Caloundra - Kings Beach

Population growth drivers in Caloundra - Kings Beach are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Caloundra - Kings Beach's population is around 7,129 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 156 people (2.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,973 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,065 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 335 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,786 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence, where utilised, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Anticipating future population dynamics, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 2,540 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 34.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Caloundra - Kings Beach recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Caloundra - Kings Beach has recorded around 48 residential properties granted approval annually, totalling 244 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 41 approvals have been recorded. At an average of just 0.2 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $388,000. There have also been $25.1 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

Compared to the Rest of Qld, Caloundra - Kings Beach records markedly lower building activity (54.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. New development consists of 7.0% standalone homes and 93.0% townhouses or apartments. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The location has approximately 483 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

Future projections show Caloundra - Kings Beach adding 2,476 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Caloundra - Kings Beach has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Caloundra Centre Activation Project, Holiday Inn & Suites Caloundra Sunshine Coast, Caloundra Transport Corridor Upgrade (CTCU), and Sunset Caloundra, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Caloundra - Kings Beach faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Caloundra - Kings Beach possesses a skilled workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 6.6%. As of December 2025, 3,085 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.6% above Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%, and workforce participation lags significantly (51.0% compared to Regional Qld's 65.4%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area has a particular employment specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. On the other hand, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.1% of Caloundra - Kings Beach's workforce compared to 4.5% in Regional Qld. The ratio of 1.0 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates substantial local employment opportunities.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.3% alongside a 3.0% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.3 percentage points. By comparison, Regional Qld recorded employment growth of 0.7%, labour force growth of 1.0%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Caloundra - Kings Beach. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Caloundra - Kings Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Caloundra - Kings Beach SA2 is below the national average, with the median assessed at $46,410 while the average income stands at $58,599. This contrasts with Regional Qld's figures of a median income of $53,146 and an average income of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $51,009 (median) and $64,406 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Caloundra - Kings Beach all fall between the 8th and 22nd percentiles nationally. The data shows the predominant cohort spans 28.3% of locals (2,017 people) in the $800 - 1,499 category, unlike trends in the broader area where 31.7% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 7th percentile.

Caloundra - Kings Beach features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Caloundra - Kings Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 15.4% houses and 84.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Caloundra - Kings Beach was well beyond that of Regional Qld, at 38.9%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (15.7%) or rented (45.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Regional Qld average at $1,517, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $370, compared to Regional Qld's $1,655 and $345. Nationally, Caloundra - Kings Beach's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Caloundra - Kings Beach features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 54.5% of all households, comprising 10.7% couples with children, 33.4% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 45.5%, with lone person households at 41.1% and group households comprising 4.3% of the total. The median household size of 1.9 people is smaller than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.

Educational attainment in Caloundra - Kings Beach aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Educational qualifications in Caloundra - Kings Beach trail regional benchmarks, with 24.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 30.4% in Australia. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 16.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 37.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (25.7%).

A substantial 20.2% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 5.9% in primary education, 5.0% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Public transport analysis reveals 30 active transport stops operating within Caloundra - Kings Beach, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 9 individual routes, collectively providing 2,358 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 207 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 86%, with 8% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. Some 16.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 336 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Caloundra - Kings Beach is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Caloundra - Kings Beach faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~3,450 people). This compares to 52.5% across Regional Qld. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.4 and 9.3% of residents, respectively, while 59.3% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 32.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,328 people), which is higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Caloundra - Kings Beach records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Caloundra - Kings Beach is roughly in line with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 83.4% of its population being citizens, 76.5% born in Australia, and 92.5% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Caloundra - Kings Beach is Christianity, which makes up 53.6% of the population, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Caloundra - Kings Beach are English, comprising 33.4% of the population, Australian, comprising 23.1% of the population, and Irish, comprising 10.7% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Scottish is overrepresented at 9.6% in Caloundra - Kings Beach (vs 7.8% regionally), Welsh at 0.8% (vs 0.5%), and German at 5.1% (vs 4.7%).

Caloundra - Kings Beach ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 55, Caloundra - Kings Beach is considerably higher than the Regional Qld figure of 41 and similarly substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Relative to Regional Qld, Caloundra - Kings Beach has a higher concentration of 65 - 74 residents (16.4%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (5.4%). This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Since the 2021 Census, the median age has decreased by 1.2 years from 56 to 55, indicating a younger demographic shift. In particular, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 10.3% to 13.7% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.6% to 10.8% and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 18.0% to 16.4%. Demographic modeling suggests Caloundra - Kings Beach's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to expand considerably, increasing by 513 people (53%) from 974 to 1,488.