Mount Coolum vs Yaroomba

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Yaroomba, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Yaroomba: a median of $1.73 million, against $1.41 million in Mount Coolum, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Mount Coolum tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Yaroomba suits couples.

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

Yaroomba

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (93% vs 62%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 56%)
  • But Mount Coolum has more parks and reserves (8 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Coolum

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($880,000 vs $1,570,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,410,000 vs $1,730,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mount Coolum

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Mount Coolum

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 28/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Mount Coolum

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (38% vs 7%)
  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 28/100)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Mount Coolum returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.7% vs 2.5%)
  • Yaroomba is growing faster (25.9% vs 6.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
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.

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Walkability 40 / 28
Mount Coolum — Walkability: 40/100 Yaroomba — Walkability: 28/100
Safety 76 / 76
Mount Coolum — Safety: 76/100 Yaroomba — Safety: 76/100
Low fire risk 45 / 100
Mount Coolum — Low fire risk: 45/100 Yaroomba — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Mount Coolum has more residents (4,545 vs 2,043); Yaroomba has higher household incomes ($117,624 vs $87,880).

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Population 4,545
+55% vs other
 2,043
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.6% +25.9%
Median age 44 42
Median household income $87,880/yr $117,624/yr
+34% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $500/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
0-4 5.2% / 5.0%
Mount Coolum — 0-4: 5.2% Yaroomba — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 11.6% / 15.0%
Mount Coolum — 5-14: 11.6% Yaroomba — 5-14: 15.0%
15-19 5.6% / 6.7%
Mount Coolum — 15-19: 5.6% Yaroomba — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 4.1% / 4.0%
Mount Coolum — 20-24: 4.1% Yaroomba — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 10.4% / 9.6%
Mount Coolum — 25-34: 10.4% Yaroomba — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 14.3% / 14.3%
Mount Coolum — 35-44: 14.3% Yaroomba — 35-44: 14.3%
45-54 16.5% / 16.6%
Mount Coolum — 45-54: 16.5% Yaroomba — 45-54: 16.6%
55-64 14.2% / 14.5%
Mount Coolum — 55-64: 14.2% Yaroomba — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 10.7% / 10.2%
Mount Coolum — 65-74: 10.7% Yaroomba — 65-74: 10.2%
75-84 5.5% / 3.5%
Mount Coolum — 75-84: 5.5% Yaroomba — 75-84: 3.5%
85+ 1.9% / 0.5%
Mount Coolum — 85+: 1.9% Yaroomba — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Coolum 40.1% couple families
Mount Coolum — Couple Families: 40.1% Mount Coolum — Lone Person: 36.7% Mount Coolum — One Parent Families: 15.8% Mount Coolum — Group Household: 6.7% Mount Coolum — Other Families: 0.7%
Yaroomba 60.7% couple families
Yaroomba — Couple Families: 60.7% Yaroomba — Lone Person: 22.8% Yaroomba — One Parent Families: 9.8% Yaroomba — Group Household: 6.1% Yaroomba — Other Families: 0.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Coolum 30.1% renting
Mount Coolum — Owned Outright: 29.9% Mount Coolum — Mortgage: 40.0% Mount Coolum — Renting: 30.1%
Yaroomba 23.1% renting
Yaroomba — Owned Outright: 31.8% Yaroomba — Mortgage: 45.1% Yaroomba — Renting: 23.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Bachelor Degree 15.0% / 18.8%
Mount Coolum — Bachelor Degree: 15.0% Yaroomba — Bachelor Degree: 18.8%
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 14.0%
Mount Coolum — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Yaroomba — Certificate III & IV: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.0% / 9.9%
Mount Coolum — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0% Yaroomba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.9%
Postgraduate Degree 4.6% / 5.7%
Mount Coolum — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6% Yaroomba — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / 2.8%
Mount Coolum — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% Yaroomba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

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.

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
England 5.8% / 5.9%
Mount Coolum — England: 5.8% Yaroomba — England: 5.9%
New Zealand 3.3% / 3.5%
Mount Coolum — New Zealand: 3.3% Yaroomba — New Zealand: 3.5%
South Africa 1.3% / 2.3%
Mount Coolum — South Africa: 1.3% Yaroomba — South Africa: 2.3%
Germany 0.7% / 0.8%
Mount Coolum — Germany: 0.7% Yaroomba — Germany: 0.8%
Canada 0.9% / 0.3%
Mount Coolum — Canada: 0.9% Yaroomba — Canada: 0.3%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.4%
Mount Coolum — Scotland: 0.7% Yaroomba — Scotland: 0.4%
France — / 0.6%
Mount Coolum — France: not among its largest Yaroomba — France: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Coolum 62.3% houses
Mount Coolum — Houses: 62.3% Mount Coolum — Townhouses: 28.2% Mount Coolum — Flats / Apartments: 9.5%
Yaroomba 92.9% houses
Yaroomba — Houses: 92.9% Yaroomba — Townhouses: 5.9% Yaroomba — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Median house price $1,410,000 $1,730,000
Median unit price $880,000 $1,570,500
Median land price — $1,775,750
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 41 sales
 54 days
from 8 sales

Development activity

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
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.

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Houses 3.7%
$920/wk on $1.3M
 2.5%
$925/wk on $1.9M
Units 5.3%
$835/wk on $825K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 62% of QLD Higher than 89% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 85% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 92% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 78% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 34% of QLD Higher than 5% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 78% of QLD —

Liveability

Yaroomba scores higher overall (77 vs 52); Mount Coolum is more walkable (40 vs 28).

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Grade B A
Score 52/100 77/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Mount Coolum carries more bushfire risk (55 vs 0).

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Bushfire Moderate
55/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
24/100
same for both
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 3
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
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

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 8 4
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1 0
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Walkability score 40/100 28/100
Distance to Brisbane 115.9 km 117.2 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 95 min 99 min
Public transport score 56/100
Bus
 51/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 12.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 4573
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 59
postcode 4573
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.

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Car (driver) 72.4% / 68.8%
Mount Coolum — Car (driver): 72.4% Yaroomba — Car (driver): 68.8%
Worked from Home 21.3% / 23.3%
Mount Coolum — Worked from Home: 21.3% Yaroomba — Worked from Home: 23.3%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 5.2%
Mount Coolum — Car (passenger): 3.3% Yaroomba — Car (passenger): 5.2%
Bus 1.1% / 0.9%
Mount Coolum — Bus: 1.1% Yaroomba — Bus: 0.9%
Walked Only 1.0% / 0.7%
Mount Coolum — Walked Only: 1.0% Yaroomba — Walked Only: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.4%).

Setting

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Elevation 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.6 km
3.2 km to a named beach
 806 m
1.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Connectivity score 65/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 37%
2,139 premises
 30%
1,340 premises

Air quality (annual mean)

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
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

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Average residential rate $1,690/yr
same for both
Council Sunshine Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
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

Mount Coolum Yaroomba
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mount Coolum

Coastal Parks Quiet Townhouses

Yaroomba

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Parks Premium Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Coolum

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Other comparisons with Yaroomba

Yaroomba vs Coolum Beach Yaroomba vs Point Arkwright
Full data on Mount Coolum Full data on Yaroomba
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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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