Scarborough is a suburb in Queensland, 41 km from Brisbane CBD, around 43 minutes by car. Population is 9,178; the median age is 53 and the median household income is $69,472 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 5.4% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $350 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,907. The area shows no recorded bushfire exposure. 3 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is moderate.
Is Scarborough a good suburb?
Scarborough scores a B (59/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on schools.
Below the state average
3 schools
Very walkable
Walkability 69/100 · 41.3 km · 43 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $1.22M
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 40/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 53 · 9,178 residents
Liveability Rating
59 / 100 · Ranked #351 in QLDEach bar is Scarborough'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 Scarborough?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
59 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataScarborough's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.22 million, roughly 14% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,223,000
Based on 167 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 34 days — median across 94 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 21 sales $1M
- 3 bed 61 sales $1.15M
- 4 bed 66 sales $1.37M
- 5 bed 17 sales $1.57M
Units
$1,150,000
Based on 97 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 42 days — median across 53 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 31 sales $823K
- 3 bed 63 sales $1.38M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Scarborough are currently listed at around $1.4 million on average. Based on 54 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.4M
54 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$1.24M
18 units listed in the last 6 months.
72 of the suburb's 4,022 dwellings (1.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Scarborough rent for around $700 a week on average, based on 46 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$700/wk
46 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$680/wk
23 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
69 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,259 rented homes (5.5%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $675/wk
- 15 bonds
- +58% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $640/wk
- 13 bonds
- +68% 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 2025107 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 28% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4020.
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$700/week ($36,000 a year) on a $1.4 million median
$680/week ($35,000 a year) on a $1.24 million 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 Scarborough safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Scarborough sits in the moderate band, with 66 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 12% on the prior year.
66 offences
11.9% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202424 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.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 1.0 km
- Rate
- -0.10 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -8.0 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
Three schools serve Scarborough, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 2,715 students across 3 schools (avg 905)
- • Sectors: 1 Independent, 1 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 1015-1041, median 1026 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Southern Cross Catholic College (1,653 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Scarborough is somewhat walkable on foot — at 69/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Scarborough.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 170.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 112.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 42.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 19.2 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 Scarborough.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 10%
- Premises covered
- 4,938
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 23 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.
Scarborough is home to about 9,200 residents, with a median age of 53 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $69,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
9,178
Median Age
53
Median Household Income
$69,472/yr
Census Median Rent
$350/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,907/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$37,024/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.7%
Total Dwellings
4,022
Owner-Occupier Rate
68.7%
Houses
60.5%
Rental Stress
26.2%
Mortgage Stress
32.9%
Work From Home
21.4%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
145 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 20 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,185 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 71.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.1%
- Employment Rate
- 49.2%
- Completed Year 12
- 45.3%
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.
182 residents (2.0%) 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 8,887 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
10% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (389 of 3,932).
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: 107 to 520 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 107 to 520 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (2 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, 7.5 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Cape Moreton Lighthouse, 40.1 kmHigh rainfall — mild summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 17 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 617 m
- 728 m to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 1,052 mm
- 98 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.8°C
- 0 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 14.7°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
1 facility within 5 km- 3.7 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Toluene (methylbenzene) · Ethylbenzene
EV adoption
In postcode 4020, 437 of 22,135 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.1% (693 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 5.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4020, 5,594 rooftop-solar systems totalling 36.5 MW have been installed since 2001, against 12,082 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 302 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
4 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 17 across postcode 4020.
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 $1,223,000 this is $473,000 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 2026-10-27 — 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 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 Kerri-Anne Dooley Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kerri-Anne Dooley LNP | 52.9% |
| 2020 | Yvette D'Ath ALP | 56.1% |
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 Scarborough?
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 9,178 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.
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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 Scarborough 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 Scarborough
Is Scarborough a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Scarborough is moderate (40/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Scarborough?
Scarborough has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Scarborough a good place to live?
Scarborough has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (59/100), 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 Scarborough?
Scarborough, QLD had a population of 9,178 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Scarborough, QLD?
The postcode for Scarborough, QLD is 4020.
How far is Scarborough from Brisbane?
Scarborough is 41 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 Scarborough?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Scarborough was $69,472 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 Scarborough?
The median advertised rent in Scarborough is $700 a week for houses (46 listings) and $680 a week for units (23 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Scarborough?
The median age of residents in Scarborough was 53 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Scarborough?
There are 3 schools inside the Scarborough boundary: 2 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Scarborough walkable?
Scarborough scores 69/100 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 Scarborough?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Scarborough (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 Scarborough 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 Scarborough?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Scarborough, Cape Moreton Lighthouse (40.1 km away), summer days average 27.8°C, winter nights 14.7°C, 1,052 mm of rain a year over 98 rainy days, and 0 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Scarborough?
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 Scarborough belong to?
Scarborough 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 Scarborough?
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 Scarborough?
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 Scarborough in?
Scarborough 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.