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

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's population was around 4,374 as of May 2026, reflecting a growth of 267 people since the 2021 Census. The population in 2021 was reported to be 4,107 people. This increase is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses. The population density ratio is 319 persons per square kilometer. Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's growth of 6.5% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA3 area average of 6.1%, indicating it as a region leader in growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% to overall population gains during recent periods.

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. State projections do not provide age category splits; thus, proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied where utilized. According to these projections, the population is expected to decline by 125 persons by 2041, with a projected growth of 77 people in the 65 to 74 age group.

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

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has averaged approximately 19 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 96 homes were approved, with an additional 17 approvals so far in FY26. On average, each dwelling has accommodated around three new residents per year over these five years, indicating consistent demand that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $1,058,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. This financial year has seen $1.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach shows comparable new home approvals per capita, maintaining a balanced market consistent with the broader area.

New building activity comprises 65% detached dwellings and 35% townhouses or apartments, 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 demonstrates a developing property market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, the area may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

AreaSearch has identified 13 infrastructure projects that could impact the area. Key projects include Peregian Beach Reservoir Upgrade, Peregian Beach Park Upgrade, SEQ Liveability Fund - Peregian Beach Pathways, and Essence of Peregian Beach. The following list details those expected to have significant 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 an educated workforce with professional services well represented. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.1%. By this date, 2,331 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.9% lower than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is similar to Regional Qld's 64.5%. According to Census responses, 26.3% of residents work from home, but Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. Professional & technical services have a notable concentration with employment levels at 2.2 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.6% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 4.5%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.3%, while employment declined by 2.9%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment rise by 0.7% and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to the local employment mix indicates a potential increase in local employment by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest data for financial year 2023 shows that in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach SA2, median income is $56,251 and average income is $78,531. This is higher than 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 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimates for March 2026 would be approximately $62,641 (median) and $87,452 (average). The 2021 Census reveals that incomes in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach cluster around the 56th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that 30.5% of locals (1,334 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 51st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach, as recorded in the latest Census, 75.7% of dwellings were houses while 24.3% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differed slightly from Regional Qld's figures of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in the area stood at 40.1%, with mortgaged properties making up 33.4% and rented dwellings comprising 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, significantly higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,655. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent in Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach was $455, considerably lower than Regional Qld's figure of $375. Nationally, these mortgage repayments were well above the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than 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 account for 70.8% of all households, including 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%. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Regional Queensland 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 shows a significant advantage with 39.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 24.9% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 13.2% and certificates for 20.4%. Educational participation is 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

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has 14 operational public transport stops. These are served by two bus routes, offering a total of 231 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 286 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards using cars, which remain the dominant mode at 91%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling. A significant 26.3% of residents work from home (2021 Census).

The service frequency averages 33 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per 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

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population, which consists of around 2,536 people. This compares to 52.5% in Regional Queensland. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.9% and 6.8% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 73.9%, report being completely free from medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Queensland. Health outcomes for the under-65 population are better than average. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.5%, totaling around 939 people, compared to 20.4% in Regional Queensland. Notably, health outcomes among seniors rank even higher than those of the general population nationally.

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 had a cultural diversity profile roughly matching the wider region's average, with 75.4% of its population born in Australia, 87.6% being citizens, and 93.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 39.4% of Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach's population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to Regional Qld's 0.1%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (33.1%), Australian (21.3%), and Irish (10.7%). Scottish ancestry was notably higher at 10.3% compared to the regional average of 7.8%. French ancestry was also overrepresented at 1.0%, as was German ancestry at 5.4%.

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

Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has a median age of 46 years, which is significantly higher than Regional Queensland's 41 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Regional Queensland, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach has a higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (17.2%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.6%). This concentration of residents aged 55-64 is well above the national average of 11.2%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the percentage of residents aged 65-74 increased from 12.1% to 13.2%, while the percentage of residents aged 45-54 decreased from 15.6% to 13.5%. The percentage of residents aged 25-34 also dropped, from 8.7% to 7.6%. By 2041, Peregian Beach - Marcus Beach is expected to experience notable changes in its age composition. The number of residents aged 65-74 is projected to grow by 10%, reaching 634 from 578. This growth will be led by residents aged 65 and older, who are anticipated to represent 82% of the total population growth. Conversely, both the 45-54 and 55-64 age groups are expected to decrease in number.