Sunshine Beach
Sunshine Beach stands out for a 35.5% vacancy rate despite a settled population of 2,480, pointing to a strong second-home or short-stay presence alongside permanent residents. The median age is 49, which is 9 years above the national average, while 30.3% work from home and household income sits at the 60.8th percentile nationally. Separate houses make up 56.9% of dwellings, but apartments and semi-detached homes account for 43.1%, giving the coastal pocket more variety than a conventional detached-home suburb. Near Noosa Heads and Sunrise Beach, it has an older, wealthier and less fully occupied profile than a typical family market.
Local council: Noosa
Population
2,480
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,735/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Homebuyers need to price Sunshine Beach from current comparable sales because a suburb median house price is not available. The clearest affordability anchors are a $2,167 monthly mortgage figure and a $495 weekly rent, with mortgage costs at 28.8% of household income compared with 28.5% for rent. Tenure is relatively established: 42.2% own outright, 25.5% have a mortgage and 31.3% rent. The dwelling mix supports different entry points, with 56.9% separate houses, 26.0% apartments and 17.1% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 31.8% and three-bedroom homes 37.0%, fitting the average 2.2-person household more than a large-family format.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to price Sunshine Beach from current comparable sales because a suburb median house price is not available. The clearest affordability anchors are a $2,167 monthly mortgage figure and a $495 weekly rent, with mortgage costs at 28.8% of household income compared with 28.5% for rent. Tenure is relatively established: 42.2% own outright, 25.5% have a mortgage and 31.3% rent. The dwelling mix supports different entry points, with 56.9% separate houses, 26.0% apartments and 17.1% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 31.8% and three-bedroom homes 37.0%, fitting the average 2.2-person household more than a large-family format.
For Investors
Investment conditions are mixed. A $495 weekly rent and 31.3% rental share provide an established tenant base, but the 35.5% vacancy rate is unusually high and can make income less predictable than in a tightly occupied market. Rent growth is recorded at 42.9%, yet the wider growth trend is only 0.65% annually, so recent rental momentum should not be treated as a guarantee of capital growth. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while 18 development applications in 12 months suggest ongoing property activity without the scale of a major construction pipeline. Conservative investors should test longer vacancy periods, insurance and maintenance costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
20
Last 12 Months
20
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
Schools in Sunshine Beach
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Montessori Noosa (Sunshine Beach)
Noosa Flexible Learning Centre (Sunshine Beach)
St Thomas More Primary School (Sunshine Beach)
Sunshine Beach State High School
Sunshine Beach State School
Demographics
Sunshine Beach has an older and more highly educated profile than the national average. Median age is 49, or 9 years above national, and 42.3% hold a university qualification, 12.2 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 29.3%, 7.7 points above national, while the average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below national. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry lead at 1,154, 402 and 347 people; no religion is the largest reported affiliation at 1,285, ahead of Christianity at 898. That smaller-household pattern is consistent with 57.2% of couples having no children and helps explain demand for smaller dwellings. Nearby Noosa Heads and Sunrise Beach share the coastal setting, but Sunshine Beach's age and household pattern should be considered separately.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
56.9%
Houses
17.1%
Townhouse
26.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure points to a split between established owners, renters and flexible coastal accommodation. Outright ownership is 42.2%, mortgage ownership 25.5% and renting 31.3%, while the 35.5% vacancy rate is much higher than a fully occupied permanent-resident market. Separate houses represent 56.9% of dwellings, compared with 26.0% apartments and 17.1% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom homes account for 31.8% and three-bedroom homes 37.0%, while 28.7% have four or more bedrooms. The $495 weekly rent and $2,167 monthly mortgage figure are usable planning anchors, but no median sale price or price-to-income ratio is available. Compared with nearby Noosa Heads, Sunshine Beach should be assessed for its own mix of owner occupation, apartment stock and high vacancy.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $495.
$1,150
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $1,150 · units $800
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$902
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
35.5%
Unoccupied
567
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.5%
Couples with children
57.2%
Couples, no children
14.0%
Single parent
705
Total families
Economy & Employment
Sunshine Beach has a service-led employment base, with healthcare at 15.8% of industry employment, hospitality 11.9%, professional and technical services 10.8%, construction 10.6% and education 10.1%. The leading occupations are professionals at 302 people, managers 199, community and personal service 153, trades 148 and sales 110. Work from home reaches 30.3%, which helps explain the sizeable professional presence, while unemployment is 4.4% and participation is 55.8%. The lower participation rate sits alongside 809 people outside the labour force and a median age of 49, suggesting age structure affects the result. Household income ranks at the 60.8th percentile, and all four SEIFA measures sit in decile 8: IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD. These above-middle socioeconomic rankings coexist with a less active labour force because the resident base is aging.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
1,209
Unemployed
53
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
45.8%
Part-time
43.7%
Participation
55.8%
Employed
1,156
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.3%
Postgraduate
10.9%
Born Overseas
29.3%
Dwellings
1,031
Transport to Work
Daily life is more car-dependent than transit-oriented: 56.2% drive to work, compared with 1.7% using public transport, while 7.8% walk or cycle and 30.3% work from home. Five local schools span government, Catholic and independent options, including 2 government schools, 2 Catholic schools and 1 independent Montessori school, with both primary and high-school pathways represented. Check the exact enrolment zone because school boundaries can cut across nearby streets. IRSAD sits in decile 8, above the middle of the national scale, supporting a relatively advantaged socioeconomic setting. No suburb-level crime rate is available, so safety decisions should include current local checks, street lighting and evening access. The 19.4% volunteering rate and 3.1% need-assistance share add useful context for community participation and accessibility.
Drive
56.2%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
7.8%
Work from Home
30.3%
Growth Outlook
Sunshine Beach is an established market with a forecast annual growth trend of 0.65%, and overseas migration is identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 8.0% over 10 years, indicating measured expansion rather than a rapid surge. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share has increased 7.3%, while young share has fallen 2.7% and working share has declined 3.5%. Gentrification signals are restrained, with a score of 19 and a stage of Not gentrifying, although a separate shift measure records 39 and Early signs. Stable affordability moved from 59.1% in 2011 to 57.6% in 2021, while real income growth reached 19.2%. Overseas migration supports demand, but the aging pattern and 0.65% pace favour gradual change over a major demographic reset.
Population trend: Noosa council area
Sunshine Beach sits in the Noosa council area. These are the council area's residents, not Sunshine Beach's.
Residents 2025
59,551
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.0%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.9%
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 Sunshine Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunshine Beach a good suburb to live in?
Sunshine Beach can suit people seeking a coastal lifestyle, established ownership and a high work-from-home share. The median age is 49, 30.3% work from home and 56.2% drive to work, making the suburb older and more car-oriented than the national average. The 35.5% vacancy rate is important for understanding the local feel.
What is the median house price in Sunshine Beach?
A current median house price is not available for Sunshine Beach. Useful planning benchmarks are a weekly rent of $495, a 56.9% separate-house share and a monthly mortgage figure of $2,167. Buyers should compare recent sales for the exact street and dwelling type rather than rely on an outdated suburb-wide estimate.
What schools are in Sunshine Beach?
Sunshine Beach has 5 local schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors, including 2 government schools, 2 Catholic schools and 1 independent Montessori school. The mix includes a state school and a state high school. Check the exact enrolment zone because boundaries can differ between nearby streets.
Is Sunshine Beach safe?
There is no reliable suburb-level crime rate to quote for Sunshine Beach, so residents should check recent Queensland Police information and inspect the exact street at different times. The IRSAD score sits in decile 8 and 3.1% of residents need assistance, offering socioeconomic and accessibility context rather than a safety rating.
Is Sunshine Beach good for property investment?
Sunshine Beach can suit an investor who can manage vacancy volatility. Weekly rent is $495, vacancy is 35.5% and 31.3% of households rent, while rent growth is recorded at 42.9%. The wider annual growth trend is 0.65%, so investment decisions should allow for longer vacancies and avoid assuming recent rental growth will continue.
How is Sunshine Beach's population changing?
Sunshine Beach has 2,480 residents and an aging trajectory. Across the wider area, population change is 8.0% over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 0.65% and overseas migration the primary driver. Senior share has risen 7.3%, while young share has fallen 2.7%, pointing to gradual change rather than rapid rejuvenation.
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).
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