Mooloolaba, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Mooloolaba QLD is 8,202 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Mooloolaba is $843 per week ($43,836 per year). Median rent in Mooloolaba is $400 per week ($1,733 per month). Mooloolaba has a median age of 44 years, older than the national median of 38. Mooloolaba has a population density of 2,052 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Mooloolaba is New Zealand. The most common religion is No religion (45.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Portuguese. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mooloolaba is $1,762.

Population
8,202
Census 2021
Median income
$843/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$400/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
44years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Mooloolaba vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Mooloolaba is $843 a week, 13% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 472nd of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $400 a week, $80 more than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 26.6% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 44, 2 years older than in the typical QLD suburb (42).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureMooloolabaTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$843/wk$747/wk +13%$766/wk
Household income$1,506/wk$1,593/wk −5%$1,637/wk
Rent$400/wk$320/wk +25%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,762/mo$1,625/mo +8%$1,733/mo
Median age4442 +2 yrs42
Rent share of household income26.6%20.4% +6.1 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Mooloolaba, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Mooloolaba Population

8,202 residents at the 2021 Census.

Mooloolaba Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$843/wk
$43,836 per year
Ranked 2,896 of 14,663
Median Rent
$400/wk
$1,733 per month
Ranked 1,854 of 14,663
Median Age
44years
6 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,762/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Mooloolaba Rent Prices & Affordability

27% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,506/wk
Median rent $400/wk
Rent to income 26.6%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Mooloolaba against your income

About $6,526 a month
Median rent $400/wk
Left after rent $1,106/wk
Rent share 26.6%

Mooloolaba Schools

7
schools nearby
5
government
1052
avg ICSEA score
5,151
total students
Mooloolaba State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 807 students
1064
ICSEA
Buddina State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 742 students
1057
ICSEA
Brightwater State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 733 students
1055
ICSEA
Mountain Creek State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 2,091 students
1043
ICSEA
Mountain Creek State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 778 students
1041
ICSEA
The Industry School - Sunshine Coast - Mountain Creek Campus Independent
Secondary
Autism Queensland Education & Therapy Centre - Mountain Creek Campus Independent
Combined

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Mooloolaba, with a map

Mooloolaba Map

Mooloolaba, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Mooloolaba, Queensland: 26.6851°S, 153.1162°E

Mooloolaba Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (7)

People in Mooloolaba

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.0% (4,020) Female 51.0% (4,189)

Population Density

2,052
people per km²
8,202 people · 4.0 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,007
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

New Zealand
6.1%
England
5.1%
India
1.2%
South Africa
1.2%
Brazil
0.9%
Philippines
0.8%
United States of America
0.8%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Portuguese
1.1%
Spanish
0.6%
Gujarati
0.6%
Nepali
0.5%
Italian
0.5%
Mandarin
0.5%
Punjabi
0.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
44.6%
Australian
31.0%
Irish
13.7%
Scottish
12.1%
German
6.0%
Italian
3.4%
New Zealander
1.9%
Dutch
1.9%
Australian Aboriginal
1.7%
Indian
1.3%
Chinese
1.1%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
45.6%
Catholic
18.6%
Anglican
12.3%
Not stated
7.3%
Uniting Church
3.4%
Christian (other)
2.2%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.0%
Baptist
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.9%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
41.9% 2,985
Separated
4.3% 305
Divorced
13.2% 941
Widowed
4.5% 320
Never married
36.1% 2,573

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
40.1%
Couple: children under 15
33.7%
Couple: no children under 15
11.4%
One parent: children under 15
7.9%
One parent: no children under 15
6.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
33.1%
2 persons
39.8%
3 persons
12.8%
4 persons
9.7%
5 persons
3.7%
6+ persons
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Mooloolaba

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,506 occupied private dwellings in Mooloolaba at the 2021 Census, 41.5% were rented, 32.8% owned outright and 23.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 42 dwellings
Owned outright
32.8% 1,151 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
23.2% 813 dwellings
Rented
41.5% 1,454 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 42 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
77.0%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
17.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
7.1%
2 bedrooms
34.7%
3 bedrooms
37.3%
4 bedrooms
16.4%
5 bedrooms
3.9%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.7%
$300-$449/mo
2.3%
$450-$599/mo
2.3%
$600-$799/mo
3.6%
$800-$999/mo
5.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
16.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
10.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
11.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.5%
1 vehicle
42.7%
2 vehicles
36.2%
3 vehicles
9.5%
4+ vehicles
5.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Mooloolaba

Employment

Employed full-time
35.1% 2,201 people
Employed part-time
23.6% 1,478 people
Unemployed
2.6% 166 people
Not in labour force
38.7% 2,423 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
29.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
15.6%
Managers
14.5%
Community & Personal Service
14.5%
Clerical & Administrative
10.3%
Labourers
6.9%
Sales Workers
6.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.2%
$300-$399/wk
3.4%
$400-$499/wk
6.4%
$500-$649/wk
5.2%
$650-$799/wk
6.0%
$800-$999/wk
7.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.4%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.9%
$4,000+/wk
10.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.3%
$1-$149/wk
3.8%
$150-$299/wk
4.5%
$300-$399/wk
3.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.9%
$500-$649/wk
4.5%
$650-$799/wk
10.6%
$800-$999/wk
12.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.1%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
7.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500+/wk
4.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
72.0%
Did not go to work
13.2%
Car (passenger)
4.6%
Walked only
4.0%
Bus
1.9%
Bicycle
1.8%
Other
0.9%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Truck
0.6%
Train
0.1%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
65.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
22.9%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.2%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
34.8%
Bachelor Degree
31.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.2%
Postgraduate Degree
8.7%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.9%
Certificate I/II
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
22.7%
Health
16.2%
Engineering
12.7%
Society & Culture
12.0%
Architecture & Building
9.9%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.9%
Education
7.7%
Creative Arts
3.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.7%
Information Technology
2.1%
Agriculture & Environment
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.1%
Secondary: Government
24.4%
Vocational Education
15.5%
Pre-school
8.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
7.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.3%
Primary: Catholic
3.9%
Secondary: Catholic
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
89.8%
Has need for assistance
4.4%
Need for assistance not stated
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
673
Arthritis
330
Asthma
264
Heart disease
223
Lung condition
168
Cancer
162
Diabetes
150
Stroke
107
Kidney disease
37
Dementia
22

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.0% 664
Did not provide
90.0% 5,991

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.1% 1,011
Not a volunteer
84.9% 5,669

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 4
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 6
Previously served
3.4% 231
Never served
96.4% 6,460

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
37.0%
1 child
13.3%
2 children
29.5%
3 children
14.6%
4 children
4.4%
5+ children
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
19
1951: 1960
76
1961: 1970
165
1971: 1980
179
1981: 1990
210
1991: 2000
181
2001: 2010
372
2011: 2015
298
2016
85
2017
112
2018
101
2019
162
2020
49
2021
41

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

21.8%
moved in the last year
55.7%
moved in the last 5 years
3.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
59.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
6,008
Moved from QLD
921
Moved: same area (SA2)
306
Moved from VIC
120
Moved from NSW
119
Moved from overseas
107
Moved from SA
27
Moved from WA
18
Moved from TAS
12
Moved from NT
11

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.3%
5: 14 hours
31.5%
15: 29 hours
11.9%
30+ hours
7.2%
Did not do domestic work
25.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
87.4%
Step family: no other children
10.9%
Blended family: no other children
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Ayr
Income: $701/wk Rent: $230/wk $170/wk less rent
Cooktown
Income: $678/wk Rent: $230/wk $170/wk less rent
Earlville
Income: $700/wk Rent: $290/wk $110/wk less rent
Sunshine Acres
Income: $723/wk Rent: $300/wk $100/wk less rent
Tolga
Income: $715/wk Rent: $300/wk $100/wk less rent
Rangeville
Income: $834/wk Rent: $340/wk $60/wk less rent
Glenlee (Qld)
Income: $858/wk Rent: $350/wk $50/wk less rent
Port Douglas
Income: $824/wk Rent: $350/wk $50/wk less rent

Suburbs near Mooloolaba

The closest suburb to Mooloolaba is Minyama, 1.4 km away.

Minyama
1.4 km away · income $790/wk · rent $473/wk
Buddina
1.9 km away · income $858/wk · rent $440/wk
Alexandra Headland
2.0 km away · income $901/wk · rent $410/wk
Mountain Creek (Qld)
2.1 km away · income $857/wk · rent $500/wk
Parrearra
2.9 km away · income $773/wk · rent $490/wk
Warana
3.9 km away · income $724/wk · rent $420/wk

Compare Mooloolaba

Frequently Asked Questions About Mooloolaba

What is the population of Mooloolaba QLD?

The population of Mooloolaba QLD is 8,202 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,052 people per km². Mooloolaba is ranked #858 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Mooloolaba?

The median personal income in Mooloolaba QLD is $843 per week, or $43,836 per year. The median household income is $1,506 per week. Family income is $2,007 per week. Mooloolaba is ranked #2,896 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Mooloolaba?

Median rent in Mooloolaba QLD is $400 per week ($1,733 per month). Rent represents 26.6% of household income, which is considered moderate. Mooloolaba ranks #1,854 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Mooloolaba?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mooloolaba QLD is $1,762. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Mooloolaba?

The median age in Mooloolaba QLD is 44 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Mooloolaba a good suburb to live in?

Mooloolaba is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 8,202. The median income is $843/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (26.6% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 31895. All dollar figures in AUD.