Wonga Beach
At a median house price of $379,000, Wonga Beach sits well below the national median, yet the suburb carries a 47.3% outright ownership rate that points to a settled, long-tenure population rather than a transient one. The median age of 49 is 9 years above the national figure, one of the more pronounced aging gaps you will find in coastal Queensland. Household income lands in the 11th percentile nationally, reflecting a community where employment participation sits at 43.8%. With only 1,042 residents spread across 9 square kilometres, this is a quiet, low-density locality shaped by retirees, healthcare workers and labourers who have put down roots along the Far North Queensland coast.
Population
1,042
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$954/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$379K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $379,000 median house price is estimated from 2025 rent data and represents a significant discount compared to coastal QLD benchmarks. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5%, which crosses the stress threshold given household income in the 11th percentile nationally. Separate houses dominate at 89.4% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 6%, so buyers face an almost entirely detached market. Bedroom size skews mid-range: 51.3% are three-bedroom homes and 21.7% have four or more bedrooms. The 47.3% outright ownership rate is notably high, suggesting many residents bought years ago and have long since paid off their loans. Buyers should weigh the 31.5% mortgage-to-income figure carefully against local income levels before committing.
For Buyers
The $379,000 median house price is estimated from 2025 rent data and represents a significant discount compared to coastal QLD benchmarks. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5%, which crosses the stress threshold given household income in the 11th percentile nationally. Separate houses dominate at 89.4% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 6%, so buyers face an almost entirely detached market. Bedroom size skews mid-range: 51.3% are three-bedroom homes and 21.7% have four or more bedrooms. The 47.3% outright ownership rate is notably high, suggesting many residents bought years ago and have long since paid off their loans. Buyers should weigh the 31.5% mortgage-to-income figure carefully against local income levels before committing.
For Investors
Wonga Beach presents a mixed investment picture. Weekly rent of $310 against a $379,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.3%, which is above typical inner-city benchmarks. However, the 11.5% vacancy rate is high and signals a soft rental market, likely because supply of detached houses exceeds the thin renter base of 23.1%. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, meaning no new supply pressure but also limited capital-growth signals from planning activity. The 28.1% resident turnover rate shows some mobility, but the 71.9% who stayed put suggests a stable core tenant pool. Investors should weigh the attractive yield against the high vacancy rate and the low household income base, which constrains rental growth capacity.
Schools in Wonga Beach iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Wonga Beach State School
Prep-6 · 79 students
Demographics
The median age of 49 sits 9 years above the national average, one of the clearest signals that Wonga Beach attracts retirees and pre-retirees rather than young families. Overseas-born residents account for 14.8% of the population, which is 6.8 percentage points below the national figure. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (399), Irish (116) and Scottish (99) are the top three, consistent with that 6.8-point gap in overseas-born compared to national. University qualifications reach 15.0%, which is 15.1 percentage points below the national rate, a significant shortfall that reflects the occupational and income profile. Average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below national, consistent with couples-without-children households, which account for 38.5% of all families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.4%
Houses
6.0%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is dominated by separate houses at 89.4%, a proportion well above the national average for suburban areas. Of the 3-bedroom dwellings that make up 51.3% of stock, most are occupied by owner-occupiers: 47.3% own outright and 29.6% carry a mortgage, leaving just 23.1% renting. The vacancy rate of 11.5% is elevated and suggests that some properties sit empty, possibly as holiday or investment holdings. Rent stress is a reality at the $310 weekly figure, with rent-to-income at 32.5% exceeding the 30% stress threshold. Mortgage stress is also present at 31.5%, which is above the benchmark. Together these stress flags reflect the mismatch between the low household income (11th percentile nationally) and current housing costs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$572
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.5%
Unoccupied
54
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.5% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.5%
Couples, no children
702
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 15.1% of workers, followed by Hospitality at 9.6% and Construction at 8.8%. Education accounts for 8.4% and Retail for 7.1%. By occupation, Labourers lead with 63 workers, followed by Clerical/Admin (49) and Community/Personal services (45). The unemployment rate is 6.3%, above the national average, and the labour force participation rate of 43.8% is low because 343 residents are not in the labour force at all, a figure reflecting the older median age of 49. Full-time employment accounts for 51.9% of employed people. Household income in the 11th percentile nationally indicates that the local economy does not support high-wage work, and the top industries confirm a service and trades-oriented base rather than professional or managerial roles.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.9%
Part-time
41.8%
Participation
43.8%
Employed
341
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.0%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
14.8%
Dwellings
415
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total in Wonga Beach: 88.6% of residents drive to work and only 1.5% use public transport, compared to national urban averages that typically run 10 to 15% for public transport. Walking and cycling account for 3.3% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in surrounding areas. Crime data is not available in the current dataset. The volunteering rate of 15.8% indicates moderate community engagement. Residents needing daily assistance account for 6.1% of the population (56 people), higher than you would expect for a lower-density suburb, likely because the median age of 49 sits 9 years above national and a subset of older residents require support. Access to services and transport infrastructure is the main practical trade-off for living in this 9-square-kilometre coastal locality.
Drive
88.6%
Public Transport
1.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wonga Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wonga Beach a good suburb to live in?
Wonga Beach suits those seeking a quiet, low-density coastal lifestyle. The median age is 49, which is 9 years above the national average, and 47.3% of residents own their home outright. The main trade-offs are limited public transport (1.5% usage), no recorded schools in the suburb, and household income in the 11th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Wonga Beach?
The median house price is $379,000 (estimated from 2025 rental data). Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $1,300. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5% exceeds the 30% stress threshold given local income levels.
What schools are in Wonga Beach?
No schools are recorded within the Wonga Beach suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby areas. University qualifications among residents stand at 15.0%, which is 15.1 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the occupational profile of the local workforce.
Is Wonga Beach safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Wonga Beach in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb has a low population density of 115 residents per square kilometre and a 71.9% residential stability rate, with the majority of residents staying between census periods. The volunteering rate of 15.8% suggests community engagement.
Is Wonga Beach good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $310 against a $379,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.3%, which is above typical metropolitan benchmarks. However, the vacancy rate of 11.5% is elevated, signalling a soft rental market. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. The low household income base (11th percentile nationally) limits rental growth capacity.
How is Wonga Beach's population changing?
Specific population forecasts are not available, but 71.9% of residents stayed between census periods, indicating stability. The median age of 49 is 9 years above national, with no development activity recorded in the past 12 months. Growth is likely to be driven by retiree in-migration rather than household formation.
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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