Peregian Beach

Population growth drivers in Peregian Beach are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the Peregian Beach statistical area (Lv2) is around 5,531. This figure reflects a growth of 559 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,972. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), resulting in an estimated resident population of 5,528 plus an additional 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. This equates to a density ratio of 335 persons per square kilometer. The area's growth rate of 11.2% since the 2021 census exceeds both the non-metro area (8.8%) and the national average, indicating significant population growth in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 45.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are used, released in 2023 with a base year of 2021. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings based on the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, using data from 2022) for each age cohort. Looking ahead to future population dynamics, lower quartile growth is anticipated for locations outside of capital cities. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Peregian Beach (SA2) is expected to grow by 208 persons to reach a total population of 5,739 by 2041, reflecting an overall decline of 0.1% over the 17-year period.

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

Peregian Beach recorded approximately 26 residential properties granted approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 132 homes were approved, with an additional 11 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 3.4 people moved to the area for each dwelling built during these years.

This demand outpaces supply, potentially exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. The average construction cost value of new properties is approximately $1,150,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $1.3 million, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. New building activity comprises 69.0% detached dwellings and 31.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of medium-density options across various price brackets. The area has approximately 229 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth. However, with population expected to remain stable or decline, pressure on housing should be reduced, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Thirteen infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Among these key projects are the Peregian Beach Reservoir Upgrade, SEQ Liveability Fund - Peregian Beach Pathways, Peregian Springs Shopping Centre Expansion, and Peregian Beach Park Upgrade. The following list details those expected to have the most 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.

The labour market strength in Peregian Beach positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Peregian Beach has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

In this month, 2,931 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.3 percentage points lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Peregian Beach stood at 65.8%, surpassing Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries of employment among residents included health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Notably, professional & technical services had employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employed just 1% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 4.5%.

The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.5%, accompanied by a 1.9% decrease in employment, leading to a 0.6 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. Meanwhile, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 showed Queensland's 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 projected a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Peregian Beach's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Peregian Beach suburb shows median taxpayer income of $54,146 and average of $78,197 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is above national averages, contrasting with Rest of Qld's median income of $53,146 and average income of $66,593. As of September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $59,512 (median) and $85,946 (average), accounting for Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Peregian Beach cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. The income band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 32.9% of the community (1,819 individuals), consistent with broader regional trends showing 31.7% in the same category. High housing costs consume 17.0% of income, placing disposable income at the 58th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Peregian Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with strong rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Peregian Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 80.3% houses and 19.7% other dwellings. Home ownership stood at 35.4%, with 38.4% of dwellings mortgaged and 26.2% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, while the median weekly rent was $500. Nationally, Peregian Beach's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Peregian Beach has a typical household mix, with a median household size of 2.6 people

Family households account for 75.7 percent of all households, including 35.0 percent couples with children, 30.6 percent couples without children, and 9.7 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.3 percent, with lone person households at 20.8 percent and group households comprising 3.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people.

Peregian Beach shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Peregian Beach is notably high, with 35.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications as of the latest available data. This compares favourably to broader benchmarks of 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 24.9% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 24.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 36.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 13.1%, while certificates make up 23.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.0% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Peregian Beach has 10 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by buses only, on two different routes. Together, these routes provide a total of 231 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Peregian Beach is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 414 meters away from the nearest stop. On average, there are 33 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

Peregian 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 Peregian Beach.

Prevalence of common health conditions is very low across all age groups. Private health cover rate is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~3,218 people). The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 7.2 and 6.8% of residents respectively. 75.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 0% across Rest of Qld. The area has 17.3% of residents aged 65 and over (956 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Peregian 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's population, born in Australia, was 75.9%, with 88.0% being citizens and 93.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 41.9%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to none in the rest of Queensland.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.7%), Australian (22.6%), and Irish (10.0%). French, Scottish, and South African ethnicities showed notable divergences: French at 1.0% (none regionally), Scottish at 9.5%, and South African at 0.9%.

Peregian Beach's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Peregian Beach is 42 years, close to Rest of Qld's average of 41 years but higher than Australia's median of 38 years. The cohort aged 55-64 is over-represented in Peregian Beach at 14.9%, compared to the Rest of Qld average, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.4% to 10.3%, while the cohort aged 5-14 has declined from 14.7% to 13.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that the age group 25-34 will expand by 67 people (13%), from 519 to 587. The aging population trend is evident with those aged 65 and above comprising 58% of projected growth. Conversely, the cohorts aged 45-54 and 55-64 are expected to experience population declines.