QLD · Torres Strait Island Council
Badu Island, 4875
Current weather
25.6°CMainly clear
72% humidity · 25 km/h wind · 28.4° / 25.3° today · 0.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Badu Island is a quieter smaller community in Torres Strait Island, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Distance from the capital is part of the appeal, with wide open surrounds and a self-contained community rhythm. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
A younger crowd gives the area energy, with family life visible on every street. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker community and employment and local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 704
- Median age
- 27
- Median household income / week
- $885
- Dwelling vacancy
- 15.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 34 of 222
- Median monthly mortgage
- $0
- Employment rate
- 38.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 4 / 4 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
- 33
- Against the person
- 15
- Against property
- 7
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 46.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 47 residents
- State safety percentile
- 61.9th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +53.1%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault98
- Drug Offences52
- Good Order Offences43
- Other Property Damage33
- Traffic And Related Offences30
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Jul 2026; Jan 2026 to Jul 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 21.7/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6413th in Australia
- State rank
- 1472nd in QLD
- Peer rank
- #509 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #948 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 48%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Assaultcrime98
- Drug Offencescrime52
- Good Order Offencescrime43
- Other Property Damagecrime33
- Traffic And Related Offencescrime30
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
More in Torres Strait Island Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.