Cooloola

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

Cooloola's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, stands at approximately 7,408 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 840 individuals (12.8%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,568 people. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,080 in June 2024 and an additional 74 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6.5 persons per square kilometer. Cooloola's 12.8% growth since the 2021 census surpasses the Rest of Qld (9.1%) and the national average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 92.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligning with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 and based on 2022 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is anticipated. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Cooloola is expected to expand by 352 persons to reach 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 0.3% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Cooloola has averaged approximately 53 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 267 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 20 approvals recorded. Over these five years, an average of 2.3 new residents has been associated with each dwelling approved, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value for new dwellings in Cooloola is $261,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

In FY-26, there have been approximately $18.9 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development compared to other areas. When measured against 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 comprises predominantly detached dwellings at 95.0%, with medium and high-density housing making up the remaining 5.0%, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The location has approximately 158 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, Cooloola is expected to grow by 24 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.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project expected to affect this region: 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 are key projects. The following details those most relevant.

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

Cooloola has a mixed workforce comprising white and blue-collar jobs, with tourism and hospitality sectors prominent. Its unemployment rate is 6.2%, and it saw an estimated employment growth of 9.8% in the past year. As of September 2025, 2,319 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.1% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation is lower at 38.2%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. According to Census data, 13.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts are notable. Key industries include accommodation & food (with a specialization index of 1.9), retail trade, and health care & social assistance (9.9% of workforce vs Rest of Qld's 16.1%). Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data comparison.

Over the past year, employment increased by 9.8%, labour force by 10.2%, leading to a 0.4 percentage point unemployment rise. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7% and unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national growth rates of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cooloola's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 11.9% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

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

The Cooloola SA2's median income among taxpayers was $36,035 and average income stood at $49,039 in the financial year 2023, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which were $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates project median income at approximately $39,606 and average income at $53,899 as of September 2025. Census 2021 data shows household, family and personal incomes in Cooloola all fall between the 0th and 2nd percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that the $400 - 799 earnings band captures 41.5% of the community (3,074 individuals), differing from regional patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 band dominates with 31.7%. The prevalence of lower-income residents, at 51.3% earning under $800/week, indicates constrained household budgets across much of the locality. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 2nd percentile nationally.

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

In Cooloola, as per the latest Census evaluation, 85.2% of dwellings were houses while 14.7% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's figures of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooloola stood at 57.4%, with mortgaged properties making up 19.9% and rented ones, 22.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. Median weekly rent in Cooloola was $280, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, Cooloola's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and 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% that are couples with children, 44.8% that are couples without children, and 7.2% that are 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 2.5.

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 Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the 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 - advanced diplomas account for 9.6% and certificates for 33.5%.

School and university attendance comprises 19.1% of the community, including 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

Cooloola has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by one route collectively offering 15 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is limited with residents typically located 608 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Cooloola's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 88%, while 8% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 13.9% of residents work from home, which 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

Cooloola faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notably high across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 46% of the total population (around 3,415 people), compared to 52.5% in the rest of Queensland and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 15.9% of residents) and mental health issues (9.1%). Conversely, 51.6% of residents reported having no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in the rest of Queensland. The working-age population experiences notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Cooloola has a higher proportion of seniors, with 42.8% of residents aged 65 and over (3,167 people), compared to 20.4% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present additional challenges, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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

Cooloola's cultural diversity was found to be 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 main religion in Cooloola, comprising 53.6% of people, compared to 52.2% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.5%), Australian (28.5%), and Irish (9.4%).

Notably, German (5.8%) was overrepresented in Cooloola compared to the regional average of 4.7%, as were Scottish (8.9% vs 7.8%) and French (0.6% vs 0.5%).

Cooloola ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cooloola's median age is 62 years, which exceeds Rest of Qld's median age of 41 and is also higher than the Australian median age of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 years are particularly prominent, making up 25.4% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years make up only 5.3%. This concentration of those aged 65-74 is higher than the national average of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the age group of 55 to 64 has grown from 19.4% to 20.5% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort has 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 has dropped from 10.9% to 9.8%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show that the age cohort of those aged 85 and above is expected to rise substantially, increasing by 191 people (83%) from 231 to 423. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 86% of population growth, highlighting trends towards demographic aging. In contrast, population declines are projected for the age cohorts of those aged 75-84 years and those aged 5-14 years.