Sunset
Mining work drives everything in Sunset. A 32.5% share of employed residents work in mining, far above any other sector, which explains why household income sits in the 88.6th percentile nationally despite a median house price of only $431,000. That income-to-price gap is the suburb's defining tension: well-paid workers living in relatively affordable homes, with a 15.3% vacancy rate signalling that many dwellings sit empty between roster cycles. The median resident age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, and the suburb covers just 1.96 km2 at a density of 1,092 people per km2.
Population
2,137
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,325/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$431K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $431,000, the median house price sits well below Queensland's major urban markets, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 14.9% is among the most comfortable in the state, meaning buyers here spend considerably less than the national average on housing costs. Separate houses dominate at 90.5% of dwellings, with semi-detached properties making up the remaining 9.5%. Three-bedroom homes account for 64.3% of stock, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 23.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500. The main constraint for buyers is the 46.1% renter share, which indicates that owner-occupier resale supply competes with a large transient rental pool typical of mining-adjacent suburbs.
For Buyers
At $431,000, the median house price sits well below Queensland's major urban markets, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 14.9% is among the most comfortable in the state, meaning buyers here spend considerably less than the national average on housing costs. Separate houses dominate at 90.5% of dwellings, with semi-detached properties making up the remaining 9.5%. Three-bedroom homes account for 64.3% of stock, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 23.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500. The main constraint for buyers is the 46.1% renter share, which indicates that owner-occupier resale supply competes with a large transient rental pool typical of mining-adjacent suburbs.
For Investors
The 46.1% renter share provides a large tenant base relative to national norms, and weekly rent of $349 against a $431,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than most southeast Queensland suburbs. However, the 15.3% vacancy rate signals meaningful oversupply, most likely linked to fly-in fly-out workforce cycles that leave dwellings empty between rosters. Development activity is effectively zero, with no applications recorded in the past 12 months. Demand depends heavily on the mining industry, which supplies 32.5% of local employment, making income stability tied to commodity price cycles rather than the broader economy.
Schools in Sunset iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sunset State School
Prep-6 · 257 students
Demographics
The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national average, reflecting a workforce-age population concentrated around mining and related services. Males make up 51.9% of residents, a slight skew consistent with resource-sector suburbs. Overseas-born residents account for 17.6% of the population, which is 4 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (639 residents), Irish (220) and Scottish (148) lead the count. University qualifications reach 18.4%, which is 11.7 percentage points below national, because the dominant occupations here favour technical and trade skills over degrees. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.5%
Houses
9.5%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans toward renting: 46.1% of residents rent, 35.9% carry a mortgage, and only 18.0% own outright. The high renter proportion is characteristic of suburbs where the workforce rotates on contracts, lowering incentives for long-term ownership. Three-bedroom homes make up 64.3% of dwellings and 4-plus bedrooms 23.4%, indicating family-scale stock despite the young median age of 31. The 15.3% vacancy rate is elevated compared to southeast Queensland norms, pointing to cyclical occupancy tied to mining demand. Rent-to-income sits at 15.0%, well below the 30% stress threshold, meaning renters here are not financially stretched relative to their earnings.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$349
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,184
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.3%
Unoccupied
129
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.1%
Couples, no children
1,651
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining dominates at 32.5% of employment, with 214 residents in the sector, more than double the next industry. Healthcare follows at 14.1% (93 workers), then Public Administration at 11.6% (76) and Education at 9.7% (64). By occupation, Machinery and Drivers lead at 171, consistent with mine-site roles, followed by Professionals (161) and Clerical/Admin (140). Unemployment sits at 3.9%, close to national norms. Full-time employment at 79.7% is above average, aligning with roster-based mining contracts. Household income at the 88.6th percentile nationally reflects mining wage premiums rather than a diversified knowledge economy.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
79.7%
Part-time
16.4%
Participation
66.9%
Employed
1,022
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.4%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
17.6%
Dwellings
714
Transport to Work
Car dependency is extreme in Sunset: 87.6% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average of around 60%, and only 0.7% use public transport. Walking and cycling account for 3.0% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the 1.96 km2 boundary, meaning families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available for Sunset in this dataset. The volunteering rate of 14.9% is close to national norms. Housing stress indicators are low: rent-to-income at 15.0% and mortgage-to-income at 14.9% both sit well below the 30% stress level, suggesting that despite high car dependency and limited amenity, residents are not financially pressured by their housing costs.
Drive
87.6%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sunset compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunset a good suburb to live in?
Sunset suits residents employed in mining or related services. Household income sits in the 88.6th percentile nationally, housing stress is low with rent-to-income at 15.0% and mortgage-to-income at 14.9%, and the median house price is $431,000. The trade-offs are high car dependency at 87.6%, no schools within the 1.96 km2 boundary, and a 15.3% vacancy rate indicating a transient population.
What is the median house price in Sunset?
The estimated median house price is $431,000, derived from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 14.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $349, implying a gross yield near 4.2% for investors.
What schools are in Sunset?
No schools are recorded within the Sunset boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 1.96 km2 and has 2,137 residents, so families rely on schools in nearby suburbs. University qualifications locally reach 18.4%, which is 11.7 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the trade and technical focus of mining employment.
Is Sunset safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Sunset in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the unemployment rate is 3.9%, close to national norms, and housing stress is low with rent-to-income at 15.0% and mortgage-to-income at 14.9%. The volunteering rate of 14.9% suggests moderate community engagement.
Is Sunset good for property investment?
At $431,000 median with $349 weekly rent, the gross yield is approximately 4.2%, higher than most southeast Queensland urban suburbs. However, the 15.3% vacancy rate is a significant risk factor, likely driven by fly-in fly-out mining rosters. Zero development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply pressure, but demand remains tied to mining sector conditions.
How is Sunset's population changing?
Suburb-level population forecast data is not available in this dataset. The current population is 2,137 with a median age of 31, which is 9 years below the national figure. The turnover rate of 27.0% means 73.0% of residents stayed between census periods, moderate stability for a mining suburb where workforce mobility tends to run higher than average.
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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