Kowanyama QLD 4892
Kowanyama sits 2,436 km from Brisbane CBD in Queensland, around 36 hours 30 minutes by car. Census data records 1,079 residents with a median age of 29 and a median household income of $58,864 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population grew 14.3% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $115 per week. The area shows high crime risk and high coastal erosion risk. 1 school sits within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Kowanyama a good town?
Kowanyama scores a D (3/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit, safety, and community.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 2436.5 km · 2190 min drive to Brisbane
High crime risk
Fire 41/100 · Crime 98/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 1/10 · median age 29 · 1,079 residents
Liveability Rating
3 / 100 · Ranked #1086 in QLDEach bar is Kowanyama'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.
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 Kowanyama?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
3 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Is Kowanyama safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Kowanyama sits in the high band, with 345 incidents recorded in 2025 — up about 3% on the prior year.
345 offences
2.7% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–20246 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
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.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 19.2 km
- Rate
- -0.14 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -4.5 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
One school serves Kowanyama, but none have published comparable ratings yet.
- • 163 students in one school (avg 163)
Combined
Walkability
Kowanyama is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
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 Kowanyama.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 76
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
Kowanyama: 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
Kowanyama is home to about 1,100 residents, and skews young, with a median age of 29 against the national 38. Median household income runs at $59,000 a year, with unemployment at 40.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,079
Median Age
29
Median Household Income
$58,864/yr
Census Median Rent
$115/wk
Census Median Mortgage
—
Avg Household Size
3.7
Median Personal Income
$17,732/yr
Unemployment Rate
40.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
6.1%
Total Dwellings
247
Owner-Occupier Rate
5.8%
Houses
76.9%
Rental Stress
10.2%
Mortgage Stress
—
Work From Home
0.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
117 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 70 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 211 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 89.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 85.8%
- Employment Rate
- 23%
- Completed Year 12
- 13.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
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 989 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Kowanyama People.
Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. Native title over this area has been determined.
Climate & Setting
from Kowanyama Airport, 19.0 kmHigh rainfall — very hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 8 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 19.3 km
- Annual rainfall
- 1,476 mm
- 72 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 33.7°C
- 113 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 16.8°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.
EV adoption
In postcode 4892, 0 of 1,406 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.5% (7 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 0.5%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4892, 77 rooftop-solar systems totalling 1.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,611 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 7 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."
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Matt Smith Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Matt Smith | 56.1% | 43.9% | +9.5 |
| 2022 | Warren Entsch | 46.6% | 53.4% | -0.7 |
| 2019 | Warren Entsch | 45.8% | 54.2% | +0.2 |
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 David Kempton Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | David Kempton LNP | 55.0% |
| 2020 | Cynthia Lui ALP | 56.3% |
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 Kowanyama?
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 1,079 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.
Compare Kowanyama 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 Kowanyama
Is Kowanyama a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Kowanyama is high (98/100, 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 Kowanyama?
Kowanyama has a moderate recorded bushfire history (41/100, 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 Kowanyama a good place to live?
Kowanyama has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (3/100), 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 Kowanyama?
Kowanyama, QLD had a population of 1,079 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Kowanyama, QLD?
The postcode for Kowanyama, QLD is 4892.
How far is Kowanyama from Brisbane?
Kowanyama is 2,436 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 2190 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Kowanyama?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Kowanyama was $58,864 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 Kowanyama?
There are too few current rental listings in Kowanyama for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $115, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Kowanyama?
The median age of residents in Kowanyama was 29 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Kowanyama at risk of bushfire?
Kowanyama has a moderate recorded bushfire history (41/100). 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 Kowanyama?
There is 1 school inside the Kowanyama boundary, none of which has enough NAPLAN and ICSEA data for a quality band.
What is the weather like in Kowanyama?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Kowanyama, Kowanyama Airport (19 km away), summer days average 33.7°C, winter nights 16.8°C, 1,476 mm of rain a year over 72 rainy days, and 113 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Kowanyama?
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 Kowanyama belong to?
Kowanyama sits within the Kowanyama local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
Which federal electorate is Kowanyama in?
Kowanyama sits within the federal Division of Leichhardt, currently held by Matt Smith (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- 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.