Coombabah

Coombabah is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the Coombabah statistical area (Lv2) is around 10,817 people. This reflects an increase of 519 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,298 people in the Coombabah (SA2). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 10,773 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional two validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 931 persons per square kilometer. The Coombabah (SA2) has seen a population growth of approximately 5.0% since the census, positioning it within 1.5 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.5%. This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing about 70.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. It is noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data are applied where utilised. Looking ahead, demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas for the Coombabah (SA2), expected to increase by 830 persons to reach approximately 11,647 people by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 7.3% in total over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Coombabah according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Coombabah recorded approximately 4 residential properties granted approval annually, with 21 homes approved between financial years FY-21 and FY-25. In FY-26, 3 properties have been approved so far. This results in an average of 12.4 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

The supply of new dwellings is substantially lagging demand, which may lead to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average value of $423,000. In FY-26, $120,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating minimal commercial development activity compared to residential construction. Coombabah records markedly lower building activity than the Rest of Qld region, with 90.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

Recent building activity consists entirely of standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. Developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies, reflecting strong demand for family homes amid densification trends. The estimated count of 1783 people per dwelling approval reflects Coombabah's quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate that Coombabah will gain 786 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Coombabah has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified twelve projects expected to influence the region. Notable initiatives include upgrades to Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area park and Serenity 4212 development. The Coombabah Sewage Treatment Plant Stage 6 Upgrade is also underway.

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

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

Coombabah has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, diverse sectors represented, an unemployment rate of 4.5% as of September 2025, and estimated employment growth of 2.5% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. There are 4,765 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 0.5% higher than Rest of Qld's 4.1%.

Workforce participation is lower at 49.0%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has a strong specialization in administrative & support services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.4% of Coombabah's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%.

Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.5%, labour force by 2.3%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland 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 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between sectors. Applying these projections to Coombabah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Coombabah had a median taxpayer income of $41,455 and an average income of $63,333. These figures are below the national averages of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively for Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth since June 2023, estimated median and average incomes in Coombabah as of September 2025 would be approximately $45,563 and $69,609. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Coombabah fall between the 7th and 12th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 31.3% of residents earn between $400 and $799 annually, contrasting with regional levels where the $1500 to $2999 bracket leads at 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Coombabah, with only 79.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

Coombabah displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Coombabah's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 49.3% houses and 50.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. This compares to Non-Metro Qld's figures of 41.7% houses and 58.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coombabah stood at 43.0%, with mortgaged properties at 28.1% and rented ones at 28.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,647, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Coombabah was recorded as $415, slightly higher than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $410. Nationally, Coombabah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 61.6% of all households, including 18.2% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.4%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households comprising 3.8%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.2.

Educational outcomes in Coombabah fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates of 16.1%, 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 10.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (28.1%).

A substantial 23.5% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.2% in primary education, 6.4% in secondary education, and 3.6% in tertiary education.

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

Coombabah has 30 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by five different routes, offering a total of 1,790 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 221 meters.

On average, there are 255 trips per day across all routes, which translates to about 59 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Coombabah faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents.

The private health cover rate stands at approximately 52%, higher than the average SA2 area's rate (~5,657 people). Arthritis and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions, impacting 13.1% and 8.1% of residents respectively. Conversely, 58.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.5% in Rest of Qld. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 33.1% (3,580 people), compared to the Rest of Qld's 25.8%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Coombabah are better than those of the general population.

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

Coombabah, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas with 11.7% of its residents speaking languages other than English at home and 34.2% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 53.3% of Coombabah's population as of June 2016. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Coombabah with 0.2%, compared to the Rest of Qld's 0.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (33.1%), Australian (22.2%), and Irish (8.4%). There were significant differences in the representation of certain ethnicities: New Zealanders made up 1.7% compared to the regional average of 1.4%, Maori comprised 1.6% versus 1.5%, and Hungarians accounted for 0.4% against the regional average of 0.3%.

Coombabah ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Coombabah's median age is 51, which exceeds Rest of Qld's figure of 41 and is above Australia's 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld average, the 75-84 cohort is notably over-represented at 13.6% locally, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 7.9%. This 75-84 concentration is well above the national figure of 6.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 8.1% to 9.4%, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 9.6% to 10.7%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 9.9% to 7.9%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 16.5% to 15.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Coombabah's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to more than double, expanding by 495 people (102%) from 486 to 982. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 57% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 cohorts.