Doonan
With 43.8% of households owning outright, Doonan carries one of the lowest mortgage burdens of any Noosa hinterland suburb, and that financial stability shapes everything else. Median household income sits at the 79.3rd percentile nationally, well above the Australian average, on a weekly household income of $2,096. The suburb spans 32 square kilometres with a population of just 3,727, giving a density of 116 residents per km2, far below the state norm. Residents skew older, with a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national figure, and 61.3% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, pointing to large family dwellings rather than starter housing.
Population
3,727
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,096/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$597K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price is $597,000, and 97.4% of all dwellings are separate houses, giving buyers an almost entirely detached-house market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and with a household income-to-mortgage ratio of 23.9%, buyers remain well below the 30% stress threshold compared to most southeast Queensland suburbs. The bedroom profile strongly favours large homes: 61.3% have 4 or more bedrooms and 29.6% have 3 bedrooms, leaving very little small-dwelling stock. Tenure is unusual for a hinterland suburb, with outright owners at 43.8% and mortgage holders at 45.9%, meaning the majority of the market is held by either debt-free long-term residents or recent purchasers still paying down loans. Only 10.3% of dwellings are rented.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price is $597,000, and 97.4% of all dwellings are separate houses, giving buyers an almost entirely detached-house market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and with a household income-to-mortgage ratio of 23.9%, buyers remain well below the 30% stress threshold compared to most southeast Queensland suburbs. The bedroom profile strongly favours large homes: 61.3% have 4 or more bedrooms and 29.6% have 3 bedrooms, leaving very little small-dwelling stock. Tenure is unusual for a hinterland suburb, with outright owners at 43.8% and mortgage holders at 45.9%, meaning the majority of the market is held by either debt-free long-term residents or recent purchasers still paying down loans. Only 10.3% of dwellings are rented.
For Investors
Rental stock is thin at 10.3% of dwellings, and weekly rent averages $470, against an estimated median house price of $597,000, implying a gross yield near 4.1%. The vacancy rate sits at 9.0%, higher than typical tightly held hinterland pockets, which suggests some softness in the rental market rather than the low-vacancy pressure investors prefer. Development activity logged 20 applications in the past 12 months, with recent works including material change-of-use applications for single-unit residential lots, consistent with gradual infill rather than large-scale supply additions. Rent-to-income at 22.4% sits below the 30% stress level, meaning tenants are not under pressure, but the combination of high vacancy and thin rental demand warrants careful due diligence compared to higher-density Sunshine Coast suburbs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
55
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+10.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Doonan iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Noosa Pengari Steiner School
Prep-12 · 324 students
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national figure, placing Doonan firmly in the aging-resident category. Overseas-born residents make up 26.8% of the population, which is 5.2 percentage points above the national average. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,834 residents) is the largest group, followed by Irish (516) and Scottish (506), with German (255) also represented. The non-English languages spoken at home are limited, with German (23 speakers) and French (12) the most common, consistent with the low overseas-born share. University qualifications reach 34.6%, which is 4.5 percentage points above the national figure, and the average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, reflecting the large-home, family-dwelling profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.4%
Houses
1.0%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses dominate at 97.4%, apartments account for just 1.4%, and semi-detached dwellings 1.0%, making this one of the most detached-house-dominant suburb profiles in Queensland. Outright owners at 43.8% outnumber renters at 10.3% by a large margin, while 45.9% still carry a mortgage. The bedroom split reinforces the large-home character: 61.3% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 29.6% have 3, leaving only 9.1% with 2 or fewer. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 against a household income of $2,096 per week produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.9%, below the 30% stress threshold nationally. Weekly rent of $470 gives a rent-to-income ratio of 22.4%, also comfortable relative to national norms.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$470
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$796
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
124
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.6%
Couples, no children
3,187
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 16.3% (205 workers), with Construction close behind at 15.8% (198 workers), reflecting both the service needs of an older population and active residential building in the surrounding hinterland. Education accounts for 10.7% and Professional/Technical services for 10.2%, together pointing to a knowledge-oriented workforce. By occupation, Professionals (427) and Managers (293) make up the two largest groups, consistent with the 34.6% university qualification rate that is above the national average. The unemployment rate is 4.4% against a participation rate of 54.6%, the latter dragged lower by the 1,087 residents not in the labour force, which aligns with the older median age of 46 years. Full-time employment runs at 53.4% of those employed.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.4%
Part-time
42.2%
Participation
54.6%
Employed
1,598
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.6%
Postgraduate
7.8%
Born Overseas
26.8%
Dwellings
1,251
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total, with 90.0% of residents driving to work and public transport use at just 0.7%, well below state averages for urban Queensland. Walking and cycling account for 3.4%, consistent with the large block, rural-residential character of the area. No schools are recorded within the Doonan boundary, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring suburbs such as Noosa Heads, Cooroy and Tewantin. Crime data is not available for Doonan in this dataset, though the low-density, high-income profile with household income at the 79.3rd percentile nationally and a high outright-ownership rate of 43.8% are typical of low-disadvantage areas. Rent stress at 22.4% and mortgage stress at 23.9% are both below the 30% national threshold.
Drive
90.0%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Doonan compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Doonan a good suburb to live in?
Doonan suits buyers who prioritise space, privacy and a quiet hinterland lifestyle. Household income sits at the 79.3rd percentile nationally, outright ownership reaches 43.8%, and mortgage stress at 23.9% is below the 30% national threshold. The trade-off is near-total car dependency, with public transport use at just 0.7%, and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Doonan?
The estimated median house price is $597,000, based on 2025 rent data. Weekly rent averages $470 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167. Monthly mortgage-to-income at 23.9% stays below the 30% stress level despite the median price being above the national average.
What schools are in Doonan?
No schools are recorded inside the Doonan suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs including Noosa Heads, Cooroy and Tewantin. The local adult population is well-educated, with university qualifications at 34.6%, which is 4.5 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Doonan safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Doonan are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a household income at the 79.3rd percentile nationally and an outright ownership rate of 43.8%, both typical of low-disadvantage, settled communities. Only 4.7% of the 3,727 residents need daily assistance, consistent with a relatively self-sufficient population.
Is Doonan good for property investment?
Rental stock is thin at 10.3% of dwellings and vacancy sits at 9.0%, which is higher than comparable tightly held hinterland pockets. Weekly rent of $470 against an estimated $597,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%. Development activity was 20 applications in the past 12 months, suggesting gradual infill rather than strong supply growth.
How is Doonan's population changing?
Doonan's population of 3,727 is spread across 32 square kilometres at a density of just 116 per km2. Residential turnover runs at 24.3%, with 75.7% of residents staying put. The aging median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national figure, points to a slow-changing, established base rather than rapid population cycling typical of growth corridors.
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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