QLD · Scenic Rim Council
Palen Creek, QLD, 4287
Current weather
13.8°CMainly clear
92% humidity · 6.7 km/h wind · 19.7° / 12.2° today · 0.6 mm rain
Desirability index
#363 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Palen Creek is a small locality in the Scenic Rim area, home to around 368 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show reported crime totals of around 44 offences in Jan 2026 to Dec 2026, roughly 119.6 offences per 1,000 residents, and a quieter amenity profile than busier neighbouring suburbs. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 368
- Median age
- 41
- Median household income / week
- $1,174
- Dwelling vacancy
- 22.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 18 of 80
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 20%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 27 / 0 / 0
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Dec 2026)
- 44
- Against the person
- 5
- Against property
- 17
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 119.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 74 residents
- State safety percentile
- 16.2th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- 0%
Most common offence types
- Assault4
- Drug Offences14
- Miscellaneous Offences5
- Other Property Damage4
- Unlawful Entry4
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Dec 2026; Jan 2026 to Dec 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Amenities
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Saint James Catholic ChurchPlace of worship
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 5.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #363 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Assaultcrime4
- Drug Offencescrime14
- Miscellaneous Offencescrime5
- Other Property Damagecrime4
- Unlawful Entrycrime4
- Saint James Catholic Churchamenitiesplace_of_worship
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.