Palmwoods is a suburb in Queensland, 102 km from Brisbane CBD, around 1 hour 25 minutes by car. Population is 6,357; the median age is 43 and the median household income is $90,376 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 12.0% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $430 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,878. The area shows no recorded bushfire exposure. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Palmwoods a good suburb?
Palmwoods scores a A (72/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Very walkable
Walkability 71/100 · 102 km · 84 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $1.12M
Low all-round risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 30/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 43 · 6,357 residents
Liveability Rating
72 / 100 · Ranked #147 in QLDEach bar is Palmwoods'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 Palmwoods?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
72 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataPalmwoods's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.12 million, roughly 13% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,125,000
In line with its 6 neighbours (median $1,115,000)
Based on 169 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 24 days — median across 77 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 52 sales $980K
- 4 bed 94 sales $1.19M
- 5 bed 19 sales $1.33M
Land
$812,450
Based on only 8 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Typically sold in 71 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Palmwoods are currently listed at around $1.2 million on average. Based on 28 houses listed in the past six months.
$1.2M
28 houses listed in the last 6 months.
29 of the suburb's 2,247 dwellings (1.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Palmwoods rent for around $835 a week on average, based on 20 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$835/wk
20 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
20 rentals advertised against an estimated 490 rented homes (4.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- All rentals
- $750/wk
- 29 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.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$835/week ($43,000 a year) on a $1.2 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
24 active Airbnb listings: 23 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 1.0% 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 Palmwoods safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Palmwoods sits in the low band, with 30 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 19% on the prior year.
30 offences
18.9% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202437 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 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.
Schools
One school serve Palmwoods, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 485 students in one school (avg 485)
Primary
Walkability
Palmwoods is very walkable on foot — at 71/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 1 supermarket, 26 parks and 5 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Palmwoods.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 6.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 5.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 1.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 4 min
- Span of service
- 20.5 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 24 min wait
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 Palmwoods.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 48%
- Premises covered
- 2,899
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 15 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 5 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Palmwoods is home to about 6,400 residents, with a median age of 43, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $90,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
6,357
Median Age
43
Median Household Income
$90,376/yr
Census Median Rent
$430/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,878/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$38,792/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.0%
Total Dwellings
2,247
Owner-Occupier Rate
78.2%
Houses
90.4%
Rental Stress
24.7%
Mortgage Stress
24.9%
Work From Home
16.4%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
33 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 11 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 469 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 78.4%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.9%
- Employment Rate
- 59%
- Completed Year 12
- 43.2%
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.
100 residents (1.6%) 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.
8.9% of residents (536) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Brisbane (289).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 6,032 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
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (61 of 3,054).
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 1,534 people work here; 3,054 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.5 jobs per working resident. At least 50% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
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: 159 to 375 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 51 to 100 homes
- In 5 to 10 years 48 to 130 homes
- In 10 years or more 51 to 100 homes
- No timeframe set 9 to 45 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (19 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, 5.8 km away.
Setting
- Elevation
- 23 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 13.1 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 0.3% of addresses
- 11 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
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.
EV adoption
In postcode 4555, 83 of 7,744 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.1% (238 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4555, 2,618 rooftop-solar systems totalling 16.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,832 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 131 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
1 mortgage broker is registered in this suburb.
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 $1,125,000 this is $375,000 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 Andrew Wallace Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Andrew Wallace | 44.0% | 56.0% | +2.6 |
| 2022 | Andrew Wallace | 41.3% | 58.7% | -4.0 |
| 2019 | Andrew Wallace | 37.3% | 62.7% | +3.5 |
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 Marty Hunt Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Marty Hunt LNP | 52.7% |
| 2020 | Robert Skelton ALP | 50.1% |
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 Palmwoods?
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 6,357 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
- #2 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the fastest EV adoption growth
- #4 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the most rooftop solar
- #5 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the highest EV adoption today
- #7 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the biggest house blocks
- #7 in The most liveable suburbs in Sunshine Coast
- #10 in Most walkable suburbs in Sunshine Coast
- #11 in Best Sunshine Coast suburbs for first-home buyers (houses)
Nearby suburbs
Woombye QLD 4559
Eudlo QLD 4554
Montville QLD 4560
West Woombye QLD 4559
Ilkley QLD 4554
Hunchy QLD 4555
Compare Palmwoods 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 Palmwoods
Is Palmwoods a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Palmwoods is low (30/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Palmwoods?
Palmwoods has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Palmwoods a good place to live?
Palmwoods has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (72/100), 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 Palmwoods?
Palmwoods, QLD had a population of 6,357 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Palmwoods, QLD?
The postcode for Palmwoods, QLD is 4555.
How far is Palmwoods from Brisbane?
Palmwoods is 102 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 84 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Palmwoods?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Palmwoods was $90,376 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 Palmwoods?
The median advertised rent in Palmwoods is $835 a week for houses (20 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Palmwoods?
The median age of residents in Palmwoods was 43 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Palmwoods?
There is 1 school inside the Palmwoods boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Palmwoods walkable?
Palmwoods scores 71/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. 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 Palmwoods?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Palmwoods (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 Palmwoods below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Palmwoods?
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 Palmwoods belong to?
Palmwoods 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 Palmwoods?
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 Palmwoods?
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 Palmwoods in?
Palmwoods sits within the federal Division of Fisher, currently held by Andrew Wallace (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
Search another suburb or address
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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.