Buderim
Buderim's standout feature is its scale: 31,430 residents spread across 30.58 sq km at 1,027.8 people per sq km, yet the suburb retains a detached-home base, with 73.4% of dwellings separate houses. At a median age of 46, residents are 6 years older than the national figure, and 36.3% hold university qualifications, 6.2 percentage points above national. Household income sits at the 60.7th percentile. Compared with nearby Mountain Creek and Maroochydore, Buderim reads as a more established, age-tilted choice, with 37.9% owning outright and the senior share rising 4.0 points. That profile suits buyers prioritising established streets, larger homes and access to services over a highly transient, apartment-led setting.
Population
31,430
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,729/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
147
Homebuyers face a market where the median house price is not available as a dependable anchor, so recent comparable sales matter more than a single headline figure. The physical choice is clear: 73.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 45.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, and only 10.5% are apartments. Mortgage commitments average $2,000 monthly, while weekly rent is $450, and the mortgage-to-income measure is 26.7%. Outright ownership is 37.9%, higher than the 21.0% renting share, suggesting a settled base. Buderim suits buyers seeking space and established ownership, while budget-conscious households should compare total upkeep, insurance and commute costs rather than relying on the missing median.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a market where the median house price is not available as a dependable anchor, so recent comparable sales matter more than a single headline figure. The physical choice is clear: 73.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 45.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, and only 10.5% are apartments. Mortgage commitments average $2,000 monthly, while weekly rent is $450, and the mortgage-to-income measure is 26.7%. Outright ownership is 37.9%, higher than the 21.0% renting share, suggesting a settled base. Buderim suits buyers seeking space and established ownership, while budget-conscious households should compare total upkeep, insurance and commute costs rather than relying on the missing median.
For Investors
Investor appeal rests more on tenant demand and area momentum than on a clean yield calculation, because no median house price is available. Weekly rent is $450, the vacancy rate is 6.0%, and 21.0% of households rent. That renting share is lower than the combined 72.9% held outright or with a mortgage, so the market is predominantly owner-occupied and tenant depth may vary by dwelling type. Development activity reached 129 applications in 12 months, which can create renovation and replacement opportunities but also adds competition between older and newer stock. Growth is forecast at 1.36% annually and is driven by internal migration, supporting a longer-hold case. Investors should test actual rents, insurance, maintenance and comparable sales before estimating returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
269
Last 12 Months
147
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+182.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Buderim
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Immanuel Lutheran College (Buderim)
Matthew Flinders Anglican College (Buderim)
Buderim Mountain State School
Demographics
Buderim has an older and more tertiary-educated profile than the national benchmark: median age is 46, or 6 years above national, while university qualification reaches 36.3%, 6.2 percentage points higher. Overseas-born residents account for 24.8%, 3.2 points above national, but the largest reported ancestries are English at 14,692, Scottish at 4,166 and Irish at 4,161, giving the suburb an Anglo-leaning pattern. Household size is 2.5, equal to the national comparison, and couples without children represent 45.5% of families, above the 40.3% with children. Christianity and no religion are both prominent at 14,836 and 13,662 respectively. These traits help explain demand for established homes, health services and lower-turnover neighbourhoods: 72.8% stayed at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.4%
Houses
16.2%
Townhouse
10.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates Buderim, with 73.4% of dwellings separate houses, compared with 10.5% apartments and 16.2% semi-detached stock. Larger formats are common: 45.6% contain 4 or more bedrooms and 36.0% contain 3, which helps explain the suburb's appeal to established households rather than compact-living buyers. Tenure is comparatively settled, with 37.9% owned outright, 35.0% under mortgage and 21.0% rented. The 6.0% vacancy rate gives renters some choice, while the 26.0% rent-to-income and 26.7% mortgage-to-income measures sit close together. A current median house price is unavailable, so compare homes by land, condition, bedroom count and nearby sales; Buderim's detached share is higher than its apartment share.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $450.
$810
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $810 · units $620
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$793
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.0%
Unoccupied
762
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.3%
Couples with children
45.5%
Couples, no children
13.3%
Single parent
8,973
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Buderim's largest listed industry at 24.6% and 2,633 workers, followed by education at 13.6% and 1,450, construction at 10.3% and 1,102, professional and technical work at 9.4% and 1,005, and retail at 6.3% and 674. This mix supports local services and trades while linking household incomes to the wider Sunshine Coast economy. Professionals number 3,986 and managers 1,961, ahead of community and personal roles at 1,927 and trades at 1,892. Labour-force participation is 59.1%, unemployment 3.9%, and full-time employment 51.8%, with 7,677 full-time and 5,653 part-time workers. Socioeconomic scores sit above the midpoint: IEO decile 7, IER 8, IRSD 8 and IRSAD 7. The stronger 8th-decile education and resources results compared with 7th-decile measures point to generally solid conditions, but not uniform affluence.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
15,414
Unemployed
606
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.8%
Part-time
38.2%
Participation
59.1%
Employed
14,808
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.3%
Postgraduate
8.5%
Born Overseas
24.8%
Dwellings
12,017
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 73.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.9% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling, while 19.7% work from home. That pattern makes private vehicle access important for work, shopping and school logistics, even across a relatively dense 1,027.8 people per sq km. Families have 3 nearby schools spanning 1 government state school and 2 independent non-state colleges; exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address. The IRSAD score is in decile 7, above the midpoint, and volunteering is 18.6%, which supports local participation. A suburb-level crime rate is unavailable, so compare current local safety information before choosing a street. Buderim's established services and school mix are practical strengths, but public transport is materially lower than car reliance.
Drive
73.0%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
19.7%
Population Forecast
+1.36%/yr
(+273 people/yr)
EstablishedBuderim's growth outlook is positive but increasingly age-led. The forecast trend is 1.36% a year, with internal migration named as the primary driver, while the wider area records 17.5% population change over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 4.0 points, the working share has fallen 2.2 points and the young share has eased 0.8 points. Gentrification is rated Active with a score of 49, although another shift measure places it at Early signs with a score of 35, so the signal is meaningful but not uniform. Rent growth of 37.3% adds to the demand story, while affordability is labelled Improving at 60.4 in 2021 versus 63.0 in 2011. Compared with a static market, this combination supports ongoing renewal, but age-sensitive services and housing design will matter.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+167
Net Internal / yr
+374
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +27% since 2011, Net internal migration +374/yr, Accelerating: 8% → 18%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Buderim compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Buderim a good suburb to live in?
Buderim suits households wanting established, mostly detached housing: 73.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 45.6% have 4 or more bedrooms. The trade-off is car dependence, with 73.0% driving to work compared with 0.9% using public transport. Its median age of 46 is 6 years above national, so the feel is more mature than a typical growth-area profile.
What is the median house price in Buderim?
A current median house price is unavailable for Buderim, so avoid treating any single estimate as definitive. Buyers can compare recent sales by dwelling type, land, condition and bedroom count. The local mix is 73.4% separate houses and 45.6% four-plus-bedroom homes, while 10.5% are apartments, making like-for-like comparison especially important.
What schools are in Buderim?
Buderim has 3 nearby schools: 1 government state school and 2 independent non-state colleges. Check the exact address against enrolment zones, transport and sector preferences, because school access can differ across the suburb. With 45.6% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms and 40.3% of families having children, family-oriented housing is a visible part of the market.
Is Buderim safe?
No suburb-level crime rate is available, so a simple safety ranking should not be assumed. Check current incident information for the exact street and consider lighting, traffic and evening access. Buderim has 31,430 residents, 1,027.8 people per sq km and 18.6% volunteering, but those figures do not replace address-level safety checks.
Is Buderim good for property investment?
Buderim can suit a longer-hold investor, but the missing median house price prevents a reliable gross-yield conclusion. Weekly rent is $450, vacancy is 6.0% and renting households are 21.0%, lower than the 72.9% owner-occupied share. Development activity reached 129 applications in 12 months, while growth is forecast at 1.36% annually and driven by internal migration.
How is Buderim's population changing?
Buderim's population is 31,430 today, and the wider area is forecast to record 17.5% change over 10 years. Growth is running at 1.36% annually and is driven primarily by internal migration. The trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has risen 4.0 points, while the young share has fallen 0.8 points. Gentrification is rated Active at 49.
What development is happening in Buderim?
Development activity totalled 129 applications in 12 months, ranging from dwelling demolition and repair to smaller building works such as a swimming pool. That volume can support ongoing renewal, but buyers should check planned works, construction access and neighbourhood changes before purchasing. Buderim's 73.4% separate-house share and 45.6% four-plus-bedroom share make renovation and replacement activity more relevant than in a predominantly apartment-based suburb.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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