Buderim vs Kuluin

Kuluin is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 46 in Buderim. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Kuluin, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Buderim: a median of $1.38 million, against $1.14 million in Kuluin. On these figures, Buderim tends to suit people living alone, while Kuluin suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Buderim

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (65 vs 8)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (15 vs 6)
  • But Kuluin has more separate houses rather than flats (89% vs 73%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Kuluin

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,141,000 vs $1,375,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Buderim

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (94 km vs 101.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Buderim

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (11 vs 1)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (27% vs 11%)
  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 45/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Kuluin

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.3% vs 7.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Buderim and Kuluin drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Buderim Kuluin
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Buderim Kuluin
Walkability 69 / 70
Buderim — Walkability: 69/100 Kuluin — Walkability: 70/100
Safety 72 / 55
Buderim — Safety: 72/100 Kuluin — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 62 / 100
Buderim — Low fire risk: 62/100 Kuluin — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Buderim has more residents (31,430 vs 2,700); Buderim skews older (46 vs 41).

Buderim Kuluin
Population 31,430
+91% vs other
 2,700
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.1% +14.3%
Median age 46 41
Median household income $89,908/yr
+2% vs other
 $88,192/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Buderim Kuluin
0-4 4.4% / 5.4%
Buderim — 0-4: 4.4% Kuluin — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 12.5% / 13.4%
Buderim — 5-14: 12.5% Kuluin — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 6.0% / 5.3%
Buderim — 15-19: 6.0% Kuluin — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 4.7% / 5.3%
Buderim — 20-24: 4.7% Kuluin — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 9.3% / 12.2%
Buderim — 25-34: 9.3% Kuluin — 25-34: 12.2%
35-44 11.4% / 12.7%
Buderim — 35-44: 11.4% Kuluin — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 13.9% / 13.0%
Buderim — 45-54: 13.9% Kuluin — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 12.9% / 10.6%
Buderim — 55-64: 12.9% Kuluin — 55-64: 10.6%
65-74 12.6% / 12.9%
Buderim — 65-74: 12.6% Kuluin — 65-74: 12.9%
75-84 8.2% / 6.3%
Buderim — 75-84: 8.2% Kuluin — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ 4.0% / 3.1%
Buderim — 85+: 4.0% Kuluin — 85+: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Buderim 44.4% couple families
Buderim — Couple Families: 44.4% Buderim — Lone Person: 35.2% Buderim — One Parent Families: 14.6% Buderim — Group Household: 4.7% Buderim — Other Families: 1.0%
Kuluin 47.0% couple families
Kuluin — Couple Families: 47.0% Kuluin — Lone Person: 26.3% Kuluin — One Parent Families: 20.4% Kuluin — Group Household: 5.5% Kuluin — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Buderim 22.4% renting
Buderim — Owned Outright: 40.3% Buderim — Mortgage: 37.3% Buderim — Renting: 22.4%
Kuluin 22.6% renting
Kuluin — Owned Outright: 32.6% Kuluin — Mortgage: 44.8% Kuluin — Renting: 22.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Buderim Kuluin
Certificate III & IV 14.9% / 20.7%
Buderim — Certificate III & IV: 14.9% Kuluin — Certificate III & IV: 20.7%
Bachelor Degree 15.7% / 8.1%
Buderim — Bachelor Degree: 15.7% Kuluin — Bachelor Degree: 8.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 8.9%
Buderim — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Kuluin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 4.7% / 2.2%
Buderim — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7% Kuluin — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / 1.2%
Buderim — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% Kuluin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Buderim Kuluin
England 7.0% / 5.8%
Buderim — England: 7.0% Kuluin — England: 5.8%
New Zealand 4.3% / 5.0%
Buderim — New Zealand: 4.3% Kuluin — New Zealand: 5.0%
South Africa 1.9% / 0.7%
Buderim — South Africa: 1.9% Kuluin — South Africa: 0.7%
Germany 0.7% / 0.6%
Buderim — Germany: 0.7% Kuluin — Germany: 0.6%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.5%
Buderim — Scotland: 0.7% Kuluin — Scotland: 0.5%
Philippines — / 0.9%
Buderim — Philippines: not among its largest Kuluin — Philippines: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Buderim 73.3% houses
Buderim — Houses: 73.3% Buderim — Townhouses: 16.1% Buderim — Flats / Apartments: 10.6%
Kuluin 89.0% houses
Kuluin — Houses: 89.0% Kuluin — Townhouses: 8.9% Kuluin — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Buderim Kuluin
Median house price $1,375,000 $1,141,000
Median unit price $810,000 $830,000
Median land price $1,087,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 368 sales
 29 days
from 20 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Buderim Kuluin
3 bed $1.2M / $1.1M
Buderim — 3 bed: $1.2M (180 sales) Kuluin — 3 bed: $1.1M (18 sales)

180 vs 18 sales

4 bed $1.4M / $1.2M
Buderim — 4 bed: $1.4M (350 sales) Kuluin — 4 bed: $1.2M (25 sales)

350 vs 25 sales

5 bed $1.69M / $1.27M
Buderim — 5 bed: $1.69M (102 sales) Kuluin — 5 bed: $1.27M (6 sales)

102 vs 6 sales

Development activity

Buderim Kuluin
New dwellings approved 2,962
across Sunshine Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -41%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Buderim Kuluin
Houses 3.2%
$900/wk on $1.45M
 3.4%
$855/wk on $1.29M
Units 4.2%
$645/wk on $805K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Buderim Kuluin
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 63% of QLD Higher than 62% of QLD
Schools Higher than 95% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 92% of QLD
same for both
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 88% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 15% of QLD Higher than 22% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 37% of QLD —

Liveability

Buderim scores higher overall (73 vs 64).

Buderim Kuluin
Grade A B
Score 73/100 64/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Buderim carries more bushfire risk (38 vs 0); Kuluin carries more crime risk (45 vs 28).

Buderim Kuluin
Bushfire Low
38/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
28/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Buderim Kuluin
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 2 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast, 4.4 km
 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast, 7.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.8% 0.9%

Schools in Buderim

  • Buderim Mountain State School Government · Primary above peers
  • Matthew Flinders Anglican College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Immanuel Lutheran College Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Kuluin

  • Kuluin State School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Buderim Kuluin
Supermarkets 6 0
Cafes & restaurants 12 0
Parks & reserves 65 8
Childcare 15 6
GPs 11 1
Pharmacies 6 0
Hospitals 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 50 3

Mobility

Kuluin sits further from the CBD (101.1 km vs 94 km).

Buderim Kuluin
Walkability score 69/100 70/100
Distance to Brisbane 94 km 101.1 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 80 min 82 min
Public transport score 76/100
Bus
 59/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 125.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 15.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 4556
 1.0%
postcode 4558
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 73
postcode 4556
 37
postcode 4558

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Buderim Kuluin
Car (driver) 72.8% / 78.4%
Buderim — Car (driver): 72.8% Kuluin — Car (driver): 78.4%
Worked from Home 19.7% / 12.7%
Buderim — Worked from Home: 19.7% Kuluin — Worked from Home: 12.7%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.9%
Buderim — Car (passenger): 4.6% Kuluin — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Walked Only 1.3% / 2.2%
Buderim — Walked Only: 1.3% Kuluin — Walked Only: 2.2%
Bus 0.9% / 1.3%
Buderim — Bus: 0.9% Kuluin — Bus: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.4%).

Setting

Buderim Kuluin
Elevation 119 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.7 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 2.5 km
4.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Buderim Kuluin
Connectivity score 68/100 69/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
14,677 premises
 43%
1,028 premises

Air quality (annual mean)

Buderim Kuluin
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.31 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Buderim Kuluin
Average residential rate $1,690/yr
same for both
Council Sunshine Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Buderim Kuluin
Division Fairfax
same for both
Member Ted O'Brien
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Buderim Kuluin
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Buderim

Parks Regional Centre

Kuluin

Coastal Large Blocks Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Buderim

Buderim vs Maroochydore Buderim vs Mountain Creek Buderim vs Sippy Downs Buderim vs Mooloolaba Buderim vs Alexandra Headland Buderim vs Forest Glen

Other comparisons with Kuluin

Kuluin vs Maroochydore Kuluin vs Diddillibah
Full data on Buderim Full data on Kuluin
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or