Marcoola
The most distinctive feature of Marcoola is its older, low-density coastal profile: 3,355 residents, a median age of 45, and density of 229.6 people per square kilometre. Age sits 5.0 years above the national figure, while 17.9% vacancy points to a substantial short-stay or intermittently occupied component. Housing is split across 43.4% separate houses, 32.3% apartments and 24.3% semi-detached homes, giving Marcoola a more mixed form than nearby Coolum Beach's conventional coastal image. Household income sits at the 40.3rd percentile nationally, so amenity appeal does not automatically mean premium purchasing power.
Population
3,355
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,401/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Marcoola suits buyers who value tenure and dwelling choice over a single detached-house template. Separate houses account for 43.4% of stock, but apartments are 32.3% and semi-detached dwellings 24.3%; that mix can help downsizers and low-maintenance buyers compete for different formats. The weekly rent of $406 and mortgage estimate of $1,733 provide useful holding-cost markers, while mortgage repayments equal 28.6% of household income, sitting slightly below the 29.0% rent share. Outright ownership is 29.0%, compared with 29.4% paying a mortgage and 40.7% renting. Because the current median sale price is not available, compare recent sales by bedroom and dwelling type rather than relying on a suburb-wide headline.
For Buyers
Marcoola suits buyers who value tenure and dwelling choice over a single detached-house template. Separate houses account for 43.4% of stock, but apartments are 32.3% and semi-detached dwellings 24.3%; that mix can help downsizers and low-maintenance buyers compete for different formats. The weekly rent of $406 and mortgage estimate of $1,733 provide useful holding-cost markers, while mortgage repayments equal 28.6% of household income, sitting slightly below the 29.0% rent share. Outright ownership is 29.0%, compared with 29.4% paying a mortgage and 40.7% renting. Because the current median sale price is not available, compare recent sales by bedroom and dwelling type rather than relying on a suburb-wide headline.
For Investors
Marcoola has an unusual investor signal: 40.7% of occupied dwellings are rented, higher than outright ownership at 29.0% and mortgage ownership at 29.4%. Weekly rent is $406, but the 17.9% vacancy rate is also high, so gross rental appeal may be diluted by seasonal use, short stays or uneven tenant demand. The development pipeline records 18 applications across 12 months, enough to monitor additions and renovations without assuming a major supply wave. Growth is forecast at 1.38% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver, which can support demand, although the area's Aging trajectory may favour smaller, accessible dwellings over family-sized stock. Compare actual lease-up times and vacancy by property type with nearby Maroochydore before committing.
Development Activity
Total DAs
43
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+120.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Marcoola's demographic profile is older and less internationally diverse than the national average. Median age is 45, or 5.0 years above the national figure; overseas-born residents account for 17.2%, 4.4 percentage points below national share, and university participation is 26.5%, 3.6 points lower. Average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national comparison, consistent with 49.0% of families being couples without children and only 31.0% couples with children. English ancestry is recorded by 1,483 people, ahead of Irish at 471 and Scottish at 431. No religion counts 1,591 residents versus 1,334 identifying with Christianity. The Aging trajectory is reinforced by an 11.4 point rise in senior share and a 5.5 point fall in young share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
43.4%
Houses
24.3%
Townhouse
32.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Marcoola's housing is more varied than a standard detached-home market. Separate houses make up 43.4% of dwellings, compared with 32.3% apartments and 24.3% semi-detached homes; 40.0% have 3 bedrooms, 31.4% have 2, and 20.6% have 4 or more. Tenure is renter-heavy: 40.7% rent, higher than the 29.0% owned outright and 29.4% held with a mortgage. The average household size is 2.2, so the concentration in 2 and 3-bedroom stock fits smaller households better than a suburb dominated by large family homes. Rent of $406 a week and mortgage payments of $1,733 suggest materially different entry points, while housing costs sit at 29.0% of income for rent and 28.6% for mortgages.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $406.
$950
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $950 · units $650
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$768
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.9%
Unoccupied
302
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.0%
Couples with children
49.0%
Couples, no children
18.6%
Single parent
915
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Marcoola's largest employing industry, with 238 workers or 20.8% of the industry base, followed by construction at 168 and 14.7%, education at 137 and 12.0%, retail at 84 and 7.3%, and professional and technical work at 77 and 6.7%. The occupation mix is led by 340 professionals, 262 trades workers and 223 community and personal service workers, giving the local economy both care-sector and practical building links. Unemployment is 4.9% and participation 61.8%, while 53.6% of workers are full time. Household income sits at the 40.3rd percentile, lower than a high-income benchmark, despite a middle-range SEIFA pattern: IEO decile 5, IER 6, IRSD 6 and IRSAD 5. This gap likely reflects older residents, part-time work and retirees alongside active healthcare employment.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
1,773
Unemployed
87
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.6%
Part-time
36.0%
Participation
61.8%
Employed
1,686
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
17.2%
Dwellings
1,387
Transport to Work
Marcoola's liveability is strongest for residents comfortable with car-based coastal routines. Car driving accounts for 75.6% of journeys, versus 1.8% using public transport and 3.8% walking or cycling; 14.8% work from home, which can reduce daily commuting pressure. Density is 229.6 people per square kilometre across 14.61 square kilometres, giving the area a settled but not intensely urban feel. An IRSAD decile of 5 sits around the national middle, while volunteering is 17.7% and need for assistance is 5.0%, suggesting some civic participation alongside an older support requirement. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, since catchments can extend into nearby suburbs, and review current Queensland Police incident data before deciding. Compared with more urban parts of the Sunshine Coast, Marcoola trades transport choice for a coastal lifestyle.
Drive
75.6%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
14.8%
Population Forecast
+1.38%/yr
(+175 people/yr)
EstablishedForward momentum in Marcoola is measured rather than a sudden expansion story. The forecast trend is 1.38% annual growth, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 17.5% over 10 years, while rent growth has reached 27.9%, supporting continued demand pressure. At the same time, the trajectory is Aging: senior share has risen 11.4 points and young share has fallen 5.5 points. Gentrification is still at the Early signs stage, with a score of 21, so renewal is more likely to appear through renovations, tenure change and selective redevelopment than wholesale transformation. Compared with a purely mature, flat market, Marcoola combines moderate growth with demographic change, but buyers should price in the consequences of its aging resident base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+133
Net Internal / yr
+26
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +19% since 2011, Accelerating: 6% → 12%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Marcoola compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marcoola a good suburb to live in?
Marcoola can suit residents who prefer a coastal setting, smaller households and mixed dwelling types. It has 3,355 residents, a median age of 45 and 75.6% car-based commuting, so it is better suited to drivers than people seeking frequent public transport.
What is the median house price in Marcoola?
No current suburb-wide median house price is available. Compared with a single housing segment, one headline figure could obscure meaningful differences because 43.4% of homes are separate houses, 32.3% apartments and 24.3% semi-detached.
What schools are in Marcoola?
Families should check which nearby primary and secondary schools accept the exact address, along with enrolment zones and travel times. With 75.6% of trips made by car, route planning may matter more than a simple distance comparison between school options.
Is Marcoola safe?
Check current Queensland Police incident data for the exact street and compare recent categories before deciding. Marcoola's IRSAD decile is 5, around the national middle, but that index is not a crime measure and should not replace address-level research.
Is Marcoola good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking established coastal demand, but the case is mixed. Renting is 40.7%, weekly rent is $406 and vacancy is 17.9%, higher than a tightly supplied market would suggest. Growth is forecast at 1.38% annually, with overseas migration the main driver.
How is Marcoola's population changing?
The wider area's population change is forecast at 17.5% over 10 years, with annual growth of 1.38% and overseas migration the primary driver. Marcoola is also on an Aging trajectory: senior share has risen 11.4 points while young share has fallen 5.5 points. That is more nuanced than a simple increase in young families.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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