Emerald QLD 4720
Emerald sits 883 km from Brisbane CBD in Queensland, around 10 hours 5 minutes by car. Census data records 14,904 residents with a median age of 32 and a median household income of $114,504 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 3.8% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,647. The area shows high crime risk. Of 10 schools within the town boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is low.
Is Emerald a good town?
Emerald scores a D (32/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit and safety.
Mixed results
10 schools · 1 above peer schools
Car-dependent
Walkability 4/100 · 882.6 km · 604 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $510K
High crime risk
Fire 39/100 · Crime 74/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 5/10 · median age 32 · 14,904 residents
Liveability Rating
32 / 100 · Ranked #899 in QLDEach bar is Emerald'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 Emerald?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
32 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataEmerald's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $510,000, roughly 26% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$510,000
Based on 639 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 38 days — median across 316 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 13 sales $330K
- 3 bed 223 sales $433K
- 4 bed 334 sales $565K
- 5 bed 49 sales $681K
- 6 bed 8 sales $635K
Units
$279,000
Based on 83 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 39 days — median across 55 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 48 sales $260K
- 3 bed 25 sales $340K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Emerald are currently listed at around $599,000 on average. Based on 240 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$599K
240 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$300K
20 units listed in the last 6 months.
260 of the suburb's 4,950 dwellings (5.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Emerald rent for around $600 a week on average, based on 131 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$600/wk
131 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$445/wk
26 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
157 rentals advertised against an estimated 2,213 rented homes (7.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $550/wk
- 39 bonds
- +57% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $440/wk
- 32 bonds
- +60% 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 2025122 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4720.
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$600/week ($31,000 a year) on a $599,000 median
$445/week ($23,000 a year) on a $300,000 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.
Is Emerald safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Emerald sits in the high band, with 506 incidents recorded in 2025 — down about 1% on the prior year.
506 offences
1.2% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202494 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 5 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Ten schools serve Emerald, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Marist College leads the pack.
- • 8,915 students across 10 schools (avg 892)
- • Sectors: 5 Government, 3 Catholic, 2 Independent
- • ICSEA 878-1021, median 954 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Capricornia (Emerald Campus) School of Distance Education (5,463 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Emerald is very car-dependent on foot — at 4/100, nearly all errands require a car. Within the town there are 5 supermarkets, 27 parks and 14 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Emerald.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 39%
- Premises covered
- 7,363
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
Central Highlands (Qld): council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 39 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 8 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this town rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Emerald is home to about 14,900 residents, and skews young, with a median age of 32 against the national 38. Median household income runs at $115,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
14,904
Median Age
32
Median Household Income
$114,504/yr
Census Median Rent
$300/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,647/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$53,820/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
19.5%
Total Dwellings
4,950
Owner-Occupier Rate
55.3%
Houses
80.5%
Rental Stress
13.6%
Mortgage Stress
17.3%
Work From Home
5.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
144 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 24 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 2,136 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 77.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 83.0%
- Employment Rate
- 71.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 38.5%
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.
547 residents (3.7%) 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.
5.1% of residents (704) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Brisbane (533).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 13,763 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
Local Jobs
People who work in this town against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 6,454 people work here; 7,963 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (0.8 per resident). At least 16% of employed residents must work outside the town.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,276 a year through Central Highlands (Qld) based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Central Highlands (Qld)
In the year to August 2026, 35 new dwellings were approved across Central Highlands (Qld). That mix is 33 houses and 2 units. Approvals are down 75.0% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this town: 1,581 to 6,905 homes
- Within 2 years 33 to 115 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 250 to 1,170 homes
- In 5 to 10 years 194 to 770 homes
- No timeframe set 1,104 to 4,850 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (101 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 Western Kangoulu People.
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 5.9 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 4 days exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 16.1 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 3.
From the Emerald (Central Queensland) monitoring station, 4.0 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Emerald Airport, 6.2 kmModerate rainfall — very hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 181 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Annual rainfall
- 597 mm
- 46 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 34.2°C
- 63 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 9.9°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the town 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
3 facilities within 5 km- 2.6 kmRail Freight TransportTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 3.0 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Toluene (methylbenzene) · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 3.0 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: n-Hexane · Toluene (methylbenzene) · Benzene
EV adoption
In postcode 4720, 15 of 13,632 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.7% (232 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4720, 2,965 rooftop-solar systems totalling 26.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 5,949 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 157 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
16 mortgage brokers are registered in this town.
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 $510,000 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 Colin Boyce Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Colin Boyce | 39.8% | 60.2% | -6.4 |
| 2022 | Colin Boyce | 46.2% | 53.8% | -4.8 |
| 2019 | Ken O'Dowd | 41.3% | 58.7% | +7.6 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Sean Dillon Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sean Dillon LNP | 71.0% |
| 2020 | Lachlan Millar LNP | 67.2% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Emerald?
Every figure above is a town 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 14,904 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.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Emerald 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 Emerald
Is Emerald a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Emerald is high (74/100, 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 Emerald?
Emerald has a low recorded bushfire history (39/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Emerald a good place to live?
Emerald has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (32/100), 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 Emerald?
Emerald, QLD had a population of 14,904 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Emerald, QLD?
The postcode for Emerald, QLD is 4720.
How far is Emerald from Brisbane?
Emerald is 883 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 604 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Emerald?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Emerald was $114,504 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 Emerald?
The median advertised rent in Emerald is $600 a week for houses (131 listings) and $445 a week for units (26 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Emerald?
The median age of residents in Emerald was 32 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Emerald at risk of bushfire?
Emerald has a low recorded bushfire history (39/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Emerald?
There are 10 schools inside the Emerald boundary: 1 above, 4 at, and 4 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Emerald walkable?
Emerald scores 4/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. 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 Emerald?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Emerald (Emerald (Central Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.9 µg/m³ and PM10 of 16.1 µg/m³. That puts Emerald 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 Emerald?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Emerald, Emerald Airport (6.2 km away), summer days average 34.2°C, winter nights 9.9°C, 597 mm of rain a year over 46 rainy days, and 63 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Emerald?
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 Emerald belong to?
Emerald sits within the Central Highlands (Qld) local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Emerald?
The average residential rates bill through Central Highlands (Qld) is $1,276 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Emerald?
Across Central Highlands (Qld), 35 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 75.0% 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 Emerald in?
Emerald sits within the federal Division of Flynn, currently held by Colin Boyce (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
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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
- 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.