Kelso, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Kelso QLD is 10,599 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Kelso is $777 per week ($40,404 per year). Median rent in Kelso is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Kelso has a median age of 34 years, younger than the national median of 38. Kelso has a population density of 617 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Kelso is England. The most common religion is No religion (42.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kelso is $1,496.

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Kelso Map

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Kelso Population

10,599 residents at the 2021 Census.

Kelso Median Income & Rent

Median Income

$777/wk

$40,404 per year

Ranked 4,002 of 14,663

Median Rent

$300/wk

$1,300 per month

Ranked 4,529 of 14,663

Median Age

34years

4 years younger than the national median

Mortgage

$1,496/mo

Avg household size: 2.8 · 0.8 per bedroom

Kelso Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.2% (5,216) Female 50.8% (5,386)

Population Density

617

people per km²

10,599 people · 17.2 km²

Households

2.8

Avg household size

0.8

Persons per bedroom

$1,809

Family income/wk

Kelso Age Distribution

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85+

Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Kelso Home Ownership

Of owner-occupied homes in Kelso, 35.0% are owned outright and 65.0% have a mortgage.

Owned outright

35.0%

Owned with mortgage

65.0%

Rented homes are not included in this breakdown.

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
Germany
Indonesia
India
China

Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Kelso Religion

No religion

42.2%

Catholic

21.2%

Anglican

12.2%

Not stated

10.2%

Uniting Church

3.3%

Christian (other)

2.3%

Presbyterian and Reformed

2.0%

Baptist

1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Kelso Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

53.1%

Year 10 or equivalent

29.8%

Year 11 or equivalent

10.6%

Year 9 or equivalent

6.5%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Australian Indigenous languages
Italian
German
Thai
Afrikaans
Spanish
Arabic

Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Kelso Employment

Employed full-time

40.6% 2,870 people

Employed part-time

20.3% 1,432 people

Unemployed

4.7% 333 people

Not in labour force

34.4% 2,434 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Kelso Qualifications

Certificate III/IV

55.5%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

18.4%

Bachelor Degree

16.0%

Certificate I/II

3.9%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

3.2%

Postgraduate Degree

3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Kelso Occupation

Technicians & Trade Workers

20.0%

Community & Personal Service

18.2%

Professionals

17.8%

Clerical & Administrative

12.5%

Managers

9.7%

Labourers

8.2%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

6.8%

Sales Workers

6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Kelso Field of Study

Engineering

20.5%

Management & Commerce

18.1%

Society & Culture

17.7%

Health

11.9%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

8.7%

Education

8.4%

Architecture & Building

7.2%

Natural & Physical Sciences

2.5%

Agriculture & Environment

1.8%

Information Technology

1.7%

Creative Arts

1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

Kelso Dwelling Types

Separate house

98.4%

Semi-detached (1 storey)

1.1%

Semi-detached (2+ storey)

0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Kelso Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk

1.7%

$1-$149/wk

0.3%

$150-$299/wk

1.0%

$300-$399/wk

1.9%

$400-$499/wk

4.6%

$500-$649/wk

3.6%

$650-$799/wk

7.3%

$800-$999/wk

7.0%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

8.8%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

9.9%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

8.0%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

7.0%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

14.2%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

8.9%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

6.0%

$3,500-$3,999/wk

3.5%

$4,000+/wk

6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Kelso Marital Status

Married

41.5% 3,365

Separated

4.7% 378

Divorced

9.1% 738

Widowed

3.4% 274

Never married

41.3% 3,347

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Kelso Ancestry

Australian

39.9%

English

37.8%

Australian Aboriginal

11.7%

Irish

9.8%

Scottish

9.8%

German

5.3%

Italian

4.0%

Dutch

1.3%

Chinese

1.1%

Filipino

0.9%

New Zealander

0.8%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Kelso School & University Attendance

Primary — Government

27.2%

Secondary — Government

20.6%

Primary — Catholic

17.7%

Secondary — Catholic

11.0%

Vocational Education

9.5%

Pre-school

7.8%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

3.8%

Primary — Other Non-Govt

2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Kelso Need for Assistance

Needs assistance

8.1%

No need for assistance

91.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Kelso Volunteering

Volunteer

11.5% 846

Not a volunteer

88.5% 6,537

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Kelso Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

4.1%

$300-$449/mo

1.7%

$450-$599/mo

2.7%

$600-$799/mo

5.2%

$800-$999/mo

8.3%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

24.9%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

24.1%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

18.7%

$2,400-$2,999/mo

6.8%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Kelso How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

76.3%

Did not go to work

12.0%

Car (passenger)

6.4%

Bus

1.3%

Motorbike/Scooter

1.1%

Walked only

0.9%

Truck

0.8%

Other

0.7%

Bicycle

0.4%

Taxi/Rideshare

0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Kelso Car Ownership

0 vehicles

3.5%

1 vehicle

31.1%

2 vehicles

39.6%

3 vehicles

16.6%

4+ vehicles

9.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Kelso Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom

0.7%

2 bedrooms

2.5%

3 bedrooms

53.0%

4 bedrooms

35.9%

5 bedrooms

6.0%

6+ bedrooms

1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Kelso Population Mobility

14.0%

moved in the last year

40.2%

moved in the last 5 years

6.6%

unemployment rate (Census)

61.5%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Kelso Indigenous Population

15.5%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Kelso Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

1,306

Arthritis

440

Asthma

400

Diabetes

345

Heart disease

251

Lung condition

235

Cancer

143

Kidney disease

117

Stroke

Dementia

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Kelso Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

9.9%

$1-$149/wk

4.5%

$150-$299/wk

6.6%

$300-$399/wk

4.7%

$400-$499/wk

3.3%

$500-$649/wk

3.4%

$650-$799/wk

10.1%

$800-$999/wk

13.0%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

13.2%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

9.9%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

7.5%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

5.1%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

6.6%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

1.0%

$3,500+/wk

1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

Kelso Family Structure

Couple — children under 15

39.9%

Couple — no children

23.3%

One parent — children under 15

16.1%

Couple — no children under 15

13.5%

One parent — no children under 15

7.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Kelso Military Service

Current ADF — Regular

1.6% 116

Current ADF — Reserves

0.4% 32

Previously served

7.9% 586

Never served

90.1% 6,667

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Kelso Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance

15.0% 1,106

Did not provide

85.0% 6,250

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Kelso Children Ever Born

No children

27.9%

1 child

13.1%

2 children

27.8%

3 children

18.6%

4 children

8.8%

5+ children

3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

Kelso When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951

1951–1960

1961–1970

137

1971–1980

114

1981–1990

125

1991–2000

2001–2010

200

2011–2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Kelso Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

19.7%

5–14 hours

28.5%

15–29 hours

12.5%

30+ hours

9.9%

Did not do domestic work

29.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Kelso Household Size

1 person

18.3%

2 persons

34.2%

3 persons

19.0%

4 persons

14.0%

5 persons

8.1%

6+ persons

6.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Kelso Where Residents Moved From

Same address

8,214

Moved from QLD

948

Moved — same area (SA2)

236

Moved from NSW

Moved from WA

Moved from TAS

Moved from NT

Moved from VIC

Moved from overseas

Moved from SA

Moved from ACT

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Kelso Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

71.4%

Step family — no other children

16.1%

Blended family — no other children

8.5%

Intact family — other children present

1.9%

Other couple — children only

1.2%

Step family — other children present

0.5%

Blended family — other children present

0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Kelso Schools

schools nearby

government

847

avg ICSEA score

915

total students

Good Shepherd Catholic School Catholic

Primary · Prep-6 · 276 students

928

ICSEA

Kelso State School Government

Primary · Prep-6 · 303 students

828

ICSEA

Rasmussen State School Government

Primary · Prep-6 · 336 students

784

ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Kelso, with a map

Kelso Rent Prices & Affordability

18% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,626/wk

Median rent $300/wk

Rent to income 18.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Kelso against your income

Your weekly income

About $7,046 a month

Median rent $300/wk

Left after rent $1,326/wk

Rent share 18.5%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Moura

Income: $882/wk Rent: $225/wk $75/wk less rent

Clinton (Qld)

Income: $775/wk Rent: $270/wk $30/wk less rent

Chinchilla

Income: $810/wk Rent: $250/wk $50/wk less rent

Koongal

Income: $716/wk Rent: $260/wk $40/wk less rent

Berserker

Income: $676/wk Rent: $260/wk $40/wk less rent

Dalby

Income: $753/wk Rent: $260/wk $40/wk less rent

Arriga

Income: $924/wk Rent: $266/wk $34/wk less rent

Rosslea

Income: $909/wk Rent: $275/wk $25/wk less rent

Kelso vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Kelso is $777 a week, 4% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 667th of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $300 a week, $20 less than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 18.5% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 34, 8 years younger than in the typical QLD suburb (42).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
Measure	Kelso	Typical QLD	Typical Australia
Personal income	$777/wk	$747/wk	$766/wk
Household income	$1,626/wk	$1,593/wk	$1,637/wk
Rent	$300/wk	$320/wk	$330/wk
Mortgage repayment	$1,496/mo	$1,625/mo	$1,733/mo
Median age	34	42	42
Rent share of household income	18.5%	20.4%	20.3%

Suburbs near Kelso

The closest suburb to Kelso is Rasmussen, 4.1 km away.

Rasmussen

4.1 km away · income $722/wk · rent $263/wk

Condon

6.5 km away · income $670/wk · rent $310/wk

Douglas (Townsville - Qld)

7.9 km away · income $771/wk · rent $360/wk

Thuringowa Central

8.5 km away · income $816/wk · rent $320/wk

Kirwan

9.5 km away · income $809/wk · rent $325/wk

Murray

9.7 km away · income $1,302/wk · rent $107/wk

Compare Kelso (Qld)

Frequently Asked Questions About Kelso

What is the population of Kelso QLD?

The population of Kelso QLD is 10,599 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 617 people per km².Kelso is ranked #580 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Kelso?

The median personal income in Kelso QLD is $777 per week, or $40,404 per year.The median household income is $1,626 per week.Family income is $1,809 per week.Kelso is ranked #4,002 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Kelso?

Median rent in Kelso QLD is $300 per week ($1,300 per month).Rent represents 18.5% of household income, which is considered affordable.Kelso ranks #4,529 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Kelso?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kelso QLD is $1,496. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Kelso?

The median age in Kelso QLD is 34 years.This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Kelso a good suburb to live in?

Kelso is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 10,599.The median income is $777/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk).Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 31499. All dollar figures in AUD.