Caloundra
Caloundra’s most distinctive feature is its older, apartment-led profile: the median age is 58, or 18 years above the national figure, while apartments account for 48.4% of dwellings and vacancy is 26.6%. Its population is 3,932 across 3.23 square kilometres, giving density of 1,219.2 people per square kilometre. Household income sits at the 12.3th percentile nationally, helping explain the high share of outright owners at 39.8% and renters at 43.6%. Compared with nearby Dicky Beach and Golden Beach, Caloundra is best assessed street by street because building type and tenure vary sharply.
Population
3,932
Median Age
58.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$980/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Caloundra suits buyers prioritising compact apartments, smaller households and lower-maintenance living, but a current median house price is not available for a suburb-wide comparison. Apartments make up 48.4% of homes, while 40.5% have 2 bedrooms and 39.7% have 3 bedrooms. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,600 monthly, and mortgage costs equal 37.7% of household income, higher than the 36.7% rent-to-income figure. Outright ownership is 39.8%, compared with 15.1% paying a mortgage, so the market includes many established owners as well as renters. Inspect body-corporate fees, flood exposure and recent settled sales before comparing Caloundra with Dicky Beach or Golden Beach.
For Buyers
Caloundra suits buyers prioritising compact apartments, smaller households and lower-maintenance living, but a current median house price is not available for a suburb-wide comparison. Apartments make up 48.4% of homes, while 40.5% have 2 bedrooms and 39.7% have 3 bedrooms. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,600 monthly, and mortgage costs equal 37.7% of household income, higher than the 36.7% rent-to-income figure. Outright ownership is 39.8%, compared with 15.1% paying a mortgage, so the market includes many established owners as well as renters. Inspect body-corporate fees, flood exposure and recent settled sales before comparing Caloundra with Dicky Beach or Golden Beach.
For Investors
Caloundra has a renter-heavy, high-turnover profile, with 43.6% renting, a 29.9% turnover rate and 26.6% vacancy. Weekly rent is $360, but rent consumes 36.7% of household income, which can constrain tenant budgets and increase sensitivity to price rises. The 4.93% annual growth forecast and internal migration driver support demand momentum, while 20 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing project activity. However, vacancy is far higher than a tightly supplied market, so investors should stress-test longer letting periods, apartment body-corporate costs and insurance rather than assume rent growth alone will lift returns. Caloundra’s 26.3% rent-growth signal is positive, but it should be weighed against current vacancy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
45
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+90.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Caloundra
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Caloundra Christian College (Caloundra)
Our Lady of the Rosary School (Caloundra)
Caloundra State High School
Caloundra State School
Demographics
Caloundra has an older, smaller-household population: the median age is 58, 18 years above the national figure, and average household size is 1.9, or 0.6 below the national average. Couples without children account for 57.0% of households, while couples with children represent 22.1% and one-parent families 19.1%. English, Irish and Scottish are the leading reported ancestries at 1,746, 534 and 469 people. Christianity is reported by 1,976 residents and no religion by 1,493. University participation is 25.1%, 5 percentage points below the national comparison, while 23.5% were born overseas, 1.9 points above national. Compared with nearby Dicky Beach and Golden Beach, Caloundra’s age and household mix should be checked at the address level because smaller apartments attract a different resident base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
23.8%
Houses
27.0%
Townhouse
48.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Caloundra’s housing stock is more apartment-oriented than a conventional detached-house market: 48.4% of dwellings are apartments, 27.0% semi-detached and 23.8% separate houses. Two-bedroom homes account for 40.5% and 3-bedroom homes 39.7%, so stock is concentrated below the 4-plus-bedroom category at 7.7%. Tenure is split between 39.8% owned outright, 15.1% mortgaged and 43.6% rented, with 1.5% in other arrangements. Mortgage costs absorb 37.7% of household income, higher than the 36.7% rent-to-income figure, while vacancy is 26.6%. This structure aligns with the average 1.9-person household size, so apartment levies, building condition and use rules matter more than in a detached-home comparison with Golden Beach.
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $360.
$745
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $745 · units $650
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$584
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
26.6%
Unoccupied
647
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.7% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.1%
Couples with children
57.0%
Couples, no children
19.1%
Single parent
990
Total families
Economy & Employment
Caloundra’s employment base is led by healthcare, which accounts for 23.6% of jobs, followed by education at 11.0%, hospitality at 10.6%, construction at 9.3% and retail at 7.2%. That mix links local demand to care, public services, visitors, building activity and everyday shopping rather than a single industry. Labour-force participation is 42.7%, unemployment is 6.3% and 47.4% of employed people work full time; 1,792 people are outside the labour force. Occupations include 265 professionals, 225 community or personal service workers and 189 labourers. Household income is $980 weekly at the 12.3th percentile, lower than the national position, while SEIFA IER is decile 1 and IEO decile 4, indicating economic resources below many Australian areas.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
1,534
Unemployed
96
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
47.4%
Part-time
38.8%
Participation
42.7%
Employed
1,438
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.1%
Postgraduate
5.3%
Born Overseas
23.5%
Dwellings
1,771
Transport to Work
Caloundra provides access to 4 nearby schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors, including primary and high-school options, which gives families more than 1 education pathway. Exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address because they can cut across suburb boundaries. Daily travel is car-led: 66.9% drive, compared with 1.8% using public transport and 11.9% walking or cycling; 14.9% work from home. Limited public transport use matters because apartment living reaches 48.4% and density is 1,219.2 people per square kilometre. SEIFA IRSAD is decile 3 and IRSD decile 3, with IER at decile 1, lower than higher-resource areas. Safety comparisons should use recent Queensland Police information alongside evening inspections, since disadvantage deciles are not crime measures.
Drive
66.9%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
11.9%
Work from Home
14.9%
Population Forecast
+4.93%/yr
(+1,176 people/yr)
High GrowthCaloundra sits in a high-growth forecast category, with annual growth of 4.93% driven primarily by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 196.7% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Mixed rather than a single-direction shift. Rent growth is forecast at 26.3%, and real income growth at 31.2%, although affordability moved from 71.8 in 2011 to 56.2 in 2021. The gentrification score is 0, with the stage labelled New development, so growth is better read as expansion and housing turnover than as established gentrification. A 26.6% vacancy rate is far higher than a tightly supplied market, which may moderate how quickly population momentum converts into rent pressure.
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 Caloundra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caloundra a good suburb to live in?
Caloundra can suit residents seeking coastal-town convenience, smaller homes and established services. The median age is 58, apartments represent 48.4% of dwellings and 11.9% walk or cycle to work. It is less suited to buyers seeking large detached homes or strong public transport, with only 1.8% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Caloundra?
A current median house price is not available for Caloundra. The 48.4% apartment share means buyers should separate recent sales by dwelling type, bedroom count and building age before relying on a suburb-wide comparison. Mortgage repayments average $1,600 monthly, while 23.8% of homes are separate houses.
What schools are in Caloundra?
Caloundra has 4 listed schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors: Caloundra State School, Caloundra State High School, Our Lady of the Rosary School and Caloundra Christian College. Families should confirm catchments and enrolment requirements for the exact address because zones can differ across nearby streets.
Is Caloundra safe?
Use recent Queensland Police information and inspect the exact street at different times before making a safety decision. Caloundra’s IRSAD and IRSD are both decile 3, while IER is decile 1; these measures describe disadvantage and economic resources, not crime. Apartment buildings may also differ in lighting, access control and visitor activity.
Is Caloundra good for property investment?
Caloundra has 43.6% renters, a $360 weekly rent and 26.6% vacancy. Forecast annual growth is 4.93%, driven by internal migration, and rent growth is 26.3%. These demand signals are balanced by high vacancy and apartment costs, so investors should test longer vacancies, body-corporate fees and insurance before buying.
How is Caloundra's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is forecast at 4.93% annually, with internal migration the primary driver. The 10-year population-change measure is 196.7%, but the trajectory is Mixed. Caloundra is also ageing relative to Australia, with a median age of 58, or 18 years above the national figure.
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.
Explore Caloundra on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map