Cooloola

Cooloola has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Cooloola's population is around 7,408 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 840 people (12.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,568 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,080 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 74 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 6.5 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Cooloola's 12.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Qld (9.1%) and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 92.1% of overall 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 utilized, 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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is anticipated, with the area expected to expand by 352 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 0.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

Cooloola has averaged around 53 new dwelling approvals per year, totalling 267 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 25 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 2.3 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $261,000—below the regional average—suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. There have also been $18.9 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

When measured against the Rest of Qld, Cooloola shows 12.0% lower construction activity (per person) while it places among the 76th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New building activity consists of 95.0% detached dwellings and 5.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low-density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 158 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Looking ahead, Cooloola is expected to grow by 24 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Cooloola has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 1 single project has been identified by AreaSearch that is likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Forest Wind Farm, Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra) Section D - Northern Contract, Gympie Water Resilience and Augmentation Project (GWRAP) - Phase 1, and Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program - Wide Bay Burnett, 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.

Employment performance in Cooloola has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Cooloola features a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with tourism and hospitality sectors prominently featured, an unemployment rate of 5.8%, and 9.1% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 2,332 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.8% above Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%, and workforce participation lags significantly (38.3% compared to Regional Qld's 65.4%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 13.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are accommodation & food, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. The area has particular employment specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. On the other hand, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 9.9% of Cooloola's workforce compared to 16.1% in Regional Qld. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 9.1% alongside labour force increasing by 8.9%, resulting in unemployment falling by 0.2 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 Cooloola. 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 Cooloola's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 11.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The Cooloola SA2's income level is lower than average on a national basis according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Cooloola SA2's median income among taxpayers is $36,035 and the average income stands at $49,039, which compares to figures for Regional Qld's of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $39,606 (median) and $53,899 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Cooloola all fall between the 0th and 2nd percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the $400 - 799 earnings band captures 41.5% of the community (3,074 individuals), differing from patterns across regional levels where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 31.7%. The prevalence of lower-income residents (51.3% under $800/week) indicates constrained household budgets across much of the locality. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 2nd percentile.

Cooloola is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Cooloola, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 85.2% houses and 14.7% 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 Cooloola was higher than that of Regional Qld, at 57.4%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (19.9%) or rented (22.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Regional Qld average at $1,300, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $280, compared to Regional Qld's $1,655 and $345. Nationally, Cooloola's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 63.6% of all households, comprising 11.2% couples with children, 44.8% couples without children, and 7.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.4%, with lone person households at 33.1% and group households comprising 3.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.0 people is smaller than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.

Cooloola faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (10.4%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 7.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.4%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 43.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (33.5%).

School and university attendance encompasses 19.1% of the community. This includes 7.3% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 1.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 24 active transport stops operating within Cooloola comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 1 individual route, collectively providing 15 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 608 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - the car remains the dominant mode at 88%, with 8% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average. Some 13.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 2 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Cooloola is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Cooloola, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~3,415 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 15.9 and 9.1% of residents, respectively, while 51.6% 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 42.8% of residents aged 65 and over (3,167 people), which is higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Cooloola is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Cooloola was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 88.2% of its population being citizens, 83.8% born in Australia, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Cooloola is Christianity, which makes up 53.6% of people in Cooloola, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Cooloola are English, comprising 34.5% of the population, Australian, comprising 28.5% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: German is notably overrepresented at 5.8% of Cooloola (vs 4.7% regionally), Scottish at 8.9% (vs 7.8%), and French at 0.6% (vs 0.5%).

Cooloola ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cooloola's median age of 62 years stands notably higher than Regional Qld's 41 and well above the Australian median of 38. The age profile shows 65 - 74 year-olds are particularly prominent (25.4%), while the 25 - 34 group is comparatively smaller (5.3%) than in Regional Qld. This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Since 2021, the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 19.4% to 20.5% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 5.4% to 6.4%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 27.9% to 25.4% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 10.9% to 9.8%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Cooloola's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to rise substantially, expanding by 191 people (83%) from 231 to 423. Senior residents (65+) will drive 86% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 75 to 84 and 5 to 14 cohorts.