Sunshine Coast

The typical resident is 43, making the area noticeably older than both Queensland and Australia. It is a growing region that added about 48,174 people since 2016, and it has a high proportion of seniors at 21.7%.

English and Australian ancestries are most common, with 45.6% and 35.5% respectively. While 20.7% of people were born overseas, this is well below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the dominant language, spoken by 88.8% of the community. Only 6.1% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

A large number of residents report no religion, at 46.7%, which is well above the national figure. This trend has grown significantly, rising 13 points since 2016.

The community is well-qualified, with 21.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is a trend that has risen 4.6 points since 2016, and 56.4% of residents have completed Year 12.

Household incomes are higher than in most similar areas, with the typical family earning $1,920 a week. High earners are more common here too, as the share of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose 8.1 points since 2016.

About 30.1% of people live with a long-term health condition, with arthritis and mental health being the most common. People needing help with daily activities are slightly more common here than in the national average.

Unpaid care is common, with 23.1% of people doing over 15 hours of housework weekly. This is a little above the national figure, and the area has a much higher share of Defence Force veterans than most similar places.

First Nations residents in this area have a much higher Year 12 completion rate (50%) than the national average. Unemployment among this group is also well below the national figure at 7.9%.

Family homes are common, with 53.2% of households consisting of couples with children. People living alone are much less common here than in most other areas.

Rent is high, with a typical weekly cost of $440, and monthly mortgage payments are also much higher than in most similar areas. Most people live in separate houses, and 77.2% of homes have three or more bedrooms.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.9% of people commute by public transport. Working from home is more common here than in most areas, with 14.6% of the workforce doing so.

This is a highly mobile population, with 48.3% of people moving in the last five years. This is well above the national figure of 40.7%.

Health care and social assistance is the largest industry, employing 18% of the workforce. Full-time employment is much lower here than in the state or nation, at 52.4%.

The region is in the top 20% of areas for overall advantage, with a high score of 8. It is seeing rapid growth, with a population increase of 10.2% since 2021.

The area is much wetter than the Queensland average, with annual rainfall of 1,611mm. Average maximum temperatures are well below the state figure, making it milder.

Theft is much more common here than in other areas, but rates of assault and sexual offences are much lower. Drug offences are also higher than in most similar areas.

The area is somewhat walkable, and 86.2% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, far fewer homes are within walking distance of schools or groceries compared to the state average.