Diddillibah
Half of Diddillibah's homes are owned outright, a figure well above the national average and the clearest signal of who lives here. With a population of 1,703 and a median age of 46, six years older than the national median, this small Sunshine Coast hinterland suburb draws established owner-occupiers who have paid down their mortgages and have no interest in moving. The SEIFA IER decile of 8 places it above most Queensland suburbs for economic resources, even as household income sits at the 42nd percentile nationally, because wealth here is held in property rather than wages.
Population
1,703
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,424/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$497K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $497,000 sits below the broader Sunshine Coast coastal market, which makes Diddillibah appealing to buyers priced out of beachside postcodes. Separate houses make up 93.8% of dwellings, with apartments barely registering at 0.7%, so buyers face a true detached housing market with limited alternatives. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 44.9% of stock, the largest single category, reflecting family-sized properties on generous lots. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 35.7%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership at 50.9% far exceeds the national norm, which points to a long-settled community where equity has accumulated over time rather than a transient buyer market.
For Buyers
The median house price of $497,000 sits below the broader Sunshine Coast coastal market, which makes Diddillibah appealing to buyers priced out of beachside postcodes. Separate houses make up 93.8% of dwellings, with apartments barely registering at 0.7%, so buyers face a true detached housing market with limited alternatives. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 44.9% of stock, the largest single category, reflecting family-sized properties on generous lots. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 35.7%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership at 50.9% far exceeds the national norm, which points to a long-settled community where equity has accumulated over time rather than a transient buyer market.
For Investors
Rental demand is thin: only 14.4% of Diddillibah households rent, compared to the national average around 30%, and weekly rent sits at $330. The 4.1% vacancy rate is elevated, suggesting supply already exceeds the limited renter pool. Net migration runs at roughly 31 internal and 33 overseas arrivals annually, a balanced but modest flow that sustains gradual rather than rapid growth. Development activity is very low at 5 applications in the past 12 months, all operational works with no new dwellings lodged. For yield-focused investors, the combination of low rents and a $497,000 median price implies a gross yield below 3.5%, which is below what most yield investors target. The investment case rests on capital appreciation in a supply-constrained hinterland setting rather than rental income.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
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 figure, placing Diddillibah firmly in the aging-resident-base category. The senior share rose 8.2 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 6.1 points, a trajectory that will continue to shape local services and infrastructure demand. Overseas-born residents stand at 19.7%, which is 1.9 points below the national average, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (794), Scottish (213) and Irish (167) residents. University qualifications reach 27.7% of residents, sitting 2.4 points below the national share. The average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national figure of 2.5. Couples with children (619) outnumber couples without (353), suggesting families with school-age children remain an important cohort despite the overall aging trend.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.8%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Diddillibah is dominated by outright ownership at 50.9%, well above the national rate, with mortgage holders at 34.7% and renters at just 14.4%. This tenure split, skewed so far toward debt-free ownership, is consistent with a suburb where long-term residents have held their homes through multiple property cycles. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 93.8%, and the bedroom profile skews large: 44.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 17.2% have three, meaning the typical home is a substantial family property. The median house price of $497,000 is estimated from rent data for 2025 and should be treated as indicative rather than confirmed transactional. Rent-to-income at 23.2% is within comfortable range, below the 30% stress threshold, while mortgage-to-income at 35.7% exceeds it, reflecting the cost of buying into a market that has appreciated significantly.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$683
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
26
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.7% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.7%
Couples, no children
1,321
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 19.7% of local workers (100 people), followed by Construction at 16.3% (83) and Education at 12.2% (62). Professional/Tech accounts for 7.5% and Retail 5.7%, a distribution that reflects the suburb's mix of service workers and tradespeople rather than a single dominant sector. By occupation, Professionals lead with 156 workers, followed by Managers (113) and Clerical/Admin (98). The SEIFA IRSD and IRSAD deciles both sit at 6, which is above average nationally on the relative disadvantage measure. The unemployment rate of 7.3% is above the national norm, partly because the participation rate is only 52.3%, depressed by the large share of residents aged beyond working years. Real income growth of 14.5% over the decade is positive but below national income growth rates in higher-decile suburbs.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
2,352
Unemployed
68
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.7%
Part-time
33.0%
Participation
52.3%
Employed
675
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.7%
Postgraduate
6.6%
Born Overseas
19.7%
Dwellings
592
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high at 90.1% of residents driving to work, compared to the national average of around 60%, because the hinterland location offers minimal public transport, with only 1.6% using it. Walk and cycle trips account for 2.2%. The IRSAD decile of 6 puts Diddillibah above average nationally on the combined advantage-disadvantage measure. The volunteering rate of 17.7% is healthy, indicating an engaged resident base. Around 7.2% of residents (115 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a suburb whose median age of 46 skews noticeably older than the national figure. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring towns. The low vacancy among owner-occupied homes and the 75.9% of residents who stayed in place over five years point to a stable, low-turnover community.
Drive
90.1%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.73%/yr
(+82 people/yr)
EstablishedDiddillibah's population grew 30.9% over the past decade, well above state and national averages for established suburbs, yet the annual trend has moderated to 1.73% (around 82 persons a year). Medium-scenario forecasts project the broader SA2 population reaching 5,223 by 2031 from a 2025 base of 4,731. Migration is balanced, with approximately 31 net internal arrivals and 33 overseas arrivals annually. The gentrification score of 27 places the suburb in the early signs stage: population growth of 37% since 2011 and a shift in university-educated residents from 12% to 22% are the two key signals. Affordability improved modestly from 58.8% in 2011 to 56.6% in 2021, a trend consistent with rent growth of 35.6% over the period outpacing income growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+33
Net Internal / yr
+31
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +37% since 2011, Accelerating: 12% → 22%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Diddillibah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Diddillibah a good suburb to live in?
Diddillibah suits owner-occupiers seeking a quiet hinterland setting near the Sunshine Coast. It scores decile 6 on IRSAD nationally and 50.9% of homes are owned outright, the highest tenure category. The main trade-offs are high car dependence (90.1% drive) and limited public transport at just 1.6% usage.
What is the median house price in Diddillibah?
The median house price is estimated at $497,000 (derived from 2025 rent data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 35.7%, above the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $330 for the 14.4% of households that rent.
What schools are in Diddillibah?
No schools are recorded within the Diddillibah boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby towns. The suburb has 27.7% of residents with university qualifications, which is 2.4 points below the national figure, and the median age of 46 suggests many households are past the school-age family stage.
Is Diddillibah safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Diddillibah in this dataset. As a proxy measure, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, which is above average nationally. The 75.9% residential stability rate (residents who stayed in place over 5 years) is consistent with a settled, low-turnover community.
Is Diddillibah good for property investment?
The investment picture is mixed. Weekly rent of $330 against a $497,000 median implies a gross yield below 3.5%, below most investor benchmarks. The 4.1% vacancy rate and thin renter pool (14.4% of households) limit rental demand. However, 30.9% population growth over the decade supports long-term capital appreciation.
How is Diddillibah's population changing?
The suburb grew 30.9% over the past decade, and current annual growth runs at about 1.73%, adding roughly 82 people per year. Migration is balanced between internal (31 net per year) and overseas (33 per year) arrivals. The population is aging, with the senior share rising 8.2 points and the working-age share falling 6.1 points over the decade.
What is the typical housing type in Diddillibah?
Diddillibah is almost entirely separate houses at 93.8% of dwellings. Four-plus bedroom homes are the most common size at 44.9%, followed by 2-bedroom at 31.2%. Apartments make up just 0.7%. This makes it one of the more detached-house-dominant suburbs in Queensland relative to the national mix.
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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