Top 10 best towns in regional QLD to invest in 2026
Regional Queensland property has seen consistently strong growth in the year to date, especially relative to other regional Australian markets. Interstate migration continues to drive new residents to the Sunshine State, with many investors favouring QLD for its affordability, strong rental returns, and prospects for capital growth.
However, the ‘best’ suburb for investors in regional QLD will vary based on your budget, strategy, and risk tolerance. What positions a suburb among the ‘best’ in its class will vary between investors: one might consider vacancy rates the deciding factor, while another might see local economic growth or buyer demand as appealing.
For our purposes, we’ve considered Cotality data highlighting suburbs boasting the largest annual growth in median property values from mid-2025 to mid-2026:
Rank | Suburb | Median value | Annual growth |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jandowae | $390,121 | 31.5% |
2 | Miles | $417,136 | 31.3% |
3 | Pittsworth | $735,427 | 29.1% |
4 | Yarraman | $538,512 | 28.4% |
5 | Gin Gin | $526,495 | 27.6% |
6 | Roma | $467,013 | 27.2% |
7 | Babinda | $518,960 | 26.2% |
8 | Wondai | $520,084 | 25.4% |
9 | Oakey | $658,329 | 25.2% |
10 | Granville | $586,298 | 25.2% |
Source: Cotality, July 2026.
Buyer demand in regional QLD
According to RealEstate.com.au, buyer demand in the following regional suburbs in QLD has grown year-on-year:
Suburb | Demand growth |
|---|---|
Mornington | 125% |
Healy | 124% |
Cotswold Hills | 112% |
Soldiers Hill | 109% |
Source: PropTrack. Buyer demand is measured by key enquiry numbers per property listing in a suburb.
What do you need to know about the regional QLD property market in 2026?
According to August insights from Cotality, dwelling values in regional QLD are up by 11.7% year-on-year. However, growth has stagnated in the second half of 2026, stalling at 0% in the May-July quarter.
Cotality lists the median dwelling values across regional QLD in August 2026 as:
- Combined: $852,037
- Houses: $859,281
- Units: $833,429
If you’re looking at property outside of Greater Brisbane, consider the following factors:
- Vacancy rates: According to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), regional rental vacancy rates remain tight. QLD vacancy rates as a whole sit at 1% as of July 2026, but regions with better prospects for renters include Fraser Coast (2.2%), Hervey Bay (2.3%), Noosa (2.2%), and Gladstone (2.1%).
- Sales volumes: Cotality reports that regional QLD has seen a decrease in sales volume of 6.5% in the 12 months to August 2026.
- Rental growth: QLD rental rates outside of Brisbane have grown by 6.4% in the 12 months to August 2026 (Cotality).
- Rental yield: Cotality data indicates that rental yields in the area are 4.2% as of August 2026. RealEstate.com.au’s latest August data cites a median weekly rent for a house in QLD as $675.
- Infrastructure spending: The Queensland Government’s 2026-27 Budget earmarked over $119 billion over the next four years for infrastructure across the state. This includes $55 billion towards roads and transport, a $2 billion Residential Activation Fund to accelerate new house builds, and plans for three new regional hospitals in Toowoomba, Coomera, and Bundaberg.
What is impacting price growth in regional Queensland?
With capital city prices still on a high, investors remain keen to buy up outside of Brisbane. However, alongside cost of living pressures and increasing core inflation, factors contributing to a mid-year slowdown include:
- RBA cash rate hikes: A series of RBA cash rate hikes in 2026 have lead banks and lenders to increase their home loan rates. This in turn put pressure on home loan borrowers already struggling with cost of living pressures.
- Proposed changes to negative gearing and CGT: This year’s Federal Budget included changes designed to nudge investors towards purchasing new builds over existing properties.
What to consider when buying property in regional Queensland
As of 2026, QLD has a population of 5.7 million, with a little over 50% of residents living outside Greater Brisbane. While QLD’s population is one of Australia's most decentralised, the state’s South East region as whole (including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast) accounts for about 70% of residents.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) projects that QLD’s population will continue to boom by around 0.5% to 1.2% per year, reaching more than six million by 2030. The state government’s A Place To Call Home housing plan aims to deliver one million new homes across regional and metro QLD by 2044.
General infrastructure spending in QLD has also been buoyed by preparations for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, although this may have less of a direct impact on regional centres. The exceptions may be Cairns, Rockhampton, and Toowoomba, where infrastructure upgrades are planned.
In addition to price and demand trends, consider the following when you’re researching property in regional QLD.
- Utility costs: Essential services including water supply, sewerage and waste collection, electricity and gas suppliers and mobile and broadband coverage.
- Flood and fire risk: Natural disaster risks and management, which are particularly important in rural and regional areas.
- Local amenities: Access to healthcare, education, shopping, entertainment and other services.
- Economic diversity: The impact of the region’s biggest employers and industries on the local economy.
