Sunshine Acres
Two facts stand out in Sunshine Acres: household income sits in the 71.4th percentile nationally, yet the IRSD decile of 2 places it among the most disadvantaged suburbs in Australia, a gap explained by the suburb's mortgage-belt identity and detached-house dominance. Every single dwelling is a separate house, 100%, making this one of the few suburbs with zero apartment or semi-detached stock. The population of 1,009 is small, with a median age of 44, which is 4 years above the national figure, and 57% of homes have four or more bedrooms, pointing to family-focused, land-heavy living on 14.4 square kilometres near Harvey.
Population
1,009
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,912/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$421K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $421,000, and with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,733, the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability relative to income is notably better than many coastal QLD suburbs where ratios exceed 30%. The entire stock is separate houses, so buyers face no trade-off between house and apartment formats. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 57% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes for 31.5%, so larger family homes are the norm rather than the exception. Outright owners make up 38.7% and mortgage holders 56.7%, with renters at just 4.6%, meaning this is an owner-occupier market where long-term residents hold most of the housing.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $421,000, and with monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,733, the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability relative to income is notably better than many coastal QLD suburbs where ratios exceed 30%. The entire stock is separate houses, so buyers face no trade-off between house and apartment formats. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 57% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes for 31.5%, so larger family homes are the norm rather than the exception. Outright owners make up 38.7% and mortgage holders 56.7%, with renters at just 4.6%, meaning this is an owner-occupier market where long-term residents hold most of the housing.
For Investors
A 4.6% renter share is among the lowest you will find in any suburb, and with weekly rent at $300, gross yield on a $421,000 median works out to roughly 3.7%, reasonable but not outstanding compared to higher-renter markets. The vacancy rate of 5.7% is elevated and signals thin rental demand relative to supply, which caps income reliability. Development activity is minimal, with 1 application lodged in the past 12 months, a lot reconfiguration rather than new dwellings, so supply pressure is negligible. Migration data for the broader area shows net internal outflow of 247 per year offset by 344 overseas arrivals annually, producing modest net growth. The gentrification score of 45 puts it in the active stage, supported by 39.7% real income growth and 30.8% rent growth over the decade, both above typical regional benchmarks.
Development Activity
Total DAs
5
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
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 4 years above the national figure, consistent with an established, family-owning cohort rather than a young renter base. Overseas-born residents account for 12.3%, which is 9.3 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry leans heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (461), Irish (110), Scottish (87) and German (81) are the top four, reflecting the regional QLD demographic profile. University qualifications reach 17.8%, which is 12.3 points below the national rate, a gap consistent with trades and service-sector employment predominating. Average household size is 3.1 persons, 0.6 above national, and couples with children (345 families) outnumber couples without children (228), explaining why four-plus bedroom homes make up 57% of the stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Sunshine Acres is exceptional in one metric: 100% of dwellings are separate houses, with no apartments or semi-detached homes recorded, placing it well above the national average for detached housing. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 57%, with three-bedroom at 31.5% and smaller configurations filling the remainder. Tenure splits as 38.7% outright owners, 56.7% with a mortgage and 4.6% renting, a pattern that reflects long-held family homes rather than an investment or rental market. The $421,000 median price (estimated from 2025 rent data) sits well below the QLD state median, making it an affordable entry point for buyers willing to accept lower services density. Mortgage-to-income at 20.9% and rent-to-income at 15.7% indicate neither mortgage holders nor renters face housing stress by conventional thresholds.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$723
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.7%
Unoccupied
19
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.7%
Couples, no children
855
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 27.3% of working residents (84 workers), nearly double the next-largest sector Construction at 15.9% (49 workers), which is higher than the national industry average for similarly sized rural towns. Education (11.7%) and Retail (9.4%) follow, with Public Admin at 8.4%. The full-time employment rate is 62%, and unemployment sits at 4.4% against a participation rate of 59.4%, which is moderate. SEIFA tells a nuanced story: the IRSD decile of 2 indicates high relative disadvantage on resources, yet the IEO decile of 5 (education and occupation) sits at the national midpoint. The IRSAD decile of 4 captures the combined picture. Personal weekly income averages $723, and household income at the 71.4th percentile nationally reflects multi-income family structures rather than high individual earnings.
Unemployment
7.3%
Labour Force
5,993
Unemployed
435
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.0%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
59.4%
Employed
458
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.8%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
12.3%
Dwellings
305
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total, with 91.5% of residents driving to work, compared to a national average closer to 73%, and public transport use at 0.8% is negligible given the rural-suburban setting across 14.4 square kilometres. Walking and cycling account for 2.9% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in nearby Harvey and surrounding areas. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Sunshine Acres below the national median for combined advantage and disadvantage, while the IEO decile of 5 sits at the midpoint for education and occupation. Rent-to-income at 15.7% is well below the 30% stress benchmark, and 9.3% of residents (89 people) need daily assistance, slightly above the national rate, partly because the median age of 44 is 4 years older than the national figure.
Drive
91.5%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.56%/yr
(+57 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has grown from 9,910 (2023) to 10,151 (2025), with the medium forecast projecting 10,532 by 2031, an annual rate of 0.56%. That pace is modest but steady, driven primarily by overseas migration averaging 344 net arrivals per year, which more than offsets the internal outflow of 247. The 10-year population change of 6.9% is below the QLD average for growth corridors but above flat or declining rural towns. Affordability improved from 63.3% in 2011 to 48.2% in 2021, a meaningful shift suggesting rising incomes relative to costs. Real income growth of 39.7% over the decade supports this trend. The gentrification stage is active with a score of 45, below the threshold for advanced gentrification but showing sustained upward pressure on both rents and incomes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+344
Net Internal / yr
-247
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -247/yr, Strong overseas inflow +344/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sunshine Acres compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunshine Acres a good suburb to live in?
Sunshine Acres suits families seeking affordable detached housing, with 100% separate houses and a median price of $421,000. Household income ranks at the 71.4th percentile nationally, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-off is minimal public transport, no recorded schools in the suburb, and an IRSD decile of 2, which reflects limited local services.
What is the median house price in Sunshine Acres?
The median house price is estimated at $421,000 (based on 2025 rent data). Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments are around $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, comfortable by national standards. This price sits below the broader QLD state median.
What schools are in Sunshine Acres?
No schools are recorded inside the Sunshine Acres suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in Harvey and neighbouring areas. Despite this, 17.8% of residents hold university qualifications, and the IEO decile of 5 places the suburb at the national midpoint for education and occupation levels.
Is Sunshine Acres safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Sunshine Acres in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb has a low renter share of 4.6%, an owner-occupier rate of 95.4% (outright plus mortgage), and a community turnover rate of 18.6%, with 81.4% of residents having stayed in the same address, all consistent with a stable, settled population.
Is Sunshine Acres good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $300 against a $421,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.7%, reasonable compared to coastal QLD markets. However, the 5.7% vacancy rate is high and the renter share of 4.6% limits the tenant pool. Real income growth of 39.7% over the decade and 30.8% rent growth support long-term capital growth rather than immediate yield.
How is Sunshine Acres's population changing?
Population grew from 9,910 in 2023 to 10,151 by 2025, and the medium forecast projects 10,532 by 2031 at 0.56% annually. Overseas migration adds 344 net arrivals per year, offsetting internal outflow of 247. The 10-year population change is 6.9%, a steady pace consistent with the established suburb classification.
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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