Baringa
A median age of 29 sits 11 years below the national figure, and that single number explains most of what makes Baringa distinct. This is a master-planned growth pocket on the Sunshine Coast where the population has expanded 196.7% over the decade and continues at 4.93% a year, far above any established suburb. The housing stock is 83.2% separate houses, of which 56.1% carry four or more bedrooms, built for the young families that dominate here. Household income reaches the 76.8th percentile nationally, yet the $583,000 median house price keeps mortgage-to-income at a comfortable 22.0%, well under the 30% stress threshold. With 45.7% of homes under mortgage against just 11.5% owned outright, this is a recent-buyer market rather than one of long-settled owners.
Population
4,604
Median Age
29.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,050/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$583K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $583,000 median house price makes Baringa accessible for a coastal suburb, and the demographics confirm who is buying: 45.7% of dwellings carry a mortgage while only 11.5% are owned outright, a ratio that marks a young, recently-settled buyer base rather than established owners. The stock is built for families, with 83.2% separate houses and 56.1% holding four or more bedrooms, against just 5.2% with two bedrooms. Apartments are effectively absent at 0.4%, so buyers seeking a unit will look elsewhere. Affordability is the real draw: average monthly repayments of $1,950 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.0%, well below the 30% stress line, because household income sits in the 76.8th percentile while prices stay moderate. The trade-off is a fast-changing area with a 38.7% resident turnover rate.
For Buyers
The $583,000 median house price makes Baringa accessible for a coastal suburb, and the demographics confirm who is buying: 45.7% of dwellings carry a mortgage while only 11.5% are owned outright, a ratio that marks a young, recently-settled buyer base rather than established owners. The stock is built for families, with 83.2% separate houses and 56.1% holding four or more bedrooms, against just 5.2% with two bedrooms. Apartments are effectively absent at 0.4%, so buyers seeking a unit will look elsewhere. Affordability is the real draw: average monthly repayments of $1,950 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.0%, well below the 30% stress line, because household income sits in the 76.8th percentile while prices stay moderate. The trade-off is a fast-changing area with a 38.7% resident turnover rate.
For Investors
A 42.8% renter share and weekly rent of $485 give landlords a deep, growing tenant pool, and the demand fundamentals are unusually strong. The vacancy rate of 4.0% points to a balanced market rather than oversupply, and rent has climbed 26.3% over the period as new residents arrive faster than housing completes. The growth engine is internal migration, adding about 1,626 residents a year against 103 from overseas, so tenant demand is structural rather than cyclical. Against the $583,000 median, the $485 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.3%, materially higher than the sub-2% yields typical of premium coastal markets. Annual population growth of 4.93% supports both occupancy and capital appreciation, though the 0.4% apartment share means investors are effectively limited to detached houses.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Baringa iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Baringa State Primary School
Prep-6 · 930 students
Baringa State Secondary College
7-12 · 677 students
Demographics
The median age of 29 runs 11.0 years below the national figure, the defining demographic fact and the reason families with children dominate at 2,252 households against 787 childless couples. Average household size is 3.0 people, 0.5 above national, consistent with the four-bedroom family stock. Overseas-born residents reach 27.5%, which is 5.9 points above national, and the leading non-English languages are Malayalam (63 speakers), Punjabi (30) and Nepali (28), reflecting recent skilled-migrant arrivals into healthcare and trades. Ancestry remains Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,917), Scottish (376) and Irish (368). University qualifications sit at 28.7%, marginally below the national figure by 1.4 points, which fits a workforce weighted toward healthcare and construction rather than corporate professions.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.2%
Houses
16.4%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward debt: 45.7% of homes carry a mortgage, 42.8% are rented, and only 11.5% are owned outright, a profile that signals a young suburb still in its first ownership cycle rather than one of settled wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 83.2% separate houses, with semi-detached at 16.4% and apartments a negligible 0.4%. Family scale shows in bedroom counts, where 56.1% have four or more bedrooms and 38.2% have three, while two-bedroom dwellings make up just 5.2%. The $583,000 median house price keeps mortgage-to-income at 22.0% and rent-to-income at 23.7%, both below the 30% stress threshold, because household income reaches the 76.8th percentile. Affordability has improved markedly, from 71.8% in 2011 to 56.2% in 2021, as incomes rose faster than entry prices.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$485
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$939
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
63
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.9%
Couples, no children
3,959
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is anchored by Healthcare at 28.6% (475 workers), nearly three times the next sector, reflecting the suburb's proximity to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital precinct. Construction follows at 10.5% (175), fitting an area still building out, with Retail at 8.4%, Education at 7.8% and Professional/Tech at 6.4%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 502, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers at 364 and Clerical staff at 306. Unemployment is low at 4.7% and the participation rate is healthy at 69.0%, with a full-time employment rate of 64.2%. On SEIFA, Baringa scores decile 7 on economic resources (IER) but decile 5 on education and occupation (IEO), a split that makes sense for a high-income but trade-and-health-weighted workforce. Real incomes grew 31.2% over the decade, well above typical wage growth.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
12,342
Unemployed
374
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.2%
Part-time
31.1%
Participation
69.0%
Employed
2,157
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.7%
Postgraduate
6.4%
Born Overseas
27.5%
Dwellings
1,500
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 91.0% of residents drive to work, while public transport accounts for just 1.8% and active travel 1.6%, well below the national mix and a structural feature of a greenfield Sunshine Coast suburb still awaiting rail. On SEIFA, Baringa scores decile 6 on both IRSAD and IRSD, mid-to-upper on advantage and disadvantage, with only 4.2% of residents (183 people) needing daily assistance, a low figure consistent with the young median age of 29. Volunteering runs at 11.3%. No schools are recorded inside the 2.67 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions, though the high four-bedroom share and family-heavy profile suggest strong local demand. Housing costs stay manageable, with rent-to-income at 23.7%, below the stress threshold.
Drive
91.0%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+4.93%/yr
(+1,176 people/yr)
High GrowthBaringa is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the dataset, expanding 196.7% over the decade and continuing at 4.93% a year, a pace that classifies it as high-growth and dwarfs the near-flat trajectory of established suburbs. The driver is internal migration, adding roughly 1,626 residents a year compared with 103 from overseas, as buyers move to the master-planned community for affordability and new housing. The working-age share rose 2.7 points while the senior share fell 3.7 points, deepening the young-family skew. The gentrification stage reads as new development rather than displacement, which fits a greenfield area with no established population to price out. Affordability improved from 71.8% to 56.2% between 2011 and 2021 even as rents climbed 26.3%, because incomes and supply both expanded.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+103
Net Internal / yr
+1,626
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Baringa compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baringa a good suburb to live in?
Baringa suits young families: the median age is 29, 11 years below national, and 83.2% of homes are separate houses with 56.1% having four or more bedrooms. It scores decile 6 on SEIFA advantage, household income sits in the 76.8th percentile, and the main trade-off is heavy car dependence at 91.0% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Baringa?
The median house price is $583,000, accessible for a coastal suburb. Weekly rent averages $485 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.0%, below the 30% stress threshold because household income reaches the 76.8th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Baringa?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.67 km2 Baringa boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Demand is clearly present given the family profile, with 56.1% of dwellings holding four or more bedrooms and an average household size of 3.0, above national.
Is Baringa safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Baringa in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, it scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and only 4.2% of its residents (183 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a stable, lower-disadvantage area.
Is Baringa good for property investment?
Rent of $485 a week against a $583,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.3%, well above premium coastal markets. The 4.0% vacancy rate and 42.8% renter share signal solid demand, and internal migration adds about 1,626 residents a year, supporting both occupancy and capital growth.
How is Baringa's population changing?
Baringa is high-growth, expanding 196.7% over the decade and 4.93% a year, far above established suburbs. Internal migration drives it, adding roughly 1,626 residents annually versus 103 from overseas, while the working-age share rose 2.7 points and the senior share fell 3.7 points.
What languages are spoken in Baringa?
About 27.5% of residents were born overseas, 5.9 points above national. English dominates, while the most common non-English languages are Malayalam (63 speakers), Punjabi (30), Nepali (28) and Hindi (18), reflecting recent skilled-migrant arrivals into the local healthcare and trades workforce.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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