State Electorate · Area profile
Noosa
727 km²
Far older than the typical Queensland community, Noosa is a place where 27.7% of residents are seniors. It is a settled area with a high rate of outright home ownership and a population that has aged significantly since 2011. While the population has shrunk slightly to 49,064 people, the community is distinguished by its high proportion of volunteers and a workforce with a strong presence in health and hospitality.
Modest local incomes, but the area's schools serve a more advantaged intake.
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The typical resident is 50, which is far older than the national figure of 38. This shift is stark, as the area is 15 years older than it was in 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 14.7%.
About 23.9% of people were born overseas, which is a little above the state average. The most common ancestries are English, Australian, Irish and Scottish.
English is the primary language for 88.3% of the community, and the proportion of people using another language at home has fallen significantly to 6.2% since 2011.
Nearly half of residents (48.9%) report no religion, a figure far above the national average. This has seen a sharp increase of 28 points since 2011.
Qualification levels are around the middle for similar areas, with 23.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This figure has risen by 4.4 points since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $1,485, which is a little below the national figure. While incomes have risen since 2011, 41.5% of people earn under $650 a week.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 29.4% of people. Arthritis is the most reported condition at 10.5%.
Volunteering is much more common here than elsewhere, with 17.0% of people helping out. There is also a higher rate of people doing 15 or more hours of unpaid housework per week.
Homes tend to be smaller than average with 2.4 people per household. Single-parent families are less common here than in the rest of the state.
Ownership is very high, with 43.5% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Renting is much less common than elsewhere, but typical weekly rents are well above the state average at $470.
Working from home has risen sharply to 19.8% since 2011. Public transport use for commuting is very low at 0.9%, and only 3.6% of homes have no motor vehicle.
The area sees a fair amount of movement, with 42.8% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas have fallen sharply since 2011.
Only 53.2% of adults are working or looking for work, which is much lower than most areas. Full-time employment has also fallen by 20 points since 2011.
The area is somewhat walkable, and 86.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, far fewer homes are within walking distance of a school compared to the state average.