Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach

An assessment of population growth drivers in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's population is around 4,355 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 248 people (6.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,107 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,355 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 22 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 318 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's 6.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (5.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 80.4% 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 utilised, 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, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to contract by 127 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 65 to 74 age group, which is projected to grow by 100 people. See the age section for more details.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach when compared nationally

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has averaged around 19 new dwelling approvals each year, with 96 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 17 so far in FY-26. With an average of 3 new residents per dwelling over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), suggesting solid demand that supports property values, new homes are being built at an average construction cost of $1,058,000, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. There have also been $1.3 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

Relative to the rest of Qld, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach shows comparable new home approvals per person, maintaining a market balance consistent with the broader area. New building activity consists of 65.0% detached dwellings and 35.0% townhouses or apartments, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. With around 282 people per dwelling approval, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach shows characteristics of a low density area.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 13 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Peregian Beach Reservoir Upgrade, Peregian Beach Park Upgrade, SEQ Liveability Fund - Peregian Beach Pathways, and Essence of Peregian Beach, 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.

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has a well-educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of just 2.1%. As of December 2025, 2,331 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.9% below Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%, and workforce participation is on par with Regional Qld's 65.4%. Based on Census responses, a high 26.3% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical, with employment levels at 2.2 times the regional average. In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.6% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 4.5%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.3% while employment declined by 2.9%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.4 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional Qld, where employment rose by 0.7%, the labour force grew by 1.0%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach. 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 Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach SA2 is well above average nationally, with the median assessed at $56,251 while the average income stands at $78,531. This contrasts with Regional Qld's figures of a median income of $53,146 and an average income of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $61,825 (median) and $86,313 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach cluster around the 56th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals the predominant cohort spans 30.5% of locals (1,328 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 31.7%. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 51st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 75.7% houses and 24.3% 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 Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach was well beyond that of Regional Qld, at 40.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (33.4%) or rented (26.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional Qld average at $2,100, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $455, compared to Regional Qld's $1,655 and $345. Nationally, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 70.8% of all households, comprising 30.2% couples with children, 32.2% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 3.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people is smaller than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 39.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 20.6% in Rest of Qld and 24.9% in SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 33.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (13.2%) and certificates (20.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in secondary education, 9.4% in primary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 14 active transport stops operating within Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 2 individual routes, collectively providing 231 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 286 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 91%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling. A high 26.3% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 33 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~2,525 people), compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.9% and 6.8% of residents, respectively, while 73.9% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 21.4% of residents aged 65 and over (932 people), which is higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach is roughly in line with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 75.4% of its population born in Australia, 87.6% being citizens, and 93.1% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach is Christianity, which makes up 39.4% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.4% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Regional Qld.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach are English, comprising 33.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 21.3% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 26.5%, and Irish, comprising 10.7% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Scottish is notably overrepresented at 10.3% of Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach (vs 7.8% regionally), French at 1.0% (vs 0.5%) and German at 5.4% (vs 4.7%).

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's median age of 46 years stands significantly above Regional Qld's 41 as well as well above the 38-year national average. Relative to Regional Qld, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has a higher concentration of 55 - 64 residents (17.5%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (8.3%). This 55 - 64 concentration is well above the national 11.2%. Since the 2021 Census, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 12.1% to 13.4% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 15.6% to 14.1% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 13.2% to 11.7%. By 2041, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 65 to 74 group will grow by 9% (53 people), reaching 638 from 584. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 83% of anticipated growth. Conversely, both 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 age groups will see reduced numbers.