Marcoola
At 45, the median age in Marcoola sits 5 years above the national figure, and that single fact shapes almost everything else about the suburb. The 3,355 residents spread across 14.61 square kilometres on the Sunshine Coast show a community that skews toward retirees and empty-nesters, with 37.5% of families being couples without children. Household income falls at the 40.3rd percentile nationally, below average, yet housing stress is absent: rent-to-income runs at 29% and mortgage-to-income at 28.6%, both just under the 30% stress threshold. The vacancy rate of 17.9% is notably high, pointing to a substantial holiday or short-stay component in the housing stock.
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
7
Median House
$500K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $500,000, derived from the $406 weekly rent and local rent-to-price ratios. The stock leans toward separate houses at 43.4%, but apartments account for 32.3% and semi-detached dwellings 24.3%, giving buyers more variety than many comparable Sunshine Coast suburbs. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 40% of all dwellings, followed by two-bedroom at 31.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and mortgage-to-income at 28.6% stays below the 30% stress line, which is more favourable than many coastal markets nationally. Outright owners (29.2%) and mortgage holders (29.7%) are almost equal, reflecting a mix of long-term holders and recent buyers rather than dominance by either group.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $500,000, derived from the $406 weekly rent and local rent-to-price ratios. The stock leans toward separate houses at 43.4%, but apartments account for 32.3% and semi-detached dwellings 24.3%, giving buyers more variety than many comparable Sunshine Coast suburbs. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 40% of all dwellings, followed by two-bedroom at 31.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and mortgage-to-income at 28.6% stays below the 30% stress line, which is more favourable than many coastal markets nationally. Outright owners (29.2%) and mortgage holders (29.7%) are almost equal, reflecting a mix of long-term holders and recent buyers rather than dominance by either group.
For Investors
Rental demand is solid, with 41.1% of dwellings occupied by renters, higher than the national renter share, and weekly rent of $406 from a $500,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%. The 17.9% vacancy rate is the key risk: it signals a large short-stay or holiday-let segment, which compresses effective occupancy for long-term landlords. Overseas migration drives the population forecast, contributing an average of 133 net arrivals per year compared to 26 from internal migration. Rent grew 27.9% over the decade, outpacing real income growth of 10%, which supports continued rental income growth. Only 6 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating limited new supply pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
27
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-41.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5.0 years above the national average, placing Marcoola firmly in the aging-community bracket. The senior share of the population rose 11.4 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 4.0 points, accelerating that trend. Overseas-born residents at 17.2% run 4.4 points below the national figure, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born population. Ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,483), Irish (471) and Scottish (431) are the top three. Average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below national, consistent with the couples-without-children profile where 37.5% of families have no dependent children. University qualifications reach 26.5%, which is 3.6 points below the national rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
43.4%
Houses
24.3%
Townhouse
32.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split three ways with renters at 41.1%, mortgage holders at 29.7% and outright owners at 29.2%, a notably high renter share for a coastal suburb of this size. The 17.9% vacancy rate is well above typical residential levels, pointing to a significant holiday-let or second-home component rather than structural oversupply. Separate houses make up 43.4% of stock, apartments 32.3% and semi-detached 24.3%, an unusually apartment-heavy split for a suburb at this density of 229.6 persons per square kilometre. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 40% and two-bedroom at 31.4%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 20.6%. Mortgage repayments of $1,733 per month produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.6%, below the national stress threshold.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$406
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
37.5%
Couples, no children
2,355
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 20.8% (238 workers), well above its share in most regional QLD suburbs, followed by Construction at 14.7% (168), Education at 12% (137), Retail at 7.3% and Professional/Tech at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 340 workers, followed by Community/Personal service at 223 and Clerical/Admin at 206. The unemployment rate is 5.4% against a participation rate of 55.7%, the low participation reflecting the older demographic with 877 residents not in the labour force. Full-time employment accounts for 59.8% of employed residents. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 6 and IRSAD decile of 5 place the suburb in the middle range nationally, neither significantly advantaged nor disadvantaged.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
6,434
Unemployed
221
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.8%
Part-time
34.8%
Participation
55.7%
Employed
1,510
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
17.2%
Dwellings
1,387
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 88.6% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, with public transport at just 2.1% and walking or cycling at 4.4%. That reflects the suburb's coastal layout and limited transit connections relative to Maroochydore and Caloundra. No schools are recorded within Marcoola's boundary, so families rely on nearby Sunshine Coast institutions. The IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb in the middle nationally, meaning neither concentrated advantage nor disadvantage. Volunteering is active at 17.7% of residents, above many comparable suburbs. Only 5.0% of residents (153 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 45, suggesting a healthy and functionally independent aging population.
Drive
88.6%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.38%/yr
(+175 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 17.5% over the past decade, reaching 3,355 residents, and the annual trend projects 1.38% growth adding roughly 175 persons per year. Medium-scenario forecasts for the broader SA2 area show the population climbing from 12,672 in 2025 toward 13,848 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver at 133 net arrivals per year, roughly five times the internal migration contribution of 26. The gentrification score of 21 places the suburb in the early signs stage, supported by signals of population growth above 19% since 2011 and an accelerating professional share from 6% to 12%. Affordability improved from 60.9% in 2011 to 57.6% in 2021, a mild improvement relative to other Sunshine Coast locations.
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 suits retirees and coastal lifestyle seekers well. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 28.6% and rent-to-income at 29%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The median age of 45 is 5 years above national, and 37.5% of families are couples without children. Car ownership is essential as public transport is used by only 2.1% of residents.
What is the median house price in Marcoola?
The median house price in Marcoola is estimated at $500,000, derived from the $406 weekly rent using local Sunshine Coast rent-to-price ratios. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.6%, which is below the national 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Marcoola?
No schools are recorded within Marcoola's boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding Sunshine Coast suburbs. The suburb's 26.5% university qualification rate is 3.6 points below the national average, reflecting its older, post-work resident base rather than a student population.
Is Marcoola safe?
Crime data specific to Marcoola is not available in this dataset. As a proxy indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 6 nationally, placing it in the middle range for relative disadvantage, and only 5.0% of residents (153 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a stable, low-hardship community.
Is Marcoola good for property investment?
The 41.1% renter share and $406 weekly rent against a $500,000 median suggest a gross yield around 4.2%, reasonable for a coastal QLD location. Rent grew 27.9% over the decade, outpacing real income growth of 10%. The key risk is the 17.9% vacancy rate, which points to a significant short-stay component that can reduce effective long-term rental occupancy.
How is Marcoola's population changing?
Marcoola grew 17.5% over the past decade and is forecast to add around 175 persons per year at 1.38% annual growth. Overseas migration contributes 133 net arrivals annually, making it the primary driver. The population profile is aging, with the senior share up 11.4 points and working-age share down 4.0 points since 2011.
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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