Black Mountain
At a median age of 50, Black Mountain sits 10 years above the national figure, making it one of the older communities in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Yet this 40.57 square kilometre suburb of 1,560 people holds one of the most owner-occupied housing profiles you will find: 47.3% own outright and 100% of dwellings are separate houses, with over half boasting 4 or more bedrooms. Household income lands at the 57th percentile nationally, modestly above average, and mortgage and rent costs consume well under 30% of income, keeping financial stress low compared to coastal counterparts.
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
2
Median House
$535K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price is $535,000, derived from the $440 weekly rent benchmark. Every dwelling in Black Mountain is a separate house, an unusually pure detached market with no apartments or semi-detached options competing for buyers. The bedroom profile skews large: 51.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 33.9% have 3, meaning entry-level product is scarce. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, and at 25.5% of household income, that sits below the 30% stress threshold, lower than typical inner-Brisbane suburbs where ratios often exceed 35%. The 47.3% outright ownership rate signals a long-settled community with significant debt-free equity, which tends to limit forced selling and support price floors.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price is $535,000, derived from the $440 weekly rent benchmark. Every dwelling in Black Mountain is a separate house, an unusually pure detached market with no apartments or semi-detached options competing for buyers. The bedroom profile skews large: 51.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 33.9% have 3, meaning entry-level product is scarce. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, and at 25.5% of household income, that sits below the 30% stress threshold, lower than typical inner-Brisbane suburbs where ratios often exceed 35%. The 47.3% outright ownership rate signals a long-settled community with significant debt-free equity, which tends to limit forced selling and support price floors.
For Investors
The rental market is thin: only 7.0% of dwellings are rented, far lower than the national average, and the vacancy rate of 7.3% is elevated, indicating that when tenancies do become available they take time to fill. Weekly rent of $440 against a $535,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, reasonable by hinterland standards. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, which means no near-term supply pipeline to weigh on values. The 79.6% residential stability rate, meaning 4 in 5 residents stayed put over the reference period, points to low churn and a community where landlords can expect longer tenancies from the modest renter pool.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
2
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
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, reflecting a community in the later life stage rather than a family formation hub. Average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national figure, consistent with couples-without-children dominating at 38.7% of families. Overseas-born residents account for 22.0%, broadly in line with the national rate. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (673 residents), Scottish (224) and Irish (174). University qualifications reach 24.5%, which is 5.6 points below the national figure, a modest gap that aligns with the hinterland, trade-oriented character of the local economy. The volunteering rate of 18.3% is above what is typical in high-density urban areas.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily weighted toward ownership: 47.3% own outright and 45.7% carry a mortgage, with renters accounting for just 7.0%, well below the national average of around 30%. The entire housing stock is separate houses, with zero apartments and no semi-detached product recorded. Over half of all homes (51.5%) have 4 or more bedrooms, and another 33.9% have 3 bedrooms, so the market is dominated by large family homes despite the aging resident profile. Mortgage stress is absent: monthly repayments of $1,820 equate to 25.5% of household income, and rent at $440 per week represents 26.7% of renter income, both comfortably below the standard 30% stress line.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wk
$440
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
38.7%
Couples, no children
1,226
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer, accounting for 22.2% of local workers (101 people), followed by Construction at 15.2% (69) and Education at 8.8% (40). This pattern matches the aging resident profile: a community with a high median age of 50 generates above-average demand for care and allied health roles. Professionals form the largest occupation group (132 workers), with Community and Personal service workers second (87), and Managers third (77). The unemployment rate is 4.6% and the labour force participation rate is 46.0%, the latter notably lower than the national figure because 516 residents are not in the labour force, many likely retired given the median age. Full-time employment among those working runs at 55.6%.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.6%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
46.0%
Employed
583
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.5%
Postgraduate
4.7%
Born Overseas
22.0%
Dwellings
543
Transport to Work
Car dependency is pronounced: 90.2% of workers drive, above the national figure, which reflects the rural scale of the suburb with no public transport data recorded. Walking or cycling accounts for 4.1% of commutes, feasible only for those living close to local services. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families travel to Cooroy or Pomona for primary and secondary options. The need-for-assistance rate is low at 3.7% (52 residents), below what the older median age of 50 might suggest, indicating residents are in good health for their age. Housing stress is absent on both the rental and mortgage measures, with both ratios sitting below 27% of income, which is lower than in most coastal QLD markets.
Drive
90.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
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 suits those seeking a quiet, owner-occupied rural lifestyle. Housing costs are manageable, with mortgage repayments at 25.5% of household income and rent at 26.7%, both below the 30% stress line. The median age is 50, so it appeals to established households rather than young families. Car ownership is essential as 90.2% of workers drive and no public transport data is recorded.
What is the median house price in Black Mountain?
The estimated median house price is $535,000 (derived from 2025 rent data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820 and weekly rent is $440. All 1,560 residents live in separate houses, so there are no apartments or units on the market.
What schools are in Black Mountain?
No schools are recorded inside the Black Mountain suburb boundary in this dataset. With a population of 1,560 and a median age of 50, the resident base skews toward established couples rather than school-age families. Nearby education options include schools in Cooroy and Pomona within the Noosa Shire.
Is Black Mountain safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Black Mountain in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb has a residential stability rate of 79.6%, meaning most residents stayed put over the reference period, and only 3.7% of residents (52 people) need daily assistance. These signals are consistent with a settled, low-stress community.
Is Black Mountain good for property investment?
The rental pool is small, with only 7.0% of dwellings rented and a vacancy rate of 7.3%, higher than desirable. Weekly rent of $440 against a $535,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, reasonable for a hinterland suburb. Zero development applications in the past 12 months means no near-term supply overhang. Returns depend on capital growth rather than yield volume.
How is Black Mountain's population changing?
Black Mountain has 1,560 residents across 40.57 square kilometres, giving a low density of 38.5 people per km2. No annual growth rate data is available for this small rural suburb. The residential stability rate of 79.6% indicates most residents stay long-term, consistent with an aging, settled community rather than a high-turnover growth area.
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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