Urban Centre · Area profile
Sunshine Coast
369 km²
A massive influx of new residents has transformed the Sunshine Coast, with half of the population moving here in the last five years. This is an older community where the typical resident is 44, and seniors make up a much larger share of the population than in the rest of the state. It is a relatively affluent area with high levels of university qualifications and a strong presence of professionals, which helps explain the higher typical incomes seen across the region.
Explore Sunshine Coast by topic
The area is noticeably older than the state and national average, with 22.9% of residents aged 65 and over. It is a large population of over 284,000 people, though the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a little below the national figure.
English and Australian ancestries are the most common, and 22.4% of people were born overseas. This birthplace diversity is among the highest for similar areas, though it remains well below the national average.
English is the dominant language, with 88.1% of people using it only. While 6.8% of residents use another language at home, this is far below the national figure.
The community is less religious than the national average, with 46.2% of people reporting no religion. This is well above the figures for both Queensland and Australia.
The area is highly qualified, with 22.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. About 57.9% of residents have completed Year 12, which is among the highest for similar areas.
Typical weekly incomes for families, households, and individuals are all higher than in most similar areas. Around 18.9% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is much higher than most areas.
About 29.6% of people live with a long-term health condition, though this is lower than in most similar areas. Mental health conditions affect 8.8% of the population, which is about the same as the national figure.
Volunteer rates are lower than in most similar areas, at 15.4%. The proportion of people providing unpaid care is also much lower than in most areas.
Families with couples and children are common, making up 52% of households. The number of people per home is 2.4, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Rent is high here, with a typical weekly cost of $450, and home loan payments are much higher than in most areas. Outright home ownership is well above the state and national figures at 34.8%.
Car travel is the main way to get to work, with 61.6% of people driving. However, 15.4% of the workforce works from home, which is much higher than in most similar areas.
The region is seeing significant movement, as 50% of residents arrived within the last five years. This is well above the national figure, along with a high number of recent overseas arrivals.
Health care and social assistance are the biggest industries, employing 17.8% of the workforce. Full-time employment is well below the state average, with 51.9% of the population working full-time.
The area is somewhat walkable, with a score of 5.5. Residents have excellent access to nature and transport, as nearly 95% live within a 15-minute walk of a park and over 82% are near public transport.