Mount Coolum
A median age of 44 sits 4 years above the national figure, and nearly 30% of households own their home outright, pointing to a settled, owner-occupier community on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. With 4,545 residents across 5 square kilometres, population density reaches 909 people per square kilometre. Household income lands at the 59.3rd percentile nationally, placing the suburb comfortably in the middle band rather than at either extreme. Healthcare dominates local employment at 23.9% of the workforce, well above what smaller suburban areas typically record, reflecting proximity to Sunshine Coast health infrastructure.
Population
4,545
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,690/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$547K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $547,000 based on 2025 rental data, with weekly rent averaging $450 and monthly mortgage repayments around $1,863. That mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5% stays below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable compared to many coastal Queensland markets. Separate houses make up 62.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 28.3% and apartments at only 9.1%, so detached-house buyers have reasonable stock to choose from. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 48.9%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 28.6%. Outright owners at 29.9% comfortably outnumber renters at 30.1%, suggesting a stable base of long-term residents rather than high churn.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $547,000 based on 2025 rental data, with weekly rent averaging $450 and monthly mortgage repayments around $1,863. That mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5% stays below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable compared to many coastal Queensland markets. Separate houses make up 62.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 28.3% and apartments at only 9.1%, so detached-house buyers have reasonable stock to choose from. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 48.9%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 28.6%. Outright owners at 29.9% comfortably outnumber renters at 30.1%, suggesting a stable base of long-term residents rather than high churn.
For Investors
The vacancy rate of 9.6% is high by national standards, which means landlords face real competition for tenants before committing to purchase. Weekly rent of $450 against a $547,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, above the coastal Sunshine Coast average but tempered by that elevated vacancy. The renter share sits at 30.1%, providing a reasonable tenant pool. Development activity is low at only 8 applications in the past 12 months across the suburb, so new supply pressure is limited. Resident turnover is modest at 26.1%, with 73.9% staying, indicating stable underlying demand. However, the lack of detailed growth forecasts means investors should weight the vacancy rate carefully before assuming rent escalation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+60.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The population of 4,545 skews older, with a median age of 44 that is 4 years above the national median. Overseas-born residents account for 19.7%, which is 1.9 points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly locally-born base. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English at 2,108 residents leads, followed by Irish at 654 and Scottish at 598. University qualifications reach 33.6%, which is 3.5 percentage points above the national figure, consistent with a professional resident base. Average household size is 2.4, marginally below national. Couples with children number 1,414 compared to couples without children at 1,063, pointing to a family-oriented mix despite the older median age. Volunteering reaches 17.1% of residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
62.6%
Houses
28.3%
Townhouse
9.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split with 29.9% owning outright, 40.0% carrying a mortgage, and 30.1% renting. The mortgage share exceeding outright ownership indicates many households are still in the accumulation phase, consistent with the suburb's identity as a mortgage-belt coastal community. Separate houses dominate at 62.6%, well above the state apartment-heavy coastal average, while semi-detached homes at 28.3% add variety. Three-bedroom configurations are the most common at 48.9%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 28.6%, both above the national norm for 2-bedroom stock. The median house price sits at $547,000 (estimated from 2025 rent). Rent-to-income at 26.6% stays below the 30% stress threshold, though close enough that rent increases would bite. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,863.
Mortgage / mo
$1,863
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$808
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.6%
Unoccupied
189
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples, no children
3,414
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the single largest industry at 23.9% of employed residents (410 workers), significantly higher than national averages, driven by Sunshine Coast health services. Education follows at 13.7% (235 workers) and Construction at 11.6% (200 workers), the latter reflecting ongoing coastal development activity. Professional and technical services account for 9.7% (167 workers). By occupation, Professionals lead at 568 workers, followed by Community and Personal Services at 347 and Managers at 288. The unemployment rate is 4.5% against a labour force participation rate of 56.4%, which is lower than national norms, partly because 1,223 residents are outside the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 44. Full-time employment rate among those working is 57.0%.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
38.5%
Participation
56.4%
Employed
2,036
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.6%
Postgraduate
7.9%
Born Overseas
19.7%
Dwellings
1,777
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 92.6% of residents drive to work, compared to national rates where public transport and active modes take a larger share. Public transport is used by only 1.2% of commuters, and walking or cycling by 1.9%, reflecting the suburban coastal layout where destinations are spread out. Rent-to-income at 26.6% and mortgage-to-income at 25.5% both stay below stress thresholds, keeping housing costs manageable relative to income. Volunteering at 17.1% indicates an engaged community. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb. No schools are recorded within the Mount Coolum boundary, so families depend on schools in surrounding Sunshine Coast suburbs. Only 6.8% of residents need daily assistance, low relative to the older median age of 44.
Drive
92.6%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Coolum compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Coolum a good suburb to live in?
Mount Coolum suits owner-occupiers and families seeking a stable coastal lifestyle. Household income sits at the 59.3rd percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income is 25.5% (below stress thresholds), and 73.9% of residents stay put between Census periods. The main practical limitation is near-total car dependency, with only 1.2% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Mount Coolum?
The median house price is estimated at $547,000 based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $450 and monthly mortgage repayments are around $1,863. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5% is below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments comparatively manageable for the suburb's income profile.
What schools are in Mount Coolum?
No schools are recorded within the Mount Coolum boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Sunshine Coast suburbs. The resident base is relatively well-educated, with 33.6% holding university qualifications, 3.5 percentage points above the national average.
Is Mount Coolum safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mount Coolum in this dataset. As a proxy indicator, only 6.8% of the 4,545 residents need daily assistance, which is low, and the suburb has a stable long-term resident base with 73.9% staying rather than moving, typically associated with lower-crime, settled communities.
Is Mount Coolum good for property investment?
The vacancy rate of 9.6% is elevated compared to national norms, which is the key risk. Weekly rent of $450 against a $547,000 median gives an estimated gross yield around 4.3%, above many coastal markets. Development activity is low at 8 applications in 12 months, limiting new supply pressure. Returns depend more on capital growth than yield given the vacancy level.
How is Mount Coolum's population changing?
Detailed population growth forecasts are not available in the current dataset. The suburb has 4,545 residents across 5 square kilometres at a density of 909 per square kilometre. Resident stability is strong at 73.9% staying, and the median age of 44 is 4 years above national, suggesting gradual aging rather than high-growth churn.
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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