SunshineCoastRegionalReport2ndQtr2004

                                                                                                                              SUNSHINE COAST (2003)
POPULATION & EMPLOYMENT 
 3.3% per annum since 1998
                                                                                                                              PROJECTED GROWTH
POPULATION TRENDS – SUNSHINE COAST                                                                                            
 2.7% per annum to 2026



POPULATION

  No.                   Estimated Resident Population
                                       Sunshine Coast
500,000

450,000
                                                                                                  The resident population of the Sunshine Coast was estimated at 265,827
400,000                                                                                           persons in 2003. The region’s population expanded at an average annual
350,000                                                                                           rate of 3.3% between 1998 and 2003, outstripping average Queensland
300,000                                                                                           growth over the same period (1.9%), making the region one of the fastest
250,000                                                                                           growing population centres in Queensland.
200,000

150,000                                                                                           Looking ahead, the Sunshine Coast’s population is forecast to grow at a
100,000                                                                                           slightly lower average annual rate of 2.7% between 2003 and 2026, with
 50,000                                                                                           the population expanding to 485,418 persons in 2026.
        0
            1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026

Source: ABS 3218.0, QDLGP, AECgroup


AGE


                                      Age Distribution
                                       Sunshine Coast
 25%
                                         1996          2001
                                                                                                  The average age of the Sunshine Coast population in 2001 was 39.5 years,
 20%
                                                                                                  an average ageing of 1.4 years from 1996. By comparison, the average
                                                                                                  age in Queensland in 2001 (36.0 years) was 1.0 year older than that
 15%
                                                                                                  recorded in 1996.

 10%



  5%



  0%
            0-14 yrs      15-19 yrs     20-34 yrs    35-49 yrs      50-64 yrs        65+ yrs




INCOME

                          Weekly Income Distribution
                                        Sunshine Coast
 30%                                                                                              The average household weekly income on the Sunshine Coast was
                                          1996      2001
                                                                                                  $755.70 in 2001, below the State average of $885.25. Average income on
 25%
                                                                                                  the Sunshine Coast grew by 19.6% from 1996, equating to average annual
 20%                                                                                              growth of 3.9%.
 15%


 10%


  5%


  0%
             $0        $1-299   $300-499 $500-699 $700-999       $1,000-   $1,500-      $2,000+
                                                                  1,499     1,999

Source: ABS 1996 and 2001 Census




©0, Sunshine Coast Regional Economy, Second Quarter 2004                                                                                                             - 14 -