Parrearra
Two numbers define this Sunshine Coast suburb: a median age of 52, which is 12 years above the national figure, and a median house price of $593,000 that stays affordable despite waterfront geography. The older skew is structural, with the senior share up 4.8 points and the working-age share down 2.4 points over the decade, leaving labour-force participation at just 48.2% because 1,734 residents sit outside the workforce. Household income lands in the 45.1st percentile nationally, modest for the address, yet 45.6% of homes are owned outright, a sign of established residents who bought long ago. Couples without children make up 40.7% of the 3,643 families, and growth runs a steady 1.49% a year.
Population
4,661
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,467/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$593K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $593,000 median house price keeps Parrearra accessible compared with most coastal QLD postcodes, and the stock favours buyers wanting space: 55.4% are separate houses against 26.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes lead at 37.9% and four-plus-bedroom homes reach 33.8%, so larger family layouts are common rather than scarce. The catch sits in the income math. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5%, just above the 30% stress threshold, because household income only reaches the 45.1st percentile nationally. That gap explains why 45.6% of residents own outright while just 27.8% carry a mortgage, a market held more by settled owners than by new entrants stretching to buy.
For Buyers
The $593,000 median house price keeps Parrearra accessible compared with most coastal QLD postcodes, and the stock favours buyers wanting space: 55.4% are separate houses against 26.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes lead at 37.9% and four-plus-bedroom homes reach 33.8%, so larger family layouts are common rather than scarce. The catch sits in the income math. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5%, just above the 30% stress threshold, because household income only reaches the 45.1st percentile nationally. That gap explains why 45.6% of residents own outright while just 27.8% carry a mortgage, a market held more by settled owners than by new entrants stretching to buy.
For Investors
Renters make up 26.6% of households and weekly rent averages $490, which against the $593,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.3%, healthier than premium Sydney or Melbourne coastal markets. The warning sign is a 10.3% vacancy rate, well above a balanced 2 to 3% market, pointing to soft rental absorption or a high holiday-let share typical of Sunshine Coast waterfront. Demand fundamentals are mild but positive: net overseas migration adds 110 residents a year and net internal migration 126, a balanced driver supporting 1.49% annual population growth. Development is effectively nil at one application in 12 months, so new supply will not dilute existing stock. Rent grew 24.0% over the period, so the case leans on income yield and rent escalation rather than rapid capital churn.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
1
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 52 runs 12.0 years above national, the clearest marker of an aging resident base, reinforced by a senior-share rise of 4.8 points and a working-age decline of 2.4 points over the decade. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-leaning, led by English (2,281), Scottish (614) and Irish (612), with German (298) the main European addition. Only 25.0% of residents were born overseas, 3.4 points above national but low for the metro, and non-English languages are minimal, with Mandarin and German tied at 13 speakers each. University qualifications reach 31.6%, a slim 1.5 points above national. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, consistent with the 40.7% of families that are couples without children rather than larger households with kids.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
55.4%
Houses
18.2%
Townhouse
26.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward outright ownership: 45.6% own with no mortgage, 27.8% carry one and 26.6% rent. Outright owners nearly doubling mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free property among older residents rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is house-dominated at 55.4% separate dwellings, with apartments at 26.3% and semi-detached at 18.2%, and bedrooms skew large, with 37.9% three-bedroom and 33.8% four-plus. The median house price sits at $593,000. Affordability still bites relative to local incomes: mortgage-to-income at 31.5% and rent-to-income at 33.4% both clear the 30% stress threshold, because the household income percentile of 45.1 is well below what the waterfront housing would suggest, a divergence between asset value and resident earnings.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$490
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$773
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.3%
Unoccupied
229
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.4% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.7%
Couples, no children
3,643
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local workforce at 24.2% (344 workers), more than double the next sector, Construction at 10.4% (148), followed by Education at 9.8% and Professional/Tech at 9.3%. By occupation, Professionals (495) and Managers (304) lead, consistent with a decile 6 IEO score for education and occupation. The labour market is small and skews retired: participation is only 48.2% and 1,734 residents are not in the labour force, which depresses output relative to population. Unemployment sits at 5.0% and the full-time rate at 60.5%. SEIFA reads mid-tier across the board, decile 6 on IRSAD, IRSD and IEO and decile 7 on IER, so the area is neither disadvantaged nor advantaged, with the IER edge reflecting the high 45.6% outright-ownership wealth despite modest current incomes.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
5,641
Unemployed
149
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.5%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
48.2%
Employed
1,849
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.6%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
25.0%
Dwellings
1,994
Transport to Work
Daily life is heavily car-based: 90.2% of commuters drive, far above the national norm, while public transport carries just 1.1% and active travel 3.6%, the trade-off for a low-density Sunshine Coast setting at 1,924 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, mid-range nationally, so deprivation is uncommon without the area being affluent. Volunteering runs at 17.1% and 6.5% of residents (289 people) need daily assistance, slightly elevated and consistent with the median age of 52. No schools are recorded inside the 2.42 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Kawana suburbs, a practical consideration given the four-plus-bedroom homes make up 33.8% of stock and attract families.
Drive
90.2%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.49%/yr
(+169 people/yr)
EstablishedParrearra is an established suburb growing at a steady 1.49% a year, roughly 169 residents annually, with a 14.2% rise over the past decade. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 4.8 points, yet growth is real and balanced: net internal migration adds 126 residents a year and net overseas migration 110, neither dominating. The gentrification stage reads early signs at a score of 38, with population up 21% since 2011 and the rate accelerating from 4% to 16%. Medium forecasts project continued expansion through 2031. Affordability is improving rather than worsening, easing from 67.8% in 2011 to 59.5% in 2021, and real incomes grew 14.8% over the decade, both supporting gradual rather than explosive change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+110
Net Internal / yr
+126
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Net internal migration +126/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 16%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Parrearra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Parrearra a good suburb to live in?
Parrearra scores decile 6 on IRSAD and IRSD nationally, a mid-tier result, with a relatively affordable $593,000 median house price for a waterfront Sunshine Coast address. It suits settled and older households, given the median age of 52 is 12 years above national, but car reliance is high at 90.2% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Parrearra?
The median house price is $593,000, accessible compared with most coastal QLD markets. Weekly rent averages $490 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5%, just above the 30% stress threshold because incomes sit in the 45.1st percentile nationally.
What schools are in Parrearra?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.42 km2 Parrearra boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Kawana suburbs. Demand is family-driven, with four-plus-bedroom homes making up 33.8% of stock and three-bedroom homes another 37.9%.
Is Parrearra safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Parrearra in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a mid-range result nationally, and just 6.5% of residents, 289 people, need daily assistance, both consistent with a stable residential area.
Is Parrearra good for property investment?
Rent of $490 a week against a $593,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.3%, stronger than southern capital coastal markets. The risk is a 10.3% vacancy rate, well above a balanced 2 to 3% market. Net migration of 236 residents a year and 24.0% rent growth support the demand case.
How is Parrearra's population changing?
Population grows about 1.49% a year, roughly 169 residents, with a 14.2% rise over 10 years and forecasts continuing through 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.8 points and the working-age share down 2.4 points, while net migration adds 236 residents annually.
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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