Golden Beach
A median age of 55 sits 15 years above the national figure, and that single fact shapes much of Golden Beach. The labour force participation rate of 40.7% is well below average because 2,430 residents are not in the workforce, most of them retired. Housing leans to outright ownership at 48.4%, far higher than mortgage holders at 19.4%, which fits a population that bought long ago and now lives debt-free. The $515,000 median house price keeps the suburb affordable relative to coastal Queensland, yet household income lands in just the 22nd percentile nationally, and the 20.1% vacancy rate points to a large pool of holiday and second homes rather than full-time tenants.
Population
5,646
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,154/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$515K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $515,000 median house price keeps Golden Beach accessible compared with most Sunshine Coast beachfront markets, and the stock favours buyers who want a standalone home. Separate houses make up 56.6% of dwellings against 29.2% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 46.8% with four-plus bedrooms at 19.8%. The catch sits in the affordability math: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,907, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 38.2%, well above the 30% stress threshold because household income reaches only the 22nd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 48.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 19.4% by more than two to one, so much of the housing is held by older, debt-free residents, which thins out the supply of homes coming to market for younger buyers.
For Buyers
The $515,000 median house price keeps Golden Beach accessible compared with most Sunshine Coast beachfront markets, and the stock favours buyers who want a standalone home. Separate houses make up 56.6% of dwellings against 29.2% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 46.8% with four-plus bedrooms at 19.8%. The catch sits in the affordability math: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,907, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 38.2%, well above the 30% stress threshold because household income reaches only the 22nd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 48.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 19.4% by more than two to one, so much of the housing is held by older, debt-free residents, which thins out the supply of homes coming to market for younger buyers.
For Investors
Renters make up 32.3% of households and weekly rent averages $400, giving investors a moderate tenant base, but the 20.1% vacancy rate is the figure that demands attention. That vacancy is roughly three times the level of a healthy rental market and reflects a coastal suburb where many dwellings sit empty as holiday or second homes rather than being leased year-round. Against the $515,000 median, a $400 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than premium city markets, yet the high vacancy and a thin development pipeline of just 15 applications in 12 months cap the growth case. With the population aging and household income in the 22nd percentile, demand support leans on lifestyle migration more than local wage growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
60
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-30.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Golden Beach iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Golden Beach State School
Prep-6 · 548 students
Demographics
The median age of 55 runs 15 years above the national figure, the defining demographic feature here. Couples without children account for 45.1% of the 3,993 families, against 1,007 couples with children, a split that follows directly from the older, post-family resident base. University qualifications reach 24.9%, which is 5.2 points below national, and overseas-born residents sit at 17.4%, 4.2 points below national, so the suburb skews more Australian-born than the country as a whole. Ancestry is strongly Anglo, led by English (2,646), Irish (792) and Scottish (746). Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, consistent with the high share of retired couples and singles rather than larger family households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
56.6%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
29.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward outright ownership: 48.4% own their home outright, 19.4% carry a mortgage and 32.3% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders by more than two to one signals long-held, debt-free property rather than a churn of recent buyers. Separate houses are 56.6% of stock and apartments 29.2%, with three-bedroom dwellings the most common at 46.8%. The $515,000 median house price stays affordable for a beachside location, yet the affordability ratios bite for buyers who borrow: mortgage-to-income runs 38.2% and rent-to-income 34.7%, both above the 30% stress line because household income sits in the 22nd percentile nationally. The 20.1% vacancy rate, far above a balanced market, reflects the suburb's large stock of holiday and second homes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,907
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$658
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.1%
Unoccupied
648
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
38.2% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.1%
Couples, no children
3,993
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in care and trade sectors rather than knowledge industries: Healthcare leads at 23.2% (333 workers), Construction follows at 13.1% (188) and Education at 11.8% (169), with Hospitality at 6.9% and Professional/Tech at 6.8%. By occupation, Professionals (384) and Community and Personal Service workers (341) top the list, the latter reflecting demand from the older resident base. Participation reads just 40.7%, well below national, because 2,430 residents are not in the labour force, mostly retirees, and unemployment among those who do work is 5.0%. SEIFA places the suburb mid-range: decile 7 on economic resources (IER) but only decile 5 on education and occupation (IEO), with IRSD and IRSAD both at decile 6. The IER strength relative to IEO reflects retirees with assets but modest current earnings.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.3%
Part-time
36.7%
Participation
40.7%
Employed
1,926
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.9%
Postgraduate
5.4%
Born Overseas
17.4%
Dwellings
2,562
Transport to Work
Daily life here is built around the car: 89.6% drive to work while only 1.0% use public transport and 4.7% walk or cycle, well below the national reliance on active and public transport, a pattern typical of a low-density coastal town at 2,009.5 residents per km2. SEIFA scores sit mid-range, with IRSAD at decile 6 and economic resources (IER) at decile 7, so the suburb is neither markedly advantaged nor disadvantaged. Volunteering runs at 15.9% and 8.8% of residents (470 people) need daily assistance, higher than younger suburbs because the median age of 55 is 15 years above national. No schools are recorded inside the 2.81 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Caloundra suburbs, a trade-off that matters less given the retirement-heavy, post-family resident base.
Drive
89.6%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Golden Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Golden Beach a good suburb to live in?
Golden Beach suits retirees and lifestyle buyers more than families. The median age is 55, which is 15 years above national, and SEIFA scores sit mid-range at decile 6 on IRSAD. The $515,000 median house price keeps it affordable for a beachside location, though household income lands in just the 22nd percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Golden Beach?
The median house price is $515,000, affordable for a Sunshine Coast beachside suburb. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,907, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 38.2%, above the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in the 22nd percentile nationally.
What schools are in Golden Beach?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.81 km2 Golden Beach boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Caloundra suburbs. This matters less locally given the older profile, with a median age of 55, 15 years above national, and couples without children at 45.1% of families.
Is Golden Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Golden Beach in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a mid-range result, and 8.8% of its residents (470 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a settled, older coastal community.
Is Golden Beach good for property investment?
Rent of $400 a week against a $515,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than city markets, but the 20.1% vacancy rate signals many dwellings sit empty as holiday homes. With 32.3% of households renting and a thin pipeline of 15 development applications in 12 months, returns lean on lifestyle demand over yield.
How is Golden Beach's population changing?
Golden Beach is a settled, slow-moving market. Residential turnover is 26.8%, meaning 73.2% of residents stayed across the period, and the development pipeline is thin at 15 applications in 12 months. The median age of 55, which is 15 years above national, points to retirement and lifestyle migration rather than family growth.
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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