The PEXA Buyer Deposits report revealed locations in which new homebuyers are borrowing the most and are the most leveraged.
South-East Queensland’s property market has been experiencing rapid growth with prices rising at a pace far exceeding the rest of Australia. In the past year, areas like Somerset, Logan, and Ipswich have seen some of the largest increases, making homeownership more challenging for many. Noosa, a popular holiday destination, surpassed $1.2 million in median property prices by December 2024. As home prices continue to climb, renters are feeling the financial strain, with many reporting lower well-being scores compared to homeowners.
In this case study we deep dive into South-East Queensland’s property market and a recent surveys of South-East Queensland residents, revealing that affordable housing is a top priority, with over half of respondents ranking it as one of the most important factors for a liveable community.
As the region faces rising property costs, the demand for more accessible housing solutions is becoming more urgent than ever.
Median property prices in South-East Queensland have risen much faster than elsewhere in Australia
Queensland, particularly South-East Queensland, has seen much faster increases in property prices compared to New South Wales and Victoria. By analysing changes in the median dwelling price in the local government areas (LGAs) in South-East Queensland, the Somerset, Logan and Ipswich LGAs (bordering Brisbane City on the west and south) come out on top.
The median property in Noosa LGA, a popular holiday destination, had the highest median price in 2021, and surpassed $1.2 million in December 2024.
As such, homebuyers are needing larger and larger home loans
Renters, on average, report lower financial well-being scores…
The .id (informed decisions) Community Views survey asked a representative sample of residents living in Australia about their values, needs and lived experience of their local area, with regard to 16 different liveability attributes.
In the Living in Australia survey, respondents also rate their financial circumstances on a scale of 1 to 10. Those with a more tenuous housing situation, such as renters, reported on average, a score of 5.1 compared to those with a mortgage (6.1) and those who fully own their home (6.7).
…But are more optimistic about their future
Perhaps because renters are more likely to be younger, it could be that they have not yet reached their full earning potential and that is reflected in their optimism for the future.
How do local communities feel about the availability of affordable housing in South-East Queensland?
Survey respondents in the selected LGAs in South-East Queensland responded fairly similarly when asked to rate their financial circumstances. Logan scored the lowest with a score of 5.5, whereas the Sunshine Coast scored the highest with 6.0. These LGAs perform worse compared to the benchmark results for South-East Queensland (6.1).
52 per cent of residents in South-East Queensland feel that affordable decent housing is one of the three most important liveability attributes
Out of all 16 liveability attributes, 52 per cent of respondents in South-East Queensland ranked affordable decent housing in their top 3. Survey respondents aged between 18 and 34 in all LGAs placed more importance on affordable decent housing, with the biggest differences in the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba.
Survey respondents aged 18 to 34 reported a poorer experience accessing housing, compared to average. On the Sunshine Coast, where local residents have to compete with the demands of tourists and other temporary residents, the experience of accessing housing is the poorest, with a small gap between the younger age cohort and the average resident. In Toowoomba, the divide is the largest.
Housing, or the price of housing, was often ranked within the top three concerns for survey respondents, along with other factors influencing the cost of living. Making housing more affordable and accessible to all is key to national prosperity and bridging the intergenerational divide.
For further enquiries about this report or other property and mortgage insights, please contact us at research@pexa.com.au.
About .id (informed decisions)
.id (informed decisions), part of the PEXA Group, is Australia’s leading provider of tools and consulting services that empower confident and strategic local and national decision-making. Our unique analysis and models unlock detailed, evidence-based stories covering demographic, economic and social trends, plus the forecast of population, housing and land supply across Australia.
This independent evidence is built on a breadth of expertise and local area research to help our clients understand local areas in their regional and national context. .id has been trusted by the private sector, local and state government for over 25 years, to provide impartial evidence to inform place-based decisions.
.id have over 25 years of experience working with local government and industry sectors. To learn more about .id’s data and services, visit id.com.au.
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South Australia
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