Mooloolaba vs Mountain Creek

Mountain Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 44 in Mooloolaba. In both, most households own their home. In Mooloolaba, about half of homes are flats or apartments and about half of households are people living alone. In Mountain Creek, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mooloolaba: a median of $1.67 million, against $1.22 million in Mountain Creek, though rent is higher in Mountain Creek. On these figures, Mooloolaba tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Mountain Creek suits families with children, couples, and 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

Mountain Creek

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 81/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (78% vs 38%)
  • But Mooloolaba has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Mountain Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,220,000 vs $1,667,500)
  • has cheaper units ($716,500 vs $810,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mooloolaba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Mountain Creek

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (75 min vs 80 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (93.9 km vs 97.3 km)
  • But Mooloolaba is more walkable (83/100 vs 49/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mooloolaba

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 1)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (62% vs 22%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 11%)
  • But Mountain Creek carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 81/100)

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

Investors

Mountain Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.8% vs 2.4%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
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.

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Walkability 83 / 49
Mooloolaba — Walkability: 83/100 Mountain Creek — Walkability: 49/100
Safety 19 / 69
Mooloolaba — Safety: 19/100 Mountain Creek — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 100 / 58
Mooloolaba — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mountain Creek — Low fire risk: 58/100

Demographics

Mountain Creek has more residents (11,950 vs 8,202); Mountain Creek has higher household incomes ($99,372 vs $78,312).

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Population 8,202 11,950
+46% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.1% +6.2%
Median age 44 37
Median household income $78,312/yr $99,372/yr
+27% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $500/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
0-4 3.7% / 5.7%
Mooloolaba — 0-4: 3.7% Mountain Creek — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 9.5% / 16.7%
Mooloolaba — 5-14: 9.5% Mountain Creek — 5-14: 16.7%
15-19 4.3% / 7.5%
Mooloolaba — 15-19: 4.3% Mountain Creek — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 5.6% / 5.5%
Mooloolaba — 20-24: 5.6% Mountain Creek — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 14.3% / 11.9%
Mooloolaba — 25-34: 14.3% Mountain Creek — 25-34: 11.9%
35-44 12.9% / 15.4%
Mooloolaba — 35-44: 12.9% Mountain Creek — 35-44: 15.4%
45-54 13.0% / 15.4%
Mooloolaba — 45-54: 13.0% Mountain Creek — 45-54: 15.4%
55-64 14.9% / 10.9%
Mooloolaba — 55-64: 14.9% Mountain Creek — 55-64: 10.9%
65-74 13.7% / 7.3%
Mooloolaba — 65-74: 13.7% Mountain Creek — 65-74: 7.3%
75-84 6.1% / 3.0%
Mooloolaba — 75-84: 6.1% Mountain Creek — 75-84: 3.0%
85+ 1.9% / 0.7%
Mooloolaba — 85+: 1.9% Mountain Creek — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mooloolaba 27.0% couple families
Mooloolaba — Couple Families: 27.0% Mooloolaba — Lone Person: 47.7% Mooloolaba — One Parent Families: 14.3% Mooloolaba — Group Household: 9.8% Mooloolaba — Other Families: 1.2%
Mountain Creek 51.2% couple families
Mountain Creek — Couple Families: 51.2% Mountain Creek — Lone Person: 20.2% Mountain Creek — One Parent Families: 22.1% Mountain Creek — Group Household: 5.7% Mountain Creek — 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.

Mooloolaba 42.5% renting
Mooloolaba — Owned Outright: 33.7% Mooloolaba — Mortgage: 23.8% Mooloolaba — Renting: 42.5%
Mountain Creek 37.1% renting
Mountain Creek — Owned Outright: 23.0% Mountain Creek — Mortgage: 39.9% Mountain Creek — Renting: 37.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Certificate III & IV 16.8% / 16.5%
Mooloolaba — Certificate III & IV: 16.8% Mountain Creek — Certificate III & IV: 16.5%
Bachelor Degree 15.4% / 12.5%
Mooloolaba — Bachelor Degree: 15.4% Mountain Creek — Bachelor Degree: 12.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 8.9%
Mooloolaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Mountain Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 4.2% / 3.1%
Mooloolaba — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2% Mountain Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 1.9%
Mooloolaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Mountain Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
New Zealand 6.1% / 5.6%
Mooloolaba — New Zealand: 6.1% Mountain Creek — New Zealand: 5.6%
England 5.1% / 6.2%
Mooloolaba — England: 5.1% Mountain Creek — England: 6.2%
South Africa 1.2% / 2.2%
Mooloolaba — South Africa: 1.2% Mountain Creek — South Africa: 2.2%
India 1.2% / 1.2%
Mooloolaba — India: 1.2% Mountain Creek — India: 1.2%
Brazil 0.9% / —
Mooloolaba — Brazil: 0.9% Mountain Creek — Brazil: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.6%
Mooloolaba — Scotland: not among its largest Mountain Creek — Scotland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mooloolaba 38.5% houses
Mooloolaba — Houses: 38.5% Mooloolaba — Flats / Apartments: 49.9% Mooloolaba — Townhouses: 11.6%
Mountain Creek 77.7% houses
Mountain Creek — Houses: 77.7% Mountain Creek — Flats / Apartments: 15.5% Mountain Creek — Townhouses: 6.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Median house price $1,667,500 $1,220,000
Median unit price $810,000 $716,500
Median land price — $1,195,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 86 sales
 29 days
from 144 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
2 bed $810K / $710K
Mooloolaba — 2 bed: $810K (140 sales) Mountain Creek — 2 bed: $710K (20 sales)

140 vs 20 sales

3 bed $1.2M / $802K
Mooloolaba — 3 bed: $1.2M (59 sales) Mountain Creek — 3 bed: $802K (15 sales)

59 vs 15 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.

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
3 bed $1.41M / $996K
Mooloolaba — 3 bed: $1.41M (49 sales) Mountain Creek — 3 bed: $996K (71 sales)

49 vs 71 sales

4 bed $1.8M / $1.28M
Mooloolaba — 4 bed: $1.8M (40 sales) Mountain Creek — 4 bed: $1.28M (158 sales)

40 vs 158 sales

5 bed $2.15M / $1.44M
Mooloolaba — 5 bed: $2.15M (23 sales) Mountain Creek — 5 bed: $1.44M (30 sales)

23 vs 30 sales

Development activity

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
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.

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Houses 2.4%
$850/wk on $1.85M
 3.8%
$875/wk on $1.2M
Units 4.1%
$710/wk on $895K
 4.3%
$675/wk on $820K

Ranking within QLD

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 49% of QLD Higher than 74% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 14% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 97% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 87% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of QLD Higher than 87% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 3% of QLD Higher than 41% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 35% of QLD Higher than 43% of QLD

Liveability

Mooloolaba is more walkable (83 vs 49); Mooloolaba scores higher overall (58 vs 49).

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Grade B C
Score 58/100 49/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mountain Creek carries more bushfire risk (42 vs 0); Mooloolaba carries more crime risk (81 vs 31).

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
42/100
Crime High
81/100
 Low
31/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
65/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Inside the suburb 1 5
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 2
Universities within 10 km 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast, 5.4 km
 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast, 3.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7%
same for both

Schools in Mooloolaba

  • Mooloolaba State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Mountain Creek

  • Brightwater State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mountain Creek State High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Mountain Creek State School Government · Primary below peers
  • The Industry School - Sunshine Coast - Mountain Creek Campus Independent · Secondary
  • Autism Queensland Education & Therapy Centre - Mountain Creek Campus Independent · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 14 1
Parks & reserves 23 17
Childcare 4 7
GPs 4 1
Pharmacies 3 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 18 8

Mobility

Mooloolaba sits further from the CBD (97.3 km vs 93.9 km).

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Walkability score 83/100 49/100
Distance to Brisbane 97.3 km
+3% vs other
 93.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 80 min 75 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 75/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 110.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 46.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 4557
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 4557
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.

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Car (driver) 70.4% / 75.7%
Mooloolaba — Car (driver): 70.4% Mountain Creek — Car (driver): 75.7%
Worked from Home 17.2% / 16.1%
Mooloolaba — Worked from Home: 17.2% Mountain Creek — Worked from Home: 16.1%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 5.2%
Mooloolaba — Car (passenger): 4.5% Mountain Creek — Car (passenger): 5.2%
Walked Only 3.9% / 1.0%
Mooloolaba — Walked Only: 3.9% Mountain Creek — Walked Only: 1.0%
Bus 2.2% / 0.8%
Mooloolaba — Bus: 2.2% Mountain Creek — Bus: 0.8%
Bicycle 1.7% / 1.0%
Mooloolaba — Bicycle: 1.7% Mountain Creek — Bicycle: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.7%).

Setting

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Elevation 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 810 m
1.2 km to a named beach
 3.2 km
3.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Connectivity score 56/100 76/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
6,174 premises
 56%
4,417 premises

Air quality (annual mean)

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
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

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Average residential rate $1,690/yr
same for both
Council Sunshine Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Division Fisher Fairfax
Member Andrew Wallace Ted O'Brien
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mooloolaba Mountain Creek
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mooloolaba

Apartments Beach Coastal Parks Regional Centre River

Mountain Creek

Family Parks Regional Centre River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mooloolaba

Mooloolaba vs Buderim Mooloolaba vs Parrearra Mooloolaba vs Buddina Mooloolaba vs Alexandra Headland Mooloolaba vs Minyama

Other comparisons with Mountain Creek

Mountain Creek vs Buderim Mountain Creek vs Sippy Downs Mountain Creek vs Parrearra Mountain Creek vs Minyama
Full data on Mooloolaba Full data on Mountain Creek
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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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