Question 1

Is Bowen a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Bowen is a coastal town where a sweep of beaches and a working harbour meet an agricultural hinterland known for mango orchards.

The town has 11,205 residents and is described as an older community, with couples without children the largest family group. Shops and cafes are clustered along the main commercial strip, and fishing, boating and seasonal horticulture shape everyday life; road access via the Bruce Highway and a regional airport connect Bowen to other centres. The Bowen Wharf replacement project has reached concept stage and shows a modern public jetty with seating, shade, toilets and dedicated fishing areas.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Bowen?

Accepted Answer

Buying a house in Bowen works out to about 8.0 times a typical local annual household income, using the median house price of $560,000 and a weekly household income of $1,343 at the most recent Census. Renting looks different: an average house rent of $625 a week would take about 47% of that weekly household income, a large share, while an average unit rent of $400 a week would take about 30% of income, a sizeable share. If you're renting rather than buying, the rent share is the figure that matters most when weighing costs against local incomes.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Bowen a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

The standout movement in Bowen over the past 12 months was a strong 18.5% rise in median unit values, while median house values also rose strongly, up 13.2%. On the income side, house rents increased a solid 7.8% while unit rents recorded a notable 8.0% decline.

For houses, capital growth outpaced rental growth: house values rose 13.2% while house rents rose 7.8%. For units, unit values rose 18.5% while unit rents fell 8.0%, so capital growth and rental income moved in opposite directions.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$560K	N/A
Change in value Past 12 months	13.2%	18.5%
Sold Past 3 months	36	2
Median days on market Past 12 months	26	34
Average rent Past 12 months	$625	$400
Change in rent Past 12 months	7.8%	-8.0%

	Suburb	QLD
Median age years	42	38
Median household income weekly	$1,343	$1,675
Couples with children share of families	36.2%	41.2%
Couples without children share of families	47.3%	40.3%
One-parent families share of families	14.9%	16.8%
Homes owned outright share of homes	34.7%	30.1%
Homes with a mortgage share of homes	26.1%	35.6%
Homes rented share of homes	39.3%	34.3%

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