Wurtulla
Few Sunshine Coast suburbs have grown 80.9% over a decade while keeping a $574,000 median house price, but Wurtulla has done both. The 6,254 residents sit on a 3.44 km2 coastal strip at a density of 1,817 per km2, and the housing is overwhelmingly detached at 84.0% with apartments at just 1.7%. Household income lands in the 61.1st percentile nationally, slightly above the middle, and all four SEIFA indexes read decile 6, a consistent mid-to-upper advantage band. The median age of 41 is 1.0 year above national, and the trajectory is a declining young share, down 3.7 points, as the area matures from a fast-growth phase into an established one.
Population
6,254
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,741/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$574K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $574,000 median house price, Wurtulla sits well below the broader Sunshine Coast and far below capital-city medians, which is the main draw for owner-occupiers. The stock suits families because 84.0% of dwellings are separate houses and only 1.7% are apartments, with three-bedroom homes at 50.1% and four-plus bedroom homes at 39.1%. Affordability has improved markedly, from 70.3% of income needed in 2011 to 58.3% in 2021, because incomes grew faster than prices over the period. Monthly mortgage repayments average around $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Owner-occupiers dominate: 35.0% own outright and 36.0% carry a mortgage, so 71% of homes are owner-held rather than rented.
For Buyers
At a $574,000 median house price, Wurtulla sits well below the broader Sunshine Coast and far below capital-city medians, which is the main draw for owner-occupiers. The stock suits families because 84.0% of dwellings are separate houses and only 1.7% are apartments, with three-bedroom homes at 50.1% and four-plus bedroom homes at 39.1%. Affordability has improved markedly, from 70.3% of income needed in 2011 to 58.3% in 2021, because incomes grew faster than prices over the period. Monthly mortgage repayments average around $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Owner-occupiers dominate: 35.0% own outright and 36.0% carry a mortgage, so 71% of homes are owner-held rather than rented.
For Investors
Renters make up 28.9% of households and weekly rent averages $465, giving a deep but not dominant tenant pool. Against the $574,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, materially higher than the sub-2% yields typical of premium capital-city suburbs. The vacancy rate of 5.8% is on the higher side, which can soften rent growth, yet rents have still climbed 33.3% over the measured period because demand outpaced supply. Migration support is balanced, with net internal inflow of 104 a year roughly matched by net overseas inflow of 105. Development is light at 7 applications in 12 months, mostly operational works rather than new dwellings, so supply additions are limited and existing stock holds value through scarcity rather than churn.
Development Activity
Total DAs
29
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-11.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 41 runs 1.0 year above national, and the population skews Anglo: English ancestry leads at 2,846 residents, followed by Scottish at 830 and Irish at 809. Only 16.3% were born overseas, which is 5.3 points below the national figure, so the suburb is less migrant-heavy than the country as a whole. University qualifications reach 30.5%, just 0.4 points above national, a near-average outcome. Average household size is 2.6, marginally above national by 0.1, consistent with a family base where couples with children (2,042 families) outnumber couples without children (1,442). The young-adult share has fallen 3.7 points over the decade while the working-age share rose 2.7 points, pointing to an established, settling population rather than a transient one.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.0%
Houses
14.2%
Townhouse
1.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans firmly owner-occupier: 35.0% own outright, 36.0% hold a mortgage and 28.9% rent, so roughly 71% of homes are owner-held. The stock is detached-dominant at 84.0% separate houses, with semi-detached at 14.2% and apartments at only 1.7%, which keeps the market oriented to families rather than downsizers or renters. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 50.1% and four-plus bedroom homes 39.1%, leaving small one and two-bedroom homes scarce at a combined 10.8%. The $574,000 median against local incomes keeps both stress ratios in check: mortgage-to-income at 26.5% and rent-to-income at 26.7% both sit below the 30% stress line. Affordability improved from needing 70.3% of income in 2011 to 58.3% in 2021 because real incomes grew 30.8% over the decade.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$465
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$782
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.8%
Unoccupied
142
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.4%
Couples, no children
5,080
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is anchored in service sectors rather than corporate ones: Healthcare leads at 23.5% (495 workers), Construction follows at 17.1% (360) and Education at 12.7% (267), with Retail at 6.4% and Professional/Tech at 6.1%. By occupation, Professionals (698) top the list ahead of Community and Personal Service workers (390) and Clerical and Admin staff (383), a mix that fits a coastal area built around health, trades and schooling. Unemployment is moderate at 5.0% and the full-time rate is 59.1%, while participation reads 55.9%, held down because 1,724 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 41. All four SEIFA indexes sit at decile 6, an even mid-to-upper band that matches the 61.1st-percentile household income rather than showing the wealth-versus-renter split seen in premium suburbs.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
6,579
Unemployed
173
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.1%
Part-time
35.9%
Participation
55.9%
Employed
2,711
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.5%
Postgraduate
6.4%
Born Overseas
16.3%
Dwellings
2,306
Transport to Work
Wurtulla is a car-dependent coastal suburb: 88.5% of commuters drive, while only 1.1% use public transport and 4.5% walk or cycle, reflecting limited transit on this part of the Sunshine Coast. The area scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a mid-to-upper band where most residents avoid deprivation, and 6.1% of the 6,254 residents need daily assistance. Both housing stress ratios stay below the 30% line, with rent-to-income at 26.7% and mortgage-to-income at 26.5%, so day-to-day affordability is manageable. No schools are recorded inside the 3.44 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off for a compact coastal strip. Volunteering runs at 15.7%, indicating reasonable community engagement for a fast-growing area.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.0%/yr
(+349 people/yr)
EstablishedWurtulla has expanded 80.9% over the past decade, an unusually fast run that places it firmly in the high-growth category, and the trend continues at roughly 3.0% a year. Growth is balanced across drivers, with net internal migration of 104 a year almost matched by net overseas migration of 105, so neither source dominates. The gentrification reading is early signs, scored at 28 to 44 depending on the index, with the rental market accelerating from 32% to 45% as a flagged signal. Rents have risen 33.3% and real incomes 30.8% over the period, both well above flat inland markets. The young-adult share fell 3.7 points while the working-age share rose 2.7 points, indicating the suburb is shifting from a young-influx phase toward a more established, family-anchored profile.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+105
Net Internal / yr
+104
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal migration +104/yr, Accelerating: 32% → 45%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wurtulla compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wurtulla a good suburb to live in?
Wurtulla scores decile 6 across all four SEIFA indexes, a solid mid-to-upper band, with household income in the 61.1st percentile nationally. It suits families: 84.0% of homes are separate houses and the median house price is an affordable $574,000. The main trade-off is heavy car reliance, with 88.5% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in Wurtulla?
The median house price in Wurtulla is $574,000, well below most capital-city markets. Weekly rent averages $465 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Affordability improved from needing 70.3% of income in 2011 to 58.3% in 2021.
What schools are in Wurtulla?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.44 km2 Wurtulla boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Education is a major local employer at 12.7% of the workforce (267 workers), and university qualifications reach 30.5%, just 0.4 points above the national figure.
Is Wurtulla safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Wurtulla in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a mid-to-upper band, and only 6.1% of its 6,254 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a moderately advantaged area.
Is Wurtulla good for property investment?
Rent of $465 a week against a $574,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than the sub-2% yields in premium capital suburbs. Rents rose 33.3% over the period, though the 5.8% vacancy rate is elevated. Balanced migration of about 104 internal and 105 overseas arrivals a year supports steady demand.
How is Wurtulla's population changing?
Wurtulla's population reached 6,254 after expanding 80.9% over the past decade, a high-growth run continuing near 3.0% a year. The young-adult share fell 3.7 points while the working-age share rose 2.7 points, and the median age of 41 sits 1.0 year above national, pointing to a maturing, family-anchored profile.
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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