Poverty and living standards in Sunshine Coast, Australia: official figures
The median weekly rent paid by households in the Sunshine Coast Region was $440 at the 2021 Census (rents on census night, 10 August 2021), 7th highest of 31 areas; the national median was $375. Boundary: the Sunshine Coast Region local government area (the council area), not the wider urban region around it.
What is the average mortgage repayment in Sunshine Coast?
The median monthly mortgage repayment in the Sunshine Coast Region was $1,915 at the 2021 Census (the national median was $1,863), 15th lowest of 31 areas.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Sunshine Coast have no income?
6.7% of residents of the Sunshine Coast Region had nil or negative personal income at the 2021 Census, 4th lowest of 31 areas, below the national figure (8.7%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many renters in Sunshine Coast are in rental stress?
39.1% of renting households in the Sunshine Coast Region paid more than 30% of their income in rent at the 2021 Census (a common measure of rental stress), 4th highest of 26 areas, above the national figure (32.2%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Sunshine Coast are in mortgage stress?
13.8% of households with a mortgage in the Sunshine Coast Region paid more than 30% of their income in repayments at the 2021 Census (mortgage stress), below the national figure (14.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Sunshine Coast are on a low income?
25.4% of residents of the Sunshine Coast Region had a personal income of $1 to $499 a week at the 2021 Census, above the national figure (23.3%); 15.9% of households had an equivalised income of $1 to $499 a week, about the same as the national figure (15.9%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Sunshine Coast?
An estimated 1,205 people were homeless on census night 2021 in the Sunshine Coast Region, which is 35 per 10,000 residents (4th lowest of 26 areas; Australia 48 per 10,000).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Sunshine Coast are overcrowded?
2.1% of occupied homes in the Sunshine Coast Region needed at least one more bedroom for the people living there at the 2021 Census (Australia 3.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyIs Sunshine Coast a disadvantaged area?
On the ABS SEIFA index of relative socio-economic disadvantage (2021), the Sunshine Coast Region is in decile 8 of Australia, where decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of areas and decile 10 the least.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Sunshine Coast are disadvantaged?
23.2% of households in the Sunshine Coast Region were in the most disadvantaged quarter of Australian households on the ABS Index of Household Advantage and Disadvantage (2021 Census).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Sunshine Coast compares with other cities in Australia
Median weekly rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Sunshine Coast ranks 7 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Median weekly rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Gold Coast | $450 |
| 5 | Canberra-Queanbeyan | $450 |
| 6 | Canberra | $450 |
| 7 | Sunshine Coast | $440 |
| 8 | Brisbane | $408 |
| 9 | Central Coast | $400 |
| 10 | Greater Wollongong | $400 |
Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Sunshine Coast ranks 4 of 26, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like. Not published for Significant Urban Areas.
| Rank | City | Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 42.6% |
| 2 | Gold Coast | 42.1% |
| 3 | Central Coast | 42.0% |
| 4 | Sunshine Coast | 39.1% |
| 5 | Wollongong | 37.1% |
| 6 | Melbourne | 36.0% |
| 7 | Greater Hobart | 35.4% |
Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Sunshine Coast ranks 28 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Canberra-Queanbeyan | 7.0% |
| 26 | Ballarat | 6.9% |
| 27 | Newcastle-Maitland | 6.8% |
| 28 | Sunshine Coast | 6.7% |
| 29 | Bendigo | 6.5% |
| 30 | Newcastle | 6.2% |
| 31 | Albury-Wodonga | 6.2% |
More on Sunshine Coast: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · all cities in Australia
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Data by region 2011-2025: Local Government Areas (ASGS Edition 3), 18 city councils, all indicators, read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 788eca55906d…)
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