insurance, maintenance and vacancy risk against the purchase price before proceeding.
How is Upper Caboolture's population changing?
The wider area is changing at an annual trend of 1.56%, with migration classified as Balanced. Its 10-year population change is 22.6%, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 5.8 percentage points and the young share is down 3.5 points. That points to continuing demand with a gradually older household profile, rather than a purely young-family expansion.
Is Upper Caboolture seeing new development?
Development activity is material, with 35 applications in the past 12 months. The examples include domestic building works, advertising or signage and changes to approvals, so the count should not be treated as 35 new homes. Check individual approval status, location, timing and final dwelling details before assuming a project will change local supply. Compared with a simple new-estate pipeline, the activity appears mixed in type.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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