Battery Hill
A median age of 43, three years above the national figure, is the single most telling number about Battery Hill. Packed into just 0.93 square kilometres on the Sunshine Coast, this compact suburb of 2,596 people has an older, settled character: 34.3% own their home outright and 79.3% of residents stayed put between census years. The median house price sits around $506,000, below many comparable Sunshine Coast locations, and the household income percentile of 39.3 nationally confirms affordability is a genuine feature rather than a marketing claim. Healthcare and construction dominate employment, and 70.3% of dwellings are separate houses.
Population
2,596
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,382/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$506K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $506,000 represents reasonable entry for the Sunshine Coast, where many surrounding suburbs command considerably higher medians. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,830, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6% sits at the stress threshold, meaning buyers need to budget carefully. Separate houses dominate at 70.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 21.4% and apartments at just 8.3%, so genuine house-and-land options are available. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 47.5%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 30.0%. Outright ownership at 34.3% is higher than the national average, pointing to a community of long-term holders rather than rapid churn, which tends to support price stability.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $506,000 represents reasonable entry for the Sunshine Coast, where many surrounding suburbs command considerably higher medians. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,830, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6% sits at the stress threshold, meaning buyers need to budget carefully. Separate houses dominate at 70.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 21.4% and apartments at just 8.3%, so genuine house-and-land options are available. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 47.5%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 30.0%. Outright ownership at 34.3% is higher than the national average, pointing to a community of long-term holders rather than rapid churn, which tends to support price stability.
For Investors
A 32.3% renter share with weekly rent of $400 gives a gross yield of approximately 4.1% against the $506,000 median, higher than many inner-city benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 8.4% is elevated and warrants attention, as it indicates some excess supply or seasonal softness in the rental pool. Net overseas migration averages 92 persons a year, which is the primary population driver, while net internal migration runs at negative 49 annually. Development activity is low at only 3 applications in the past 12 months, limiting new supply pressure. Population is forecast to grow modestly to around 8,418 by 2031 under the medium scenario, providing steady rather than speculative demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Battery Hill's median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, driven by a senior share that rose 4.2 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 0.9 points. Overseas-born residents account for 18.4%, which is 3.2 points below the national rate, consistent with an Anglo-leaning profile: English (1,211 residents), Irish (353) and Scottish (311) are the top ancestries. University qualifications reach 28.3%, which is 1.8 points below the national figure. Average household size of 2.4 is marginally below national. The volunteering rate of 16.1% reflects an engaged, established community, and 31.1% of families are couples without children, typical of the aging demographic pattern.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.3%
Houses
21.4%
Townhouse
8.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into three roughly equal bands: 34.3% own outright, 33.4% carry a mortgage and 32.3% rent. Outright owners slightly outnumber mortgage holders, pointing to established long-term residents rather than a wave of recent buyers. The housing stock is detached-house dominant at 70.3%, well above many coastal suburb averages. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 47.5% and 4-plus bedrooms account for 30.0%, meaning larger family homes define the streetscape. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, buyers are at the edge of the stress threshold, though rent-to-income of 28.9% stays below that level, keeping tenants more comfortable than mortgagors. SEIFA IRSD decile 6 places the suburb at moderate advantage nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,830
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$715
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
95
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples, no children
1,999
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 23.4% of the workforce (195 workers), well above most suburban averages, which reflects the ageing local population creating local services demand. Construction follows at 16.8% (140 workers) and Education at 14.0% (117 workers). By occupation, Professionals lead at 249 workers, followed by Community and Personal service workers at 178 and Clerical and Admin at 147. Unemployment sits at 5.4% and the full-time employment rate is 58.1%, with 804 residents not in the labour force, consistent with a sizeable retired cohort. Real income grew 19.4% over the decade. The SEIFA IEO decile 6 places Battery Hill in the middle tier nationally for education and occupational advantage.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
4,234
Unemployed
159
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.1%
Part-time
36.5%
Participation
53.1%
Employed
1,084
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.3%
Postgraduate
5.2%
Born Overseas
18.4%
Dwellings
1,044
Transport to Work
Battery Hill is strongly car-dependent: 88.3% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, and only 1.6% use public transport. Walking and cycling accounts for 3.9%, reasonable for a compact 0.93 square kilometre suburb. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on neighbouring Caloundra-area schools. The IRSAD decile 6 places Battery Hill in the middle tier nationally for socio-economic advantage and disadvantage combined. About 7.6% of residents need daily assistance, which is relatively high and reflects the older median age of 43. At a density of 2,799 people per square kilometre, it is one of the more compact residential suburbs on the Sunshine Coast.
Drive
88.3%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.25%/yr
(+21 people/yr)
EstablishedBattery Hill's 4.6% population growth over ten years is well below the national pace for coastal Queensland suburbs, with annual growth of 0.25% adding roughly 21 people per year. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 92 net arrivals annually, partially offset by net internal outflow of 49 per year. The medium forecast projects the broader SA2 reaching 8,418 by 2031. The gentrification score of 23 places it at early signs stage, below most actively gentrifying suburbs. Affordability improved from 61.6% in 2011 to 54.1% in 2021, yet rent grew 29.0% over the period, outpacing real income growth of 19.4%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+92
Net Internal / yr
-49
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Battery Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Battery Hill a good suburb to live in?
Battery Hill suits established residents and those seeking a quiet Sunshine Coast address. SEIFA IRSAD decile 6 places it in the mid-tier nationally for socio-economic conditions. With 79.3% of residents staying put between census years and 34.3% owning outright, it has a stable, community-oriented character. The main trade-off is car dependency, with 88.3% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Battery Hill?
The estimated median house price is $506,000, based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,830. At those levels, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 30.6%, sitting at the conventional stress threshold for the suburb's household incomes.
What schools are in Battery Hill?
No schools are recorded inside the Battery Hill suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers just 0.93 square kilometres, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Caloundra and surrounds. Battery Hill's university qualification rate of 28.3% is slightly below the national figure of around 30%.
Is Battery Hill safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Battery Hill in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it in the moderate-advantage tier nationally. The high residential stability, with 79.3% of residents remaining between census years, generally correlates with lower crime in comparable suburbs.
Is Battery Hill good for property investment?
The $400 weekly rent against a $506,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, better than many metro benchmarks. However, the 8.4% vacancy rate signals some softness in the rental pool. Net overseas migration of 92 per year supports long-term demand. With only 3 development applications in 12 months, new supply pressure is minimal.
How is Battery Hill's population changing?
The population sits at 2,596, up 4.6% over ten years, growing at roughly 21 people per year. Overseas migration adds 92 net arrivals annually while internal migration removes about 49, making international arrivals the key growth driver. The population is aging, with the senior share rising 4.2 points over the decade.
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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