West Gladstone
A $319,000 median house price sits beside a 14.1% vacancy rate here, and both reflect the same soft demand that follows Gladstone's industrial cycles. The suburb scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes (IRSAD 884, IRSD 896, IEO 889, IER 880), the bottom advantage tier nationally, while household income sits in the 33rd percentile at $1,324 a week. The stock is detached-dominant at 74.9% separate houses across a low-density 7.09 km2 footprint, and 45.4% of residents rent. Unemployment runs high at 11.2%, well above the national rate, and real incomes fell 20.3% over the decade, which explains why affordability still improved from 39.9% to 33.4%.
Population
4,844
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,324/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$319K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $319,000 median house price puts West Gladstone among the most affordable markets in Queensland, and monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 22.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability matters because household income sits in only the 33rd percentile, so cheap entry pricing is what keeps buyers in the market. The stock favours families: 74.9% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings make up 51.5% and four-plus bedroom homes another 24.6%, leaving apartments at 20.1%. Owner-occupiers are split, with 26.3% owning outright and 28.3% carrying a mortgage, while 45.4% rent, a higher renter share than most detached-house suburbs and a sign that ownership turnover is slow in a soft local economy.
For Buyers
The $319,000 median house price puts West Gladstone among the most affordable markets in Queensland, and monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 22.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability matters because household income sits in only the 33rd percentile, so cheap entry pricing is what keeps buyers in the market. The stock favours families: 74.9% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings make up 51.5% and four-plus bedroom homes another 24.6%, leaving apartments at 20.1%. Owner-occupiers are split, with 26.3% owning outright and 28.3% carrying a mortgage, while 45.4% rent, a higher renter share than most detached-house suburbs and a sign that ownership turnover is slow in a soft local economy.
For Investors
A 45.4% renter share gives landlords a large tenant pool, but the fundamentals call for caution. Weekly rent of $230 against the $319,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.7%, healthier than premium-priced metros, yet the 14.1% vacancy rate signals real oversupply and weak tenant demand. Rent growth was negative at minus 17.9% over the period, compounding the risk. Demand support is thin: net overseas migration adds 98 residents a year and internal migration just 16, against annual population growth of 0.56%. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not the pressure, the issue is demand tied to Gladstone's industrial employment. The investment case rests on yield and low entry cost rather than capital growth, with the 14.1% vacancy a standing warning.
Development Activity
Total DAs
45
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
Schools in West Gladstone iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gladstone West State School
Prep-6 · 642 students
Gladstone State High School
7-12 · 1239 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.2 points while the working-age share fell 0.9 points and the young share dropped 1.2 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach only 16.7%, which is 4.9 points below national, and ancestry leans heavily Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,863), Irish (531) and Scottish (471). University qualifications sit at 21.9%, 8.2 points below the national figure, consistent with a trades and services workforce. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, and 29.4% of families are couples without children. Non-English languages are marginal, with Mandarin (13), Punjabi (12) and Arabic (11) the most common, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.9%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
20.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renting: 45.4% rent, 28.3% carry a mortgage and 26.3% own outright, an unusual mix for a suburb that is 74.9% separate houses. The high renter share against a detached-dominant stock points to a workforce that moves with industrial employment rather than settling into ownership. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 51.5%, four-plus bedroom dwellings make up 24.6% and apartments only 20.1%. The median house price of $319,000 is low relative to incomes, giving a price-to-income ratio under 5, far below capital-city levels. Mortgage-to-income at 22.7% and rent-to-income at 17.4% both sit below the 30% stress line, so housing costs are not the local pressure. The 14.1% vacancy rate is the standout figure, reflecting more dwellings than the soft local economy can fill.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$230
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$698
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.1%
Unoccupied
339
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.4%
Couples, no children
3,362
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is anchored to Gladstone's industrial base: Healthcare leads at 15.6% (208 workers), Manufacturing follows at 13.8% (184), Education at 11.3% (151), Construction at 10.7% (142) and Transport at 7.9% (105). By occupation, Professionals (361) lead but Labourers (283), Community and Personal workers (267) and Machinery operators and Drivers (223) form the bulk, a profile that aligns with the decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation. The pressure shows in the labour market: unemployment is high at 11.2%, well above national, participation is low at 55.4% and 1,384 residents are not in the labour force. Real incomes fell 20.3% over the decade, and all four SEIFA indexes read decile 1, the bottom advantage tier nationally, reflecting an economy exposed to industrial downturns.
Unemployment
10.2%
Labour Force
3,632
Unemployed
371
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.5%
Part-time
20.3%
Participation
55.4%
Employed
1,968
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.9%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
16.7%
Dwellings
2,051
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 85.0% drive to work while only 0.7% use public transport and 7.1% walk or cycle, well below the national reliance on active and public transport. The suburb scores decile 1 on IRSAD and decile 1 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, the bottom tier nationally, and 8.1% of residents (368 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 16.5%, and rent-to-income at 17.4% keeps tenants well below the 30% stress line, so day-to-day costs are manageable. No schools are recorded inside the 7.09 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in central Gladstone nearby. At 683 residents per km2 the setting is low-density and spread out, a practical trade-off for the affordable, house-dominant housing.
Drive
85.0%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
7.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.56%/yr
(+38 people/yr)
EstablishedWest Gladstone is an established, slow-growth suburb: annual population growth is 0.56% and the 10-year change is negative at minus 2.2%, so the area has shrunk over the decade. Medium forecasts project the population edging from 6,650 in 2026 to 6,840 by 2031, a modest trend continuation. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 98 residents a year, against net internal migration of just 16. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying with a score of 0 on the long index, though a secondary signal flags acceleration from minus 5% to 11%. Affordability improved from 39.9% in 2011 to 33.4% in 2021, but that gain came partly from a 20.3% fall in real incomes rather than rising prosperity, which keeps the growth outlook cautious.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+98
Net Internal / yr
+16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Accelerating: -5% → 11%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How West Gladstone compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is West Gladstone a good suburb to live in?
West Gladstone offers strong affordability, with a $319,000 median house price and rent-to-income of just 17.4%, well below the 30% stress line. The trade-offs are real: it scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes, the bottom advantage tier nationally, and unemployment is high at 11.2%, reflecting an economy tied to Gladstone's industry.
What is the median house price in West Gladstone?
The median house price is $319,000, among the most affordable in Queensland. Weekly rent averages $230 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in only the 33rd percentile.
What schools are in West Gladstone?
No schools are recorded inside the 7.09 km2 West Gladstone boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in central Gladstone nearby. University qualifications among residents sit at 21.9%, which is 8.2 points below the national figure, consistent with a trades and services workforce.
Is West Gladstone safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for West Gladstone in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 1 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the bottom tier, and 8.1% of its residents (368 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a higher-disadvantage profile.
Is West Gladstone good for property investment?
Rent of $230 a week against a $319,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.7%, healthier than capital-city metros. But the 14.1% vacancy rate signals oversupply and rent growth was negative at minus 17.9%, so returns depend on yield and the 0.56% annual population growth rather than capital gains.
How is West Gladstone's population changing?
Population growth is 0.56% annually but the 10-year change is negative at minus 2.2%, so the suburb has shrunk over the decade. Medium forecasts project a rise from 6,650 in 2026 to 6,840 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.2 points over the period.
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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