White Rock
At 4,918 residents across 9.53 sq km, White Rock has a density of 516.2 people per sq km and a clear detached-house character. Its median age of 37 is 3 years below the national comparison, yet the suburb is moving older: senior share is up 7.0% and young share is down 2.3%. Household income sits at the 39.9th percentile, below the midpoint, alongside an IRSAD decile of 2. For buyers comparing White Rock with nearby Edmonton or Mount Sheridan, the 74.2% separate-house share and 0.94% annual growth point to an established, car-oriented market rather than a rapid redevelopment story.
Population
4,918
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,396/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
White Rock suits buyers prioritising conventional family housing over apartment stock. Separate houses account for 74.2%, while 3-bedroom homes make up 52.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 29.5%, creating a more family-oriented mix than an apartment-led market. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $1,343, compared with weekly rent of $340, and mortgage-to-income is 22.2% versus rent-to-income of 24.4%. Household income is at the 39.9th percentile, below the midpoint, making deposit size and borrowing capacity important. Use recent comparable sales and an independent valuation rather than relying on a single suburb median.
For Buyers
White Rock suits buyers prioritising conventional family housing over apartment stock. Separate houses account for 74.2%, while 3-bedroom homes make up 52.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 29.5%, creating a more family-oriented mix than an apartment-led market. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $1,343, compared with weekly rent of $340, and mortgage-to-income is 22.2% versus rent-to-income of 24.4%. Household income is at the 39.9th percentile, below the midpoint, making deposit size and borrowing capacity important. Use recent comparable sales and an independent valuation rather than relying on a single suburb median.
For Investors
White Rock has a meaningful rental base, with 36.6% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent at $340. Vacancy is 6.7%, so investors should test leasing assumptions carefully rather than treating tenant demand as automatic. Rent growth of 25.9% supports recent momentum, while the 0.94% annual forecast trend and Balanced migration signal a steadier outlook than a boom market. Eight development matters were recorded over 12 months, including a 6-dwelling dual-occupancy proposal that may add small pockets of competing supply. Mortgage-to-income at 22.2% is lower than rent-to-income at 24.4%, but a verified purchase price is needed for a defensible gross-yield calculation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
9
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 White Rock
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Trinity Anglican School (White Rock)
White Rock State School
Demographics
White Rock's median age is 37, which is 3 years below the national comparison, but the direction is older: senior share has risen 7.0% while young share has fallen 2.3%. University attainment is 16.3%, 13.8 percentage points below the national level, and overseas-born residents account for 19.7%, 1.9 points below national. English ancestry is reported by 1,465 people, followed by Other at 1,014, while Christianity counts 2,223 and no religion 1,940. Average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above national, and 73.7% stayed at the same address five years earlier. Compared with nearby Edmonton or Mount Sheridan, these figures frame White Rock as an Anglo-leaning suburb with an aging trajectory rather than a strongly migrant-led growth area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.2%
Houses
13.9%
Townhouse
10.0%
Apartment
Tenure
White Rock's housing is predominantly low-rise: 74.2% separate houses, 13.9% semi-detached dwellings and 10.0% apartments. The bedroom profile reinforces that pattern, with 52.4% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 29.5% having 4 or more. Tenure is split between 23.5% owned outright, 36.1% mortgaged and 36.6% rented, leaving 3.8% in other arrangements. Mortgage-to-income is 22.2% and rent-to-income is 24.4%, while the affordability measure was stable at 48.4 in 2011 versus 49.0 in 2021. Compared with a more apartment-led suburb, White Rock's detached share supports family demand, but the 6.7% vacancy rate gives renters more choice than a tightly constrained market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,343
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $340.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $650 · units $450
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$694
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
121
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.2%
Couples with children
37.3%
Couples, no children
25.0%
Single parent
1,209
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is White Rock's largest employment industry at 21.2% and 260 workers, ahead of Construction at 11.8% and 145, Education at 10.9% and 133, Hospitality at 7.6% and 93, and Retail at 7.4% and 91. The occupation mix is led by Community/Personal work with 342 people, Trades with 310, Professionals with 277, Labourers with 254 and Clerical/Admin with 245. Labour-force participation is 56.8%, unemployment is 7.7%, and 1,161 people work full-time versus 705 part-time. Household income of $1,396 a week is at the 39.9th percentile, below the midpoint. IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD are all in decile 2, lower than middle-ranked areas, suggesting strong healthcare employment has not translated into high local household incomes.
Unemployment
7.7%
Labour Force
2,180
Unemployed
168
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.7%
Part-time
35.0%
Participation
56.8%
Employed
2,012
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.3%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
19.7%
Dwellings
1,673
Transport to Work
Daily life in White Rock is strongly car-dependent: 78.7% travel as car drivers, compared with 1.9% using public transport, while 10.2% work from home. Two local schools provide a government state option and an independent non-state option; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. With an IRSAD decile of 2 and 8.5% of residents needing assistance, access to services and travel time may matter more than amenity branding. Volunteering is 11.9%, but only 1.5% walk or cycle to work. Check current Queensland Police information before deciding, because safety conditions can vary by street and time. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, the 9.53 sq km footprint and low 1.9% public-transport share make a car or carefully planned alternative more practical.
Drive
78.7%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
10.2%
Population Forecast
+0.94%/yr
(+49 people/yr)
EstablishedWhite Rock's growth outlook is measured rather than explosive. The forecast trend is 0.94% annually, with Balanced migration rather than a single dominant inflow. Population change across the wider area is 9.5% over 10 years, while the shift is labelled Aging: senior share is up 7.0%, working share is down 2.4% and young share is down 2.3%. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying, with a score of 4, so redevelopment pressure appears limited despite a signal of population growth of 12% since 2011. Stable affordability, moving from 48.4 in 2011 to 49.0 in 2021, supports a gradual established-suburb trajectory compared with a high-intensity growth corridor.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+32
Net Internal / yr
+8
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +12% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How White Rock compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is White Rock a good suburb to live in?
White Rock can suit buyers who want mostly detached housing and a car-based routine. About 74.2% of dwellings are separate houses, 78.7% commute as car drivers and the median age is 37. Weigh the IRSAD decile of 2, 1.9% public transport use and current safety checks before deciding.
What is the median house price in White Rock?
For a purchase decision, use recent comparable sales and an independent valuation rather than a single suburb median. White Rock has 74.2% separate houses, weekly rent of $340 and a monthly mortgage benchmark of $1,343, which provide context but do not replace a current sale-price assessment.
What schools are in White Rock?
Two schools are identified locally: White Rock State School, a government state school, and Trinity Anglican School (White Rock), an independent non-state school. Check the exact address against enrolment zones, transport options and current application requirements, especially when comparing the 2 sectors.
Is White Rock safe?
Review current Queensland Police information and visit the area at different times before making a decision, because a suburb-wide impression may not reflect every street. White Rock has 4,918 residents and an IRSAD decile of 2; those figures describe scale and socioeconomic conditions, not a crime rate.
Is White Rock good for property investment?
White Rock may suit an investor seeking established houses and a sizeable tenant base, but the numbers call for careful pricing. Renting accounts for 36.6%, weekly rent is $340, vacancy is 6.7% and 8 development matters were recorded over 12 months. The 0.94% annual trend is steady, while a gross yield needs a verified purchase price.
How is White Rock's population changing?
White Rock's current population is 4,918. Population change across the wider area is 9.5% over 10 years and the annual trend is 0.94%, with migration rated Balanced. Its trajectory is Aging, shown by a 7.0% rise in senior share and a 2.3% fall in young share, so growth is likely to be gradual and older-skewed.
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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