Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Maroochydore

Maroochydore is the Sunshine Coast's beachside commercial heart, with a busy CBD and shopping precinct beside the Maroochy River and a long surf beach. Waterfront parks and foreshore paths sit alongside a mix of older lowset homes and newer apartments, so families, sea changers and young professionals share the streets. The suburb is home to 20,629 people and has a median age of 47, with couple families without children the largest family group.

Day-to-day life centres on cafes, restaurants and retail along the river and in town, and public transport and main roads link to surrounding coastal towns. Significant CBD renewal is under way through the Maroochydore City Centre priority development area, and region-wide transport plans under The Wave include a planned Maroochydore station and a high-frequency metro link. Health planning also flags expanded ambulatory services and new private healthcare and research buildings moving toward operation. Whether Maroochydore suits you depends on whether you want beachside recreation combined with urban convenience.

In Maroochydore, buying is well above what a typical local household earned at the last Census. A median house at $1,227,000 works out to about 17.4 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, while the median unit at $946,500 is about 13.4 times a local year's household income.

For renters, the numbers are also large compared with local incomes at the last Census: an average house rent of $800 a week would take about 58.8% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, and an average unit rent of $730 a week about 53.7%. Which of these matters most depends on whether you plan to rent or buy and on your own circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

The past 12 months in Maroochydore have been notable for price gains. House values rose strongly, up 16.8%, while unit values also recorded a strong increase of 11.7%. Rents moved more slowly over the same period, with house rents up a solid 6.7% and unit rents up a solid 5.8%.

Put another way, capital growth outpaced rental growth this year, and houses showed larger rises than units on both value and rent measures. If rental income is your priority, the rent figures are the ones to focus on; if capital growth matters more, the value increases are the relevant numbers. Whether that fits your goals and circumstances is for you to judge.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.