suburb.guide

QLD · Moreton Bay Council

Scarborough, 4020

Est. population · Jun 2025

10,505

Growth (1 yr)

+3.7%

Growth (5 yr)

+24.3%

Median age

53

Median income

$1,336/wk

Employment rate

49.2%

University qualified

21.3%

Work from home

17.9%

Languages at home

6.1%non-English

Most common: German, Afrikaans, Italian

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

41.3/100
Average

770th in QLD

Verified 88% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • Marina
  • Walkable
  • Green suburb
What Scarborough is known for: Beach, Marina, Walkable, Green suburb

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Scarborough, QLD suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Scarborough, QLD Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/qld/scarborough-qld

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Suburb profile

Scarborough is a coastal town in Queensland, in Moreton Bay Council. It is close to the Moreton Bay and the Redcliffe Peninsula.

Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places. School access is a very strong feature of the suburb, with school access 50% above the peer median. Population growth is an exceptional strength, placing it among the highest-ranked coastal towns, and working from home is more common than in comparable places, with working from home 25% above the peer median. The main trade-offs are higher crime and thinner mapped green cover within the suburb boundary, with green cover 58% below the peer median.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising daily services and school access over peace and quiet.

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

Coastal town · compared with coastal towns in Queensland (89)

Strengths

  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places
  • Working from home is more common than in comparable places
  • School access is a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Reported crime in the wider postcode 4020 is elevated relative to comparable places
  • Mapped green cover within the suburb boundary is below comparable suburbs

What stands out

  • Scarborough Beach
  • Moreton Bay
  • Redcliffe Peninsula

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Scarborough compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$685/wk

Population (ERP)

10,505

+3.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

9.6%

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

#47

among Coastal & beach · Mature

Crime rate

58th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

92nd

percentile in QLD

Rented dwellings

31%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

6/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

58th

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
41.3/100 — Average
National rank
4076th in Australia
State rank
770th in QLD
Peer rank
#47 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#92 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
88%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

All types (Mar 2026)
$685

Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

10,505(June 2025)

+3.7% annual · +24.3% over 5 years · 92th percentile in QLD

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+3.7%
5-year growth
+24.3%
Change in 1 year
+374
Change in 5 years
+2,052
Growth rank in QLD
92th 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 (~12,300), extrapolated at +3.2% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
9,178
Median age
53
Median household income / week
$1,336
Dwelling vacancy
9.6%
Unoccupied private dwellings
429 of 4,456
Median monthly mortgage
$1,907
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$350
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
40.3% / 28.4% / 31.3%
Employment rate
49.2%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
17.9% / 1.8% / 61.6%
Walked or cycled to work
2.4%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
2,433 / 350 / 1,168 (+ 64 other)

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

21.3% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.9% across Queensland. 17.9% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified21.3% · 21.9% QLD
  • Diploma qualified12.2% · 9.4% QLD
  • Trade / vocational17.9% · 18.9% QLD
  • Year 12 or below48.6% · 49.8% QLD

Highest qualification field

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

  • Management and commerce21.7%
  • Engineering and related technologies17%
  • Health14.6%
  • Society and culture14%
  • Education11.4%
  • Architecture and building6.9%
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)
$58,567

64th percentile in QLD · 0% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$66,832

74th percentile in QLD · +3% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
15.0%

86th percentile in QLD · +9% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$108,997

94th percentile in QLD · +72% vs Australia

Residents with business income
8.0%

20th percentile in QLD · -23% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 4020 — 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
17,222
Taxpayers reporting net rent
2,576
Median net rent
$160
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,415
Taxable income vs state median
+6%
Salary / wages vs state median
+10%
Rental investment vs state median
+36%
Super vs state median
+57%
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

6.1% speak a language other than English at home; 25.6% born overseas

Language at home
8,273 English only · 538 other
Non-English at home
6.1%
Born overseas
2,255 (25.6%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
239 (2.6%)
Australian citizens
8,190
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
21

Top languages other than English

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

  • German27 · 14.4%
  • Afrikaans19 · 10.2%
  • Italian17 · 9.1%
  • French16 · 8.6%
  • Spanish16 · 8.6%
  • Arabic15 · 8%
  • Russian10 · 5.3%
  • Mandarin9 · 4.8%

Religion

51.8%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 51.8%, while 39.4% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion39.4%40.7%
Christianity51.8%45.7%
Other / not stated8.8%13.6%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic22.4%18.6%
Anglican13.5%11.3%
Uniting Church3.8%3.6%
Christian (not further defined)2.6%3.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed2.4%2.1%

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 4020, 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)
590
Against the person
119
Against property
294
Rate per 1,000 residents (annualised)
75.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 77 residents
State crime-rate percentile
58.4th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate, partial year)
+15.2%

Most common offence types

  • Assault45
  • Drug Offences104
  • Good Order Offences63
  • Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)169
  • Unlawful Entry45

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
3
Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
1,026
Median ICSEA percentile
58th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
1
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
1
School list
  • Australian Trade College North BrisbaneSecondary · Independent · ICSEA 1026 · 58th percentile · LBOTE 2% · 286 students · Top SEA quarter 13% · 0.1 km awayView on My School →
  • Southern Cross Catholic CollegeCombined · Catholic · ICSEA 1041 · 65th percentile · LBOTE 7% · 1,653 students · Top SEA quarter 17% · 0.1 km awayView on My School →
  • Scarborough State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1015 · 54th percentile · LBOTE 15% · 776 students · Top SEA quarter 15% · 1.2 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
  • Redcliffe SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Scarborough 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

Public transport

42 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Scarborough Rd at Anderson Street
  • Scarborough Rd at Anderson Street
  • Scarborough Rd at Eversleigh Road
  • Scarborough Rd at Eversleigh Road
  • Scarborough Rd at Fifth Avenue

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

256 mapped amenities

7 restaurants · 3 cafes · 1 pharmacies · 3 fast food · 1 places of worship · 5 playgrounds · 4 sports centres · 8 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Highly walkable for shops and everyday services
  • Great for outdoor family life — 10 parks mapped in suburb, 5 playgrounds nearby
  • Well connected by public transport — 42 public transport stops
  • Strong local sport and recreation — 18 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
71/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0.33
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
1.42
Parks per 1,000 residents
1.09
Food & drink(13)
  • 3EightNineCafe
  • LandingCafe

    71 Landsborough Avenue

  • Sea Salt and VineCafe
  • Bay Boats & Take AwayFast food

    439 Scarborough Road

  • Chopsticks on ScarboroughFast food
  • Fast food
  • Danny'sRestaurant
  • FinFreshRestaurant
  • KashiwaRestaurant
  • Moreton Bay Boat ClubRestaurant

    Bird O'Passage Parade

  • Morgans SeafoodRestaurant
  • Silverlake Chinese RestaurantRestaurant

    Unit 2 63 Landsborough Avenue, Scarborough

  • The Boat ShedRestaurant
Shopping(3)
  • BWSBottle shop
  • Friendly GrocerConvenience store
Everyday services(3)
  • Cash ZoneATM
  • Peninsula LaundriesLaundry

    85 Landsborough Avenue, Scarborough

  • Scarborough LPOPost office
Community(3)
  • Australian Trade College North BrisbaneSchool

    294 Scarborough Road

  • Scarborough State SchoolSchool

    Eversleigh Road

  • Southern Cross Catholic College (Scarborough Primary Campus)School

    299 Scarborough Road

Health & services(1)
  • Scarborough Beach PharmacyPharmacy
Sport & outdoors(64)
  • BBQ (2)
  • Beach
  • Queens Beach (central)Beach
  • Queens Beach (north)Beach
  • Scarborough BeachBeach
  • Boat ramp
  • Moreton Bay CyclewayCycling route
  • Drinking water (22)
  • Fitness station
  • Moreton Bay Boat ClubMarina

    Bird O'Passage Parade, Scarborough

  • Redcliffe MarinaMarina

    2A Reef Point Esplanade, Scarborough

  • Scarborough MarinaMarina

    28 Thurecht Parade, Scarborough

  • Flinders Parade LookoutPark
  • Jamieson ParkPark
  • Park (4)
  • Scarborough Beach ParkPark
  • Scarborough Pier & BBQ ShelterPark
  • Thurecht ParkPark
  • Tingira ParkPark
  • Playground (5)
  • City of Moreton BayPublic toilets
  • Public toilets
  • Scarborough Bowls ClubSports centre
  • Scarborough Squash & Fitness CentreSports centre

    607 Oxley Avenue

  • Sports centre (2)
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool (8)
Camping & holiday parks(2)
  • Scarborough Holiday VillageCampground

    2 Reef Point Esplanade, Scarborough

  • Dump point
Entertainment(1)
  • Viewpoint
Transport(34)

34 bus stops

Other(24)
  • Bench (12)
  • Bicycle Parking (2)
  • City of Moreton BayBicycle Parking
  • Sea Salt and VineBicycle Parking
  • Bicycle Repair Station
  • Chalet (11)
  • JButterflyClothes

    83 Landsborough Avenue, Scarborough

  • Fish Cleaning
  • Garden (3)
  • Rustic Blend Hair StudioHairdresser
  • Ice Cream
  • QMLLaboratory
  • Sullivan Nicolaides PathologyLaboratory
  • Sea Salt and Vine Outdoor DiningOutdoor Seating
  • Parking (30)
  • Parking Space (2)
  • Picnic Table (29)
  • ChapelPlace of worship
  • Australia PostPost Box
  • Morgans Seafood MarketSeafood
  • Shelter (23)
  • Shower (3)
  • TelstraTelephone
  • Waste Basket (4)

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

Sporting clubs

1 named sporting club in this suburb

  • Scarborough Bowls Club

    Lawn Bowls

Named sporting clubs from OpenStreetMap, assigned to this suburb's boundary. Sporting facilities such as ovals, courts and recreation centres are listed under Amenities.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap sporting clubs — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Geofabrik australia-latest.osm.pbf

Parks & reserves

6 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Flinders Parade LookoutPark
  • Jamieson ParkPark
  • Scarborough Beach ParkPark
  • Scarborough Pier & BBQ ShelterPark
  • Thurecht ParkPark
  • Tingira ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
3%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
10
Parks (OSM)
10
Typical summer maximum
29°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

Places of worship

1 places of worship within ~1.5 km

  • Chapel

From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
3
Nearest hospital
Redcliffe Hospital (2.7 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
GP clinics in suburb
0
Aged-care services
5
Residential aged-care places
94

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

  • QMLLaboratory
  • Scarborough Beach PharmacyPharmacy
  • Sullivan Nicolaides PathologyLaboratory
Aged-care services
  • BallyCara Aged CareSCARBOROUGHResidential
  • BallyCara Community Care - Brisbane NorthNEWPORTHome Care
  • BallyCara Community Care - CaboolNEWPORTHome Care
  • BallyCara Community Care - Gold Coast - Home Care serviceNEWPORTHome Care
  • BallyCara Community Care - LoganNEWPORTHome Care

Australian Government–subsidised services from the AIHW GEN list (30 June 2025), assigned to this suburb by location.

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
256
Participants per 1,000 residents
24.4

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
29° / 20°
Rainfall
498 mm · ~62 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
26° / 17°
Rainfall
406 mm · ~51 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
21° / 10°
Rainfall
196 mm · ~24 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
26° / 15°
Rainfall
256 mm · ~32 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
Petrie
Member of Parliament
Emma COMER (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
134,359
Turnout (2025)
89.7%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+5.6 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 48.8%Labor 51.2%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 5.3 km away).

Coalition 52.5%Labor 47.5%

3.7 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +3.3 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Scarborough NorthLabor 44.4% · Coalition 55.6% TPP (2025)0.8 km away
  • ScarboroughLabor 50.5% · Coalition 49.5% TPP (2025)1.3 km away
  • RedcliffeLabor 51.3% · Coalition 48.7% TPP (2025)2.0 km away
  • Kippa-Ring WestLabor 54.5% · Coalition 45.5% TPP (2025)3.5 km away
  • Redcliffe SouthLabor 51.1% · Coalition 48.9% TPP (2025)3.5 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)
6/10
IRSD decile (2021)
5/10

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 Moreton Bay Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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