Kings Beach
With 3,042 residents in just 0.68 square kilometres, Kings Beach is a dense coastal apartment enclave rather than a conventional detached-house suburb. Apartments account for 92.6% of dwellings, vacancy is 33.9%, and the median age of 53 sits 13 years above the national figure. Compared with nearby Caloundra, its apartment concentration gives the suburb a more compact market identity. Household income sits at the 28.4th percentile nationally, while 46.2% of residents rent, so the area leans toward retirees, holiday-linked occupancy and smaller households. The 1.8-person average household size is 0.7 below the national comparison, reinforcing its low-child household profile.
Local council: Sunshine Coast
Population
3,042
Median Age
53.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,266/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Buyers need to approach Kings Beach as an apartment market: 92.6% of dwellings are apartments and only 5.8% are separate houses. Two-bedroom stock dominates at 56.1%, followed by three-bedroom homes at 34.8%, because the coastal form prioritises compact units over family blocks. A typical mortgage repayment is listed at $1,517 monthly, while weekly rent is $370. Mortgage costs equal 27.7% of household income, below the recorded rent-to-income ratio of 29.2%, and neither measure is flagged as stress. Outright ownership is 36.9% compared with 16.1% with a mortgage, pointing to a sizeable established-owner base. Compare body corporate fees, storm exposure, short-stay rules, parking and exact views before choosing one apartment over another.
For Buyers
Buyers need to approach Kings Beach as an apartment market: 92.6% of dwellings are apartments and only 5.8% are separate houses. Two-bedroom stock dominates at 56.1%, followed by three-bedroom homes at 34.8%, because the coastal form prioritises compact units over family blocks. A typical mortgage repayment is listed at $1,517 monthly, while weekly rent is $370. Mortgage costs equal 27.7% of household income, below the recorded rent-to-income ratio of 29.2%, and neither measure is flagged as stress. Outright ownership is 36.9% compared with 16.1% with a mortgage, pointing to a sizeable established-owner base. Compare body corporate fees, storm exposure, short-stay rules, parking and exact views before choosing one apartment over another.
For Investors
Kings Beach suits investors targeting apartment and coastal demand, but the numbers favour careful underwriting. Renting reaches 46.2% and weekly rent is $370, yet vacancy is a very high 33.9%, so income can be seasonal or uneven compared with a tightly held rental market. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, while annual growth is 0.82%, which may support tenant turnover more than rapid price escalation. Only 3 development applications were recorded in the latest 12 months, limiting evidence of a large new supply wave, although apartment-heavy stock means individual projects can still affect views, parking and rents. Compare body corporate levies, letting restrictions, insurance and vacancy assumptions before relying on gross yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-40.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Kings Beach has an older, smaller-household profile: median age is 53, which is 13 years above the national figure, and average household size is 1.8, or 0.7 below national. Couples without children make up 66.3% of families, while couples with children account for 16.2%, consistent with apartment living and a coastal downsizer market. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 1,371 people, followed by Irish at 465 and Scottish at 429. Christianity counts 1,428 residents and no religion 1,184. University attainment is 33.8%, 3.7 percentage points above national, while 23.6% were born overseas, 2.0 points above national. Turnover is 36.7%, so Kings Beach is more mobile than a settled owner enclave despite 63.3% staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
5.8%
Houses
1.6%
Townhouse
92.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Kings Beach's built form is unusually vertical compared with a conventional suburban mix. Apartments make up 92.6% of dwellings, separate houses 5.8% and semi-detached homes 1.6%. Two-bedroom properties account for 56.1%, three-bedroom homes 34.8%, studios and one-bedroom dwellings 5.5%, and four-bedroom-plus homes 3.6%. No current median house price is available, so buyers should compare apartment sales by size, condition, outlook and tenure rather than applying a detached-house benchmark. Weekly rent is $370, while 36.9% of homes are owned outright, 16.1% carry a mortgage and 46.2% are rented. Vacancy at 33.9% is much higher than in a tightly occupied suburb, making building quality and letting flexibility especially important.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $370.
$745
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $745 · units $650
HH Size
1.8
Personal Income / wk
$789
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
33.9%
Unoccupied
780
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.2%
Couples with children
66.3%
Couples, no children
15.5%
Single parent
832
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Kings Beach's largest industry at 24.1%, employing 232 people, followed by education at 11.5% and 111 workers. Construction accounts for 8.6% and 83 workers, hospitality 8.5% and 82, and professional and technical services 8.2% and 79. The main occupations are professionals at 306, community and personal service workers at 203, and managers at 196. Labour-force participation is 53.6%, unemployment is 5.2% and 1,123 people are not in the labour force, reflecting the suburb's older age profile. Household income sits at the 28.4th percentile nationally. Economic-resource disadvantage is particularly pronounced at decile 1, below the education and occupation decile of 4, while IRSAD is decile 3. That gap suggests qualifications and professional roles coexist with many retired or lower-resource households.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
1,511
Unemployed
78
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.6%
Part-time
35.2%
Participation
53.6%
Employed
1,433
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.8%
Postgraduate
7.8%
Born Overseas
23.6%
Dwellings
1,518
Transport to Work
Kings Beach is strongly car-oriented: 70.2% travel as car drivers compared with only 1.2% using public transport, while 4.5% walk or cycle and 19.2% work from home. That pattern suits residents with vehicles and people working locally or remotely, but it makes routine regional trips less convenient than in a better-serviced transit suburb. The IRSAD and IRSD scores are both in decile 3, while the economic-resources index sits in decile 1, below the education and occupation decile of 4. Volunteering is 19.2% and 5.7% of residents need assistance, supporting a community-services focus. Families should check exact-address enrolment zones and nearby school options, while safety decisions should include recent incident patterns, building access and night-time conditions because apartment security and vacancy can differ substantially between buildings.
Drive
70.2%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
19.2%
Growth Outlook
Compared with a speculative boom market, Kings Beach is on a measured growth path, with an annual trend of 0.82% and overseas migration as the primary driver. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share has risen 6.7 percentage points, young share has fallen 3.0 points and working share has declined 1.3 points. Population change across the wider area runs at 14.6% over 10 years, indicating momentum without a sharp family-growth profile. Gentrification signals are mixed, with a score of 4 and stage Not gentrifying, while other shift indicators record a score of 32 and Early signs. Rent growth is 27.6%, real income growth is 14.1% and affordability moved from 60.9 in 2011 to 55.4 in 2021, labelled Improving. Growth therefore looks steadier and older than in a rapidly changing inner suburb.
Population trend: Sunshine Coast council area
Kings Beach sits in the Sunshine Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Kings Beach's.
Residents 2025
381,957
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+2.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kings Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kings Beach a good suburb to live in?
Kings Beach can suit people who value a compact coastal setting, apartment living and convenient local trips. The median age is 53, apartments make up 92.6% of dwellings and 70.2% of commuters drive, so it is less family-suburban and less transit-oriented than some larger centres. Check parking, noise, storm exposure and exact walking routes before committing.
What is the median house price in Kings Beach?
No current median house price is available for Kings Beach, and houses represent only 5.8% of dwellings, so a house benchmark would describe a very small part of the market. Apartments account for 92.6%, weekly rent is $370 and the indicative mortgage repayment is $1,517 monthly. Compare like-for-like unit sales, body corporate fees and parking.
What schools are in Kings Beach?
Families should check the exact address for enrolment zones and nearby government, Catholic or independent options because school access can change across the Caloundra area. Kings Beach has an apartment share of 92.6% and an average household size of 1.8, so its housing profile is more adult-oriented than a typical family-growth precinct. Confirm travel times before signing a lease or contract.
Is Kings Beach safe?
A current suburb-level crime rate is unavailable, so the absence of a figure should not be treated as proof of safety. Check recent Queensland Police incident patterns, building access controls and night-time conditions at the exact address. With 92.6% apartments and 33.9% vacancy, compare each building's security, lighting and short-stay activity rather than judging the whole suburb.
Is Kings Beach good for property investment?
Kings Beach can work for an apartment investor who allows for vacancy and operating costs, but it is not a simple high-yield conclusion. Rents average $370 weekly, vacancy is 33.9% and 46.2% of residents rent. Annual growth is forecast at 0.82%, and 3 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Compare net yield after body corporate, insurance, furnishing, letting and maintenance costs.
How is Kings Beach's population changing?
Kings Beach is on an aging trajectory rather than a strong family-growth path. The annual trend is 0.82%, overseas migration is the primary driver and population change across the wider area is 14.6% over 10 years. Senior share has risen 6.7 percentage points while young share has fallen 3.0 points. Growth therefore looks steadier and older than in a rapidly changing inner suburb.
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).
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