Where the Italian community lives in Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Beach has the largest Italian community: 4% of residents reported Italian ancestry, 0.6% were born in Italy, and 0.6% speak Italian at home. Peregian Beach and Noosa Heads follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 54 eligible Sunshine Coast suburbs.
This page ranks Sunshine Coast suburbs by where the Italian community is most established, using the 2021 Census. Suburbs are ordered by the share of residents who reported Italian ancestry, and each one also shows the share who were born in Italy and speak Italian at home. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are ranked.
No single number captures a community on its own — ancestry is the broadest (it includes Australian-born second and third generations), country of birth captures migrants, and language spoken at home tracks the actively speaking core. We show every angle the 2021 Census publishes for the Italian community so you can see the full picture. Ancestry is a multiple-response question, so shares read as "residents who reported this ancestry" rather than an exclusive count. Percentile ranks are computed within Sunshine Coast's pool. This is descriptive demographic information, not a recommendation.
Where the Italian community lives in Sunshine Coast
Ranked by the share of residents who reported Italian ancestry in the 2021 Census, among suburbs with at least 2,000 residents. Each suburb also shows the share who were born in Italy and speak Italian at home — the angles the census publishes on where the Italian community is established.
Sunshine Beach
QLD 4567 · 2,480 residents4% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Peregian Beach
QLD 4573 · 4,972 residents4% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Noosa Heads
QLD 4567 · 5,120 residents4% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Noosaville
QLD 4566 · 8,716 residents4% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Sunrise Beach
QLD 4567 · 3,687 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Mooloolaba
QLD 4557 · 8,202 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Palmview
QLD 4553 · 5,236 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Caloundra West
QLD 4551 · 7,270 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Coolum Beach
QLD 4573 · 9,152 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Glass House Mountains
QLD 4518 · 5,601 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Alexandra Headland
QLD 4572 · 4,235 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Buddina
QLD 4575 · 4,236 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Peregian Springs
QLD 4573 · 9,532 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Birtinya
QLD 4575 · 4,378 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Doonan
QLD 4562 · 3,727 residents3% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 0% speak Italian
Ranked from 54 qualifying suburbs.
Ranked on the share of residents who reported this ancestry (the broadest signal — it includes Australian-born second and third generations) in the 2021 Census, percentile-ranked within Sunshine Coast's candidate pool. Every suburb also shows all three census angles — ancestry, country of birth, and language spoken at home — because no single number captures a community on its own. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents qualify. Ancestry is a multiple-response question, so shares read as "residents who reported this ancestry", not an exclusive count. Descriptive ABS Census data, not a recommendation. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
How is this ranking put together?
Suburbs are ordered by the share of residents who reported Italian ancestry. Ancestry is the broadest measure — it includes Australian-born second and third generations, not just migrants. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are included, and percentile ranks are computed within Sunshine Coast's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs.
What do the percentages on each suburb mean?
They are different census angles on the Italian community: ancestry is the broadest, since it includes people born here, country of birth counts only those who migrated, and language at home counts the actively speaking core. They rarely match, and seeing them together tells you whether a suburb's community is long-established, newly-arrived, or somewhere in between.
Why don't the percentages add up?
They measure different things and come from different census questions. Ancestry is a multiple-response question (a person can report up to two), so it isn't a clean share of population; birthplace counts only people born overseas; and language counts only those who still speak it at home. This is descriptive demographic data, not a recommendation to seek out or avoid anywhere.
How current is it?
The figures are from the 2021 Census, the most recent available until results from the August 2026 Census are released in 2027. The top 15 is recomputed whenever we refresh the census data.
Same list in other cities
- Where the Italian community lives in Sydney
- Where the Italian community lives in Melbourne
- Where the Italian community lives in Brisbane
- Where the Italian community lives in Perth
- Where the Italian community lives in Adelaide
- Where the Italian community lives in Hobart
- Where the Italian community lives in Darwin
- Where the Italian community lives in Canberra
- Where the Italian community lives in Newcastle
- Where the Italian community lives in Central Coast
- Where the Italian community lives in Gold Coast
- Where the Italian community lives in Wollongong
- Where the Italian community lives in Geelong
- Where the Italian community lives in Townsville
- Where the Italian community lives in Toowoomba
- Where the Italian community lives in Busselton
- Where the Italian community lives in Ballarat
- Where the Italian community lives in Cairns
- Where the Italian community lives in Albany
- Where the Italian community lives in Ballina
- Where the Italian community lives in Geraldton
- Where the Italian community lives in Warragul
- Where the Italian community lives in Bundaberg
- Where the Italian community lives in Launceston
- Where the Italian community lives in Bendigo
- Where the Italian community lives in Rockhampton
- Where the Italian community lives in Mackay
- Where the Italian community lives in Albury – Wodonga
- Where the Italian community lives in Camden Haven
- Where the Italian community lives in Burnie
- Where the Italian community lives in Wagga Wagga
- Where the Italian community lives in Coffs Harbour
- Where the Italian community lives in Alice Springs
- Where the Italian community lives in Mount Isa
Related
Rankings last computed 28 September 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.