Poverty and living standards in Toowoomba, Australia: official figures
The median weekly rent paid by households in the Toowoomba Region was $300 at the 2021 Census (rents on census night, 10 August 2021), 4th lowest of 31 areas; the national median was $375. Boundary: the Toowoomba Region local government area (the council area), not the wider urban region around it.
What is the average mortgage repayment in Toowoomba?
The median monthly mortgage repayment in the Toowoomba Region was $1,517 at the 2021 Census (the national median was $1,863), joint 4th lowest of 31 areas.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Toowoomba have no income?
7.3% of residents of the Toowoomba Region had nil or negative personal income at the 2021 Census, joint 11th lowest of 31 areas, below the national figure (8.7%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many renters in Toowoomba are in rental stress?
30.2% of renting households in the Toowoomba Region paid more than 30% of their income in rent at the 2021 Census (a common measure of rental stress), 8th lowest of 26 areas, below the national figure (32.2%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Toowoomba are in mortgage stress?
9.4% of households with a mortgage in the Toowoomba Region paid more than 30% of their income in repayments at the 2021 Census (mortgage stress), below the national figure (14.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Toowoomba are on a low income?
26.1% of residents of the Toowoomba Region had a personal income of $1 to $499 a week at the 2021 Census, above the national figure (23.3%); 18.1% of households had an equivalised income of $1 to $499 a week, above the national figure (15.9%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Toowoomba?
An estimated 878 people were homeless on census night 2021 in the Toowoomba Region, which is 51 per 10,000 residents (12th highest of 26 areas; Australia 48 per 10,000).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Toowoomba are overcrowded?
2.6% of occupied homes in the Toowoomba Region needed at least one more bedroom for the people living there at the 2021 Census (Australia 3.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyIs Toowoomba a disadvantaged area?
On the ABS SEIFA index of relative socio-economic disadvantage (2021), the Toowoomba Region is in decile 6 of Australia, where decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of areas and decile 10 the least.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Toowoomba are disadvantaged?
30.5% of households in the Toowoomba Region were in the most disadvantaged quarter of Australian households on the ABS Index of Household Advantage and Disadvantage (2021 Census).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Toowoomba compares with other cities in Australia
Median weekly rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Toowoomba ranks 28 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Median weekly rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Cairns | $340 |
| 26 | Greater Adelaide | $320 |
| 27 | Townsville | $305 |
| 28 | Toowoomba | $300 |
| 29 | Ballarat | $297 |
| 30 | Bendigo | $295 |
| 31 | Albury-Wodonga | $280 |
Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Toowoomba ranks 19 of 26, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like. Not published for Significant Urban Areas.
| Rank | City | Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Greater Adelaide | 31.5% |
| 17 | Greater Melbourne | 30.9% |
| 18 | Bendigo | 30.8% |
| 19 | Toowoomba | 30.2% |
| 20 | Greater Perth | 29.9% |
| 21 | Brisbane | 29.1% |
| 22 | Perth | 28.7% |
Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Toowoomba ranks 20 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Cairns | 7.4% |
| 18 | Darwin | 7.4% |
| 19 | Greater Hobart | 7.4% |
| 20 | Toowoomba | 7.3% |
| 21 | Greater Darwin | 7.3% |
| 22 | Townsville | 7.1% |
| 23 | Geelong | 7.1% |
More on Toowoomba: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · all cities in Australia
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Data by region 2011-2025: Local Government Areas (ASGS Edition 3), 18 city councils, all indicators, read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 788eca55906d…)
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