QLD · Brisbane Council

Karawatha, 4117

Est. population · Jun 2025

371

Growth (1 yr)

+1.6%

Growth (5 yr)

+9.1%

Median age

31

Median income

$2,531/wk

Employment rate

56.3%

University qualified

43%

Work from home

22.5%

Languages at home

74.9%non-English

Most common: Mandarin, Urdu, Hindi

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

26.5/100
Below average

1457th in QLD

Verified 86% confidence

How this score is calculated
    What Karawatha is known for:

    Using this data? Cite or embed. Publishers

    Suburb snapshot infographic

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    Karawatha, QLD suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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    Karawatha, QLD suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

    Cite this suburb snapshot

    Suburb Guide, “Karawatha, QLD Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/qld/karawatha

    No registration is required. Please keep the link to the suburb page.

    Suburb profile

    Karawatha is a middle-ring metropolitan suburb of Brisbane, in Brisbane Council. It is primarily residential, without a particularly distinct commercial centre or landmark identity.

    Open-space access is better than in most comparable places, with park access 65% above the peer median. University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, with university qualifications 42% above the peer median, and socio-economic advantage sits well above the peer median, well above typical levels for middle-ring metropolitan suburbs. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The main trade-offs are lower school ICSEA scores and thinner local amenities, with local amenities 88% below the peer median.

    Karawatha's appeal is better explained by housing, access and location than by a strong standalone precinct or destination.

    Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

    Strengths and weaknesses

    Middle-ring metropolitan suburb · compared with middle-ring metropolitan suburbs in Queensland (110)

    Strengths

    • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group
    • Open-space access is better than in most comparable places
    • Socio-economic advantage sits well above the peer median

    Weaknesses

    • School ICSEA scores are a relative weakness
    • Everyday shops and services are sparse

    What stands out

    • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

    Who it suits

    • Families
    • Professionals
    • Retirees
    • StudentsInsufficient data
    • Budget buyersInsufficient data

    Housing, growth and risk

    How Karawatha compares

    A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

    Median house price

    —

    No data available

    Median rent (Census)

    $585/wk

    2021 Census median weekly rent

    Population (ERP)

    371

    +1.6% annual growth

    Dwelling vacancy

    7.8%

    Census unoccupied dwellings

    Livability profile

    Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

    How it compares

    Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

    Desirability

    #78

    among Metro Brisbane · Emerging

    Crime rate

    94th

    percentile in state (higher = more crime)

    Pop. growth

    67th

    percentile in QLD

    Rented dwellings

    5%

    2021 Census tenure

    Advantage (IRSAD)

    10/10

    national SEIFA decile

    School ICSEA

    5th

    percentile among schools with ICSEA

    Population growth

    Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

    Housing mix

    Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

    Risks & flags

    Quick scan — open a section below for full context

    Living here

    Desirability

    Ranks & confidence
    Desirability score
    26.5/100 — Below average
    National rank
    6692nd in Australia
    State rank
    1457th in QLD
    Peer rank
    #78 among Metro Brisbane · Emerging suburbs
    Cohort rank
    #412 among Metro Brisbane suburbs
    Data confidence
    86%

    Data sources & freshness

    • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

    Population

    Estimated resident population

    371(June 2025)

    +1.6% annual · +9.1% over 5 years · 67th percentile in QLD

    Growth figures & methodology
    Annual growth
    +1.6%
    5-year growth
    +9.1%
    Change in 1 year
    +6
    Change in 5 years
    +31
    Growth rank in QLD
    67th percentile

    ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

    Methodology

    Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

    The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~400), extrapolated at +1.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

    2021 Census figures

    2021 Census

    Population
    337
    Median age
    31
    Median household income / week
    $2,531
    Dwelling vacancy
    7.8%
    Unoccupied private dwellings
    7 of 90
    Median monthly mortgage
    $2,600
    Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
    $585
    Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
    17.1% / 77.6% / 5.3%
    Employment rate
    56.3%
    Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
    22.5% / 3.1% / 62.8%
    Walked or cycled to work
    0%
    Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
    61 / 18 / 0

    Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

    Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

    Data sources & freshness

    • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

      The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

    • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

    Qualifications

    43% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.9% across Queensland. 7.8% have a trade or vocational qualification.

    • University qualified43% · 21.9% QLD
    • Diploma qualified7% · 9.4% QLD
    • Trade / vocational7.8% · 18.9% QLD
    • Year 12 or below42.2% · 49.8% QLD

    Highest qualification field

    Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

    • Management and commerce28%
    • Engineering and related technologies19.2%
    • Society and culture16.8%
    • Health14.4%
    • Information technology5.6%
    • Natural and physical sciences5.6%
    How these groups are defined
    MeasureDefinition
    University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
    Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
    Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
    Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
    Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

    People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

    Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

    University qualifications from the 2021 Census

    Data sources & freshness

    • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

      The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

    Tax & income

    Median taxable income (2023–24)
    $55,531

    51st percentile in QLD · -5% vs Australia

    Median salary / wages (2023–24)
    $63,404

    61st percentile in QLD · -2% vs Australia

    Residents with rental investments
    9.0%

    22nd percentile in QLD · -35% vs Australia

    Median super balance (2023–24)
    $31,855

    7th percentile in QLD · -50% vs Australia

    Residents with business income
    12.0%

    65th percentile in QLD · +15% vs Australia

    Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 4117 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

    Counts, net rent & state comparison
    Taxpayers in this postcode
    1,691
    Taxpayers reporting net rent
    158
    Median net rent
    -$4,368
    Taxpayers reporting business income
    211
    Taxable income vs state median
    0%
    Salary / wages vs state median
    +4%
    Rental investment vs state median
    -18%
    Super vs state median
    -54%
    Business income vs state median
    +20%

    Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in QLD, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

    Data sources & freshness

    • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

    Community & culture

    74.9% speak a language other than English at home; 61.6% born overseas

    Language at home
    72 English only · 215 other
    Non-English at home
    74.9%
    Born overseas
    178 (61.6%)
    Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
    3 (0.9%)
    Australian citizens
    234
    Languages spoken at home (other than English)
    12

    Top languages other than English

    Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

    • Mandarin25 · 24.8%
    • Urdu19 · 18.8%
    • Hindi17 · 16.8%
    • Arabic7 · 6.9%
    • Persian7 · 6.9%
    • Cantonese5 · 5%
    • Punjabi5 · 5%
    • Malayalam4 · 4%

    Religion

    28.5%Most common religion · Islam

    Islam is the most common response at 28.5%, while 21.4% reported no religion. Christianity is less common locally than across the state. Hinduism is more prevalent locally than across the state.

    MeasureSuburbState
    No religion21.4%40.7%
    Christianity17.5%45.7%
    Hinduism12.2%1.3%
    Islam28.5%1.2%
    Buddhism4.2%1.4%
    Other / not stated16.3%9.6%
    Christian denominations
    DenominationSuburbState
    Catholic11%18.6%
    Christian (not further defined)3%3.1%

    2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

    Data sources & freshness

    • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

      The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

    Crime & safety

    Offence counts are estimated for this suburb from postcode 4117, which is shared with other suburbs.

    Reported offences are running higher than the same point last year.

    Offence counts & rates
    Total offences (Jan 2026 to Sep 2026)
    54
    Against the person
    6
    Against property
    35
    Rate per 1,000 residents (annualised)
    194.7
    Person-crime prevalence
    About 1 in 56 residents
    State crime-rate percentile
    93.5th (higher = more crime)
    Increase (daily rate, partial year)
    +16.4%

    Most common offence types

    • Drug Offences5
    • Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)27
    • Traffic And Related Offences8
    • Other Property Damage3
    • Assault3

    Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

    Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

    Data sources & freshness

    • QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Sep 2026; Jan 2026 to Sep 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates

    Family & Lifestyle

    Schools & preschools

    Schools within 2 km
    1
    Median school ICSEA
    856
    Median ICSEA percentile
    5th
    Primary catchments overlapping suburb
    7
    Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
    4
    School list
    • Woodridge State High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 856 · 5th percentile · LBOTE 74% · 1,088 students · Top SEA quarter 1% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
    School catchments
    • Berrinba East SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
    • Browns Plains SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
    • Browns Plains SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
    • Kuraby SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
    • Runcorn Heights SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
    • Runcorn SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
    • Stretton State CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
    • Woodridge North SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
    • Woodridge SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
    • Woodridge SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment

    Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

    Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

    Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

    Data sources & freshness

    Amenities

    15 mapped amenities

    Local character & venue list

    Local character

    • Limited walkable amenities nearby
    • Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb
    Walkability proxy
    0/100
    Cafés per 1,000 residents
    0
    Food & drink per 1,000 residents
    0
    Parks per 1,000 residents
    2.97
    Sport & outdoors(5)
    • BBQ
    • Drinking water (2)
    • Acacia Forest ParkNature reserve
    • Public toilets
    Entertainment(1)
    • Karawatha Forest Discovery CentreMuseum

      149 Acacia Road, Karawatha

    Other(7)
    • Poets RockBench
    • Information
    • Karawatha Forest Track MapInformation
    • Parking (2)
    • Recycling
    • Shelter
    • Waste Basket (2)

    Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

    Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

    Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

    Data sources & freshness

    • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
    • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

    Parks & reserves

    1 parks and public open space in this suburb

    • Acacia Forest ParkNature reserve

    Data sources & freshness

    Green cover

    Green cover of suburb area
    1.3%
    Woodland / forest cover
    1.3%
    Parks & woodland features (OSM)
    2
    Parks (OSM)
    1
    Typical summer maximum
    28°C

    Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

    Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

    Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

    Data sources & freshness

    • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

    Health access

    Nearest hospital
    Hospital (5.5 km)
    Nearest hospital type
    Hospital
    Nearest hospital emergency
    Emergency department
    GP clinics in suburb
    0

    GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

    Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

    Hospitals, GPs and aged care

    Data sources & freshness

    NDIS participation

    NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
    6
    Participants per 1,000 residents
    16.2

    Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

    For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

    Data sources & freshness

    Weather

    Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

    Summer (Dec–Feb)

    Usual max / min
    28° / 18°
    Rainfall
    493 mm · ~62 rainy days

    Autumn (Mar–May)

    Usual max / min
    25° / 14°
    Rainfall
    343 mm · ~43 rainy days

    Winter (Jun–Aug)

    Usual max / min
    20° / 7°
    Rainfall
    144 mm · ~18 rainy days

    Spring (Sep–Nov)

    Usual max / min
    25° / 12°
    Rainfall
    249 mm · ~31 rainy days

    Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

    Temperature and humidity comfort

    Data sources & freshness

    • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

    Future & Planning

    Hazards

    Bushfire planning zone
    No overlay at centroid
    Flood / inundation overlay
    No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

    Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping. Flood cover uses floodplain overlay polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

    Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

    Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

    Data sources & freshness

    • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

    Politics & representation

    Federal electorate
    Rankin
    Member of Parliament
    Jim CHALMERS (Australian Labor Party)
    Results from
    2025 federal election
    Electorate enrolment (2025)
    114,950
    Turnout (2025)
    85.2%
    Swing since 2022 (2025)
    +6.5 pp toward Labor

    Two-party preferred (2025)

    Coalition 34.5%Labor 65.5%

    Estimated suburb voting profile

    Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 3.3 km away).

    Coalition 29.3%Labor 70.7%

    5.2 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

    Estimated swing since 2022: +3.6 pp toward Labor

    Nearest polling places

    • WoodridgeLabor 76.1% · Coalition 23.9% TPP (2025)1.8 km away
    • Woodridge NorthLabor 71.7% · Coalition 28.3% TPP (2025)2.3 km away
    • BerrinbaLabor 71.6% · Coalition 28.4% TPP (2025)2.5 km away
    • Stretton EastLabor 68.3% · Coalition 31.7% TPP (2025)2.6 km away
    • StrettonLabor 70.6% · Coalition 29.4% TPP (2025)2.9 km away

    Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

    Data sources & freshness

    Socio-economic

    IRSAD decile (2021)
    10/10
    IRSD decile (2021)
    8/10

    ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

    What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

    IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

    IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

    A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

    Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

    Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

    Data sources & freshness

    Compare with

    Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

    More in Brisbane Council

    Other suburbs in the same local government area.

    Comparable suburbs

    Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.