Sunshine Beach
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Sunshine Beach's population was around 7,452 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 601 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,851. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 7,443 in June 2024 and an additional 10 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,023 persons per square kilometer. Sunshine Beach's growth rate of 8.8% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area's growth rate of 6.5%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 81.9% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data are applied for each age cohort where necessary. Population projections indicate lower quartile growth for national regional areas, with Sunshine Beach expected to expand by 262 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, resulting in a total increase of 3.4% over the 17 years.

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

Sunshine Beach has seen approximately 36 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 184 homes were approved, with an additional 4 approved so far in FY26. Each dwelling built over these years resulted in an average of 3 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are constructed at an average expected cost of $865,000, targeting the premium market segment. This financial year has seen $107,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting a predominantly residential focus. Sunshine Beach's development levels per person are similar to those in the rest of Queensland, maintaining market balance with surrounding areas. New developments consist of 47% detached houses and 53% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. This shift from the area's existing housing (65% houses) suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring diverse housing options.

With around 177 people per approval, Sunshine Beach is a developing area expected to grow by 253 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

Sunshine Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 11 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Sunrise Beach Village, David Low Way Retaining Wall and Shared Pathway at Sunrise Beach, Noosa Aquatic Centre Facility Upgrade Plan, and Noosa Business Centre Village Precinct. 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 Sunshine Beach demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Sunshine Beach has a highly educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 1.9%.

In comparison to the rest of Queensland (Rest of Qld), Sunshine Beach's unemployment rate is 2.0% lower at 3.9%, while workforce participation remains similar at 59.1%. Key industries for residents include accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and construction. Notably, accommodation & food has a significantly higher employment share, at 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with only 0.8% employment compared to the regional average of 4.5%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population figures. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Sunshine Beach's labour force decreased by 2.3%, while employment decreased by 1.4%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.8% and labour force grow by 2.0%, with an increase in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Sunshine Beach's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Sunshine Beach's median income among taxpayers was $48,704 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $88,732 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of Qld's median and average incomes of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Sunshine Beach would be approximately $55,518 (median) and $101,146 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family, and personal incomes in Sunshine Beach cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. The distribution shows that 32.2% of residents (2,399 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, mirroring the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 16.7% of income in Sunshine Beach. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Sunshine Beach's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 65.4% houses and 34.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunshine Beach was at 39.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.1% and rented ones at 27.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was $500, the same as Non-Metro Qld's figure. Nationally, Sunshine Beach's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Sunshine Beach features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 72.5% of all households, including 27.1% couples with children, 34.7% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.5%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households comprising 5.0%. The median household size is 2.4 people, aligning with the average for the Rest of Qld.

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

Sunshine Beach has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 36.5% holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses both the broader Queensland state average of 20.6% and the SA4 region average of 24.9%. The area's residents have a substantial educational advantage, which is led by Bachelor degrees at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.1%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.7% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.3%) and certificates (21.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in secondary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education. Sunshine Beach's five schools have a combined enrollment of 2,944 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1044) and balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub, with 39.5 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Sunshine Beach has 32 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 1,012 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 195 meters of the nearest stop.

On average, there are 144 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Sunshine Beach, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (4,769 people), compared to 57.2% across Rest of Qld and the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.1 and 6.3% of residents respectively, while 75.3% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.8% across Rest of Qld.

Sunshine Beach has 19.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,450 people), lower than the 25.8% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Sunshine Beach has a cultural diversity level above average, with 9.5% of its population speaking languages other than English at home and 28.1% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Sunshine Beach, accounting for 41.1% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to the Rest of Qld, comprising 0.4% versus 0.3%.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (32.9%), Australian (21.1%), and Irish (10.5%). Some ethnic groups show notable divergences: French at 1.4% compared to 1.0% regionally, Scottish at 9.9% versus 9.7%, and Spanish at 0.7% compared to 0.4%.

Sunshine Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Sunshine Beach's median age is 46 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of Qld's 41 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Sunshine Beach has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (16.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.6%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the 25-34 age group has increased from 9.1% to 10.6%, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 5.8% to 7.1%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has decreased from 13.1% to 10.9%. By 2041, Sunshine Beach is projected to see significant shifts in its age composition. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 19%, reaching 939 people from the current 786. Meanwhile, the 45-54 and 5-14 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.