Cooroibah
With 98.7% of its dwellings being separate houses, Cooroibah ranks among the most detached-dominant suburbs in Queensland, a figure that reflects deliberate lifestyle choices rather than simply historical pattern. The suburb spans 32 square kilometres with only 2,178 residents, giving a density of 67.7 people per square kilometre, far below the national urban average. Median age of 46 sits 6 years above the national figure, and 43.6% of households own outright, signalling an established, mortgage-light resident base. Household income falls at the 56.7th percentile nationally, above the midpoint but not high-end, while weekly rents of $500 already push rent-to-income to 30.5%, at the stress threshold.
Population
2,178
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,639/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$600K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $600,000, with a monthly mortgage of approximately $2,000 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. That relative affordability matters here because incomes sit at the 56.7th percentile nationally, so buyers are not wealthy by suburban standards. The dominant stock is large: 58.7% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 31.3% have 3 bedrooms, meaning buyers almost always get space rather than smaller footprints common in denser suburbs. Separate houses make up 98.7% of dwellings, with apartments at just 0.9%, so unit-style entry points barely exist. Outright owners at 43.6% and mortgage holders at 46.6% together leave only 9.8% renting, well below the state average, reinforcing the owner-occupier character of the area.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $600,000, with a monthly mortgage of approximately $2,000 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. That relative affordability matters here because incomes sit at the 56.7th percentile nationally, so buyers are not wealthy by suburban standards. The dominant stock is large: 58.7% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 31.3% have 3 bedrooms, meaning buyers almost always get space rather than smaller footprints common in denser suburbs. Separate houses make up 98.7% of dwellings, with apartments at just 0.9%, so unit-style entry points barely exist. Outright owners at 43.6% and mortgage holders at 46.6% together leave only 9.8% renting, well below the state average, reinforcing the owner-occupier character of the area.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 7.9% is high compared to state averages, signalling that finding tenants takes longer than in tighter Sunshine Coast markets. Weekly rent sits at $500, and against a $600,000 median that implies a gross yield around 4.3%, reasonable for regional Queensland. The renter pool is thin at only 9.8% of households, because the suburb draws owner-occupiers rather than transient renters. Development activity is low, with just 1 application recorded in the past 12 months, meaning no meaningful supply pipeline is compressing prices. Population stability is a notable factor: 76.3% of residents stayed at the same address over a 5-year period, compared to a national turnover norm above 30%, suggesting low churn rather than a growing rental demand engine.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
1
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 46 is 6 years above the national average, placing Cooroibah firmly in the older-resident category. Residents born overseas account for 19.3%, which is 2.3 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born community. Ancestry skews Anglo-Celtic: English (938), Irish (267), Scottish (254) and German (147) lead the counts. University-qualified residents reach 22.2%, which is 7.9 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the trade and healthcare workforce that dominates locally. Volunteering is relatively high at 16.8% and couples without children (29.1% of families) are a significant household type alongside couples with children (715 families). Household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national average, pointing to multigenerational or family-centred living arrangements.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.7%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is the defining tenure pattern: 43.6% of residents own outright, 46.6% are paying a mortgage, and just 9.8% rent, a ratio that ranks well below the national renter share. The stock is almost entirely freestanding houses at 98.7%, with apartments at 0.9%, meaning the suburb offers almost no high-density alternatives. Bedroom sizes skew large, with 58.7% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 31.3% having 3 bedrooms. The $600,000 median house price produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold even at the 56.7th percentile income level. Rent-to-income at 30.5% does hit the stress line for the small renting cohort of 9.8%, a tension worth noting given the limited rental stock and 7.9% vacancy rate.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$500
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$660
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
60
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.5% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.1%
Couples, no children
1,818
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction and Healthcare each employ 17% of the local workforce (110 workers each), followed by Education at 10.2% (66 workers), Hospitality at 7.4% and Retail at 6.8%. This split reflects the Noosa hinterland context, where trade employment is high due to regional building activity and healthcare is anchored by an aging resident base with a median age 6 years above national. By occupation, Professionals (149) lead, followed closely by Community and Personal Services (136) and Managers (134). The unemployment rate is 4.1%, slightly above the national benchmark, while the participation rate of 50.5% is low, mainly because 643 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a semi-retired population. Full-time employment accounts for 52.6% of employed residents, somewhat lower than state averages.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.6%
Part-time
43.3%
Participation
50.5%
Employed
860
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.2%
Postgraduate
3.9%
Born Overseas
19.3%
Dwellings
691
Transport to Work
Car dependency defines daily life: 89.6% of residents drive to work, while only 1.6% use public transport, well below state norms. Walking and cycling account for 2.7%. The low-density layout across 32 square kilometres makes car reliance structurally inevitable. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families travel to nearby Noosaville, Tewantin or Noosa heads for education. Crime data is not available for Cooroibah in the dataset, but the 6.8% needing daily assistance (139 people) reflects the older median age of 46 rather than disadvantage. The volunteering rate of 16.8% is above national averages, indicating community participation. The 7.9% vacancy rate and low rental share of 9.8% give the suburb a settled, quiet character that suits the lifestyle preferences of its established owner-occupier majority.
Drive
89.6%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cooroibah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cooroibah a good suburb to live in?
Cooroibah suits owner-occupiers seeking space and a quieter hinterland setting. With 43.6% of residents owning outright and a median age of 46, the community is stable and established. The suburb has a low renter share of 9.8% and 98.7% freestanding houses, but limited public transport with only 1.6% of residents using it, so a car is essential.
What is the median house price in Cooroibah?
The median house price is estimated at $600,000 based on 2025 rent data. Monthly mortgage repayments average approximately $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rents average $500, with a vacancy rate of 7.9%.
What schools are in Cooroibah?
No schools are recorded within the Cooroibah suburb boundary in this dataset. Families travel to neighbouring suburbs such as Tewantin and Noosaville for schooling. The suburb's low population density of 67.7 people per square kilometre across 32 square kilometres makes local school provision unlikely.
Is Cooroibah safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Cooroibah in this dataset. The suburb has a stable resident base, with 76.3% of residents staying at the same address over a 5-year period, well above national mobility norms. Only 6.8% of residents (139 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a settled, low-disadvantage community.
Is Cooroibah good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $500 against a $600,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, reasonable for the Noosa hinterland. However, the vacancy rate of 7.9% is elevated, meaning rental demand is softer than in tighter coastal markets. The renter share of 9.8% is low nationally, so the tenant pool is limited. Just 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, suggesting stable rather than growing supply.
How is Cooroibah's population changing?
Cooroibah's population of 2,178 sits in a slow-change phase. The mobility data shows 76.3% of residents stayed in place over 5 years, well above national norms. The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national figure, and the workforce participation rate is low at 50.5%, both consistent with an aging, semi-retired resident base rather than a suburb attracting young families at scale.
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.
Explore Cooroibah on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map