Cooloola Cove

Population growth drivers in Cooloola Cove are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, Cooloola Cove's population is estimated at around 3,203 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 282 people (9.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,921 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,083, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional one validated new address since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 236 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Cooloola Cove's 9.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (8.8%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 92.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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 based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023 based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Moving forward with demographic trends, lower quartile growth of national non-metropolitan areas is anticipated, with the Cooloola Cove statistical area (Lv2) expected to increase by 122 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 1.8% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Cooloola Cove when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Cooloola Cove averaged around 11 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, totalling an estimated 58 homes. As of FY-26, 4 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.5 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built during this period. This outpaces supply, potentially putting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers.

The average value of new homes being built is $393,000. In FY-26, $5.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Cooloola Cove has significantly reduced construction activity, with 57.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties but building activity has accelerated recently.

All recent building activity consists of standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. With around 200 people per approval, Cooloola Cove reflects a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add 59 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

No infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact the area. Key projects are Forest Wind Farm, Borumba Pumped Hydro Transmission Connections, Queensland Energy Roadmap 2025, and Queensland Supergrid South.

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

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The labour market performance in Cooloola Cove lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Cooloola Cove has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. The tourism and hospitality sectors are prominent.

As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 9.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 9.6% over the past year. There are 894 residents employed, but the unemployment rate is 5.3% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation lags significantly at 29.2%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment is concentrated in retail trade, accommodation & food, and health care & social assistance.

Retail trade has an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance employs only 11.7% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 16.1%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 9.6%, while labour force increased by 10.2%, resulting in a rise of unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.7% and labour force expand by 2.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 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%. Job and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Cooloola Cove's employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to its employment mix.

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

Cooloola Cove's median taxpayer income was $32,697 and average income was $44,091 in financial year 2023, according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data. This is lower than the national averages of $53,146 (median) and $66,593 (average). By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $35,937 and average income $48,460, based on a 9.91% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. In the 2021 Census, Cooloola Cove's incomes were in the 0th to 1st percentile nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income brackets showed 41.6% of residents earning $400-$799 weekly, unlike surrounding areas where 31.7% earned $1,500-$2,999 weekly. Financial pressure was evident with 50.3% of households having modest weekly budgets below $800 after housing costs. After housing expenses, 86.1% of income remained, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

Cooloola Cove is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Cooloola Cove's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.5% houses and 3.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 91.8% houses and 8.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooloola Cove was 60.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented ones at 14.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,172, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,326. The median weekly rent in Cooloola Cove was $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $290. Nationally, Cooloola Cove's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,172 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Cooloola Cove features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.0% of all households, including 13.2% couples with children, 47.3% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 30.0%, with lone person households at 26.4% and group households at 3.8%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Cooloola Cove aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 7.1%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 5.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (0.9%) and postgraduate qualifications (0.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas comprise 8.3% and certificates make up 34.6%.

School and university attendance accounts for 18.2% of the community, including 6.8% in primary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 0.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Cooloola Cove has nine active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by one route in total, offering ten weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of transport is rated as moderate, with residents located an average of 463 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there is one trip per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Cooloola Cove is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Cooloola Cove faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 45% (~1,431 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical issues are arthritis (affecting 16.1% of residents) and mental health problems (impacting 10.5%). Conversely, 48.4% claim to be free from medical ailments compared to 60.3% in the rest of Queensland. Cooloola Cove has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 43.4% (1,390 people), compared to 25.4% in the rest of Queensland. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population's health metrics.

Cooloola Cove is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Cooloola Cove had cultural diversity levels below average, with 82.7% of its population born in Australia, 89.4% being citizens, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 54.3% of people in Cooloola Cove, compared to 50.4% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.8%), Australian (28.2%), and Irish (9.1%).

Notably, German ethnicity was overrepresented at 6.0%, Maori at 0.7%, and Welsh at 0.6%.

Cooloola Cove ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cooloola Cove's median age is 62 years, which exceeds Rest of Qld's median of 41 years and is also higher than the Australian median of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent at 27.3%, while those aged 25-34 make up only 5.4% of the population, which is smaller compared to Rest of Qld's percentage. This concentration of people aged 65-74 is higher than the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of those aged 75-84 has increased from 12.6% to 14.1%, while the 55-64 age group has risen from 17.9% to 19.0%. Conversely, the 65-74 age group has decreased from 29.1% to 27.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Cooloola Cove's age structure. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 65 individuals (103%) from 64 to 130. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 76% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 75-84 and 5-14 age cohorts.