Family-friendly ranking · QLD

The best suburbs for families in Queensland.

Suburbs ranked by average school ICSEA score and family-household percentage. Filtered to Queensland suburbs only.

About this ranking

Family-friendly suburbs balance four things: schools you'd actually send your kids to, parks and bike paths that get used, walkable neighbourhood retail, and a price point that doesn't lock you out of upgrading rooms when the family grows. We rank by the strongest measurable proxy (school ICSEA) and weight by the share of households that are families with dependents.

Queensland property market in 2026

Queensland has been Australia's standout performer over the last five years, driven by interstate migration from Sydney and Melbourne plus infrastructure investment leading up to the 2032 Olympics. Brisbane's median house price has compounded around 8-10% annually since 2020. The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast have followed the same trajectory but with more cyclicality, and the Moreton Bay corridor (Caboolture, North Lakes, Burpengary) now offers genuine value for buyers priced out of inner Brisbane. Regional Queensland (Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba) has lifted off years of stagnation and is now solidly positive.

Buyer tip, QLD
Queensland's first home buyer stamp duty concession was upgraded to $700K full exemption in mid-2024, among the most generous in the country. Combine that with the federal Home Guarantee Scheme and you can be in a $700K Brisbane house with $35K of saved deposit and effectively zero stamp duty.
Watch out, QLD
Flood overlays are highly localised in Brisbane and SEQ. The 2011 and 2022 floods affected specific creek systems, and properties on adjacent streets can have wildly different insurance premiums and resale values. Always check the Brisbane City Council Flood Awareness Map for the exact address before bidding.
Methodology
Suburbs are scored on average ICSEA across primary and secondary schools (sourced from ACARA), filtered to suburbs where families with dependents make up at least 40% of households (ABS Census 2021). Population-weighted to avoid outliers from very small localities.
Best for
First home buyers planning to start a family in the next 5 years; existing families upsizing into a longer-term home; relocating families researching new areas.

By stateAll Australia NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS NT ACT

By cityBest suburbs for families in Brisbane

Showing top 50 suburbs in Queensland

#	Suburb	State	Avg ICSEA	Family HH %	Profile
1	St Lucia 4067	QLD	1,178	55%	View profile →
2	Indooroopilly 4068	QLD	1,149	67%	View profile →
3	Graceville 4075	QLD	1,142	80%	View profile →
4	Pullenvale 4069	QLD	1,132	92%	View profile →
5	Wooloowin 4030	QLD	1,129	58%	View profile →
6	Buderim 4556	QLD	1,124	73%	View profile →
7	Burbank 4156	QLD	1,118	88%	View profile →
8	Carindale 4152	QLD	1,110	80%	View profile →
9	Upper Brookfield 4069	QLD	1,106	84%	View profile →
10	Samford Village 4520	QLD	1,100	77%	View profile →
11	Rochedale 4123	QLD	1,093	88%	View profile →
12	Tallebudgera 4228	QLD	1,089	87%	View profile →
13	Doonan 4562	QLD	1,089	85%	View profile →
14	Nundah 4012	QLD	1,087	51%	View profile →
15	Sunnybank Hills 4109	QLD	1,087	78%	View profile →
16	Manly West 4179	QLD	1,074	77%	View profile →
17	Mount Samson 4520	QLD	1,072	93%	View profile →
18	Bells Creek 4551	QLD	1,066	76%	View profile →
19	Caloundra West 4551	QLD	1,065	74%	View profile →
20	Lota 4179	QLD	1,061	77%	View profile →
21	Mudgeeraba 4213	QLD	1,060	81%	View profile →
22	Aspley 4034	QLD	1,059	68%	View profile →
23	Cairns North 4870	QLD	1,055	45%	View profile →
24	Eumundi 4562	QLD	1,052	84%	View profile →
25	Stafford 4053	QLD	1,051	61%	View profile →
26	Yatala 4207	QLD	1,046	90%	View profile →
27	Bethania 4205	QLD	1,043	62%	View profile →
28	Gindie 4702	QLD	1,039	81%	View profile →
29	Comet 4702	QLD	1,038	71%	View profile →
30	Thorneside 4158	QLD	1,037	67%	View profile →
31	Surfers Paradise 4217	QLD	1,035	51%	View profile →
32	Forest Lake 4078	QLD	1,034	79%	View profile →
33	Milman 4702	QLD	1,031	93%	View profile →
34	Kalkie 4670	QLD	1,031	79%	View profile →
35	Pacific Pines 4211	QLD	1,029	87%	View profile →
36	Bli Bli 4560	QLD	1,028	78%	View profile →
37	Nelly Bay 4819	QLD	1,027	62%	View profile →
38	Bracken Ridge 4017	QLD	1,020	81%	View profile →
39	Kuluin 4558	QLD	1,018	77%	View profile →
40	Griffin 4503	QLD	1,015	81%	View profile →
41	Canungra 4275	QLD	1,012	80%	View profile →
42	Tangorin 4821	QLD	1,010	45%	View profile →
43	Jimboomba 4280	QLD	1,008	85%	View profile →
44	Plainland 4341	QLD	1,007	77%	View profile →
45	Abercorn 4627	QLD	1,005	88%	View profile →
46	Glenvale 4350	QLD	1,004	72%	View profile →
47	Cannonvale 4802	QLD	1,001	67%	View profile →
48	Yorkeys Knob 4878	QLD	998	55%	View profile →
49	Glass House Mountains 4518	QLD	998	81%	View profile →
50	Banksia Beach 4507	QLD	996	80%	View profile →

#1St Lucia

QLD 4067

Avg ICSEA

1,178

Family HH %

55%

View profile →

#2Indooroopilly

QLD 4068

Avg ICSEA

1,149

Family HH %

67%

View profile →

#3Graceville

QLD 4075

Avg ICSEA

1,142

Family HH %

80%

View profile →

#4Pullenvale

QLD 4069

Avg ICSEA

1,132

Family HH %

92%

View profile →

#5Wooloowin

QLD 4030

Avg ICSEA

1,129

Family HH %

58%

View profile →

#6Buderim

QLD 4556

Avg ICSEA

1,124

Family HH %

73%

View profile →

#7Burbank

QLD 4156

Avg ICSEA

1,118

Family HH %

88%

View profile →

#8Carindale

QLD 4152

Avg ICSEA

1,110

Family HH %

80%

View profile →

#9Upper Brookfield

QLD 4069

Avg ICSEA

1,106

Family HH %

84%

View profile →

#10Samford Village

QLD 4520

Avg ICSEA

1,100

Family HH %

77%

View profile →

#11Rochedale

QLD 4123

Avg ICSEA

1,093

Family HH %

88%

View profile →

#12Tallebudgera

QLD 4228

Avg ICSEA

1,089

Family HH %

87%

View profile →

#13Doonan

QLD 4562

Avg ICSEA

1,089

Family HH %

85%

View profile →

#14Nundah

QLD 4012

Avg ICSEA

1,087

Family HH %

51%

View profile →

#15Sunnybank Hills

QLD 4109

Avg ICSEA

1,087

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#16Manly West

QLD 4179

Avg ICSEA

1,074

Family HH %

77%

View profile →

#17Mount Samson

QLD 4520

Avg ICSEA

1,072

Family HH %

93%

View profile →

#18Bells Creek

QLD 4551

Avg ICSEA

1,066

Family HH %

76%

View profile →

#19Caloundra West

QLD 4551

Avg ICSEA

1,065

Family HH %

74%

View profile →

#20Lota

QLD 4179

Avg ICSEA

1,061

Family HH %

77%

View profile →

#21Mudgeeraba

QLD 4213

Avg ICSEA

1,060

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#22Aspley

QLD 4034

Avg ICSEA

1,059

Family HH %

68%

View profile →

#23Cairns North

QLD 4870

Avg ICSEA

1,055

Family HH %

45%

View profile →

#24Eumundi

QLD 4562

Avg ICSEA

1,052

Family HH %

84%

View profile →

#25Stafford

QLD 4053

Avg ICSEA

1,051

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#26Yatala

QLD 4207

Avg ICSEA

1,046

Family HH %

90%

View profile →

#27Bethania

QLD 4205

Avg ICSEA

1,043

Family HH %

62%

View profile →

#28Gindie

QLD 4702

Avg ICSEA

1,039

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#29Comet

QLD 4702

Avg ICSEA

1,038

Family HH %

71%

View profile →

#30Thorneside

QLD 4158

Avg ICSEA

1,037

Family HH %

67%

View profile →

#31Surfers Paradise

QLD 4217

Avg ICSEA

1,035

Family HH %

51%

View profile →

#32Forest Lake

QLD 4078

Avg ICSEA

1,034

Family HH %

79%

View profile →

#33Milman

QLD 4702

Avg ICSEA

1,031

Family HH %

93%

View profile →

#34Kalkie

QLD 4670

Avg ICSEA

1,031

Family HH %

79%

View profile →

#35Pacific Pines

QLD 4211

Avg ICSEA

1,029

Family HH %

87%

View profile →

#36Bli Bli

QLD 4560

Avg ICSEA

1,028

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#37Nelly Bay

QLD 4819

Avg ICSEA

1,027

Family HH %

62%

View profile →

#38Bracken Ridge

QLD 4017

Avg ICSEA

1,020

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#39Kuluin

QLD 4558

Avg ICSEA

1,018

Family HH %

77%

View profile →

#40Griffin

QLD 4503

Avg ICSEA

1,015

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#41Canungra

QLD 4275

Avg ICSEA

1,012

Family HH %

80%

View profile →

#42Tangorin

QLD 4821

Avg ICSEA

1,010

Family HH %

45%

View profile →

#43Jimboomba

QLD 4280

Avg ICSEA

1,008

Family HH %

85%

View profile →

#44Plainland

QLD 4341

Avg ICSEA

1,007

Family HH %

77%

View profile →

#45Abercorn

QLD 4627

Avg ICSEA

1,005

Family HH %

88%

View profile →

#46Glenvale

QLD 4350

Avg ICSEA

1,004

Family HH %

72%

View profile →

#47Cannonvale

QLD 4802

Avg ICSEA

1,001

Family HH %

67%

View profile →

#48Yorkeys Knob

QLD 4878

Avg ICSEA

998

Family HH %

55%

View profile →

#49Glass House Mountains

QLD 4518

Avg ICSEA

998

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#50Banksia Beach

QLD 4507

Avg ICSEA

996

Family HH %

80%

View profile →

Common questions

About this ranking

What is ICSEA and why does it matter?

ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is ACARA's measure of the educational backgrounds of students at a school, used as a proxy for school resourcing and outcomes. Higher ICSEA generally correlates with stronger NAPLAN performance and higher senior-year retention. We use it because it's published consistently across all Australian schools, but it's not a direct quality measure, so always verify with site visits and NAPLAN data.

Why don't you rank by NAPLAN scores directly?

NAPLAN scores are published by My School (ACARA) but reproducing them in rankings is restricted. ICSEA is the next-best public proxy and correlates strongly with NAPLAN outcomes for like-for-like school cohorts.

How do school catchments affect this ranking?

We rank suburbs by the average ICSEA of schools located in or directly serving the suburb. Catchment boundaries cut through suburbs, so two houses on the same street can fall into different catchments. Always verify the in-catchment school for the specific address before making an offer.

Other rankings

Highest Growth Suburbs Most Affordable Suburbs Most Walkable Suburbs Lowest Flood Risk Suburbs Best Rental Yield Suburbs

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The best suburbs for families in Queensland.

Queensland property market in 2026

Buyer tip, QLD

Watch out, QLD

Methodology

Best for

About this ranking

Shortlisted a suburb? Buy it well.