Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, as of Nov 2025, Airlie Beach's estimated population is around 1,566. This reflects a 19.4% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported 1,312 people. The change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 1,500 in Jun 2024 and 36 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 513 persons per square kilometer. Airlie Beach's growth exceeded the SA4 region (7.8%) and non-metro area, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 57.99999999999999% to population gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year, and Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections for years post-2032 based on 2021 data. Projected demographic shifts indicate a significant population increase in the top quartile of non-metropolitan areas by 2041, with Airlie Beach expected to grow by 575 persons, reflecting a 30.6% total increase over 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Airlie Beach when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Airlie Beach shows around 13 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 66 homes were approved, with another 6 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of 3.1 new residents per year for every home built over the past five financial years.

Supply is lagging demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $1,982,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year, $15.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

Compared to the rest of Queensland, Airlie Beach has slightly more development, at 43.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. New building activity comprises 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% medium and high-density housing, showing an expanding range of medium-density options across price brackets. The location currently has approximately 151 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts suggest Airlie Beach will gain 479 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Airlie Beach has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects that could impact the region. Key projects include Shute Harbour Road Upgrade, Whitsunday Cultural Arts Centre, Whitsunday Regional Sports Precinct in Cannonvale, and Whitsunday Technology Innovation Hub. The following list details those most relevant.

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.

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

Airlie Beach has a well-educated workforce with tourism and hospitality sectors prominent. The unemployment rate was 5.2% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0%.

As of September 2025967 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.1% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation stands at 63.8%, slightly above Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key employment sectors include accommodation & food, transport, postal & warehousing, and health care & social assistance. Notably, accommodation & food has a high concentration with employment levels at 3.9 times the regional average, while health care & social assistance has limited presence at 7.0% compared to the regional 16.1%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. In the past year, employment increased by 4.0%, labour force grew by 3.9%, with unemployment remaining unchanged. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.7%, labour force grew by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov shows QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Airlie Beach's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Airlie Beach had a median taxpayer income of $52,497 and an average income of $67,309 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is roughly national average, unlike Rest of Qld's median income of $53,146 and average income of $66,593. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $57,699 (median) and $73,979 (average), based on a 9.91% growth since financial year 2023. In the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 71st percentile ($932 weekly), while household income was at the 39th percentile. Distribution data showed that 33.0% of locals (516 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% occupied this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 82.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 39th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Airlie Beach features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Airlie Beach, as per the latest Census evaluation, 31.2% of dwellings were houses while 68.8% consisted of semi-detached units, apartments, and other types. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 74.7% houses and 25.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Airlie Beach stood at 32.8%, with mortgaged properties at 17.1% and rented ones at 50.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,925, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,700. The median weekly rent in Airlie Beach was $380, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $350. Nationally, Airlie Beach's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Airlie Beach features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 49.9% of all households, including 10.3% couples with children, 34.6% couples without children, and 4.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 50.1%, with lone person households at 39.6% and group households at 10.1%. The median household size is 1.8 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

Airlie Beach demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Airlie Beach is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 29.7% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 15.6% in the SA4 region and 17.7% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 22.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 44.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 15.7% and certificates for 28.3%.

Additionally, 23.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 5.5% in tertiary education, 5.3% in secondary education, and 4.7% in primary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Airlie Beach shows that there are currently twelve active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with two individual routes providing a total of 343 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located 378 meters away from the nearest transport stop.

On average, there are 49 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 28 weekly trips per individual stop.

Airlie Beach's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Airlie Beach with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~843 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 6.8 and 6.1% of residents respectively. 76.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.3% across Rest of Qld. The area has 13.7% of residents aged 65 and over (214 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Airlie Beach's population showed higher cultural diversity compared to most local markets, with 13.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 36.8% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Airlie Beach, comprising 36.7% of its population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.5%, higher than the Rest of Qld's average of 0.1%.

For ancestry, the top three groups were English (33.1%), Australian (20.2%), and Irish (10.1%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Spanish (1.3% vs regional 0.6%), New Zealand (1.2% vs 1.1%), and French (0.8% vs 0.6%) were overrepresented in Airlie Beach.

Airlie Beach's median age exceeds the national pattern

Airlie Beach has a median age of 40, which is close to the Rest of Qld figure of 41 but exceeds the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 28.4% of Airlie Beach's population, compared to Rest of Qld, and is higher than the national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 cohort represents only 2.3%, which is lower than Rest of Qld. According to the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 26.5% to 28.4%, while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 4.0% to 2.3%. The 55-64 group has also decreased from 16.6% to 15.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Airlie Beach's age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 46%, adding 204 people to reach 649 from the current 444. The 85+ group shows no growth, with only 3 residents added.