Coolangatta
Statistical Area - sa2

Coolangatta lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Coolangatta's population was around 7,501 as of August 2025, reflecting an increase of 1,010 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS reported a population of 6,491 in the 2021 Census. By June 2024, the estimated resident population was 7,074, with an additional 604 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 3,947 persons per square kilometer, placing Coolangatta in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 15.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the non-metro average of 8.6% and the national average, indicating strong growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.9% of overall population gains during recent periods in Coolangatta.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 and based on 2022 data. Demographically, a significant population increase is forecasted for Coolangatta, with an expected growth of 2,493 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 27.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Coolangatta among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Coolangatta has averaged approximately 194 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 972 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, and zero so far in FY-26. On average, 0.7 people have moved to the area per dwelling built annually over these five years. This indicates that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $1,524,000, demonstrating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. There have been $6.5 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential activity. When measured against Rest of Qld, Coolangatta records 201.0% more development activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. This activity is significantly above the national average, indicating robust developer interest in the area. New development consists of 3.0% detached dwellings and 97.0% townhouses or apartments, showing a trend towards denser development that provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

The location has approximately 169 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Looking ahead, Coolangatta is expected to grow by 2,066 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Coolangatta has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 32 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Reflections Tower Two, Kirra Point Holiday Apartments, Pipis Bilinga, and Coolangatta Beachfront Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Coolangatta maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Coolangatta has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 3.6% in June 2025, lower than the Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. As of June 2025, 3,831 residents were in work while workforce participation was somewhat below standard at 55.1%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and construction. The area shows strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.8% compared to 4.5% regionally. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1% and labour force increased by 2.1%, leaving unemployment broadly flat in Coolangatta. By comparison, Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.8%, labour force growth of 2.0%, with unemployment rising 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, lagging the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Coolangatta. These projections estimate national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Coolangatta's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years. Note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch aggregated the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Coolangatta had a median income among taxpayers of $46,449 and an average level of $67,326. Both figures were above the national averages of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively for Rest of Qld. As of March 2025, estimated median income is approximately $51,888 and average income is around $75,210, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022. Census data shows personal income ranks at the 46th percentile with a weekly income of $785, while household income sits at the 22nd percentile. In income distribution, 28.9% of residents (2,167 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, closely mirroring regional levels where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Coolangatta, with only 80.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 20th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Coolangatta's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 13.1% houses and 86.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 49.8% houses and 50.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coolangatta was 37.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.9% and rented ones at 42.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,805, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Coolangatta was $405, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $450. Nationally, Coolangatta's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 54.7% of all households, including 12.1% that are couples with children, 34.0% that are couples without children, and 7.7% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 45.3%, with lone person households at 37.6% and group households comprising 7.6%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Coolangatta aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate of 28.7% for residents aged 15+ exceeds the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA4 region average of 25.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 21.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.3% and certificates at 24.6%.

A significant 23.0% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 7.4% in tertiary education, 4.7% in primary education, and 3.8% in secondary education. Coolangatta has five schools with a combined enrollment of 351 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1017). The educational mix includes two primary schools, two secondary schools, and one K-12 school. School capacity is limited locally at 4.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.1, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where school enrollments are marked 'n/a', please refer to the parent campus.

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

The analysis indicates that there are currently 24 operational public transport stops in Coolangatta. All of these stops serve buses, with a total of 11 different routes providing service. These routes combined facilitate 1,375 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of the transport system is deemed good, with residents on average situated approximately 265 meters from their nearest stop. Across all routes, there are an average of 196 trips per day, which translates to roughly 57 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Coolangatta faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Approximately 53% (~4,005 people) have private health cover, which is relatively high. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (9.5%) and mental health issues (8.4%). However, 66.0% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.3% across the Rest of Qld. As of 2021, 24.8% (1,860 people) of residents are aged 65 and over, higher than the 19.2% in the Rest of Qld. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Coolangatta are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Coolangatta's cultural diversity aligns with its broader region, with 82.5% being citizens, 77.4% born in Australia, and 90.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Coolangatta, comprising 49.5% of residents. Notably, Judaism has a higher representation in Coolangatta compared to the rest of Queensland, with 0.2% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (31.7%), Australian (23.8%), and Irish (10.6%). Certain ethnicities show notable differences: Spanish is overrepresented at 0.9%, French at 0.9%, and Scottish at 9.2% compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 0.6%, and 8.9% respectively.

Coolangatta ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Coolangatta's median age was 50 years in the 2021 Census, falling to 48 years post-Census. This figure is higher than Rest of Qld's median age of 41 and significantly higher than Australia's national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group comprised 20.6% of Coolangatta's population in the 2021 Census, a significant increase from 17.1%. This is well above Rest of Qld's figure of 19.4% and Australia's national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 age group was less prevalent at 4.7%, compared to Rest of Qld's 8.3%. By contrast, the 25-34 age cohort is projected to expand by 614 people (40%) from 1,547 to 2,162 by 2041.