Sunshine Beach

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

Sunshine Beach's population was estimated at 2,753 as of Nov 2025, reflecting an increase of 273 people (11.0%) since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,480 people. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,750 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of two new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density ratio was 1,448 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Sunshine Beach's growth rate of 11.0% since the 2021 census surpassed the SA3 area's 6.5%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration being positive factors. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year.

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. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort released in 2023 using 2022 data. Population projections indicate lower quartile growth for Australia's regional areas, with Sunshine Beach expected to expand by 109 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 1.9% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Sunshine Beach among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Sunshine Beach shows around 14 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 74 homes. In FY26 so far, three approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.1 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating demand outpacing supply. New properties are constructed at an average value of $681,000.

There has also been $38,000 in commercial approvals this financial year. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Sunshine Beach has slightly more development, with 13.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. New development consists of 47.0% standalone homes and 53.0% townhouses or apartments. With around 87 people per dwelling approval, Sunshine Beach shows characteristics of a growth area.

Future projections estimate an addition of 53 residents by 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Sunshine Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified two projects likely affecting this region. Notable projects are Sunrise Beach Village, Noosa Aquatic Centre Facility Upgrade Plan, Noosa Business Centre Village Precinct, and Calile Hotel Noosa. Relevant details follow.

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

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Employment conditions in Sunshine Beach demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Sunshine Beach has a highly educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate as of June 2025 was 1.9%.

This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In June 2025, 1,425 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.1% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Sunshine Beach was somewhat below standard at 56.2%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Leading employment industries among residents included accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Accommodation & food had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. However, public administration & safety was under-represented, with only 1.8% of Sunshine Beach's workforce compared to 5.9% in Rest of Qld. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.6%, while employment declined by 1.9%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.8 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.8%, labour force expanded by 2.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 could offer further insight into potential future demand within Sunshine Beach. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggested that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Sunshine Beach's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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

Sunshine Beach had a median taxpayer income of $50,611 and an average of $92,207 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is significantly higher than the national median income of $50,780 and average income of $64,844 in Rest of Qld. By September 2025, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $57,691 and an average of $105,107 based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since the financial year 2022. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 67th percentile with $902 weekly, while household income is at the 49th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 29.5% of residents (812 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to regional levels where 31.7% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 83.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 49th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Sunshine Beach's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 56.9% houses and 43.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunshine Beach was 42.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.0% and rented ones at 31.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Sunshine Beach was $495, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $500. Nationally, Sunshine Beach's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 68.1% of all households, including 18.6% couples with children, 38.7% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.9%, with lone person households at 26.9% and group households making up 4.7%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Sunshine Beach exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Sunshine Beach is notably high, with 38.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 24.9% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 14.3% and certificates make up 20.6%. Educational participation is high, with 25.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 7.9% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education. Sunshine Beach's five schools have a combined enrollment of 2,944 students, serving typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1044). The area functions as an education hub with 106.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Sunshine Beach has 15 active public transport stops. These are served by buses only. There are 4 different bus routes operating in the area.

Together, these routes provide a total of 820 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 193 meters. On average, there are 117 bus trips per day across all routes. This means each stop gets about 54 weekly trips.

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

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Sunshine Beach. The prevalence of common health conditions was very low across all age groups. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (1,754 people), compared to 57.2% in Rest of Qld and the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A total of 74.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.8% in Rest of Qld. Sunshine Beach has 24.2% of residents aged 65 and over (666 people), which is lower than the 25.8% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Sunshine Beach had a higher than average cultural diversity, with 9.1% speaking a language other than English at home and 29.3% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 40.0%. Judaism, however, was slightly overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.3% in the rest of Queensland.

The top three ancestry groups were English (33.6%), Australian (19.2%), and Irish (11.7%). Notably, French (1.7%) Welsh (0.9%), and Scottish (10.1%) ethnicities were also overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.0%, 0.7%, and 9.7% respectively.

Sunshine Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Sunshine Beach has a median age of 48, which is higher than Rest of Qld's figure of 41 and significantly above the national norm of 38. The 55-64 age group makes up 17.0% of Sunshine Beach's population, compared to Rest of Qld's figure, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 8.1%. This 55-64 concentration is well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group grew from 7.1% to 8.6%, and the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 10.3% to 11.6%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort declined from 16.1% to 13.7%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 15.6% to 14.2%. By 2041, Sunshine Beach is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 25 to 34 group growing by 18% (58 people) to reach 378 from 319. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 and 5 to 14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.