QLD 4655 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Urangan

Median age 55 sets Urangan apart before anything else: residents are 15 years older than the national profile and 47.2% of homes are owned outright. The suburb is detached-heavy, with 75.1% separate houses and only 5.8% apartments, so its housing identity is more conventional than the tourism strip image often associated with nearby Torquay and Scarness. Household income sits at the 12.4th percentile, below the national middle, which matters because rent-to-income is 34.0% despite the $335 weekly rent.

Urangan urban fabric map

Population

10,988

Median Age

55.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$984/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

33

Median House

$397K

Estimated from rent (2025)

15.07 km²· 729.2 people/km²· Family income $1,206/wk

Homebuyers get a low-rise coastal housing base rather than apartment density: 75.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 16.5% are semi-detached and 45.1% have 3 bedrooms. The ownership profile is unusually stable, with 47.2% owned outright compared with 21.8% under mortgage. Affordability still needs care because mortgage costs are 30.5% of income, just above the 30% stress line, while households sit at the 12.4th income percentile.

For Buyers

Homebuyers get a low-rise coastal housing base rather than apartment density: 75.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 16.5% are semi-detached and 45.1% have 3 bedrooms. The ownership profile is unusually stable, with 47.2% owned outright compared with 21.8% under mortgage. Affordability still needs care because mortgage costs are 30.5% of income, just above the 30% stress line, while households sit at the 12.4th income percentile.

For Investors

Investor appeal is shaped by tension between demand and slack. Renting accounts for 31.0% of households and the weekly rent is $335, but the vacancy rate is 10.7%, far above a tight-market benchmark, so income assumptions need buffers. Development is moderate with 19 applications over 12 months, below the optional high-development trigger. Internal migration is strong at 373 people a year, which supports demand even as the resident base ages.

Development Activity

Total DAs

58

Last 12 Months

33

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+450.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
10
Garage / Carport / Shed
7
Other
4
Change of Use
3
Commercial / Industrial
3
New Dwelling
3
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
2
Renovation / Extension
2

Schools in Urangan iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Sandy Strait State School

ICSEA 965 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 706 students

Urangan State High School

ICSEA 961 Secondary Government

7-12 · 1342 students

Urangan Point State School

ICSEA 914 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 272 students

Demographics

Urangan is older and more locally rooted than the national profile. The median age is 55, which is 15 years above national, while university attainment is 17.6%, or 12.5 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents make up 20.2%, only 1.4 points lower than national, so the bigger distinction is age rather than migration. English ancestry leads at 5,059 people, followed by Scottish 1,201 and Irish 1,168, with an average household size of 2.2.

Age Distribution

0-14
13.4%
15-24
8.2%
25-44
16.2%
45-64
28.1%
65+
34.0%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
4.4%
2 bed
20.0%
3 bed
45.1%
4+ bed
30.5%

Dwelling Structure

75.1%

Houses

16.5%

Townhouse

5.8%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 47.2% Mortgage 21.8% Rent 31.0%

The housing mix is clearly owner-oriented: 47.2% are owned outright, 21.8% have a mortgage and 31.0% rent. Separate houses dominate at 75.1%, compared with 16.5% semi-detached and 5.8% apartments, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 30.5%. A reliable suburb median house price is not quoted, so affordability should be tested against repayments and rents: mortgage-to-income is 30.5% and rent-to-income is 34.0%, both above the 30% stress line.

Mortgage / mo

$1,300

Rent / wk

$335

HH Size

2.2

Personal Income / wk

$527

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

10.7%

Unoccupied

555

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

34.0% stressed

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

30.5% stressed

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

German
19
Afrikaans
11

Ancestry

English
5,059
Scottish
1,201
Irish
1,168
German
785
Ancestry NS
741
Other
652

Household Composition

44.1%

Couples, no children

7,839

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the local anchor, employing 598 people and 27.0% of workers, well above education at 11.9% and construction at 10.5%. Community and personal service roles lead occupations with 628 workers, then professionals at 591 and labourers at 480, matching an aged-care and service economy. Unemployment is 9.7% with participation at 38.4%. SEIFA is low overall: IEO decile 2, IER decile 4, IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 2, with IER higher because some households hold resources despite weaker education and advantage scores.

Unemployment

4.1%

Labour Force

7,743

Unemployed

321

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
2
Disadvantage
2
Economic resources
4
Education & occupation
2

Full-time

56.6%

Part-time

33.7%

Participation

38.4%

Employed

3,304

Occupations

Community/Personal 628
Professionals 591
Labourers 480
Clerical/Admin 381
Sales 358
Managers 356
Machinery/Drivers 200

Top Industries

Healthcare 27.0%
Education 11.9%
Construction 10.5%
Hospitality 7.5%
Retail 7.4%

University

17.6%

Postgraduate

3.1%

Born Overseas

20.2%

Dwellings

4,608

Transport to Work

Daily life is car-based: 86.3% drive to work, only 0.7% use public transport and 5.3% walk or cycle, so convenience depends on proximity to shops, health services and the foreshore. Schooling is entirely Government within the suburb, with 3 schools and an ICSEA range from 914 to 965. Sandy Strait State School leads at ICSEA 965 with 706 students, while Urangan State High School is close at 961 with 1,342 students. Area advantage is lower, with IRSAD in decile 2, below the state middle.

Drive

86.3%

Public Transport

0.7%

Walk / Cycle

5.3%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+2.19%/yr

(+364 people/yr)

Established

Growth is not static retirement drift. The trend forecast is 2.19% a year, or 364 additional people annually, above zero-growth coastal stability. Migration is the main engine, led by internal migration at 373 net people a year compared with 86 from overseas. The medium path lifts population from 16,814 in 2026 to 18,632 in 2031. Gentrification is scored 54 and labelled Active, while the shift profile remains Aging, with senior share up 9.4 points and young share down 3.3.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Internal Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+86

Net Internal / yr

+373

54

Gentrification Signal

Active

Population +43% since 2011, Net internal migration +373/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 29%

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Urangan compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 4%
Household Income
Bottom 12%
Rent Level
Top 30%
Apartments
Top 41%
Renters
Top 27%
Uni Educated
Bottom 28%
Public Transport
Bottom 8%
Born Overseas
Top 29%
Density
Top 17%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Urangan a good suburb to live in?

Urangan can suit people who want a quieter coastal base with established housing. The median age is 55, 75.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 47.2% are owned outright, so it leans settled rather than high-turnover.

What is the median house price in Urangan?

A reliable median house price is not quoted for Urangan, so buyers should check recent 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom sales closely. Housing is 75.1% separate houses, and mortgage-to-income is 30.5%, which signals affordability pressure.

What schools are in Urangan?

Urangan has 3 local Government schools. Sandy Strait State School has ICSEA 965 and 706 students, Urangan State High School has ICSEA 961 and 1,342 students, and Urangan Point State School has ICSEA 914.

Is Urangan safe?

A suburb crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so current police maps are worth checking before choosing a street. The local profile is older, with median age 55 and 47.2% of homes owned outright, which often points to more settled pockets.

Is Urangan good for property investment?

Urangan has rental depth, with 31.0% of households renting and weekly rent at $335, but the 10.7% vacancy rate is a clear risk. Net internal migration of 373 people a year supports demand, so investor outcomes depend on asset quality and pricing.

How is Urangan's population changing?

Urangan is forecast to keep growing at 2.19% a year, equal to about 364 people annually. The medium path rises from 16,814 people in 2026 to 18,632 in 2031, driven mainly by net internal migration of 373 people a year.

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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