Noosa Medihub - Economic Need Assessment (Mar-26) · MCU25/0119

                                                                  ECONOMIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT
                                                                                  MARCH 2026




3.2         Socio-demographic Profile
Table 2.1 following details the socio-demographic profile of the identified trade area. This
profile has been compared with the respective benchmarks for the Southeast Queensland
region and the Australian average. The data is sourced from the 2021 Census of Population
and Housing. Key points to note about the socio-demographic profile are as follows:


•   The main trade area attributes a large proportion of people aged 50+ (42.4%)
    compared to 34% for SEQ and 35.4% across Australia. The median age for the
    catchment population is estimated at 49 years old which is significantly higher than the
    regional and national medians of 39 and 38 years old respectively. Signalling the older
    and established nature of the catchment.

•   Reflective of the age profile, the main trade area has a higher proportion of couple-
    family households with no children at 35.5%, compared to 27.5% for SEQ and 26.9%
    across Australia. Couple-family households with children also represent a significant
    proportion and account for 27.7% of households within the main trade area.

•   The median weekly household income of the trade area is slightly below the regional
    and national benchmarks at $1,675, compared to $1,873 for SEQ and $1,746 for
    Australia, this is not seen as an appropriate measure alone of wealth for the catchment
    because of the retired nature of the population in the trade area.

•   Notably, home ownership levels across the trade area are significantly higher with
    73.6% of homes owned outright or with a mortgage, indicating a higher level of
    disposable income within the catchment. This compares to 65.2% across SEQ and
    68.3% nationally. It is also noted that the median house price in the Noosa Heads
    currently being $2.27M showing wealth throughout the trade area, which compares to
    $1.19M for the Sunshine Coast region.


The defined main trade area comprises a community made up of a mix of predominantly
wealthy families with children and couple families with no children. The high level of wealth
showed through the property market with an older demographic will enhance indoor sports
and recreational demand conditions within the trade area. The higher proportion of older
people aged 50+ represent those demographic groups that will benefit most from an




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