Woodlands
Woodlands packs 4,551 people into 1.93 sq km, with a density of 2,354.5 people per sq km and a settled 81.3% resident retention rate. Its median age of 44 is 4 years above the national benchmark, while 32.4% of residents were born overseas and 53.7% have university qualifications, 23.6 percentage points above the national comparison. Household income ranks at the 79.4th percentile. Compared with nearby Innaloo and Wembley Downs, Woodlands is a compact, owner-oriented housing pocket, with 69.3% separate houses and 45.4% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms. Overseas migration and early gentrification signals are adding change, but the high stayed rate points to continuity.
Population
4,551
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,098/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
43
Buyers need to assess Woodlands by dwelling type and holding costs because a suburb median house price is not available. The housing mix is family-oriented, with 69.3% separate houses, 20.1% semi-detached homes and 10.6% apartments. Larger properties are common: 45.4% have 4 or more bedrooms and 35.5% have 3 bedrooms. Ownership is established, with 47.0% owned outright compared with 32.4% under mortgage and 17.8% rented. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.6% is higher than the rental ratio of 20.0%, so buyers should compare repayments against household income rather than relying on dwelling size alone.
For Buyers
Buyers need to assess Woodlands by dwelling type and holding costs because a suburb median house price is not available. The housing mix is family-oriented, with 69.3% separate houses, 20.1% semi-detached homes and 10.6% apartments. Larger properties are common: 45.4% have 4 or more bedrooms and 35.5% have 3 bedrooms. Ownership is established, with 47.0% owned outright compared with 32.4% under mortgage and 17.8% rented. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.6% is higher than the rental ratio of 20.0%, so buyers should compare repayments against household income rather than relying on dwelling size alone.
For Investors
Woodlands presents a mixed rental case. Renters account for 17.8% of households and the weekly rent is $420, while the 7.4% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a tightly constrained market. Compared with owner occupation, the rental pool is smaller, but overseas migration is the primary growth driver and may support ongoing tenant demand. Forty development approvals over 12 months could add competing stock, depending on what is built. The annual growth trend is 1.26%, while rent growth is 20.0%, higher than the 12.1% real income growth rate. Investors should test yield, vacancy and supply risk against the purchase price.
Development Activity
Total DAs
43
Last 12 Months
43
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 Woodlands
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
WOODLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Woodlands has an older and more highly educated profile than the national comparison. The median age is 44, or 4 years above national, while 53.7% of residents have university qualifications, 23.6 percentage points higher than the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up 32.4%, which is 10.8 points above national, with English ancestry recorded for 1,776 people, Irish for 489, Scottish for 481 and Italian for 324. Christianity has 2,323 adherents and no religion 1,784. Average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above national, and 81.3% stayed at the previous address, higher than the 18.7% turnover rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.3%
Houses
20.1%
Townhouse
10.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Woodlands has a stronger owner base than rental base, with 47.0% of homes owned outright, 32.4% under mortgage and 17.8% rented. Compared with renting, outright ownership is higher by 29.2 percentage points, which supports a relatively settled housing market. Separate houses account for 69.3% of dwellings, while semi-detached homes make up 20.1% and apartments 10.6%. The bedroom profile is also larger than a compact apartment market, with 45.4% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 35.5% containing 3. Mortgage costs are $2,600 monthly and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.6%, above the 20.0% rent-to-income ratio.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$420
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$890
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.4%
Unoccupied
133
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
52.3%
Couples with children
33.4%
Couples, no children
12.7%
Single parent
1,193
Total families
Economy & Employment
Woodlands has a professional and service-led employment base. Healthcare is the largest industry at 16.9% or 280 workers, followed by Professional and Tech at 16.6% or 274, Education at 13.8% or 228, Construction at 9.0% or 148 and Mining at 8.5% or 140. Occupations are led by 766 Professionals and 370 Managers, ahead of 263 Clerical and Administration workers. The labour force contains 2,218 people, including 1,218 full-time and 817 part-time workers, with unemployment at 3.8% and participation at 60.0%. Weekly household income is $2,098 and ranks at the 79.4th percentile, above the national midpoint because higher-skilled industries carry substantial weight.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
2,218
Unemployed
84
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.1%
Part-time
38.3%
Participation
60.0%
Employed
2,134
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.7%
Postgraduate
13.3%
Born Overseas
32.4%
Dwellings
1,660
Transport to Work
Woodlands is strongly car-oriented: 73.0% of residents travel as car drivers, compared with 4.1% using public transport and 4.2% walking or cycling. A further 14.0% work from home, which may reduce daily commuting but does not remove the need for practical transport planning. Woodlands Primary School is the local government primary option; families should check the exact enrolment zone against the address because boundaries can cut across nearby suburbs. The compact 1.93 sq km area and density of 2,354.5 people per sq km keep the suburb urban in scale. At 44, the median age is 4 years above national, which may suit households seeking a more settled setting. For safety, review recent incident patterns and visit key routes at different times before choosing a property.
Drive
73.0%
Public Transport
4.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
14.0%
Population Forecast
+1.26%/yr
(+211 people/yr)
EstablishedWoodlands has an annual growth trend of 1.26%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is forecast at 19.4% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Mixed rather than uniformly accelerating. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33, indicating gradual change rather than a completed transition. Rent growth of 20.0% has run higher than real income growth of 12.1%, which can put pressure on affordability even as the affordability trend is labelled Improving. Affordability moved from 48.7 in 2011 to 42.4 in 2021, so growth is likely to be shaped by migration and housing costs more than by a single redevelopment cycle.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+292
Net Internal / yr
0
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +25% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +292/yr, Accelerating: 8% → 16%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woodlands compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woodlands a good suburb to live in?
Woodlands can suit households seeking established housing, larger dwellings and a settled resident base. The median age is 44, 81.3% stayed at the previous address and 69.3% of homes are separate houses. It is car-dependent, with 73.0% travelling as drivers, so transport needs should be checked.
What is the median house price in Woodlands?
There is no median house price figure for Woodlands to quote. Buyers should compare recent sales for similar dwelling types, particularly because 45.4% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 69.3% are separate houses. The weekly rent benchmark is $420, which can help assess alternatives while reviewing purchase prices.
What schools are in Woodlands?
Woodlands Primary School is the local government primary school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address because school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. The suburb has 1 named local school, so households needing secondary or specialist options should also check nearby catchments and travel times.
Is Woodlands safe?
A current crime rate is not available for Woodlands, so safety should be assessed through recent incident reports, an on-site visit and the specific street environment. The suburb covers 1.93 sq km, making it practical to inspect several routes and nearby facilities at different times before committing to a property.
Is Woodlands good for property investment?
Woodlands has a mixed investment profile. Weekly rent is $420, vacancy is 7.4% and 17.8% of households rent. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver and the annual trend is 1.26%, but 40 development approvals in 12 months may increase competing supply. Investors should calculate yield from the purchase price rather than assume strong rental performance.
How is Woodlands's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 19.4% over 10 years, with an annual growth trend of 1.26%. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33, indicating gradual change alongside an established resident base.
What languages are spoken in Woodlands?
Woodlands has an overseas-born share of 32.4%. The most recorded non-English languages include Mandarin with 53 speakers, Italian with 29, Cantonese with 21, Japanese with 18 and Hindi with 16. English ancestry is recorded for 1,776 people, alongside Irish at 489 and Scottish at 481.
Is Woodlands experiencing new development?
Woodlands recorded 40 development approvals over 12 months, indicating active planning activity in an otherwise established suburb. The available examples are development approvals rather than confirmed dwelling counts, so buyers should check the address, project type and likely construction timing before assuming a material change to local housing supply.
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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