Coombabah

Coombabah is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Coombabah's population was around 10,815 as of May 2026. This figure indicates an increase of 517 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,298 people. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 10,815 in June 2025 and three additional validated addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 931 persons per square kilometer. Coombabah's 5% population increase since the census is within 2 percentage points of the SA3 area average (7%), suggesting competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the area.

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 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 aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Looking ahead, Coombabah is expected to experience population growth just below the median of locations outside capital cities. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, the area is projected to grow by 703 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 6.5% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Coombabah according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Coombabah has seen approximately four new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, with a total of 21 approvals between FY-21 and FY-25. As of FY-26, five homes have been approved thus far. On average, 12.4 people move to the area each year for every dwelling built during this period.

This significant demand outpaces supply, which typically drives up property prices and intensifies competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $371,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals have totaled $666,000, indicating a predominantly residential focus in the area. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Coombabah has significantly less development activity, being 90.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes often strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

Recently, construction activity has increased, though it remains below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. All recent building activity consists of detached houses, maintaining Coombabah's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than suggested by existing patterns (49.0% at Census), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. The estimated population count per dwelling approval is 1836 people, indicating a quiet, low-activity development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Coombabah's population is forecasted to grow by 703 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Coombabah has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact the area's performance. These include upgrades to Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area park, Harbour Cove Mixed-Use Development, Serenity 4212, and Coombabah Sewage Treatment Plant Stage 6 Upgrade. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Coombabah shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Coombabah's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs with varied sector representation. The unemployment rate in December 2025 was 4.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.1% over the past year. As of that date, 4,819 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 0.4% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Coombabah was 53.1%, significantly lower than Regional Qld's 64.5%. According to Census responses, only 11.7% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has a strong specialization in administrative & support services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.4% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 4.5%. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.1%, and labour force grew by 2.6%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment rise by 0.7%, labour force grow by 1.0%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coombabah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

Coombabah SA2's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $43,607. The average income stood at $60,574 during the same period. These figures compare to regional Queensland's median and average incomes of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes for Coombabah SA2 as of March 2026 would be approximately $48,561 and $67,455 respectively. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Coombabah fall between the 6th and 12th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 31.3% of residents earning $400 - $799 weekly, differing from metropolitan patterns where $1500 - $2999 dominates with 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Coombabah, with only 79.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

Coombabah displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Coombabah's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 49.3% houses and 50.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coombabah stood at 43.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.1% and rented ones at 28.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, below Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was recorded as $415, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Coombabah's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 61.6% of all households, including 18.2% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.4%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households at 3.8%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Coombabah fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.1%, 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 prevalent at 10.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 12.6% and certificates for 28.1%.

A substantial 23.5% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 8.2% in primary, 6.4% in secondary, and 3.6% in tertiary education.

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

Coombabah has 30 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by five different routes that together facilitate 1790 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically living just 221 meters from their nearest stop. As a mainly residential zone, most commuters travel outwards daily, primarily by car (92%). Vehicle ownership stands at an average of one per dwelling, below the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.7% of residents work from home, which might reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 255 trips daily, equating to roughly 59 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Coombabah is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Coombabah faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment as of June 20XX. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are somewhat prevalent across all age groups, but more so among older cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~5,320 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Qld and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (13.1%) and mental health issues (8.1%), with 58.8% declaring themselves clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Qld. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. As of June 20XX, the area has 33.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,583 people), higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Coombabah was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Coombabah, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher linguistic diversity than most local markets, with 11.7% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home. In terms of birthplace, 34.2% of Coombabah's population was born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Coombabah, comprising 53.3% of the population.

Judaism, however, was overrepresented compared to regional Queensland, making up 0.2% of Coombabah's population versus 0.1%. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (33.1%), Australian (22.2%), and Irish (8.4%). Notably, New Zealanders made up 1.7% of Coombabah's population compared to 0.9% regionally, Maori comprised 1.6% versus 0.8%, and Hungarians were at 0.4% versus 0.2%.

Coombabah ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Coombabah's median age is 50 years, which is notably older than Regional Qld's median of 41 years and significantly higher than the Australian median of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 are particularly prominent, making up 13.4% of the population, while those aged 5-14 make up only 7.9%, which is smaller than in Regional Qld. This concentration of the 75-84 age group is well above the national average of 6.1%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the proportion of people aged 15-24 has increased from 8.1% to 9.6%, while those aged 25-34 have increased from 9.6% to 10.9%. Conversely, the proportion of those aged 5-14 has declined from 9.9% to 7.9%, and those aged 65-74 have dropped from 16.5% to 14.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Coombabah's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to increase considerably, from 533 to 1,002, an increase of 468 people (88%). Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 61% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, both the 45-54 and 55-64 age groups are expected to see a reduction in numbers.