Noosa Heads, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Noosa Heads QLD is 5,120 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Noosa Heads is $909 per week ($47,268 per year). Median rent in Noosa Heads is $550 per week ($2,383 per month). Noosa Heads has a median age of 54 years, older than the national median of 38. Noosa Heads has a population density of 397 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Noosa Heads is England. The most common religion is No religion (46.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Noosa Heads is $2,167.

There were 2,398 recorded offences in Noosa Heads in 2025-26, a rate of 468 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (903 offences).

Population
5,120
Census 2021
Median income
$909/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$550/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
54years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Queensland Police Service (data.qld.gov.au), 2025-26.

Noosa Heads vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Noosa Heads is $909 a week, 22% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 320th of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $550 a week, $230 more than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 29.8% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 54, 12 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.
MeasureNoosa HeadsTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$909/wk$747/wk +22%$766/wk
Household income$1,843/wk$1,593/wk +16%$1,637/wk
Rent$550/wk$320/wk +72%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$1,625/mo +33%$1,733/mo
Median age5442 +12 yrs42
Rent share of household income29.8%20.4% +9.4 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 Noosa Heads, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Noosa Heads Population

5,120 residents at the 2021 Census.

Noosa Heads Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$909/wk
$47,268 per year
Ranked 2,024 of 14,663
Median Rent
$550/wk
$2,383 per month
Ranked 360 of 14,663
Median Age
54years
16 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Noosa Heads Rent Prices & Affordability

30% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,843/wk
Median rent $550/wk
Rent to income 29.8%

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

Median rent in Noosa Heads against your income

About $7,986 a month
Median rent $550/wk
Left after rent $1,293/wk
Rent share 29.8%

Noosa Heads Schools

5
schools nearby
2
government
1045
avg ICSEA score
2,849
total students
St Thomas More Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 578 students
1086
ICSEA
Sunshine Beach State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 706 students
1083
ICSEA
Montessori Noosa Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 58 students
1057
ICSEA
Sunshine Beach State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,405 students
1043
ICSEA
Noosa Flexible School Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 102 students
958
ICSEA

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

All schools near Noosa Heads, with a map

Noosa Heads Map

Noosa Heads, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Noosa Heads

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.4% (2,483) Female 51.6% (2,642)

Population Density

397
people per km²
5,120 people · 12.9 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,228
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

England
7.6%
New Zealand
4.0%
South Africa
1.8%
United States of America
1.4%
Scotland
1.2%
Germany
1.1%
France
1.1%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
1.1%
French
1.0%
German
0.8%
Portuguese
0.8%
Italian
0.6%
Afrikaans
0.3%
Mandarin
0.3%

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

Ancestry

English
45.2%
Australian
25.9%
Scottish
15.2%
Irish
14.7%
German
5.8%
Italian
3.7%
French
2.2%
Dutch
1.9%
South African
1.3%
New Zealander
1.2%
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
46.5%
Catholic
17.7%
Anglican
14.0%
Not stated
7.7%
Uniting Church
2.8%
Christian (other)
2.4%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.3%
Buddhism
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
52.2% 2,340
Separated
3.0% 134
Divorced
11.3% 507
Widowed
6.1% 272
Never married
27.4% 1,229

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
46.6%
Couple: children under 15
31.5%
Couple: no children under 15
10.6%
One parent: children under 15
6.3%
One parent: no children under 15
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
24.5%
2 persons
47.2%
3 persons
12.3%
4 persons
11.1%
5 persons
4.0%
6+ persons
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Noosa Heads

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,994 occupied private dwellings in Noosa Heads at the 2021 Census, 24.2% were rented, 49.0% owned outright and 23.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.1% 21 dwellings
Owned outright
49.0% 978 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
23.6% 471 dwellings
Rented
24.2% 483 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.8% 35 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
89.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
9.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.0%
2 bedrooms
18.5%
3 bedrooms
44.4%
4 bedrooms
29.9%
5 bedrooms
3.5%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
11.3%
$300-$449/mo
4.4%
$450-$599/mo
1.1%
$600-$799/mo
1.4%
$800-$999/mo
4.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
11.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
14.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
20.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
15.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
15.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
2.8%
1 vehicle
39.7%
2 vehicles
41.9%
3 vehicles
11.4%
4+ vehicles
4.2%

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

Work, income and education in Noosa Heads

Employment

Employed full-time
25.9% 1,031 people
Employed part-time
23.5% 936 people
Unemployed
2.2% 87 people
Not in labour force
48.3% 1,921 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
31.8%
Managers
21.3%
Community & Personal Service
11.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
11.2%
Clerical & Administrative
9.4%
Sales Workers
8.0%
Labourers
5.4%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.5%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.8%
$1-$149/wk
1.2%
$150-$299/wk
1.1%
$300-$399/wk
1.7%
$400-$499/wk
5.0%
$500-$649/wk
4.4%
$650-$799/wk
4.9%
$800-$999/wk
5.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.2%
$4,000+/wk
19.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.0%
$1-$149/wk
5.0%
$150-$299/wk
4.6%
$300-$399/wk
3.2%
$400-$499/wk
3.1%
$500-$649/wk
3.7%
$650-$799/wk
9.7%
$800-$999/wk
10.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.2%
$3,500+/wk
8.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
63.7%
Did not go to work
15.4%
Walked only
7.5%
Car (passenger)
6.3%
Motorbike/Scooter
2.4%
Bicycle
1.6%
Other
1.2%
Bus
1.1%
Truck
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%
Train
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
70.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
17.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.1%

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

Bachelor Degree
38.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
22.5%
Certificate III/IV
21.5%
Postgraduate Degree
11.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.6%
Certificate I/II
1.6%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
27.4%
Health
14.4%
Society & Culture
13.7%
Engineering
8.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
8.4%
Architecture & Building
7.5%
Education
6.5%
Creative Arts
6.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.1%
Agriculture & Environment
2.4%
Information Technology
1.4%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
20.5%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
17.6%
Secondary: Government
15.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
13.6%
Primary: Catholic
10.4%
Vocational Education
8.4%
Pre-school
7.8%
Secondary: Catholic
6.6%

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
87.9%
Has need for assistance
6.1%
Need for assistance not stated
6.0%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
325
Arthritis
213
Heart disease
192
Cancer
138
Asthma
131
Lung condition
98
Diabetes
79
Stroke
69
Kidney disease
29
Dementia
26

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
11.3% 471
Did not provide
88.7% 3,706

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.8% 791
Not a volunteer
81.2% 3,406

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
3.5% 144
Never served
96.5% 4,022

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
33.8%
1 child
12.7%
2 children
32.3%
3 children
15.5%
4 children
4.0%
5+ children
1.8%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
34
1951: 1960
57
1961: 1970
112
1971: 1980
133
1981: 1990
200
1991: 2000
158
2001: 2010
254
2011: 2015
143
2016
37
2017
42
2018
44
2019
84
2020
72
2021
24

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

Population Mobility

23.3%
moved in the last year
55.4%
moved in the last 5 years
3.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
50.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,677
Moved from QLD
570
Moved: same area (SA2)
167
Moved from VIC
151
Moved from NSW
96
Moved from overseas
84
Moved from WA
8
Moved from ACT
6
Moved from TAS
6

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.8%
5: 14 hours
31.3%
15: 29 hours
15.5%
30+ hours
8.9%
Did not do domestic work
23.4%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
89.9%
Step family: no other children
7.3%
Blended family: no other children
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Noosa Heads Crime Statistics

2,398 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
903
Drug Offences
342
Assault
214
Break & Enter
209
Fraud
180
Traffic
171
Domestic Violence
123
Sexual Offences
112
Property Damage
112
Weapons
28
Robbery
4

Total offences by year

2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Queensland Police Service (data.qld.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Noosa Heads

The closest suburb to Noosa Heads is Sunshine Beach, 1.1 km away.

Sunshine Beach
1.1 km away · income $902/wk · rent $495/wk
Sunrise Beach
1.9 km away · income $841/wk · rent $508/wk
Noosaville
4.6 km away · income $749/wk · rent $490/wk
Tewantin
7.8 km away · income $640/wk · rent $450/wk
Peregian Beach
8.6 km away · income $881/wk · rent $500/wk
Doonan
9.6 km away · income $796/wk · rent $470/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Noosa Heads

What is the population of Noosa Heads QLD?

The population of Noosa Heads QLD is 5,120 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 397 people per km². Noosa Heads is ranked #1,530 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Noosa Heads?

The median personal income in Noosa Heads QLD is $909 per week, or $47,268 per year. The median household income is $1,843 per week. Family income is $2,228 per week. Noosa Heads is ranked #2,024 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Noosa Heads?

Median rent in Noosa Heads QLD is $550 per week ($2,383 per month). Rent represents 29.8% of household income, which is considered moderate. Noosa Heads ranks #360 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Noosa Heads?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Noosa Heads QLD is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Noosa Heads?

The median age in Noosa Heads QLD is 54 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Noosa Heads a good suburb to live in?

Noosa Heads is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 5,120. The median income is $909/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (29.8% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 32160. All dollar figures in AUD.