Bowen Hills QLD 4006
Located in Queensland, Bowen Hills sits 5 km from Brisbane CBD, around 9 minutes by car. The suburb has 4,898 residents, a median age of 30, and a median household income of $80,652 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 51.8% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $390 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,614. The area shows high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is high.
Is Bowen Hills a good suburb?
Bowen Hills scores a A (68/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on safety.
Walkable and central
Walkability 94/100 · 5.1 km · 9 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $2.2M
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 91/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 9/10 · median age 30 · 4,898 residents
Liveability Rating
68 / 100 · Ranked #193 in QLDEach bar is Bowen Hills's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Bowen Hills?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
68 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median Unit Price
Public listings dataBowen Hills's unit market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $686,000, roughly 20% above where it sat a year earlier.
Units
$686,000
In line with its 6 neighbours (median $670,000)
Based on 232 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 21 days — median across 143 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 105 sales $585K
- 2 bed 111 sales $759K
- 3 bed 14 sales $820K
Houses
$2,200,000
Based on only 3 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Typically sold in 22 days — median across 3 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsUnits in Bowen Hills are currently listed at around $682,000 on average. Based on 48 units listed in the past six months.
$682K
48 units listed in the last 6 months.
48 of the suburb's 2,685 dwellings (1.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Bowen Hills rent for around $850 a week on average, based on 9 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$850/wk
9 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$730/wk
7% above its 5 neighbours (median $680/wk)
110 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
119 rentals advertised against an estimated 2,242 rented homes (5.3%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 2-bed units
- $780/wk
- 98 bonds
- +64% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies. Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202595 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 32% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4006.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
IndicativeNot enough house sales and rentals in the window to calculate a yield.
$730/week ($38,000 a year) on a $682,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
77 active Airbnb listings: 65 whole homes and 12 rooms. Whole homes are about 2.1% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Bowen Hills safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Bowen Hills sits in the high band, with 467 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 12% on the prior year.
467 offences
11.5% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202465 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Universities nearby
- 1.3 km90 Bowen Terrace, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006Torrens University Australia · 125 courses
- 2.5 kmKelvin GroveQueensland University of Technology · 119 courses
- 3.0 kmBrisbane C.Q.U. CampusCentral Queensland University · 57 courses
5.2% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Bowen Hills is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 94/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 1 supermarket, 5 parks and 9 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Bowen Hills.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 144.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 82.3 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 60.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 21.1 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 4 min wait
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Bowen Hills.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 50%
- Premises covered
- 3,820
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Brisbane: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 9 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 5 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Bowen Hills is home to about 4,900 residents, and skews young, with a median age of 30 against the national 38. Median household income runs at $81,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.3%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
4,898
Median Age
30
Median Household Income
$80,652/yr
Census Median Rent
$390/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,614/mo
Avg Household Size
1.6
Median Personal Income
$54,184/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.3%
Unoccupied Dwellings
14.7%
Total Dwellings
2,685
Owner-Occupier Rate
16.5%
Houses
3.0%
Rental Stress
25.1%
Mortgage Stress
24.0%
Work From Home
21.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
111 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 107 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 2,199 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 52.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 64.0%
- Employment Rate
- 72.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 73.7%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
816 residents (16.7%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 4,788 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
39% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (1,339 of 3,402).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,519 a year through Brisbane based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Brisbane
In the year to August 2026, 9,382 new dwellings were approved across Brisbane. That mix is 2,948 houses and 6,434 units. Approvals are up 9.0% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: at least 1,962 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 101 to 500 homes
- In 5 to 10 years 101 to 500 homes
- In 10 years or more 303 to 1,500 homes
- No timeframe set at least 1,457 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (12 parcels), by when it expects lots to be registered. Yields are published in ranges, so these are too.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
Two native title parties cover this area: Jagera People #2 and Turrbal People.
Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. No native title claim is currently registered here, so the last registered claimant remains the Aboriginal party.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 5.4 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 14.7 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0.
From the Brisbane CBD (South East Queensland) monitoring station, 3.8 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Archerfield Airport, 14.4 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 10 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 8.4 km
- 2.8 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 1,032 mm
- 84 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 30.5°C
- 6 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 8.9°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
9 facilities within 5 km- 0.2 kmRail Passenger TransportTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene)
- 4.0 kmBeer ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol · Carbon monoxide
- 4.0 kmGlass and Glass Product ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Sulfur dioxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 4.1 kmMilk and Cream ProcessingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 4.2 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Toluene (methylbenzene) · Ethanol
EV adoption
In postcode 4006, 817 of 22,739 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 5.6% (1,281 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 9.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4006, 602 rooftop-solar systems totalling 9.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 14,669 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 38 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$30,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
$30,000 for contracts signed on or after 20 November 2023, with no end date. IT DID NOT REVERT TO $15,000: the tier was due to end 30 June 2026 and the 2026-27 Queensland Budget (23 June 2026) continued it for contracts signed from 1 July 2026. This file carried a "due to revert" note until 2026-09-18 — it was never true, and a note predicting a change is not the same as a change. Cap is "less than $750,000" including land and contract variations — less than, not up to. New homes only: "There are no home owner grants for established homes."
Mortgage repayments
10 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 92 across postcode 4006.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Queensland Revenue Office
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $30,000 — see what qualifies with Queensland Revenue Office.
At $686,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $30,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Queensland Revenue Office.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Madonna Jarrett Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Madonna Jarrett | 59.0% | 41.0% | +59.0 |
| 2022 | Stephen Bates | 54.4% | 45.6% | -9.3 |
| 2019 | Trevor Evans | 45.1% | 54.9% | -1.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Grace Grace Australian Labor Party (State of Queensland)
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Grace Grace ALP | 58.8% |
| 2020 | Grace Grace ALP | 61.1% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Bowen Hills?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 4,898 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
- #1 in Best Brisbane suburbs to rent in
- #1 in Best Brisbane suburbs for first-home buyers (units)
- #2 in Highest-yielding Brisbane suburbs (units)
- #2 in Brisbane suburbs where the most Spanish is spoken at home
- #2 in Brisbane suburbs with the best public transport
- #4 in Brisbane suburbs with the deepest rental markets
- #5 in Brisbane suburbs with the most apartments
- #8 in Sportiest Brisbane suburbs
- #8 in Brisbane suburbs that suit young professionals
- #12 in Brisbane suburbs with the largest non-religious population
Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Brisbane There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Brisbane suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
Windsor QLD 4030
Newstead QLD 4006
Spring Hill QLD 4000
Albion QLD 4010
Herston QLD 4006
Compare Bowen Hills to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Bowen Hills
Is Bowen Hills a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Bowen Hills is high (91/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Bowen Hills?
Bowen Hills has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Bowen Hills a good place to live?
Bowen Hills has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (68/100), ranked against other QLD suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Bowen Hills?
Bowen Hills, QLD had a population of 4,898 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Bowen Hills, QLD?
The postcode for Bowen Hills, QLD is 4006.
How far is Bowen Hills from Brisbane?
Bowen Hills is 5 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 9 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Bowen Hills?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Bowen Hills was $80,652 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Bowen Hills?
The median advertised rent in Bowen Hills is $850 a week for houses (9 listings) and $730 a week for units (110 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Bowen Hills?
The median age of residents in Bowen Hills was 30 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Bowen Hills walkable?
Bowen Hills scores 94/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it exceptionally walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Bowen Hills?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Bowen Hills (Brisbane CBD (South East Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.4 µg/m³ and PM10 of 14.7 µg/m³. That puts Bowen Hills below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Bowen Hills?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Bowen Hills, Archerfield Airport (14.4 km away), summer days average 30.5°C, winter nights 8.9°C, 1,032 mm of rain a year over 84 rainy days, and 6 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Bowen Hills?
First-home buyers in QLD may be eligible for $30,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by Queensland Revenue Office; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Bowen Hills belong to?
Bowen Hills sits within the Brisbane local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Bowen Hills?
The average residential rates bill through Brisbane is $1,519 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Bowen Hills?
Across Brisbane, 9,382 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 9.0% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Bowen Hills in?
Bowen Hills sits within the federal Division of Brisbane, currently held by Madonna Jarrett (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2025–26
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2024
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.