Sunrise Beach

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

The population of the Sunrise Beach statistical area (Lv2) was estimated at 3,977 as of Nov 2025, reflecting an increase of 290 people from the 2021 Census figure of 3,687. This growth represents a 7.9% increase since the last census. The population estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), including an additional 8 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,597 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The Sunrise Beach (SA2) area's growth rate of 7.9% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its surrounding SA3 area at 5.9%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although natural growth and interstate migration also played positive roles.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area 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 used, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Considering projected demographic shifts, the Sunrise Beach (SA2) area is expected to expand by 144 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 4.5% in total over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Sunrise Beach shows around 23 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 116 homes were approved, with 8 more approved so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling adds about 2.2 new residents per year over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $681,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. This financial year has seen $107,000 in commercial development approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Sunrise Beach has slightly more development, around 19.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years.

New development consists of approximately 58.0% detached dwellings and 42.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of housing options. The location currently has about 109 people per dwelling approval. Future projections estimate Sunrise Beach to add around 180 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current development patterns suggest that new housing supply should meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Sunrise Beach 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 three projects likely affecting this region: Sunrise Beach Village, Noosa Aquatic Centre Facility Upgrade Plan, David Low Way Retaining Wall and Shared Pathway at Sunrise Beach, and Noosa Business Centre Village Precinct. Below are details of the most relevant ones.

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Sunrise Beach ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Sunrise Beach has an educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.1%.

AreaSearch data shows that 2,268 residents are employed, with a 2.0% lower unemployment rate compared to Rest of Qld's 4.1%. Workforce participation is high at 64.8%, above Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key employment sectors include accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and construction. Accommodation & food has a notable concentration with levels at 1.9 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.4% compared to 4.5% regionally.

Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3%, employment fell by 1.7%, causing unemployment to drop by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.7%. As of 25-Nov-25, state-level data shows QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely matching the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts indicate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sunrise Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Sunrise Beach had a median income among taxpayers of $47,189 and an average income of $85,971 in the financial year 2023, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld's of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $51,865 (median) and $94,491 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Sunrise Beach cluster around the 56th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 34.0% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,352 residents), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 31.7% in the same category. High housing costs consume 17.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 55th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Sunrise Beach's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 68.0% houses and 32.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunrise Beach was at 34.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.0% and rented ones at 27.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Sunrise Beach was $508, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $500. Nationally, Sunrise Beach's median monthly mortgage repayment is significantly higher at $1,863, and rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Sunrise Beach features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.2% of all households, including 32.1% couples with children, 30.3% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 21.2% and group households comprising 5.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

Sunrise 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 Sunrise Beach is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 33.8% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the Rest of Qld and 24.9% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 35.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.8%, while certificates make up 22.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.2% in secondary education, 9.5% in primary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 13 active stops operating within Sunrise Beach. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 3 individual routes. Weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 567.

Residential accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with residents typically located 185 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 81 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 43 weekly trips per stop.

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

Sunrise Beach demonstrates excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Approximately 61% (2,436 people) have private health cover, exceeding the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.7% and 6.5% respectively. A total of 75.6% report no medical ailments, higher than Rest of Qld's 68.8%. Sunrise Beach has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.5% (616 people), compared to Rest of Qld's 25.8%. Senior health outcomes are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Sunrise Beach's population showed higher-than-average linguistic diversity, with 10.5% speaking a language other than English at home, and 27.7% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 40.6%. Judaism, however, was more prevalent in Sunrise Beach at 0.5%, compared to the regional average of 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.7%), Australian (21.6%), and Irish (9.9%). Notably, French (1.2% vs regional 1.0%), Spanish (1.0% vs regional 0.4%), and Scottish (9.8% vs regional 9.7%) groups were overrepresented.

Sunrise Beach hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Sunrise Beach's median age is 44 years, which is marginally higher than Rest of Qld's average of 41 years and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that the 45-54 year-olds are particularly prominent, making up 17.4% of the population, while the 65-74 group is comparatively smaller at 8.3%. This concentration of 45-54 year-olds is well above the national average of 12.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 9.2% to 10.7%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 4.5% to 5.9%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 10.4% to 8.3%. Population forecasts for Sunrise Beach in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 21%, adding 88 residents to reach a total of 514. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 55-64 age cohorts.