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Living in Emerald, QLD
Emerald is in the Central Highlands council area. About 14,904 people lived here at the 2021 Census. Here's who they are, their homes and how they get around, next to the rest of Central Highlands and Queensland.
Rent now
$525 a week
That's the median rent on new leases in Emerald, in the June quarter 2026. Half of new leases cost more and half cost less.
Who lives here
| Measure | Emerald | Central Highlands | QLD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32 | 34 | 38 |
| People per home | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.5 |
| Household income, a week (median) | $2,202 | $2,095 | $1,675 |
Homes
| Measure | Emerald | Central Highlands | QLD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 17% | 23% | 30% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 38% | 30% | 35% |
| Rented | 44% | 42% | 34% |
| Separate houses | 81% | 87% | 75% |
| Flats and apartments | 8% | 5% | 13% |
| Rent, a week (median, 2021) | $300 | $250 | $365 |
| Mortgage repayment, a month (median) | $1,647 | $1,500 | $1,733 |
Shares of homes where people answered the question. Rent and mortgage figures are from 2021, so they're well below today's. See what tenants pay now.
Getting around
| Measure | Emerald | Central Highlands | QLD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes with no car | 3% | 3% | 6% |
| Homes with two or more cars | 65% | 65% | 58% |
| Went to work by car | 82% | 74% | 72% |
| Went to work by public transport | 6% | 6% | 4% |
| Walked or cycled to work | 4% | 6% | 4% |
| Worked from home | 5% | 10% | 16% |
How people got to work on Census day, as a share of those who went to work or worked at home. The Census was on 10 August 2021, when Greater Sydney and Melbourne were in lockdown, so many more people there worked from home than usual, and fewer took public transport.
Public transport
There's no train station within 50 km.
Each time a train, tram, ferry or bus stops counts once, in both directions. Train and tram stations count once however many platforms they have.
Schools
In Emerald
- Denison State School Government, primary
- Emerald Christian College (Emerald) Independent, primary and secondary
- Emerald North State School Government, primary
- Emerald State High School Government, secondary
- Emerald State School Government, primary
- Marist College (Emerald) Catholic, secondary
- Ontrack College Emerald (Emerald) Independent, secondary
- St Brigid's Catholic Primary School (Emerald) Catholic, primary
- St Patrick's Catholic Primary School (Emerald) Catholic, primary
School zones for 2026
- Denison State School primary
- Emerald State High School high school
The middle of Emerald is in these government school zones. A zone is set by your exact address, and streets near its edge may be zoned for another school, so check your address with the school before you rent or buy.
Distances are in a straight line from the middle of Emerald. Check enrolment rules with the school or the state's education department. We don't rank or rate schools.
More about Central Highlands
- What it costs to live in Central Highlands: rent, power, fuel, pokies losses and crime, against Queensland.
- Compare Central Highlands with another area.
- Is living in Emerald worth the drive? Add up rent and fuel against another suburb.
- Other suburbs in Central Highlands.
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021, General Community Profile, and Suburbs and Localities boundaries, CC BY 4.0. Central Highlands figures use the council's 2021 boundaries. Public transport: Translink, © State of Queensland, CC BY 4.0. Schools: Queensland Department of Education (May 2020 list), CC BY 4.0. School zones: Queensland Department of Education, state school catchments, CC BY 4.0. Rent: state rental bond data (see the rent pages).