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Coolum Beach vs Noosa Heads

Statistical Area 2 (SA2) comparison ≈ 17 km apart · Coolum Beach profile · Noosa Heads profile

Coolum Beach Noosa Heads

Coolum Beach and Noosa Heads are nearby Queensland coastal areas with different demographic profiles. Noosa Heads is much older, with a typical resident aged 54 and 32.4% of people aged 65 and over, compared to a typical age of 44 and 19.6% seniors in Coolum Beach. This age difference is mirrored in housing and wealth; homes in Noosa Heads are far more likely to be owned outright (49.0%) and a higher share of households earn $3,000 or more per week (27.5%). In contrast, Coolum Beach has a larger workforce, with 61.7% of adults working or looking for work, compared to 50.7% in Noosa Heads.

Everyday life in both places shares several similarities, including nearly identical unemployment rates and the same number of schools within 3 km. They also both have about the same proportion of people living alone and very similar typical weekly family incomes. However, Noosa Heads is more walkable, with far more people within a 15-minute walk of health services and groceries. Since 2011, the age gap between the two has narrowed slightly, though the difference in home ownership has widened.

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Where they differ most

Owned outright: 17.0 pts higher in Noosa Heads Population: 10,828 larger in Coolum Beach Median age: 10 yrs older in Noosa Heads Aged 65+: 12.8 pts higher in Noosa Heads Unpaid child care: 7.7 pts higher in Coolum Beach

Demographics & Identity

Population in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +10,828 larger in Coolum Beach gap widening
15,948 79th pct 5,120 23rd pct
Median age in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +10 yrs older in Noosa Heads gap narrowing
44 yrs 75th pct 54 yrs 96th pct
First Nations in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1.3 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap steady
1.9% 46th pct 0.6% 16th pct
Aged 65+ in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +12.8 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
19.6% 63rd pct 32.4% 98th pct
Under 15 in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +4.5 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap narrowing
17.0% 40th pct 12.6% 12th pct
De facto in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +2.0 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap steady
14.4% 76th pct 12.4% 55th pct

Age structure

19.6% Seniors (65+) +12.8 pts ▸ 32.4%
30.0% Older adults (45–64) +0.1 pts ▸ 30.1%
23.9% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +6.4 pts 17.5%
17.0% Children (0–14) ◂ +4.5 pts 12.6%
9.6% Youth (15–24) ◂ +2.4 pts 7.2%

Marital status

47.2% Married +5.1 pts ▸ 52.3%
32.6% Never married ◂ +5.1 pts 27.5%
11.8% Divorced ◂ +0.5 pts 11.3%
5.0% Widowed +1.1 pts ▸ 6.1%
3.5% Separated ◂ +0.5 pts 3.0%

Age & sex structure

Coolum Beach Noosa Heads

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +9.9 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
18.6% 41st pct 28.5% 64th pct

Country of birth

76.9% Australia ◂ +11.3 pts 65.6%
5.5% England +2.1 pts ▸ 7.6%
3.6% New Zealand +0.3 pts ▸ 4.0%
1.2% South Africa +0.7 pts ▸ 1.8%
0.2% Italy +0.3 pts ▸ 0.5%
0.3% Philippines +0.2 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.2% India +0.2 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.0% China +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%
0.2% Nepal ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%
0.0% Vietnam +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

Ancestry

46.7% English ◂ +1.5 pts 45.2%
35.5% Australian ◂ +9.6 pts 25.9%
13.6% Scottish +1.6 pts ▸ 15.2%
15.0% Irish ◂ +0.3 pts 14.7%
6.7% German ◂ +0.9 pts 5.8%
3.1% Italian +0.6 pts ▸ 3.7%
2.5% Dutch ◂ +0.6 pts 1.9%
0.7% Chinese +0.3 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.7% Greek +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.3% Indian +0.2 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.4% Filipino ◂ +0.1 pts 0.3%
0.1% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

Language

Other language in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +3.2 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
5.1% 24th pct 8.3% 38th pct
Limited English in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.3 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
0.3% 14th pct 0.6% 29th pct

Language used at home

90.3% English only ◂ +4.2 pts 86.1%
0.3% Italian +0.3 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.1% Mandarin +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.1% Cantonese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%
0.2% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%
0.0% Vietnamese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%
0.1% Hindi +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%
0.1% Tagalog even 0.1%
0.1% Punjabi ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%
0.0% Arabic even 0.0%

Religion

No religion in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +4.9 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap widening
52.0% 89th pct 47.1% 75th pct

Religious affiliation

52.0% No religion ◂ +4.9 pts 47.1%
39.8% Christianity +2.9 pts ▸ 42.7%
6.4% Not stated +1.3 pts ▸ 7.7%
1.0% Buddhism +0.2 pts ▸ 1.2%
0.1% Judaism +0.5 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.4% Hinduism +0.1 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.3% Other religions +0.1 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.1% Islam +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +3.3 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap narrowing
60.5% 58th pct 63.7% 65th pct
Bachelor+ in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +4.6 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
26.0% 61st pct 30.7% 70th pct
Schools in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads
2 14th pct —
Schools/1k kids in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads
0.74 7th pct —
Schools ≤3 km in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads even
6 12th pct 6 12th pct
Students in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads
2,555 72nd pct —
Avg size in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads
1,278 99th pct —
ICSEA in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads
1,042 62nd pct —

Highest year of school

60.5% Year 12 +3.3 pts ▸ 63.7%
21.1% Year 10 ◂ +5.6 pts 15.5%
7.4% Year 11 +0.6 pts ▸ 8.0%
5.5% Year 9 or below ◂ +1.2 pts 4.3%

Highest qualification level

25.8% Bachelor degree +5.3 pts ▸ 31.0%
29.9% Certificate III / IV ◂ +12.5 pts 17.3%
16.8% Advanced diploma / diploma +1.2 pts ▸ 17.9%
7.4% Postgraduate degree +1.5 pts ▸ 8.8%
4.6% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.8 pts 3.8%
1.5% Certificate I / II ◂ +0.2 pts 1.3%

Field of qualification

16.5% Management & commerce +5.1 pts ▸ 21.5%
12.7% Health ◂ +0.5 pts 12.2%
12.2% Engineering & related ◂ +2.9 pts 9.3%
12.0% Society & culture ◂ +0.8 pts 11.1%
10.9% Education ◂ +3.0 pts 7.9%
9.2% Architecture & building ◂ +2.8 pts 6.4%
5.6% Food, hospitality & personal services +0.2 pts ▸ 5.8%
4.2% Creative arts +0.7 pts ▸ 4.9%
2.1% Natural & physical sciences +0.7 pts ▸ 2.9%
2.2% Agriculture & environment ◂ +0.7 pts 1.5%
1.3% Information technology ◂ +0.2 pts 1.1%

Income

Personal income in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +$115 higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
$794 48th pct $909 68th pct
Household income in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +$140 higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
$1,703 47th pct $1,843 56th pct
Family income in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +$157 higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
$2,071 49th pct $2,228 60th pct
High earners in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +5.8 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
11.4% 54th pct 17.2% 76th pct
High-income homes in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +7.6 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
19.9% 48th pct 27.5% 70th pct

Household income distribution

30.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +6.2 pts 24.7%
26.5% $650–$1,499 ◂ +1.0 pts 25.5%
9.7% $4,000 or more +8.3 pts ▸ 18.0%
15.3% Under $650 ◂ +0.3 pts 15.0%
10.2% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +0.7 pts 9.5%

Personal income distribution

39.4% Under $650 ◂ +6.0 pts 33.3%
33.2% $650–$1,499 ◂ +2.5 pts 30.6%
17.5% $1,500–$2,999 even 17.5%
4.2% $3,000 or more +5.1 pts ▸ 9.3%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1.1 pts higher in Noosa Heads
27.5% 46th pct 28.6% 53rd pct
Mental health in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +2.1 pts higher in Coolum Beach
8.4% 44th pct 6.3% 20th pct
Needs assistance in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.5 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
5.6% 53rd pct 6.1% 63rd pct

Long-term health conditions reported

9.4% Arthritis +0.9 pts ▸ 10.3%
8.4% Mental health ◂ +2.1 pts 6.3%
8.1% Other condition +0.1 pts ▸ 8.2%
7.2% Asthma ◂ +1.3 pts 5.9%
4.0% Heart disease +1.3 pts ▸ 5.4%
3.5% Cancer +1.6 pts ▸ 5.2%
2.8% Diabetes ◂ +0.3 pts 2.5%
2.1% Lung condition ◂ +0.2 pts 1.9%
1.2% Dementia +0.1 pts ▸ 1.3%
1.1% Stroke +0.2 pts ▸ 1.3%

Number of long-term health conditions

64.3% None ◂ +1.0 pts 63.2%
18.9% One condition +1.7 pts ▸ 20.6%
5.9% Two conditions ◂ +0.5 pts 5.5%
2.8% Three or more ◂ +0.1 pts 2.6%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1.2 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
16.5% 64th pct 17.7% 72nd pct
Unpaid carers in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.4 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap steady
10.9% 29th pct 10.5% 25th pct
Unpaid child care in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +7.7 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap narrowing
27.0% 56th pct 19.3% 12th pct
Defence service in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.3 pts higher in Coolum Beach
3.5% 67th pct 3.2% 59th pct
Housework 15h+ in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1.0 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
21.9% 57th pct 22.9% 67th pct

First Nations

First Nations people in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +269 larger in Coolum Beach
301 65th pct 32 10th pct
Median age in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1 yrs older in Noosa Heads
27 yrs 71st pct 28 yrs 76th pct
Year 12 in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads
49.0% 62nd pct —
Unemployment in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads
6.0% 27th pct —
Median income in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +$363 higher in Noosa Heads
$762 71st pct $1,125 92nd pct
Household income in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +$411 higher in Noosa Heads
$1,963 65th pct $2,374 86th pct
Indigenous language in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +3.7 pts higher in Coolum Beach
3.7% 35th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.1 larger in Coolum Beach gap narrowing
2.4 36th pct 2.3 29th pct
One-parent in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1.7 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap narrowing
13.0% 49th pct 11.3% 33rd pct
Living alone in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.1 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap narrowing
24.6% 47th pct 24.5% 47th pct

Family composition

54.4% Couples with children ◂ +12.5 pts 41.9%
31.9% Couples without children +14.5 pts ▸ 46.4%
13.0% One-parent families ◂ +1.7 pts 11.3%
0.6% Other families ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%

Household size

38.1% 2 people +9.0 pts ▸ 47.1%
24.6% 1 person ◂ +0.1 pts 24.5%
15.9% 3 people ◂ +3.6 pts 12.3%
14.6% 4 people ◂ +3.5 pts 11.1%
5.2% 5 people ◂ +1.2 pts 4.0%
1.6% 6 or more ◂ +0.8 pts 0.8%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +$100 higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
$450 80th pct $550 93rd pct
Mortgage in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +$167 higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
$2,000 61st pct $2,167 73rd pct
People / bedroom in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.10 higher in Coolum Beach gap widening
0.80 29th pct 0.70 0th pct
Renting in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +4.1 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap widening
28.3% 54th pct 24.2% 42nd pct
Owned outright in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +17.0 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
32.0% 49th pct 49.0% 94th pct
Separate houses in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1.9 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
69.8% 27th pct 71.7% 29th pct
3+ bedrooms in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.3 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap narrowing
76.9% 42nd pct 77.1% 43rd pct

How homes are owned or rented

32.0% Owned outright +17.0 pts ▸ 49.0%
36.2% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +12.6 pts 23.6%
28.3% Rented ◂ +4.1 pts 24.2%
2.2% Other tenure ◂ +1.1 pts 1.1%
1.3% Not stated +0.5 pts ▸ 1.8%

Types of homes

69.8% Separate house +1.9 pts ▸ 71.7%
12.7% Flat or apartment +6.5 pts ▸ 19.2%
16.8% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +8.4 pts 8.4%
0.5% Other dwelling ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

Bedrooms per home

43.8% 3 bedrooms ◂ +0.2 pts 43.6%
27.2% 4 bedrooms +2.2 pts ▸ 29.4%
17.5% 2 bedrooms +0.7 pts ▸ 18.2%
5.8% 5 or more ◂ +1.7 pts 4.1%
3.9% 1 bedroom ◂ +1.0 pts 3.0%
0.3% Studio / none even 0.3%

Weekly rent distribution

52.1% $350–$549 ◂ +17.7 pts 34.4%
17.6% $550–$749 +10.6 pts ▸ 28.2%
7.1% $750 or more +13.0 pts ▸ 20.1%
11.7% $200–$349 ◂ +3.2 pts 8.5%
8.5% Under $200 ◂ +2.7 pts 5.8%

Monthly mortgage distribution

38.8% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +10.8 pts 28.0%
15.2% $3,000 or more +13.1 pts ▸ 28.2%
24.8% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +4.9 pts 20.0%
14.1% Under $1,000 +3.1 pts ▸ 17.2%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.2 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap narrowing
2.6% 25th pct 2.8% 27th pct
Work from home in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +9.5 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
18.0% 60th pct 27.5% 78th pct
PT commute in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.1 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap steady
0.8% 28th pct 0.9% 31st pct
PT stops in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +19 more in Coolum Beach
40 50th pct 21 31st pct
Stops/1k in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1.59 more in Noosa Heads
2.51 25th pct 4.10 47th pct
Departures/1k in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1,603.2 more in Noosa Heads
475.3 37th pct 2,078.5 85th pct
PT routes in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +6 more in Noosa Heads
3 21st pct 9 57th pct
Stop walk in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +12 longer in Coolum Beach
16 76th pct 4 43rd pct
Drive to city in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +13 longer in Noosa Heads
79 84th pct 92 87th pct

How people get to work

60.5% Car (driver) ◂ +15.3 pts 45.2%
18.0% Worked at home +9.5 pts ▸ 27.5%
1.7% Walked +3.6 pts ▸ 5.4%
3.5% Car (passenger) +1.0 pts ▸ 4.5%
0.9% Bicycle +0.3 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.8% Bus even 0.8%
0.0% Train +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

Motor vehicles per home

42.3% 2 vehicles ◂ +0.2 pts 42.0%
36.7% 1 vehicle +3.0 pts ▸ 39.8%
12.8% 3 vehicles ◂ +1.3 pts 11.5%
5.6% 4 or more ◂ +1.4 pts 4.2%
2.6% No vehicle +0.2 pts ▸ 2.8%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +3.8 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
47.8% 80th pct 51.6% 86th pct
Recent arrivals in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +8.6 pts higher in Noosa Heads gap widening
9.6% 43rd pct 18.2% 78th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.2 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap steady
4.0% 34th pct 3.8% 27th pct
Participation in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +11.0 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap steady
61.7% 51st pct 50.7% 14th pct
Full-time in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +3.4 pts higher in Coolum Beach gap steady
50.6% 8th pct 47.2% 1st pct

Industries people work in

17.2% Health care & social assistance ◂ +4.9 pts 12.3%
8.6% Accommodation & food +8.4 pts ▸ 16.9%
13.2% Construction ◂ +4.6 pts 8.6%
7.7% Professional & technical +2.9 pts ▸ 10.7%
10.5% Education & training ◂ +4.1 pts 6.3%
8.4% Retail trade +1.4 pts ▸ 9.8%
2.0% Rental & real estate +2.8 pts ▸ 4.9%
2.5% Finance & insurance +1.8 pts ▸ 4.3%
4.2% Manufacturing ◂ +0.7 pts 3.5%
3.9% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.9 pts 2.9%
3.9% Other services ◂ +0.9 pts 3.0%
3.6% Administrative & support ◂ +0.5 pts 3.2%

Occupations people work in

23.9% Professionals +1.3 pts ▸ 25.2%
12.5% Managers +7.4 pts ▸ 19.9%
16.0% Technicians & trades ◂ +5.1 pts 10.9%
13.9% Community & personal service ◂ +2.2 pts 11.7%
9.0% Sales workers +2.2 pts ▸ 11.2%
10.7% Clerical & administrative ◂ +0.7 pts 10.0%
8.5% Labourers ◂ +1.5 pts 7.1%
3.6% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +1.5 pts 2.1%

Economy & Advantage

IRSAD decile in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +2 higher in Noosa Heads
6 57th pct 8 71st pct
IRSD decile in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1 higher in Noosa Heads
7 64th pct 8 71st pct
IER decile in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1 higher in Noosa Heads
7 64th pct 8 71st pct
IEO decile in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +1 higher in Noosa Heads
7 64th pct 8 71st pct
IRSAD score in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +45 higher in Noosa Heads
1,018 59th pct 1,063 76th pct
ERP in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +11,745 higher in Coolum Beach
17,064 78th pct 5,319 22nd pct
Growth in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +2.3 pts higher in Coolum Beach
5.4% 58th pct 3.1% 37th pct
Businesses in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +537 higher in Coolum Beach
1,733 82nd pct 1,196 65th pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +13 higher in Noosa Heads
1,624 93rd pct 1,637 93rd pct
Max temp in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads even
26.0 75th pct 25.9 74th pct
Min temp in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.3 higher in Noosa Heads
16.5 87th pct 16.8 88th pct

Walkability

Walk score in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.7 higher in Noosa Heads
5.3 48th pct 6.0 59th pct
Types ≤15 min in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.5 more in Noosa Heads
4.9 45th pct 5.4 53rd pct
15-min city in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +24.0 pts higher in Noosa Heads
52.4% 39th pct 76.4% 59th pct
Walk to shops in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +19.3 pts higher in Noosa Heads
63.6% 51st pct 83.0% 68th pct
Walk to transit in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +3.6 pts higher in Coolum Beach
80.2% 39th pct 76.6% 37th pct
Walk to school in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +11.7 pts higher in Coolum Beach
14.2% 8th pct 2.6% 1st pct
Walk to a park in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +4.1 pts higher in Coolum Beach
98.1% 53rd pct 94.0% 42nd pct
Walk to health in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +26.4 pts higher in Noosa Heads
47.7% 52nd pct 74.1% 72nd pct
Amenities/1k in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +17.3 more in Noosa Heads
8.7 15th pct 26.0 83rd pct
Intersections/km² in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +2 higher in Coolum Beach
67 44th pct 64 44th pct
Mean slope in Coolum Beachin Noosa Heads +0.9 pts higher in Noosa Heads
7.8% 80th pct 8.7% 86th pct

Compare Coolum Beach with nearby areas

Peregian Springs Marcoola - Mudjimba Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach Bli Bli Maroochydore - Kuluin Eumundi - Yandina Diddillibah - Rosemount Mooloolaba - Alexandra Headland

Compare Noosa Heads with nearby areas

Sunshine Beach Noosaville Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach Tewantin Peregian Springs Coolum Beach Eumundi - Yandina Noosa Hinterland

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Coolum Beach vs Noosa Heads [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa2/316031425/coolum-beach/vs/316051434/noosa-heads