QLD · Sunshine Coast Council
Caloundra, 4551
Current weather
16.6°CClear sky
91% humidity · 8.6 km/h wind · 22.4° / 13.1° today · 0.4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Café precinct
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- Cycling
Suburb profile
Caloundra is a coastal mid-sized suburb where beach life and relaxed outdoor living shape the local character. Coastal character runs through daily life, with the wider region offering extra trips and outings when you want them. Sea breezes and coastal air are part of everyday life, especially on warmer evenings.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with education options woven into the neighbourhood. Food and coffee are a real part of local identity, with plenty of places to meet and linger. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by parks and green space and safety, while community and employment and housing affordability sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar coastal suburbs.
Population
- Population
- 3,932
- Median age
- 58
- Median household income / week
- $980
- Dwelling vacancy
- 26.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 647 of 2,432
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,600
- Employment rate
- 39.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 174 / 479 / 858
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $650
Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- RTA bond statistics — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) · Period: Mar 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
- 97
- Against the person
- 17
- Against property
- 49
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 24.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 231 residents
- State safety percentile
- 18.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -5.2%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences268
- Good Order Offences143
- Other Property Damage147
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)440
- Traffic And Related Offences189
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Jul 2026; Jan 2026 to Jul 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 4
- Median school ICSEA (4 schools)
- 1,042.5
- Caloundra Christian CollegeCombined
- Caloundra State High SchoolSecondary
- Caloundra State SchoolPrimary
- Our Lady of the Rosary SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
26 public transport stops in this suburb
- Baldwin St near North St
- Baldwin St near North St
- Bowman Rd near First Ave
- Bowman Rd near First Ave
- Caloundra station
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Amenities
182 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- BWSAlcohol
- BWSAlcohol
144 Bulcock Street, Caloundra
- LiquorlandAlcohol
- Planet ArcadesAmusement Arcade
- ArmaguardATM
- Heritage BankATM
- Beach BakeryBakery
Bulcock Street, Caloundra
- BOQBank
- Commonwealth BankBank
- Heritage BankBank
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
7 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bicentennial ParkPark
- Bill Venardos ParkPark
- Clarke PlacePark
- Felicity ParkPark
- Happy Valley Foreshore ReservePark
- Tripcony ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 16
- Emergency department
- On site
- Caloundra Community Mental HealthMayes Avenueclinic
- Caloundra Eyewearoptometrist
- Caloundra Hospitalhospital
- Caloundra Hospitalhospital
- Caloundra Minor Injury Clinicyes
- Caloundra School Dental Servicedentist
- Chempropharmacy
- Children Sunshine Chiroclinic
- Dental Studio Caloundradentist
- Ocean Wave Medical Centreclinic
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan ParkState heritage place
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 13
- Parks (OSM)
- 8
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 59.5/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 13% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 906th in Australia
- State rank
- 190th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #14 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #33 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 85%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Acqua Restaurant and Baramenitiesrestaurant
- Alfresco GBTamenitiespub
- Amici CafeamenitiesKnox Avenuerestaurant
- Amplifonamenitieshearing_aids
- Angus and Cooteamenitiesjewelry
- Armaguardamenitiesatm
- Australia Postamenitiespost_office
- Australian Postamenitiespost_box
- Australian Red Cross Shopamenitiesclothes
- BOQamenitiesbank
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Sunshine Coast Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.