Coolum Beach QLD 4573
Coolum Beach is a suburb in Queensland, 117 km from Brisbane CBD, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Population is 9,152; the median age is 45 and the median household income is $83,200 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 40% nationally. Population grew 7.7% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $450 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,000. 2 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Coolum Beach a good suburb?
Coolum Beach scores a C (38/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on transit.
Mixed results
2 schools
Car-dependent
Walkability 14/100 · 117.4 km · 92 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $1.52M
Moderate bushfire risk
Fire 59/100 · Crime 54/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 7/10 · median age 45 · 9,152 residents
Liveability Rating
38 / 100 · Ranked #789 in QLDEach bar is Coolum Beach's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
Flood data for Queensland covers only the areas mapped there — a blank here is not an all-clear.
How do you rate the liveability in Coolum Beach?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
38 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataCoolum Beach's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.52 million, roughly 21% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,520,000
8% above its 7 neighbours (median $1,410,000)
Based on 181 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 84 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 11 sales $1.21M
- 3 bed 73 sales $1.39M
- 4 bed 71 sales $1.59M
- 5 bed 21 sales $1.73M
Units
$1,117,500
Based on 90 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 55 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 7 sales $710K
- 2 bed 51 sales $1.08M
- 3 bed 30 sales $1.25M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Coolum Beach are currently listed at around $1.6 million on average. Based on 39 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.6M
39 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$1.1M
23 units listed in the last 6 months.
62 of the suburb's 3,556 dwellings (1.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Coolum Beach rent for around $975 a week on average, based on 32 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$975/wk
3% below its 3 neighbours (median $1,000/wk)
32 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$780/wk
12 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
44 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,067 rented homes (4.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $820/wk
- 16 bonds
- +34% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $670/wk
- 12 bonds
- +38% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies. Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202578 Severely unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 38% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4573.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$975/week ($51,000 a year) on a $1.6 million median
$780/week ($41,000 a year) on a $1.1 million median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
257 active Airbnb listings: 248 whole homes and 9 rooms. Whole homes are about 5.9% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Coolum Beach safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Coolum Beach sits in the moderate band, with 73 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 25% on the prior year.
73 offences
24.7% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202470 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1989–2023Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 2.8 km
- Rate
- -0.26 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -5.2 m
- Certainty
- likely rocky coastline
Data Quality
Schools
Two schools serve Coolum Beach, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 2,555 students across 2 schools (avg 1,278)
- • ICSEA 1040-1046, median 1043 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Coolum State High School (1,551 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Coolum Beach is very car-dependent on foot — at 14/100, nearly all errands require a car. Within the suburb there are 4 supermarkets, 22 parks and 9 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Coolum Beach.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 48.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 41.9 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 42.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 18.5 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Coolum Beach.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 43%
- Premises covered
- 5,854
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Sunshine Coast: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 21 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 8 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Coolum Beach is home to about 9,200 residents, with a median age of 45, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $83,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
9,152
Median Age
45
Median Household Income
$83,200/yr
Census Median Rent
$450/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.4
Median Personal Income
$39,988/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
18.3%
Total Dwellings
3,556
Owner-Occupier Rate
70.0%
Houses
69.5%
Rental Stress
28.1%
Mortgage Stress
28.8%
Work From Home
20.5%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
85 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 7 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,021 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 77.4%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.4%
- Employment Rate
- 57.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 47.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
233 residents (2.5%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
13.0% of residents (1,134) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Brisbane (506).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 8,709 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
3% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (122 of 4,411).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 5,140 people work here; 4,411 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (1.2 per resident). At least 6% of the people who work here must live elsewhere.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,690 a year through Sunshine Coast based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Sunshine Coast
In the year to August 2026, 2,962 new dwellings were approved across Sunshine Coast. That mix is 1,757 houses and 1,205 units. Approvals are down 41.1% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 8 to 30 homes
- Within 2 years 6 to 20 homes
- In 5 to 10 years 2 to 10 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (3 parcels), by when it expects lots to be registered. Yields are published in ranges, so these are too.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners Native Title Claim Group.
Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. A native title claim over this area is registered with the Federal Court.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 4.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 12.3 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0.
From the Nambour (South East Queensland) monitoring station, 18.0 km away.
Setting
- Elevation
- 1 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 2.4 km
- 2.3 km to a named beach
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
2 facilities within 5 km- 0.6 km
- 3.6 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
EV adoption
In postcode 4573, 429 of 25,443 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.8% (712 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.5%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4573, 7,763 rooftop-solar systems totalling 51.5 MW have been installed since 2001, against 13,193 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 497 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$30,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
$30,000 for contracts signed on or after 20 November 2023, with no end date. IT DID NOT REVERT TO $15,000: the tier was due to end 30 June 2026 and the 2026-27 Queensland Budget (23 June 2026) continued it for contracts signed from 1 July 2026. This file carried a "due to revert" note until 2026-09-18 — it was never true, and a note predicting a change is not the same as a change. Cap is "less than $750,000" including land and contract variations — less than, not up to. New homes only: "There are no home owner grants for established homes."
Mortgage repayments
4 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 18 across postcode 4573.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Queensland Revenue Office
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $30,000 — see what qualifies with Queensland Revenue Office.
At $1,520,000 this is $770,000 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $30,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Queensland Revenue Office.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Ted O'Brien Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ted O'Brien | 46.8% | 53.2% | +5.7 |
| 2022 | Ted O'Brien | 41.0% | 59.0% | -4.5 |
| 2019 | Ted O'Brien | 36.6% | 63.4% | +2.6 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Dan Purdie Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dan Purdie LNP | 60.5% |
| 2020 | Dan Purdie LNP | 54.1% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Coolum Beach?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 9,152 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
- #5 in Sunshine Coast suburbs where the most Spanish is spoken at home
- #12 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the most apartments
- #13 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the most parkland nearby
- #14 in Sunshine Coast suburbs where 2-bedroom unit rents rose most
- #14 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the best public transport
Nearby suburbs
Peregian Springs QLD 4573
Peregian Beach QLD 4573
Mount Coolum QLD 4573
Yaroomba QLD 4573
Maroochy River QLD 4561
Yandina Creek QLD 4561
Compare Coolum Beach to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Coolum Beach
Is Coolum Beach a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Coolum Beach is moderate (54/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Coolum Beach?
Coolum Beach has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Coolum Beach a good place to live?
Coolum Beach has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (38/100), ranked against other QLD suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Coolum Beach?
Coolum Beach, QLD had a population of 9,152 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Coolum Beach, QLD?
The postcode for Coolum Beach, QLD is 4573.
How far is Coolum Beach from Brisbane?
Coolum Beach is 117 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 92 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Coolum Beach?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Coolum Beach was $83,200 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Coolum Beach?
The median advertised rent in Coolum Beach is $975 a week for houses (32 listings) and $780 a week for units (12 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Coolum Beach?
The median age of residents in Coolum Beach was 45 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Coolum Beach at risk of bushfire?
Coolum Beach has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Coolum Beach?
There are 2 schools inside the Coolum Beach boundary: 2 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Coolum Beach walkable?
Coolum Beach scores 14/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Coolum Beach?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Coolum Beach (Nambour (South East Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 4.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 12.3 µg/m³. That puts Coolum Beach below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Coolum Beach?
First-home buyers in QLD may be eligible for $30,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by Queensland Revenue Office; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Coolum Beach belong to?
Coolum Beach sits within the Sunshine Coast local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Coolum Beach?
The average residential rates bill through Sunshine Coast is $1,690 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Coolum Beach?
Across Sunshine Coast, 2,962 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 41.1% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Coolum Beach in?
Coolum Beach sits within the federal Division of Fairfax, currently held by Ted O'Brien (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2025–26
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- Air quality · 2025
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2024
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.