The Domain Property Research Report polled nearly 5000 Australians online last year and found more than a third of Queenslanders - 36 per cent - rent their home.

The Sunshine State trails only the Northern Territory, with its infamously inflated property market, when it comes to renters.

43 per cent of residents in the territory rent.

But while the state's rental rates are high, the survey has also revealed when it comes to buying property, Queenslanders remain among the nation's most optimistic, albeit in a depressed mood of national optimism.

It showed 47 per cent of Queenslanders believe owning their own home is no longer attainable.

By comparison, in Australia's soaring real estate markets of New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory, more than 50 per cent of residents believe owning their own home is unattainable.

Domain senior economist Andrew Wilson said the high population of renters in Queensland reflected a depressed jobs market, which had picked up significantly since the survey was conducted.

"Recently there has been an improvement in first home buyer numbers in Queensland, they are targeting house and land packages and taking advantage of the $15,000 grant from the government," he said.

"There has been a slight improvement in the Brisbane economy, and it's a reasonably good news story. Though it's tough it's still attainable by and large in Queensland."

Dr Wilson said working in favour of an ongoing surge in property ownership in Queensland was the fact that rental rates, particularly in city areas, remained particularly high.

"Rents are still quite high in Brisbane," he said.

"There is still undersupply of rental houses, which keeps putting upward pressure on rents, but that will come down as more first home buyers move into buying.

"At the moment they can buy house and land in some outer suburbs for under $400,000, so they are paying as much in repayments as they are in rent."

Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive Antonia Mercorella said the state had traditionally had a higher percentage of renters than other states.

"My view is its probably related to the fact we have a transient population here in Queensland, a large group of defence people in Townsville and other areas, and they are renters, we have (fly-in-fly-out) workers as well," she said.

"The suggestion is people are renting because we can't afford to buy but we need to recognise not everybody wants to own a home."

Ms Mercorella agreed with Dr Wilson that Queensland still presented some of the country's best real estate opportunities, especially in Brisbane where prices compared favourably with the rapidly escalating Sydney and Melbourne markets.

"In Greater Brisbane there are 56 suburbs where you can pick up a property below the median of $350,000," she said.

"Some agents are reporting it can be difficult to rent properties in a certain price range because they are opting to become owners.

"If you do your homework you could take a look at what rentals are available and in many instances you would be better off buying."

Dr Wilson said the Queensland capital also had advantages over its southern counterparts in that affordable homes are not the same significant distance from the central business district.

"There are not the same constraints to suburban living, it's a lower density lifestyle," he said.

"The problem is its still difficult to save a deposit with relatively high rent, a lot of first home buyers are paying HECS, so it's not so much the repayments, it's getting together the $60,000 deposit and on costs you need to get into the market."

Percentage of renters, by state: 

• 33 per cent of ACT residents over 18 are renting
• 27 per cent of West Australian residents over 18 are renting
• 27 per cent of South Australian residents over 18 are renting
• 43 per cent of Northern Territory residents over 18 are renting
• 36 per cent of Queensland residents over 18 are renting 
• 20 per cent of Tasmanian residents over 18 are renting 
• 33 per cent of New South Wales residents over 18 are renting 
• 28 per cent of Victorian residents over 18 are renting

Percentage of residents, by state, that believe homeownership is no longer attainable: 

• 62 per cent of Northern Territory residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable
• 51 per cent of New South Wales residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable
• 52 per cent of Victorian residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable
• 44 per cent of ACT residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable
• 47 per cent of Queensland residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable
• 49 per cent of West Australian residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable
• 46 per cent of South Australian residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable
• 38 per cent of Tasmanian residents believe owning a their own home is no longer attainable