Castaways Beach vs Noosa Heads

Castaways Beach is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 54 in Noosa Heads. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Castaways Beach, most households are couple families. On these figures, Castaways Beach tends to suit families with children and couples, while Noosa Heads suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Castaways Beach

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 76/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 49%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 72%)
  • But Noosa Heads has more parks and reserves (16 vs 8)

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

First-home buyers

Castaways Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($1,690,000 vs $3,525,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Noosa Heads

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (25% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($550/wk vs $750/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (30% vs 36%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Castaways Beach sits closer to the CBD (131.1 km vs 138.5 km)
  • Noosa Heads is more walkable (78/100 vs 18/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Noosa Heads

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (78/100 vs 18/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (28% vs 15%)
  • But Castaways Beach carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 76/100)

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

Investors

Noosa Heads

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.2% vs 4.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
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.

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Walkability 18 / 78
Castaways Beach — Walkability: 18/100 Noosa Heads — Walkability: 78/100
Safety 82 / 24
Castaways Beach — Safety: 82/100 Noosa Heads — Safety: 24/100
Low fire risk 15 / 27
Castaways Beach — Low fire risk: 15/100 Noosa Heads — Low fire risk: 27/100

Demographics

Noosa Heads has more residents (5,120 vs 683); Castaways Beach rents higher ($750/wk vs $550/wk).

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Population 683 5,120
+650% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.1% +14.2%
Median age 51 54
Median household income $108,316/yr
+12% vs other
 $95,836/yr
Median weekly rent $750/wk
+27% vs other
 $550/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
0-4 3.1% / 2.8%
Castaways Beach — 0-4: 3.1% Noosa Heads — 0-4: 2.8%
5-14 15.1% / 9.8%
Castaways Beach — 5-14: 15.1% Noosa Heads — 5-14: 9.8%
15-19 4.4% / 4.2%
Castaways Beach — 15-19: 4.4% Noosa Heads — 15-19: 4.2%
20-24 4.4% / 3.0%
Castaways Beach — 20-24: 4.4% Noosa Heads — 20-24: 3.0%
25-34 4.1% / 8.0%
Castaways Beach — 25-34: 4.1% Noosa Heads — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 12.3% / 9.6%
Castaways Beach — 35-44: 12.3% Noosa Heads — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 12.9% / 13.6%
Castaways Beach — 45-54: 12.9% Noosa Heads — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 19.9% / 16.5%
Castaways Beach — 55-64: 19.9% Noosa Heads — 55-64: 16.5%
65-74 16.0% / 19.4%
Castaways Beach — 65-74: 16.0% Noosa Heads — 65-74: 19.4%
75-84 6.9% / 9.7%
Castaways Beach — 75-84: 6.9% Noosa Heads — 75-84: 9.7%
85+ 0.7% / 3.3%
Castaways Beach — 85+: 0.7% Noosa Heads — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Castaways Beach 63.5% couple families
Castaways Beach — Couple Families: 63.5% Castaways Beach — Lone Person: 19.0% Castaways Beach — One Parent Families: 10.9% Castaways Beach — Group Household: 6.6% Castaways Beach — Other Families: 0.0%
Noosa Heads 34.0% couple families
Noosa Heads — Couple Families: 34.0% Noosa Heads — Lone Person: 41.7% Noosa Heads — One Parent Families: 15.1% Noosa Heads — Group Household: 8.5% Noosa Heads — 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.

Castaways Beach 11.3% renting
Castaways Beach — Owned Outright: 53.0% Castaways Beach — Mortgage: 35.6% Castaways Beach — Renting: 11.3%
Noosa Heads 25.0% renting
Noosa Heads — Owned Outright: 50.6% Noosa Heads — Mortgage: 24.4% Noosa Heads — Renting: 25.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Bachelor Degree 24.9% / 19.0%
Castaways Beach — Bachelor Degree: 24.9% Noosa Heads — Bachelor Degree: 19.0%
Certificate III & IV 11.7% / 10.6%
Castaways Beach — Certificate III & IV: 11.7% Noosa Heads — Certificate III & IV: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 11.0%
Castaways Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Noosa Heads — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.0%
Postgraduate Degree 6.6% / 5.4%
Castaways Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6% Noosa Heads — Postgraduate Degree: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.3%
Castaways Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Noosa Heads — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.9%).

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.

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
England 8.6% / 7.6%
Castaways Beach — England: 8.6% Noosa Heads — England: 7.6%
New Zealand 2.8% / 4.0%
Castaways Beach — New Zealand: 2.8% Noosa Heads — New Zealand: 4.0%
South Africa 2.0% / 1.8%
Castaways Beach — South Africa: 2.0% Noosa Heads — South Africa: 1.8%
Netherlands 1.5% / 0.6%
Castaways Beach — Netherlands: 1.5% Noosa Heads — Netherlands: 0.6%
Germany 0.7% / 1.1%
Castaways Beach — Germany: 0.7% Noosa Heads — Germany: 1.1%
China 1.2% / —
Castaways Beach — China: 1.2% Noosa Heads — China: not among its largest
Scotland — / 1.2%
Castaways Beach — Scotland: not among its largest Noosa Heads — Scotland: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Castaways Beach 87.5% houses
Castaways Beach — Houses: 87.5% Castaways Beach — Townhouses: 14.9% Castaways Beach — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Noosa Heads 71.7% houses
Noosa Heads — Houses: 71.7% Noosa Heads — Townhouses: 8.4% Noosa Heads — Flats / Apartments: 19.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Median house price $2,053,750 $2,185,000
Median unit price — $2,150,000
Median land price $1,690,000 $3,525,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 36 days
from 79 sales

Development activity

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
New dwellings approved 239
across Noosa
same for both
Approvals change year on year -9%
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.

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Houses — 3.0%
$1,500/wk on $2.6M
Units — 2.7%
$850/wk on $1.62M

Ranking within QLD

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 69% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 95% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 95% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 72% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 11% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 4% of QLD

Liveability

Noosa Heads is more walkable (78 vs 18).

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Grade B
same for both
Score 49/100 52/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Noosa Heads carries more crime risk (76 vs 18); Castaways Beach carries more bushfire risk (85 vs 73).

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Bushfire High
85/100
 High
73/100
Crime Low
18/100
 High
76/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
82/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 33
Parks & reserves 8 16
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 7
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Noosa Heads sits further from the CBD (138.5 km vs 131.1 km).

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Walkability score 18/100 78/100
Distance to Brisbane 131.1 km 138.5 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 107 min 109 min
Public transport score 46/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 8.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 112.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.4%
postcode 4567
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 46
postcode 4567
same for both

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.

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Car (driver) 59.7% / 53.4%
Castaways Beach — Car (driver): 59.7% Noosa Heads — Car (driver): 53.4%
Worked from Home 36.5% / 32.5%
Castaways Beach — Worked from Home: 36.5% Noosa Heads — Worked from Home: 32.5%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 5.3%
Castaways Beach — Car (passenger): 3.8% Noosa Heads — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Walked Only — / 6.3%
Castaways Beach — Walked Only: not among its largest Noosa Heads — Walked Only: 6.3%
Bicycle — / 1.4%
Castaways Beach — Bicycle: not among its largest Noosa Heads — Bicycle: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (59.7%).

Setting

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 29 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.0 km
1.0 km to a named beach
 1.4 km
1.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Connectivity score 72/100 60/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
310 premises
 28%
5,449 premises

Council rates

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Average residential rate $1,614/yr
same for both
Council Noosa
same for both

Federal electorate

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Division Wide Bay
same for both
Member Llew O'Brien
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Castaways Beach Noosa Heads
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Castaways Beach

Acreage Beach Coastal Parks Professionals

Noosa Heads

Coastal Luxury Retirees

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Full data on Castaways Beach Full data on Noosa Heads
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.

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