QLD 4559 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Woombye

With 86% of dwellings being separate houses and 44.8% having four or more bedrooms, Woombye is firmly a family-first suburb on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The population of 3,944 sits across 13.51 square kilometres, giving a density of 292 residents per square kilometre, far below coastal Queensland averages. Household income ranks at the 62nd percentile nationally, meaning incomes are above the national median but not dramatically so. Two strong signals stand out: mortgage-to-income at 24% and rent-to-income at 22.7%, both comfortably below stress thresholds, suggesting residents here are not financially stretched relative to their housing costs.

Woombye urban fabric map

Population

3,944

Median Age

40.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,763/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

13

Median House

$506K

Estimated from rent (2025)

13.51 km²· 292 people/km²· Family income $2,045/wk

The estimated median house price of $506,000 reflects a predominantly detached-house market, with 86% separate houses and fewer than 1% apartments. Bedrooms skew large, with 44.8% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 38.2% having three, meaning most stock suits families rather than couples or singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,830, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24%, well below the 30% stress threshold. With 28.5% of owners holding their property outright and 44.7% on a mortgage, the ownership profile is split between established longer-term residents and newer buyers. Turnover is moderate, with 27.5% of residents having moved in the previous five years.

For Buyers

The estimated median house price of $506,000 reflects a predominantly detached-house market, with 86% separate houses and fewer than 1% apartments. Bedrooms skew large, with 44.8% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 38.2% having three, meaning most stock suits families rather than couples or singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,830, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24%, well below the 30% stress threshold. With 28.5% of owners holding their property outright and 44.7% on a mortgage, the ownership profile is split between established longer-term residents and newer buyers. Turnover is moderate, with 27.5% of residents having moved in the previous five years.

For Investors

Woombye carries a 3.6% vacancy rate, above what most investors target as optimal, suggesting the rental market is not tight. Weekly rent of $400 against a $506,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.1%, reasonable by Sunshine Coast hinterland standards. The renter share is 26.9%, lower than coastal Queensland hotspots, limiting the depth of the tenant pool. Only 13 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating low near-term supply pressure. The suburb has 3,944 residents, a stable but modest base, and participation in the labour force sits at 60.8%, meaning a significant share of the adult population is not actively employed, which can dampen rental demand over time.

Development Activity

Total DAs

38

Last 12 Months

13

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+30.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Other
17
Subdivision
3
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
1
Signage / Advertising
1
New Dwelling
1

Schools in Woombye iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Suncoast Christian College

ICSEA 1084 Combined Independent

Prep-12 · 1136 students

Nambour Christian College

ICSEA 1083 Combined Independent

Prep-12 · 1309 students

Woombye State School

ICSEA 1014 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 423 students

Demographics

The median age is 40, matching the national figure exactly. Overseas-born residents make up 19.2% of the population, 2.4 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a predominantly Anglo-Celtic community. Ancestry data confirms this: English (1,843 residents) leads clearly, followed by Scottish (510), Irish (479) and German (324). University qualifications reach 29%, which is 1.1 percentage points below the national figure, a small gap pointing to a workforce that leans toward trades and community services rather than professional credentials. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above the national figure, reflecting the family-heavy profile with 1,420 couples-with-children households compared to 893 couples without children.

Age Distribution

0-14
19.0%
15-24
12.3%
25-44
24.8%
45-64
28.3%
65+
15.6%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
5.6%
2 bed
11.4%
3 bed
38.2%
4+ bed
44.8%

Dwelling Structure

86.0%

Houses

7.4%

Townhouse

0.6%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 28.5% Mortgage 44.7% Rent 26.9%

The housing stock is heavily weighted toward detached houses at 86%, with semi-detached dwellings at 7.4% and apartments at just 0.6%, meaning high-density product is essentially absent. The bedroom distribution reinforces the family orientation: 44.8% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, above what is typical nationally for a suburb of this size. Tenure is split between outright owners (28.5%), mortgage holders (44.7%) and renters (26.9%), with mortgage holders the dominant group, pointing to a community still building equity. Mortgage-to-income at 24% and rent-to-income at 22.7% both sit below stress thresholds, a sign that housing costs here are manageable relative to local incomes at the 62nd household income percentile.

Mortgage / mo

$1,830

Rent / wk

$400

HH Size

2.7

Personal Income / wk

$757

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

3.6%

Unoccupied

52

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

22.7%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

24.0%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Afrikaans
15

Ancestry

English
1,843
Scottish
510
Irish
479
German
324
Other
298
Ancestry NS
172

Household Composition

27.3%

Couples, no children

3,270

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the single largest employing industry at 24% of the workforce (326 workers), roughly double the share seen in many comparable hinterland suburbs, likely driven by regional health facilities serving surrounding Sunshine Coast communities. Construction follows at 13.5% (183 workers) and Education at 13.1% (177 workers). By occupation, Professionals form the largest group (406), with Community/Personal services (266), Clerical/Admin (244) and Managers (240) close behind, and Labourers (230) making up a significant share compared to national norms. The unemployment rate is 4.8% and the full-time employment rate is 58.5%, both slightly softer than state averages. Participation at 60.8% is moderate, partly because 957 residents are not in the labour force.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

58.5%

Part-time

36.7%

Participation

60.8%

Employed

1,847

Occupations

Professionals 406
Community/Personal 266
Clerical/Admin 244
Managers 240
Labourers 230
Sales 199
Machinery/Drivers 98

Top Industries

Healthcare 24.0%
Construction 13.5%
Education 13.1%
Retail 8.2%
Professional/Tech 7.3%

University

29.0%

Postgraduate

6.0%

Born Overseas

19.2%

Dwellings

1,400

Transport to Work

Car dependency is near-universal: 91.9% of residents drive to work, and only 1.3% use public transport, compared to higher public transport shares in coastal Sunshine Coast suburbs. Walking and cycling account for 1.7% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the Woombye boundary in this dataset, so families draw on schools in neighbouring Woombye-area suburbs. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb. Housing stress indicators are positive: rent-to-income at 22.7% and mortgage-to-income at 24% are both below the 30% threshold. The need-for-assistance rate is 6.2% (235 residents), broadly in line with national averages, and volunteering at 18.4% is above the national baseline.

Drive

91.9%

Public Transport

1.3%

Walk / Cycle

1.7%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Woombye compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 14%
Household Income
Top 38%
Rent Level
Top 17%
Apartments
Bottom 13%
Renters
Top 34%
Uni Educated
Top 36%
Public Transport
Bottom 22%
Born Overseas
Top 32%
Density
Top 22%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Woombye a good suburb to live in?

Woombye suits families and owner-occupiers well. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 24% and rent-to-income of 22.7% are both below stress thresholds, and 86% of dwellings are separate houses. Household income sits at the 62nd percentile nationally. The main trade-offs are near-total car dependency at 91.9% and limited public transport at 1.3%.

What is the median house price in Woombye?

The estimated median house price in Woombye is $506,000, based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,830, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Woombye?

No schools are recorded within the Woombye boundary in this dataset. Families in the suburb typically access schools in neighbouring Sunshine Coast hinterland areas. The local population has a university qualification rate of 29%, close to the national figure.

Is Woombye safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Woombye in this dataset. As indirect indicators, housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 24% and rent-to-income at 22.7%, both below stress thresholds. Only 6.2% of the 3,944 residents need daily assistance, in line with national averages.

Is Woombye good for property investment?

Weekly rent of $400 against a $506,000 median gives an estimated gross yield around 4.1%, reasonable for a Sunshine Coast hinterland location. The vacancy rate of 3.6% is slightly elevated compared to tight coastal markets. The renter share of 26.9% limits the depth of the tenant pool, and only 13 development applications in 12 months means low new-supply risk.

How is Woombye's population changing?

Detailed population forecasts are not available for Woombye. Current indicators point to a stable, low-turnover community: 72.5% of residents remained at the same address over a five-year period, above the typical Queensland suburban average. The 3,944 residents are spread across 13.51 square kilometres at a density of 292 per km2.

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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