Cooloola
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Cooloola's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 7,302. This figure represents an increase of 734 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,568. The growth can be inferred from ABS estimates: Cooloola had an estimated resident population of 7,084 as of June 2024 and there were 74 validated new addresses added after the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6.4 persons per square kilometer. Cooloola's growth rate of 11.2% since the 2021 census surpassed both the non-metro area average (8.8%) and the national average, indicating it as a region with significant population growth. Interstate migration contributed approximately 92.1% to this overall population gain.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using 2022 data, and Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections for years post-2032, based on 2021 data. For areas not covered by these projections, proportional growth weightings are applied based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future population trends suggest a median increase just below locations outside capital cities, with Cooloola expected to grow by 352 persons to 2041, representing an overall gain of approximately 1.8%.

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

Cooloola has seen approximately 53 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 267 homes. As of FY-26, 15 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling has attracted around 2.3 new residents per year between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction cost value for these dwellings is $261,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

This financial year, $18.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development compared to the rest of Queensland. Cooloola has 12.0% less new development per person than the Rest of Qld but ranks among the 76th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 95.0% detached houses and 5.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature.

There are approximately 158 people per dwelling approval in Cooloola, indicating an expanding market. Looking ahead, Cooloola is expected to grow by 130 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Cooloola has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region. Key projects are 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.

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

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

Cooloola's workforce comprises an equal mix of white and blue-collar jobs, with tourism and hospitality being prominent. The unemployment rate was 7.1% as of June 2025.

Employment grew by an estimated 5.6% in the past year. As of June 2025, 2,242 residents were employed, but the unemployment rate was higher than Rest of Qld's at 3.9%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 31.1%. Employment was concentrated in accommodation & food (1.9 times regional average), retail trade, and health care & social assistance (9.9% vs regional average of 16.1%).

Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 5.6%, but labour force grew by 7.5%, raising unemployment by 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.8% and unemployment rise by 0.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's May 2025 forecasts project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cooloola's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6%% over five years and 11.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Cooloola had a median taxpayer income of $34,812 and an average income of $46,943. Nationally, the median was $50,780 and the average was $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $39,682 (median) and $53,510 (average). The 2021 Census data indicates Cooloola's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 1st and 2nd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 41.5% of individuals earn between $400 - 799 weekly, contrasting with the region where 31.7% earn between $1,500 - 2,999. The concentration of 51.3% in sub-$800 brackets highlights economic challenges faced by a significant portion of the community. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

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

Cooloola's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.2% houses and 14.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 91.8% houses and 8.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooloola stood at 57.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.9% and rented ones at 22.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,326. The median weekly rent in Cooloola was $280, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $290. Nationally, Cooloola's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were 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 account for 63.6% of all households, including 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%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 10.4%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 7.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.4%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (33.5%).

School and university attendance comprises 19.1% of the community, with 7.3% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 1.3% pursuing tertiary education. Educational institutions include Tin Can Bay State School and Rainbow Beach State School, serving a total of 340 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 958) with balanced educational opportunities. It has one primary and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 4.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.8, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Cooloola has 19 active public transport stops operating. All of these are bus stops. They are serviced by one route collectively providing 15 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is limited with residents typically located 607 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages two trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately zero weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Cooloola is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Cooloola faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 46% (~3,358 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (15.9%) and mental health issues (9.1%). Conversely, 51.6% report no medical ailments, compared to 60.3% in the rest of Queensland. Cooloola has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, at 42.8% (3,126 people), than the rest of Queensland's 25.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Cooloola had a cultural diversity level below average, with 88.2% of its population being citizens, 83.8% born in Australia, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Cooloola, accounting for 53.6% of the population, compared to 50.4% across the rest of Queensland. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.5%), Australian (28.5%), and Irish (9.4%).

Notably, German ancestry was proportionally equal at 5.8%, Scottish was slightly higher at 8.9%, and French was also slightly higher at 0.6% compared to regional averages of 5.8%, 8.3%, and 0.4% respectively.

Cooloola ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cooloola's median age is 62 years, which exceeds Rest of Qld's 41 and is well above Australia's median of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent at 25.5%, while the 25-34 group is smaller at 5.2% compared to Rest of Qld. This concentration of people aged 65-74 is higher than the national figure of 9.4%. Between 2021 and the present, the proportion of those aged 75-84 has increased from 13.2% to 14.4%, while the 15-24 cohort has risen from 5.4% to 6.5%. Conversely, the proportion of those aged 65-74 has decreased from 27.9% to 25.5%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Cooloola's age structure. The number of people aged 85 and over is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 210 individuals (99%) from 212 to 423. Residents aged 65 and over will drive 79% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. In contrast, population declines are projected for those aged 75-84 and 5-14 years old.