Deception Bay sits 36 km from Brisbane CBD in Queensland, around 43 minutes by car. Census data records 19,573 residents with a median age of 40 and a median household income of $66,040 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the bottom 20% nationally. The suburb fell 1.4% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $325 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,517. Deception Bay is characterised by high crime risk and high coastal erosion risk. Of 9 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is moderate.
Is Deception Bay a good suburb?
Deception Bay scores a C (42/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on safety and community.
Mixed results
9 schools · 1 above peer schools
Somewhat walkable
Walkability 50/100 · 36.4 km · 43 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $840K
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 75/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 1/10 · median age 40 · 19,573 residents
Liveability Rating
42 / 100 · Ranked #701 in QLDEach bar is Deception Bay's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
Flood data for Queensland covers only the areas mapped there — a blank here is not an all-clear.
How do you rate the liveability in Deception Bay?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
42 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataDeception Bay's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $840,000, roughly 12% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$840,000
15% below its 5 neighbours (median $988,250)
Based on 335 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 23 days — median across 200 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 20 sales $764K
- 3 bed 183 sales $801K
- 4 bed 102 sales $900K
- 5 bed 20 sales $1.09M
Units
$620,000
Based on 31 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 17 days — median across 16 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 16 sales $630K
- 3 bed 12 sales $628K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Deception Bay are currently listed at around $850,000 on average. Based on 60 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$850K
60 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$650K
5 units listed in the last 6 months.
65 of the suburb's 7,120 dwellings (0.9%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Deception Bay rent for around $610 a week on average, based on 111 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$610/wk
13% below its 5 neighbours (median $700/wk)
111 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$565/wk
6 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
117 rentals advertised against an estimated 2,841 rented homes (4.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $600/wk
- 75 bonds
- +62% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $424/wk
- 26 bonds
- +45% 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 2025119 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4508.
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
Indicative$610/week ($32,000 a year) on a $850,000 median
$565/week ($29,000 a year) on a $650,000 median
Based on a small sample (5 listings) — indicative only.
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.
Is Deception Bay safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Deception Bay sits in the high band, with 705 incidents recorded in 2025 — down about 7% on the prior year.
705 offences
6.9% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–2024134 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 4 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.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 1.7 km
- Rate
- -0.04 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -5.5 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
Nine schools serve Deception Bay, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Christ the King Catholic Primary School leads the pack.
- • 4,955 students across 8 schools (avg 619)
- • Sectors: 4 Government, 3 Catholic, 2 Independent
- • ICSEA 863-989, median 930 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Arethusa College (1,733 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
0.8% 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
Deception Bay is somewhat walkable on foot — at 50/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car. Within the suburb there are 5 supermarkets, 16 parks and 12 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Deception Bay.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 130.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 105.9 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 77.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 15.0 hours
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 Deception Bay.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 50%
- Premises covered
- 8,407
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
Moreton Bay: 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 48 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 7 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Deception Bay is home to about 19,600 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $66,000 a year, with unemployment at 8.9%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
19,573
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$66,040/yr
Census Median Rent
$325/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,517/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$32,240/yr
Unemployment Rate
8.9%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.4%
Total Dwellings
7,120
Owner-Occupier Rate
60.1%
Houses
84.1%
Rental Stress
25.6%
Mortgage Stress
27.6%
Work From Home
10.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
414 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 31 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 2,755 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 74.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 86.1%
- Employment Rate
- 48.6%
- Completed Year 12
- 33.7%
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.
296 residents (1.5%) 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 18,486 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
5% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (405 of 7,666).
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 $1,577 a year through Moreton Bay based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Moreton Bay
In the year to August 2026, 6,996 new dwellings were approved across Moreton Bay. That mix is 4,852 houses and 2,144 units. Approvals are up 48.6% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 485 to 1,340 homes
- Within 2 years 65 to 150 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 111 to 260 homes
- In 5 to 10 years 108 to 280 homes
- In 10 years or more 75 to 230 homes
- No timeframe set 126 to 420 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (50 parcels), by when it expects lots to be registered. Yields are published in ranges, so these are too.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners Native Title Claim Group.
Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. A native title claim over this area is registered with the Federal Court.
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 · NO₂ averaged 0.43 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Deception Bay (South East Queensland) monitoring station, 2.2 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Archerfield Airport, 43.2 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 12 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.4 km
- 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
6 facilities within 5 km- 1.8 kmPrepared Animal and Bird Feed ManufacturingTop reported: Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide
- 2.1 kmWaste Treatment and Disposal ServicesTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 2.9 kmOther Petroleum and Coal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Sulfur dioxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.1 kmOther Petroleum and Coal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.6 kmMetal Coating and FinishingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Zinc and compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 4508, 57 of 14,916 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.5% (225 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4508, 4,459 rooftop-solar systems totalling 24.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,505 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 208 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
2 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
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 $840,000 this is $90,000 above 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 2026-10-26 — 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 Emma Comer Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Emma Comer | 51.2% | 48.8% | +5.6 |
| 2022 | Luke Howarth | 45.6% | 54.4% | -4.0 |
| 2019 | Luke Howarth | 41.6% | 58.4% | +6.8 |
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 Chris Whiting Australian Labor Party (State of Queensland)
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chris Whiting ALP | 56.0% |
| 2020 | Chris Whiting ALP | 62.8% |
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 Deception Bay?
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 19,573 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.
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
Compare Deception Bay to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Deception Bay
Is Deception Bay a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Deception Bay is high (75/100, 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 Deception Bay?
Deception Bay has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Deception Bay a good place to live?
Deception Bay has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (42/100), 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 Deception Bay?
Deception Bay, QLD had a population of 19,573 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Deception Bay, QLD?
The postcode for Deception Bay, QLD is 4508.
How far is Deception Bay from Brisbane?
Deception Bay is 36 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 43 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Deception Bay?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Deception Bay was $66,040 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 Deception Bay?
The median advertised rent in Deception Bay is $610 a week for houses (111 listings) and $565 a week for units (6 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Deception Bay?
The median age of residents in Deception Bay was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Deception Bay?
There are 9 schools inside the Deception Bay boundary: 1 above, 1 at, and 4 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Deception Bay walkable?
Deception Bay scores 50/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat 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 Deception Bay?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Deception Bay (Deception Bay (South East Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.4 µg/m³ and PM10 of 14.7 µg/m³. That puts Deception Bay 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 Deception Bay?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Deception Bay, Archerfield Airport (43.2 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 Deception Bay?
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 Deception Bay belong to?
Deception Bay sits within the Moreton Bay local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Deception Bay?
The average residential rates bill through Moreton Bay is $1,577 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Deception Bay?
Across Moreton Bay, 6,996 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 48.6% 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 Deception Bay in?
Deception Bay sits within the federal Division of Petrie, currently held by Emma Comer (Australian Labor Party).
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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
- 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.