Black Mountain
Age stands out in Black Mountain: the median is 50, which is 10 years above the national comparison, while 1,560 residents occupy a spacious 40.57 sq km area at 38.5 people per sq km. Housing is entirely detached, with 100.0% separate houses and 51.5% containing four or more bedrooms. A 20.2% work-from-home rate supports a semi-rural lifestyle, while 72.0% drive to work. Compared with nearby Cooroy's service-centre role, Black Mountain reads as a quieter, established residential setting, reinforced by 79.6% of residents staying at the same address and only 20.4% turnover. Household income sits at the 57th percentile, suggesting moderate rather than high purchasing power.
Local council: Noosa
Population
1,560
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,648/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Black Mountain suits buyers prioritising land, privacy and larger detached homes, but price discovery requires care because no current median house price is available. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 51.5% have four or more bedrooms versus 33.9% with three, giving the suburb a more family-house profile than a compact unit market. The mortgage measure is $1,820 per month, while weekly rent is $440. Mortgage costs equal 25.5% of household income, below the 26.7% rent-to-income measure, and 46.6% own outright compared with 45.1% paying a mortgage. Buyers should budget for car dependence, as 72.0% drive to work and only 3.3% walk or cycle.
For Buyers
Black Mountain suits buyers prioritising land, privacy and larger detached homes, but price discovery requires care because no current median house price is available. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 51.5% have four or more bedrooms versus 33.9% with three, giving the suburb a more family-house profile than a compact unit market. The mortgage measure is $1,820 per month, while weekly rent is $440. Mortgage costs equal 25.5% of household income, below the 26.7% rent-to-income measure, and 46.6% own outright compared with 45.1% paying a mortgage. Buyers should budget for car dependence, as 72.0% drive to work and only 3.3% walk or cycle.
For Investors
Investment decisions in Black Mountain need to start with income and vacancy rather than a headline sale median, which is not available. Weekly rent is $440 and vacancy is 7.3%, while only 6.9% of households rent, far below the 46.6% who own outright and 45.1% with a mortgage. That tenure mix points to a strongly owner-occupier market, so tenant demand may be narrower than in higher-renting suburbs. Five development applications in 12 months include a reconfiguration from 1 lot into 5, a secondary dwelling proposal and changes involving 2 short-term accommodation cabins, indicating limited but varied activity. The 79.6% address-stability rate is higher than the 20.4% turnover rate, supporting a settled market, although investors should test insurance, maintenance and access costs before relying on rent alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Black Mountain has an older resident base: median age is 50, 10 years above the national comparison. University attainment is 24.5%, or 5.6 percentage points below the national benchmark, while the overseas-born share is 22.0%, just 0.4 points above it. Average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above the national figure, and 53.5% of families are couples without children versus 39.2% couples with children. English ancestry leads at 673 people, followed by Scottish at 224 and Irish at 174; no religion is the largest stated affiliation at 758, ahead of Christianity at 576. Compared with nearby Cooroy, this points to a settled, older profile with strong local continuity: 79.6% stayed at the same address and turnover was 20.4%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Black Mountain's housing stock is unusually consistent: 100.0% of dwellings are separate houses, with 51.5% containing four or more bedrooms and 33.9% containing three. Four-plus-bedroom homes therefore outnumber three-bedroom homes by 17.6 percentage points, a larger-home pattern than the three-bedroom segment and one that suits established households. Tenure is split between 46.6% owned outright and 45.1% with a mortgage, while renting accounts for 6.9%. The $440 weekly rent sits alongside a $1,820 monthly mortgage measure, and housing costs are 26.7% of income for renters versus 25.5% for mortgage holders. Vacancy is 7.3%, so buyers should assess holding costs and usable land carefully because a suburb-level sale median is not available.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$440
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$680
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.2%
Couples with children
53.5%
Couples, no children
8.0%
Single parent
449
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is anchored by healthcare, which accounts for 22.2% of industry jobs and 101 people, followed by construction at 15.2% and 69 people. Education contributes 8.8% and 40 people, while retail and administration represent 7.3% and 33 people, and 6.8% and 31 people. The occupation mix is similarly practical and service-led: 132 professionals, 124 trades workers, 87 community and personal service workers, 77 managers and 75 clerical or administrative workers. Black Mountain has 704 people in the labour force, a 4.0% unemployment rate and a 53.0% participation rate, with 324 employed full-time and 259 part-time. Household income ranks at the 57th percentile, pointing to middle-range purchasing power rather than a high-income profile. Healthcare and construction matter because they provide local service demand and links to the wider regional economy.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
704
Unemployed
28
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
47.9%
Part-time
38.3%
Participation
53.0%
Employed
676
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.5%
Postgraduate
4.7%
Born Overseas
22.0%
Dwellings
543
Transport to Work
Daily life in Black Mountain is car-oriented and low-density. The area covers 40.57 sq km at 38.5 people per sq km, while 72.0% drive to work, only 3.3% walk or cycle and 20.2% work from home. Driving is therefore much more common than active travel, a pattern that suits households with vehicles and flexible work but makes trip planning more important than in denser suburbs. Volunteering reaches 18.3%, and 3.7% of residents report needing assistance, or 52 people, giving community services a practical role. Compared with a compact urban setting, Black Mountain provides more space but less walkable convenience, so access to shops, services and daily destinations should be assessed address by address.
Drive
72.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
20.2%
Growth Outlook
Black Mountain's growth profile looks incremental rather than high-volume. The suburb has 1,560 residents and only 5 development applications across 12 months, including a reconfiguration from 1 lot into 5, a secondary dwelling proposal and changes involving 2 short-term accommodation cabins. That mix suggests small-scale infill and visitor-economy activity rather than a broad housing pipeline. Population stability is also prominent: 79.6% stayed at the same address, a share much higher than the 20.4% turnover rate, while the 50-year median age points to an ageing trajectory. For buyers, this combination favours gradual change, with future pressure more likely to come from selected lots and accommodation projects than rapid estate delivery.
Population trend: Noosa council area
Black Mountain sits in the Noosa council area. These are the council area's residents, not Black Mountain's.
Residents 2025
59,551
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.0%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Black Mountain compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Black Mountain a good suburb to live in?
Black Mountain can suit households seeking space, detached housing and a quieter setting. The median age is 50, density is 38.5 people per sq km and 20.2% work from home. Compared with denser suburbs, daily life is more car-dependent because 72.0% drive to work and only 3.3% walk or cycle.
What is the median house price in Black Mountain?
A current median house price cannot be stated for Black Mountain. Buyers should not use the $440 weekly rent as a sale-price proxy. The suburb is entirely made up of separate houses, with 51.5% containing four or more bedrooms, so compare individual properties on land, condition, access and holding costs.
What schools are in Black Mountain?
School planning should start with nearby options and exact enrolment zones, since catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Black Mountain has a 72.0% car-driver share and a 3.3% walk-or-cycle share, so compare travel times and transport needs for daily drop-offs. Confirm sector, year levels and eligibility before signing a lease or contract.
Is Black Mountain safe?
A suburb-wide safety verdict should not be assumed from population size or resident stability. Black Mountain has 1,560 residents and a 20.4% turnover rate, but those figures are not crime measures. Check current incidents for the exact street, along with lighting, traffic and night-time activity, then compare the address with nearby options before committing.
Is Black Mountain good for property investment?
Black Mountain may suit investors who prefer detached housing and a settled owner-occupier base, but the missing sale median makes yield and capital-value analysis incomplete. Weekly rent is $440, vacancy is 7.3% and only 6.9% rent, compared with 46.6% owning outright. Five development applications in 12 months indicate some activity, not a large pipeline.
How is Black Mountain's population changing?
Black Mountain has 1,560 residents and a median age of 50, indicating an older base. Population stability is strong, with 79.6% staying at the same address, much higher than the 20.4% turnover rate. Five development applications in 12 months suggest gradual change through selected lots, secondary accommodation and small-scale projects rather than rapid estate expansion.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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