Sunrise Beach
A 15.3% vacancy rate in a suburb of only 3,687 people is the first number that demands explanation. Sunrise Beach sits on the Noosa Coast with a median age of 44, four years above the national figure, and the population density of just 1,483 people per square kilometre reflects a low-rise residential fabric spread across 2.49 square kilometres. Household income ranks at the 67.1st percentile nationally, solid but not elite, yet 34.3% of residents own their homes outright, a proportion that points to long-term owner-occupiers who bought before values climbed. University qualifications reach 38.6%, which is 8.5 percentage points above the national average, and 27.7% of residents were born overseas, compared to the national figure by 6.1 points higher.
Population
3,687
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,857/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$625K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $625,000 anchors Sunrise Beach in the mid-range of the Noosa region. Separate houses dominate at 68.0% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 25.8% and apartments at just 6.2%, so buyers are mostly competing for detached stock. Three-bedroom homes account for 40.0% of all dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes for 36.0%, which skews the market toward families and upsizers rather than entry-level buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0% stays below the 30% stress threshold, meaning a median-income household can carry a typical loan without financial strain. Outright owners at 34.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 38.0%, suggesting a settled ownership base where a third of the suburb holds no debt.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $625,000 anchors Sunrise Beach in the mid-range of the Noosa region. Separate houses dominate at 68.0% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 25.8% and apartments at just 6.2%, so buyers are mostly competing for detached stock. Three-bedroom homes account for 40.0% of all dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes for 36.0%, which skews the market toward families and upsizers rather than entry-level buyers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0% stays below the 30% stress threshold, meaning a median-income household can carry a typical loan without financial strain. Outright owners at 34.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 38.0%, suggesting a settled ownership base where a third of the suburb holds no debt.
For Investors
At 27.8% renting and a weekly rent of $508, the suburb offers a moderate tenant pool, but the 15.3% vacancy rate is significantly above healthy norms and is the critical number for any investor to weigh. The identity signal of high vacancy means rental demand is not tight: at a $625,000 median, that $508 rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, reasonable for coastal QLD but heavily contingent on occupancy. Development activity is thin, with only one approval recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not the cause of vacancies. The most likely driver is the suburb's holiday and short-term rental character, where properties sit empty between bookings. Investors buying here are accepting occupancy risk in exchange for lifestyle-premium capital growth potential along the Noosa Coast.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
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 44 is four years above the national figure, and the household composition reflects this maturity: 29.4% of families are couples without children, consistent with an empty-nester and sea-change demographic. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national average. Overseas-born residents at 27.7% sit 6.1 percentage points above the national rate, with English ancestry dominating at 1,666 residents, followed by Irish (504) and Scottish (497). University qualifications at 38.6% run 8.5 points above national, pointing to a professional and managerial resident base. The volunteering rate of 18.7% is notably high, suggesting a community with time and means to contribute, common in established coastal suburbs with older owner-occupier cohorts.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
68.0%
Houses
25.8%
Townhouse
6.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between outright owners (34.3%), mortgage holders (38.0%) and renters (27.8%), a distribution that leans toward ownership, with debt-free owners unusually close to matching the mortgage cohort. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 68.0%, with semi-detached at 25.8% and apartments at only 6.2%, so high-density living is minimal. Bedroom distribution skews large: three-bedroom homes at 40.0% and four-plus at 36.0%, compared to two-bedroom at 23.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 against estimated median prices of $625,000. The rent-to-income ratio of 27.4% and mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, meaning neither owners nor renters face acute housing cost pressure at median income levels.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$508
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$841
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.3%
Unoccupied
253
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.4%
Couples, no children
2,896
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 16.9% of workers (226 people), followed by Construction at 12.4% (165), Education at 11.8% (157), Hospitality at 11.2% (150) and Professional/Tech at 10.9% (146). The spread across these five sectors reflects a coastal town economy where tourism, trades, and professional services co-exist rather than a single industry dominating. By occupation, Professionals (457) and Managers (302) together account for the two largest groups, consistent with the 38.6% university qualification rate that is 8.5 points above national. The unemployment rate of 4.7% is modest, though the participation rate of 57.9% is below typical urban norms, because 908 residents are not in the labour force, a figure that includes early retirees and sea-changers who have stepped back from full-time work.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.6%
Part-time
41.7%
Participation
57.9%
Employed
1,673
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.6%
Postgraduate
8.9%
Born Overseas
27.7%
Dwellings
1,402
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 87.1% of residents driving to work, compared to only 2.3% using public transport and 4.4% walking or cycling, typical of a beachside suburb without heavy rail access. No schools are recorded inside the Sunrise Beach boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Noosa Heads and Peregian Beach. The need-for-assistance rate of 3.5% (123 people) is low for the population size, consistent with the suburb's older but relatively advantaged profile. Housing stress is absent at median income: the rent-to-income ratio of 27.4% and mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0% both stay below the 30% stress threshold. The 18.7% volunteering rate, above typical suburban norms, reflects an engaged, time-rich community.
Drive
87.1%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sunrise Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunrise Beach a good suburb to live in?
Sunrise Beach suits those seeking a coastal lifestyle with low housing stress. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0% and rent-to-income of 27.4% both sit below the 30% stress threshold. University qualifications reach 38.6%, which is 8.5 points above the national rate. The main trade-off is limited public transport, with only 2.3% of residents commuting that way.
What is the median house price in Sunrise Beach?
The estimated median house price is $625,000, with average monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167. Weekly rent averages $508. At those levels, mortgage-to-income sits at 27.0% and rent-to-income at 27.4%, both below the 30% financial stress threshold.
What schools are in Sunrise Beach?
No schools are recorded within the Sunrise Beach boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs including Noosa Heads and Peregian Beach. The local population is well qualified, with 38.6% holding university degrees, which is 8.5 percentage points above the national average.
Is Sunrise Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Sunrise Beach in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 3.5% of residents (123 people) need daily assistance, and the suburb's high university qualification rate of 38.6% and above-average household incomes at the 67.1st national percentile are both associated with low-disadvantage areas.
Is Sunrise Beach good for property investment?
The gross yield is around 4.2% based on $508 weekly rent against a $625,000 median, reasonable for coastal QLD. However, the 15.3% vacancy rate is significantly above healthy norms and is the key risk factor. Only 1 development approval in the past 12 months means new supply is not driving vacancies, pointing to holiday-letting churn as the likely cause.
How is Sunrise Beach's population changing?
The current population is 3,687 across 2.49 square kilometres, giving a density of 1,483 people per square kilometre. Development activity is minimal at 1 approval in the past 12 months. Turnover data shows 25.5% of residents moved in the past 5 years while 74.5% stayed, a moderately stable base typical of established coastal suburbs.
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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