Coolum Beach

Population growth drivers in Coolum Beach are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Coolum Beach's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 17,097. This figure represents a growth of 1,149 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,948. The increase is estimated based on ABS data showing an ERP of 16,992 in June 2024 and 254 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 944 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Coolum Beach has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.7%, outperforming non-metro areas. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.4% of overall population gains recently, though all factors including interstate migration and natural growth were positive.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings for age cohorts in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023. Future demographic trends project an above median population growth for national regional areas, with Coolum Beach expected to increase by 2,635 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 14.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Coolum Beach has seen approximately 63 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 316 homes. As of FY26, 36 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.4 new residents per year arrive per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25. This suggests supply is lagging demand, potentially leading to buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $481,000. In FY26, $11.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Coolum Beach has 52% lower building activity per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties.

New building activity comprises 78% standalone homes and 22% medium and high-density housing. The population is transitioning, with around 252 people per approval. Future projections estimate Coolum Beach will add 2,530 residents by 2041. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 49 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Beachside Yaroomba (Residential Community), Enclave Coolum Beach, Sunshine Motorway West Coolum Road Upgrade Interchange, and Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Project - Coastal Corridor. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Coolum Beach demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Coolum Beach has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.6%.

As of September 2025, 9,129 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is 61.7%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Coolum Beach specializes in construction with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.6% compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. From September 2024 to September 2025, Coolum Beach's labour force decreased by 2.6%, while employment declined by 1.9%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%. As of 25-Nov-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, broadly in line with the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Coolum Beach's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to its current employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The median taxpayer income in Coolum Beach SA2 was $48,335 in financial year 2022. The average income was $70,514 during the same period. These figures are higher than the national averages of $50,780 (median) and $64,844 (average). Based on a 13.99% growth in wages since financial year 2022, estimated median income for September 2025 is approximately $55,097, with an average of around $80,379. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Coolum Beach rank modestly, between the 47th and 48th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 33.4% of individuals (5,710 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is consistent with broader trends in the surrounding region at 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 46th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Coolum Beach displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Coolum Beach, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.9% houses and 30.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 51.7% houses and 48.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coolum Beach was at 33.4%, similar to Non-Metro Qld's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (37.4%) or rented (29.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,820. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $450, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $420. Nationally, Coolum Beach's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Coolum Beach features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.9% of all households, including 28.6% couples with children, 31.1% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 24.6% and group households comprising 4.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.2.

The educational profile of Coolum Beach exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 29.2% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA4 region rate of 24.9%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 39.8% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 13.0% and certificates at 26.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.4% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 40 active stops operating in Coolum Beach, serving a mix of bus routes. These are covered by three individual routes, offering 374 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 358 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 53 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately nine weekly trips per stop.

Coolum Beach's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data for Coolum Beach residents shows positive outcomes, with common health conditions similar across young and old age groups. Approximately 55% (~9,403 people) have private health cover, higher than Rest of Qld at 52.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.6%) and mental health issues (7.7%). About 70.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 67.2% in Rest of Qld. Around 20.1% (~3,436 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than the 24.4% in Rest of Qld. Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with the general population's profile.

Coolum Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Coolum Beach had a cultural diversity below average, with 80.5% of its population born in Australia, 88.5% being citizens, and 94.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 42.9% of people in Coolum Beach. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% across Rest of Qld.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.9%), Australian (25.0%), and Irish (10.6%). Notably, Scottish (9.6%) and Dutch (1.7%) were overrepresented in Coolum Beach compared to regional averages of 9.1% and 1.4%, respectively.

Coolum Beach hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Coolum Beach's median age is 44 years, which is slightly higher than the Rest of Qld average of 41 and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38. The age profile shows that individuals aged 45-54 make up a significant portion at 14.3%, while those aged 25-34 are relatively smaller at 10.2% compared to the Rest of Qld. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 9.6% to 11.0%. Conversely, the percentage of individuals aged 45-54 has decreased from 15.5% to 14.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic shifts for Coolum Beach. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 33%, adding 578 residents to reach a total of 2,317. Meanwhile, the number of individuals aged 15-24 is expected to decrease by 71.