QLD 4557 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Mountain Creek

An annual growth trend of 2.33% places Mountain Creek in a high-growth setting, while its current population is 11,950 and median age is 37, three years below the national comparison. Household income sits at the 71.4th percentile, helping explain the suburb's capacity to support family housing, yet 36.9% of dwellings are rented. Overseas-born residents account for 25.5%, 3.9 percentage points above the national figure, and overseas migration is the main growth driver. Compared with nearby Buderim and Sippy Downs, Mountain Creek's clearest local signature is its 77.9% separate-house share, supported by 55.1% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms. The result is a family-oriented, car-dependent suburb because 75.9% of commuters drive.

Mountain Creek urban fabric map

Population

11,950

Median Age

37.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,911/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

26

7.37 km²· 1,621.9 people/km²· Family income $2,062/wk

Mountain Creek suits buyers prioritising detached space over apartment living. A suburb-level median house price is not available, so affordability is better assessed through the $1,950 monthly mortgage figure, $500 weekly rent and tenure mix: 39.7% of dwellings are mortgaged, 22.9% owned outright and 36.9% rented. Four-plus-bedroom dwellings account for 55.1%, compared with 35.3% three-bedroom homes and 15.3% apartments. That layout supports families because 46.7% of households are couples with children. Mortgage-to-income is 23.6% and rent-to-income is 26.2%, both without a reported stress flag, but buyers should test repayments against their own income.

For Buyers

Mountain Creek suits buyers prioritising detached space over apartment living. A suburb-level median house price is not available, so affordability is better assessed through the $1,950 monthly mortgage figure, $500 weekly rent and tenure mix: 39.7% of dwellings are mortgaged, 22.9% owned outright and 36.9% rented. Four-plus-bedroom dwellings account for 55.1%, compared with 35.3% three-bedroom homes and 15.3% apartments. That layout supports families because 46.7% of households are couples with children. Mortgage-to-income is 23.6% and rent-to-income is 26.2%, both without a reported stress flag, but buyers should test repayments against their own income.

For Investors

Mountain Creek offers an investor case built around family rental demand rather than a high-turnover apartment strategy. Weekly rent is $500 and 36.9% of dwellings are rented, a larger share than the 22.9% owned outright, while vacancy is 4.0%. That demand base is supported by 55.1% four-plus-bedroom homes and 46.7% couples-with-children households, which can favour established-family tenants because larger homes provide more usable space. Development activity reached 18 applications in 12 months, so investors should check whether nearby additions compete with existing stock. Growth is forecast at 2.33% annually, driven primarily by overseas migration, but exact street selection remains important.

Development Activity

Total DAs

40

Last 12 Months

26

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+550.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Other
7
Swimming Pool / Spa
6
Renovation / Extension
6
Subdivision
2
Change of Use
2
Deck / Pergola / Patio
2
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
1
New Dwelling
1

Schools in Mountain Creek

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Mountain Creek State High School

State High School Government

Brightwater State School

State School Government

Mountain Creek State School

State School Government

Demographics

Mountain Creek's median age of 37 sits below the national comparison by 3 years, while average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above the national measure. University attainment is 30.8%, just 0.7 percentage points above national, suggesting a mixed education profile rather than a strongly graduate-dominated one. Overseas-born residents make up 25.5%, 3.9 points above national; English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 5,311, 1,361 and 1,299. No religion is recorded for 5,771 residents compared with 5,019 identifying with Christianity, while Mandarin and Punjabi count 41 and 38. Compared with nearby Buderim and Sippy Downs, the practical takeaway is a family-heavy population with established local ties, because 74.2% stayed at the same address and 46.7% of households are couples with children.

Age Distribution

0-14
22.4%
15-24
13.0%
25-44
27.3%
45-64
26.3%
65+
11.0%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.2%
2 bed
9.4%
3 bed
35.3%
4+ bed
55.1%

Dwelling Structure

77.9%

Houses

6.8%

Townhouse

15.3%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 22.9% Mortgage 39.7% Rent 36.9% Other 0.5%

Mountain Creek's housing stock is firmly detached-led: 77.9% separate houses, compared with 15.3% apartments and 6.8% semi-detached dwellings. Four-plus-bedroom homes make up 55.1%, while 3-bedroom homes account for 35.3%, so the built form aligns with the 2.8-person average household and 46.7% couples-with-children share. Tenure is split between 39.7% mortgaged, 36.9% rented and 22.9% owned outright, creating both owner-occupier depth and a material rental market. A suburb-level median house price and price-to-income ratio are unavailable; use the $500 weekly rent and $1,950 monthly mortgage figure as practical reference points. The detached emphasis matters because larger homes suit the suburb's family household structure better than a predominantly apartment-based mix.

Mortgage / mo

$1,950

Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $500.

$820

Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $820 · units $680

HH Size

2.8

Personal Income / wk

$857

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

4.0%

Unoccupied

172

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

26.2%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.6%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
41
Punjabi
38
Afrikaans
27
Guj
27
Hindi
26
Korean
23

Ancestry

English
5,311
Scottish
1,361
Irish
1,299
Other
1,002
German
659
Ancestry NS
555

Household Composition

46.7%

Couples with children

32.2%

Couples, no children

20.1%

Single parent

3,380

Total families

Economy & Employment

Mountain Creek's economy is anchored by healthcare at 22.8% and 960 workers, with construction at 12.0% and 506, education at 11.9% and 500, retail at 8.3% and 350, and professional/technical work at 7.9% and 331. Professionals number 1,315, trades 911 and community/personal services 883, matching a service-and-construction employment base rather than a single-industry suburb. Labour-force participation is 70.8%, unemployment 4.1% and full-time work 53.6%; 617 employed residents work away from the suburb, reinforcing car dependence. Household income is at the 71.4th percentile, above the national midpoint. SEIFA is steady but not top-decile: education and occupation deciles are 6 and 7, while disadvantage and advantage deciles are both 6. The 7 versus 6 pattern suggests stronger education and occupation outcomes than the broader socioeconomic measures.

Unemployment

4.1%

Labour Force

6,567

Unemployed

271

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
6
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
7
Education & occupation
6

Full-time

53.6%

Part-time

36.6%

Participation

70.8%

Employed

6,296

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 1,315
Trades 911
Community/Personal 883
Clerical/Admin 790
Sales 750
Managers 719
Labourers 561
Machinery/Drivers 278

Top Industries

Healthcare 22.8%
Construction 12.0%
Education 11.9%
Retail 8.3%
Professional/Tech 7.9%

University

30.8%

Postgraduate

6.1%

Born Overseas

25.5%

Dwellings

4,091

Transport to Work

Livability is strongest for households comfortable with driving. 75.9% of commuters drive, compared with 0.7% using public transport and 2.0% walking or cycling; 16.1% work from home. That pattern matters because daily access is likely easier by car than by transit. Three nearby government schools provide a practical local spread, with two state schools and one state high school; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address rather than infer access from the suburb name. The IRSAD decile is 6, while education and occupation deciles are 6 and 7, indicating a middle-to-upper-middle context rather than a top-decile one. No suburb-level crime rate is stated, so compare recent incidents, lighting, traffic and walking routes before choosing a street.

Drive

75.9%

Public Transport

0.7%

Walk / Cycle

2.0%

Work from Home

16.1%

Population Forecast

+2.33%/yr

(+289 people/yr)

High Growth

Mountain Creek sits in a high-growth forecast category, with annual growth of 2.33% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area runs at 70.4% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Mixed, so momentum should not be read as a uniform transformation. Gentrification remains Not gentrifying, with a gentrification score of 0, even though rent growth is 28.2% and real income growth is 15.0%. Affordability is marked Improving, with scores of 64.4 in 2011 and 58.3 in 2021, and senior share rose 1.7 points. Compared with a classic inner-urban renewal pattern, the evidence points more to migration and household demand because the suburb is detached-dominant, not rapidly changing tenure.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+190

Net Internal / yr

-196

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

Net internal outflow -196/yr

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Mountain Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 3%
Household Income
Top 29%
Rent Level
Top 6%
Apartments
Top 6%
Renters
Top 13%
Uni Educated
Top 33%
Public Transport
Bottom 11%
Born Overseas
Top 19%
Density
Top 11%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mountain Creek a good suburb to live in?

For many families, yes: 77.9% of dwellings are separate houses, 55.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, and the median age is 37, below the national comparison. Car use is high at 75.9%, so lifestyle fit depends on driving needs and exact access to schools and services.

What is the median house price in Mountain Creek?

A reliable suburb-level median house price is not available. Weekly rent is $500, while 77.9% of dwellings are separate houses compared with 15.3% apartments. Use current address-specific sales evidence for a purchase benchmark, particularly because housing costs can vary by street and dwelling type.

What schools are in Mountain Creek?

Three government schools serve the suburb: 2 state schools and 1 state high school. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address, because practical access can differ more than the suburb label suggests; public transport use is only 0.7%.

Is Mountain Creek safe?

A suburb-level crime rate cannot be stated, so compare recent incident patterns, lighting, traffic and walking routes at street level. Compared with relying on a single label, those checks give a more practical safety assessment. Mountain Creek has 11,950 residents and 75.9% of commuters drive.

Is Mountain Creek good for property investment?

It can suit investors seeking family rentals: weekly rent is $500, 36.9% of dwellings are rented, vacancy is 4.0%, and annual growth is forecast at 2.33%. The rental share is higher than the 22.9% owned outright share, but address, property condition and future competition matter.

How is Mountain Creek's population changing?

The growth outlook is stronger than a low-growth setting: annual growth is forecast at 2.33%, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 70.4% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Mixed and gentrification is Not gentrifying. The current suburb population is 11,950.

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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