Compare

Gladstone vs Sunshine Coast

Name: Gladstone vs Sunshine Coast — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Urban Area comparison ≈ 318 km apart · Gladstone profile · Sunshine Coast profile

Gladstone Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast and Gladstone are two distinct Queensland regions with different population profiles. Sunshine Coast is far older, with a typical resident aged 44 compared to 36 in Gladstone. This age gap is reflected in the housing and work patterns; Sunshine Coast has far more people working from home (15.0% versus 4.1%) and a much higher share of homes owned outright (34.7% versus 23.3%). In contrast, Gladstone is much younger and more reliant on renting, with 39.2% of households renting compared to 26.8% in Sunshine Coast. This difference is also seen in the typical weekly rent, which is far higher in Sunshine Coast at $445, while Gladstone is $270.

Both areas are very similar when it comes to typical household and personal incomes, with weekly household earnings sitting around $1,600. This shared economic baseline exists despite other diverging trends. Since 2011, the gap in typical ages has widened and flipped, with Sunshine Coast becoming significantly older. Meanwhile, Gladstone has seen its share of full-time employment and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population rise relative to Sunshine Coast.

Open map →

Where they differ most

Population: 337,718 larger in Sunshine Coast Full-time: 11.4 pts higher in Gladstone Rent: $175 higher in Sunshine Coast Work from home: 10.9 pts higher in Sunshine Coast Under 15: 4.7 pts higher in Gladstone

Demographics & Identity

Population in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +337,718 larger in Sunshine Coast gap narrowing

45,185 60th pct 382,903 86th pct

Median age in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +8 yrs older in Sunshine Coast gap widening

36 yrs 14th pct 44 yrs 71st pct

Age structure

26.5% Older adults (45–64) +0.5 pts ▸ 27.0%

26.9% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +4.0 pts 22.9%

12.4% Seniors (65+) +9.7 pts ▸ 22.2%

21.9% Children (0–14) ◂ +4.7 pts 17.2%

12.3% Youth (15–24) ◂ +1.5 pts 10.7%

Marital status

43.8% Married +4.9 pts ▸ 48.7%

37.5% Never married ◂ +6.1 pts 31.4%

9.8% Divorced +1.2 pts ▸ 11.0%

4.2% Widowed +1.3 pts ▸ 5.5%

4.6% Separated ◂ +1.2 pts 3.4%

Age & sex structure

Gladstone Sunshine Coast

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

79.3% Australia ◂ +5.4 pts 73.9%

2.2% England +3.9 pts ▸ 6.1%

3.3% New Zealand +1.0 pts ▸ 4.3%

1.8% Philippines ◂ +1.3 pts 0.5%

1.4% South Africa ◂ +0.2 pts 1.2%

0.9% India ◂ +0.2 pts 0.6%

0.1% Nepal +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.1% Italy +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.2% China even 0.2%

0.1% Vietnam even 0.1%

Ancestry

39.7% English +5.9 pts ▸ 45.6%

40.3% Australian ◂ +5.1 pts 35.2%

9.9% Irish +2.6 pts ▸ 12.6%

10.0% Scottish +2.4 pts ▸ 12.4%

6.6% German ◂ +0.1 pts 6.5%

2.2% Italian +0.5 pts ▸ 2.7%

2.3% Filipino ◂ +1.6 pts 0.7%

1.5% Dutch +0.6 pts ▸ 2.0%

1.2% Indian ◂ +0.3 pts 0.8%

1.0% Chinese even 1.0%

0.5% Greek even 0.5%

0.1% Vietnamese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Language

Language used at home

87.0% English only +1.7 pts ▸ 88.7%

0.8% Tagalog ◂ +0.7 pts 0.2%

0.2% Mandarin +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.1% Italian +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.3% Hindi ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.2% Punjabi even 0.2%

0.2% Arabic ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.1% Vietnamese even 0.1%

0.1% Cantonese even 0.1%

0.1% Greek even 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

46.5% No religion +0.4 pts ▸ 47.0%

42.8% Christianity +0.6 pts ▸ 43.4%

7.9% Not stated ◂ +0.7 pts 7.2%

0.8% Buddhism +0.2 pts ▸ 1.0%

0.9% Hinduism ◂ +0.3 pts 0.6%

0.6% Islam ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

0.5% Other religions even 0.5%

0.1% Judaism even 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

48.3% Year 12 +8.2 pts ▸ 56.5%

26.1% Year 10 ◂ +3.6 pts 22.5%

9.2% Year 11 ◂ +1.5 pts 7.7%

9.0% Year 9 or below ◂ +2.2 pts 6.8%

Highest qualification level

44.7% Certificate III / IV ◂ +13.0 pts 31.7%

16.4% Bachelor degree +7.0 pts ▸ 23.3%

11.7% Advanced diploma / diploma +5.3 pts ▸ 16.9%

3.3% Postgraduate degree +2.9 pts ▸ 6.2%

3.9% Certificate I / II ◂ +1.9 pts 2.0%

2.5% Graduate diploma / certificate +1.1 pts ▸ 3.6%

Field of qualification

26.1% Engineering & related ◂ +12.9 pts 13.2%

15.9% Management & commerce +1.3 pts ▸ 17.2%

7.9% Health +4.7 pts ▸ 12.6%

8.7% Society & culture +2.9 pts ▸ 11.5%

8.4% Education +0.8 pts ▸ 9.2%

5.3% Architecture & building +2.2 pts ▸ 7.5%

5.6% Food, hospitality & personal services +0.6 pts ▸ 6.2%

1.3% Creative arts +2.3 pts ▸ 3.6%

1.4% Agriculture & environment +0.8 pts ▸ 2.2%

1.7% Natural & physical sciences +0.5 pts ▸ 2.1%

1.3% Information technology +0.2 pts ▸ 1.5%

Income

Personal income in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +$39 higher in Gladstone gap widening

$794 73rd pct $755 57th pct

Household income in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +$101 higher in Gladstone gap widening

$1,691 75th pct $1,590 67th pct

Family income in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +$196 higher in Gladstone gap widening

$2,113 79th pct $1,917 58th pct

Household income distribution

30.1% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.3 pts 29.8%

25.0% $650–$1,499 +3.5 pts ▸ 28.5%

16.4% Under $650 ◂ +0.9 pts 15.5%

10.5% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +1.5 pts 9.0%

9.5% $4,000 or more ◂ +0.2 pts 9.3%

Personal income distribution

39.7% Under $650 +1.1 pts ▸ 40.8%

27.3% $650–$1,499 +5.8 pts ▸ 33.1%

20.6% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +5.1 pts 15.5%

4.7% $3,000 or more ◂ +0.8 pts 3.9%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

8.1% Arthritis +2.3 pts ▸ 10.4%

10.0% Mental health ◂ +0.8 pts 9.2%

7.8% Other condition +0.8 pts ▸ 8.6%

8.2% Asthma ◂ +0.2 pts 8.0%

4.8% Diabetes ◂ +1.2 pts 3.6%

3.5% Heart disease +1.1 pts ▸ 4.7%

2.6% Cancer +1.2 pts ▸ 3.8%

2.1% Lung condition +0.1 pts ▸ 2.2%

0.8% Stroke +0.3 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.5% Dementia +0.4 pts ▸ 0.9%

Number of long-term health conditions

63.0% None ◂ +1.1 pts 61.8%

18.6% One condition +1.4 pts ▸ 20.0%

5.9% Two conditions +0.6 pts ▸ 6.5%

3.1% Three or more +0.3 pts ▸ 3.4%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast even gap narrowing

2.5 71st pct 2.5 71st pct

Family composition

56.2% Couples with children ◂ +3.3 pts 52.9%

25.7% Couples without children +6.9 pts ▸ 32.6%

17.2% One-parent families ◂ +3.5 pts 13.7%

0.9% Other families ◂ +0.1 pts 0.8%

Household size

33.9% 2 people +4.6 pts ▸ 38.5%

27.1% 1 person ◂ +3.6 pts 23.6%

15.2% 3 people ◂ +0.1 pts 15.0%

14.6% 4 people even 14.6%

6.2% 5 people ◂ +0.4 pts 5.8%

3.0% 6 or more ◂ +0.5 pts 2.5%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +$175 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

$270 29th pct $445 99th pct

Mortgage in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +$350 higher in Sunshine Coast gap narrowing

$1,578 58th pct $1,928 85th pct

People / bedroom in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +0.10 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

0.70 0th pct 0.80 57th pct

How homes are owned or rented

39.2% Rented ◂ +12.4 pts 26.8%

35.5% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +1.3 pts 34.2%

23.3% Owned outright +11.4 pts ▸ 34.7%

0.9% Other tenure +2.0 pts ▸ 2.9%

1.1% Not stated +0.3 pts ▸ 1.4%

Types of homes

82.8% Separate house ◂ +9.7 pts 73.2%

7.1% Townhouse / semi-detached +6.2 pts ▸ 13.3%

9.1% Flat or apartment +3.4 pts ▸ 12.6%

0.8% Other dwelling ◂ +0.1 pts 0.7%

Bedrooms per home

40.6% 3 bedrooms ◂ +2.9 pts 37.7%

37.7% 4 bedrooms ◂ +5.5 pts 32.2%

12.0% 2 bedrooms +5.6 pts ▸ 17.7%

5.8% 5 or more +1.4 pts ▸ 7.3%

2.3% 1 bedroom +1.1 pts ▸ 3.4%

0.3% Studio / none +0.2 pts ▸ 0.5%

Weekly rent distribution

20.9% $350–$549 +32.1 pts ▸ 53.0%

52.3% $200–$349 ◂ +36.7 pts 15.6%

22.7% Under $200 ◂ +15.3 pts 7.4%

0.9% $550–$749 +15.9 pts ▸ 16.8%

0.1% $750 or more +3.9 pts ▸ 4.0%

Monthly mortgage distribution

39.1% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +11.0 pts 28.1%

28.5% $1,800–$2,999 +9.0 pts ▸ 37.6%

19.0% Under $1,000 ◂ +4.8 pts 14.2%

7.7% $3,000 or more +5.9 pts ▸ 13.6%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

70.4% Car (driver) ◂ +8.2 pts 62.2%

4.1% Worked at home +10.9 pts ▸ 15.0%

5.2% Car (passenger) ◂ +1.3 pts 3.9%

2.0% Walked even 2.0%

0.5% Bicycle +0.2 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.4% Bus +0.3 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.0% Train +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Motor vehicles per home

39.2% 2 vehicles +0.6 pts ▸ 39.8%

35.6% 1 vehicle ◂ +0.3 pts 35.3%

13.8% 3 vehicles ◂ +0.5 pts 13.3%

6.3% 4 or more +1.4 pts ▸ 7.6%

5.1% No vehicle ◂ +1.2 pts 3.9%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

10.7% Health care & social assistance +6.9 pts ▸ 17.5%

14.7% Manufacturing ◂ +10.1 pts 4.5%

10.3% Construction +1.7 pts ▸ 12.1%

9.4% Retail trade +0.5 pts ▸ 10.0%

7.0% Accommodation & food +1.8 pts ▸ 8.8%

8.4% Education & training +0.3 pts ▸ 8.7%

8.0% Transport & warehousing ◂ +4.9 pts 3.0%

3.5% Professional & technical +2.8 pts ▸ 6.3%

4.8% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.9 pts 3.9%

3.8% Other services +0.2 pts ▸ 4.0%

3.4% Administrative & support +0.1 pts ▸ 3.6%

3.2% Mining ◂ +1.7 pts 1.5%

Occupations people work in

15.7% Professionals +5.3 pts ▸ 21.0%

20.4% Technicians & trades ◂ +5.2 pts 15.1%

11.2% Community & personal service +2.2 pts ▸ 13.4%

8.2% Managers +4.4 pts ▸ 12.6%

12.1% Labourers ◂ +2.3 pts 9.7%

10.3% Clerical & administrative +1.7 pts ▸ 11.9%

11.7% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +6.9 pts 4.8%

8.3% Sales workers +1.3 pts ▸ 9.7%

Walkability

Walk score in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +0.2 higher in Sunshine Coast

4.7 43rd pct 4.9 48th pct

Types ≤15 min in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +0.1 more in Gladstone

4.7 46th pct 4.6 43rd pct

15-min city in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +3.5 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

50.2% 41st pct 53.7% 50th pct

Walk to shops in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +6.5 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

51.0% 40th pct 57.5% 60th pct

Walk to transit in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +13.7 pts higher in Gladstone

85.0% 57th pct 71.3% 29th pct

Walk to school in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +6.4 pts higher in Gladstone

55.7% 30th pct 49.4% 23rd pct

Walk to a park in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +6.4 pts higher in Gladstone

93.9% 77th pct 87.5% 42nd pct

Walk to health in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +4.0 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

42.4% 59th pct 46.5% 67th pct

Amenities/1k in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +1.1 more in Sunshine Coast

11.5 17th pct 12.6 26th pct

Intersections/km² in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +3 higher in Sunshine Coast

18 47th pct 21 56th pct

Mean slope in Gladstone in Sunshine Coast +1.0 pts higher in Gladstone

7.4% 87th pct 6.4% 71st pct

Compare Gladstone with nearby areas

Yeppoon Rockhampton Bundaberg Hervey Bay Maryborough Gympie Kingaroy Sunshine Coast Emerald Mackay Toowoomba Brisbane

Compare Sunshine Coast with nearby areas

Gympie Maryborough Hervey Bay Kingaroy Brisbane Bundaberg Toowoomba Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Warwick Byron Bay Lismore Ballina

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Gladstone vs Sunshine Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/3006/gladstone/vs/3015/sunshine-coast