Nirimba
At a median age of 27, Nirimba is 13 years younger than the national median, making it one of the youngest suburbs on the Sunshine Coast. That single fact shapes almost everything: 55.9% of dwellings carry a mortgage, 56.4% have four or more bedrooms, and the household income sits at the 74.7th percentile nationally. The suburb covers just 0.48 km2 yet holds 2,229 residents at a density of 4,693 per km2, a compact footprint dominated by detached housing at 90.8%. High residential turnover, with 63.6% of residents having moved in the previous five years, marks this as a suburb of early-life arrivals rather than long-term settlers.
Local council: Sunshine Coast
Population
2,229
Median Age
27.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,997/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,842, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers at the median price can service debt without financial strain. Detached houses account for 90.8% of dwellings, so stock is homogeneous. The strong 4-plus bedroom skew at 56.4% of homes signals the suburb is geared toward young families rather than downsizers or couples. At 7.1% outright ownership, most equity is still being built, which is consistent with the 27-year median age.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,842, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers at the median price can service debt without financial strain. Detached houses account for 90.8% of dwellings, so stock is homogeneous. The strong 4-plus bedroom skew at 56.4% of homes signals the suburb is geared toward young families rather than downsizers or couples. At 7.1% outright ownership, most equity is still being built, which is consistent with the 27-year median age.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed picture in Nirimba. The vacancy rate of 4.0% is slightly elevated compared to the sub-3% levels typically regarded as landlord-favourable, suggesting demand does not consistently outpace supply. The 37.0% renter share provides a reasonable tenant pool. High residential turnover at 63.6% of residents having moved recently indicates a transient population rather than deep community roots, which can lift short-term rental demand but also increase void risk. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, limiting near-term supply pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 27 is 13 years below the national figure, giving Nirimba a distinctly young profile compared to Australian averages. English ancestry dominates at 891 residents, followed by Scottish (226) and Irish (207), placing the suburb in the Anglo-Celtic majority characteristic of southeast Queensland. Overseas-born residents reach 24.1%, which is 2.5 percentage points above the national average. Malayalam (21 speakers), Portuguese (14) and Punjabi (13) appear among non-English languages, reflecting modest but growing cultural diversity. University qualifications stand at 30.2%, roughly on par with the national average at 0.1 percentage points above it. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national figure, consistent with the family-formation profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.8%
Houses
9.2%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Nirimba is mortgage-heavy: 55.9% of households carry a home loan, 37.0% rent, and only 7.1% own outright. That outright-ownership rate is low compared to national norms, a direct consequence of the young demographic base still in the wealth-accumulation phase. Separate houses make up 90.8% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 9.2%, so the suburb offers minimal apartment stock. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 56.4% of the supply, reflecting demand from young families.
Mortgage / mo
$1,842
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $510.
$745
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $745 · units $650
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$953
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
30
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.9%
Couples with children
32.8%
Couples, no children
19.0%
Single parent
609
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 27.8% of employed residents (237 workers), a share substantially higher than typical for a suburb this size. Construction follows at 12.9% (110 workers), Education at 8.1% and Retail at 7.8%. Professionals form the largest occupation group at 237, followed by Community and Personal Service Workers at 188 and Clerical and Administrative roles at 145. The unemployment rate of 4.7% is moderate, and the full-time employment rate of 64.3% indicates most employed residents work standard hours. Labour force participation sits at 70.5%, while 300 residents are not in the labour force, partly explained by the young median age and some residents still in education. Weekly personal income averages $953.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
1,251
Unemployed
53
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.8%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
78.1%
Employed
1,198
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.2%
Postgraduate
4.6%
Born Overseas
24.1%
Dwellings
728
Transport to Work
Nirimba is almost entirely car-dependent: 93.1% of residents drive to work, and only 0.9% use public transport, well below national averages for suburban areas. Walking or cycling accounts for 1.6% of commuters. No schools are recorded inside the 0.48 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb. The rent-to-income ratio of 25.5% and mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, indicating that housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes. Volunteering is at 9.2% of the population. The 3.6% needing daily assistance (77 residents) is modest in absolute terms and reflects the young age profile rather than a high-disadvantage population.
Drive
81.9%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
12.1%
Growth Outlook
Nirimba does not have forecast or price-trend data available in this dataset, so projections cannot be drawn from observed trajectories. What is measurable is the current structural position: the suburb has a young resident base with a median age of 27, a 63.6% residential turnover rate over five years, and only 36.4% of residents who have stayed put. This level of mobility is substantially above typical suburban norms and points to a suburb absorbing new family formation and early-career households. Vacancy at 4.0% is above the tight-market threshold, suggesting supply has kept pace with demand so far. The income base at the 74.7th percentile nationally provides moderate purchasing power to sustain continued housing demand.
Population trend: Sunshine Coast council area
Nirimba sits in the Sunshine Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Nirimba'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 Nirimba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nirimba a good suburb to live in?
Nirimba suits young families particularly well. It has a median age of 27, a household income at the 74.7th percentile nationally, and 90.8% of dwellings are detached houses with a strong 4-plus bedroom supply at 56.4%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3% is manageable, though car dependency is high at 93.1% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Nirimba?
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,842, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent is $510 (2021 Census).
What schools are in Nirimba?
No schools are recorded inside the Nirimba boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers just 0.48 km2, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Locally, 30.2% of residents hold a university qualification, marginally above the national average.
Is Nirimba safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Nirimba in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a household income at the 74.7th percentile nationally, a low housing-stress mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%, and an unemployment rate of 4.7%, all suggesting moderate socioeconomic stability.
Is Nirimba good for property investment?
The vacancy rate of 4.0% is slightly above tight-market levels, and 37.0% of residents rent. High residential turnover at 63.6% signals transient demand that can sustain rentals but also carries void risk.
How is Nirimba's population changing?
Population data places Nirimba at 2,229 residents across a 0.48 km2 area. The 63.6% five-year residential turnover rate indicates the suburb is attracting a high volume of new arrivals, likely young families given the median age of 27. Only 36.4% of residents have stayed in the same address over that period.
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).
Explore Nirimba on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map