Caloundra West - Baringa

Caloundra West - Baringa lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Caloundra West - Baringa's population was around 25,206 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 9,499 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,707. The change was inferred from ABS data: an estimated resident population of 23,872 in June 2025 and an additional 4,215 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 531 persons per square kilometer. Caloundra West - Baringa's growth of 60.5% since the 2021 census exceeded Queensland's average of 9.2%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 82.2% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied. Future demographic trends predict exceptional growth for the area, with a projected increase of 30,861 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 117.1%.

The level of residential development activity in Caloundra West - Baringa was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Caloundra West - Baringa has seen approximately 782 dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 3,912 homes have been approved, with an additional 640 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 2.5 people move to the area each year for every new home constructed during these five financial years, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $298,000, which is lower than regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. This financial year has seen $13.0 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity compared to the rest of Queensland. Caloundra West - Baringa records 197.0% more development activity per person than the rest of Queensland, significantly above the national average, suggesting robust developer interest in the area. Recent construction consists of 81.0% standalone homes and 19.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 22 people per dwelling approval, Caloundra West - Baringa exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, the population is forecasted to grow by 29,527 residents through to 2041, with building activity keeping pace with these projections. However, buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 85 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Aura Business Park, Aura Hotel, New Bells Creek Zone Substation, and Bells Creek Shopping Centre. The following details projects likely most relevant.

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.

The employment environment in Caloundra West - Baringa shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Caloundra West - Baringa has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 3.0% as of December 2025. There are 11,968 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 1.0% below Regional Queensland's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation stands at 66.9%, slightly higher than Regional Queensland's 64.5%.

According to Census responses, a low 13.2% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance employs 1.3 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.6% of local workers, below Regional Queensland's 4.5%.

The predominantly residential area offers limited local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.6%, with employment also decreasing by 2.6%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Regional Queensland recorded employment growth of 0.7% and labour force growth of 1.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Caloundra West - Baringa's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Caloundra West - Baringa SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $59,333 and an average income of $74,915. These figures are higher than national averages ($53,146 and $66,593 respectively for Regional Qld). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes would be approximately $66,073 (median) and $83,425 (average) as of March 2026. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Caloundra West - Baringa cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 42.5% of residents (10,712 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, reflecting regional patterns where 31.7% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 18.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 54th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Caloundra West - Baringa is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Caloundra West - Baringa's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.0% houses and 13.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Caloundra West - Baringa stood at 22.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.4% and rented ones at 33.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,891, exceeding Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent was recorded at $480, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Caloundra West - Baringa's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Caloundra West - Baringa features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 80.3% of all households, including 38.7% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 14.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 19.7%, with lone person households at 16.5% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Caloundra West - Baringa exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Caloundra West's residents aged 15+ have 20.9% university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common (15.0%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.1% holding such qualifications: advanced diplomas at 12.8%, certificates at 31.3%. Educational participation is high, with 31.9% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.1% in primary, 8.3% in secondary, and 4.7% in tertiary education.

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

Caloundra West - Baringa has 36 active public transport stops offering mixed bus services. These are covered by five routes that facilitate 501 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport access is considered good, with residents typically situated 303 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most inhabitants commute outward, primarily using cars (95%). On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 13.2% of residents work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 71 trips daily, equating to about 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Caloundra West - Baringa's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Caloundra West - Baringa. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover was found to be very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~14,266 people), compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.0 and 8.1% of residents respectively. 71.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 11.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,770 people), which is lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Caloundra West - Baringa 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 West-Baringa, as per the census conducted on 29th August 2016, exhibited cultural diversity above average levels. Specifically, 9.8% of its residents spoke languages other than English at home, and 23.9% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 44.0% of the population in Caloundra West-Baringa.

Notably, the category 'Other' comprised 1.1% of the population, which was higher than the regional average of 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.9%), Australian (26.9%), and Scottish (7.3%). There were also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: New Zealanders constituted 1.3% compared to the regional average of 0.9%, Maori made up 1.3% versus the regional 0.8%, and South Australians comprised 0.7% compared to the regional 0.5%.

Caloundra West - Baringa's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Caloundra West - Baringa has a median age of 33, which is younger than Regional Queensland's figure of 41 and Australia's average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 17.7% of the population compared to Regional Queensland, while the 55-64 cohort comprises 7.7%. Between 2021 and now, the 35-44 age group has increased from 15.8% to 17.3%, and the 25-34 cohort has risen from 16.7% to 17.7%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 16.3% to 14.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Caloundra West - Baringa's age structure. Notably, the 35-44 age group is projected to grow by 126%, adding 5,509 people to reach a total of 9,873 from its current figure of 4,363.