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Suburb profile ·Sunshine Coast LGA · QLD ·4555

Palmwoods QLD 4555

Palmwoods is in Sunshine Coast LGA, QLD, postcode 4555, with population 6,357.

The read

Growth-momentum

The page has enough signal to be useful, but the story is mixed rather than decisive. Use compare mode to pressure-test it against stronger nearby options, then use the calculator if it still makes the shortlist.

$750/wk
Rising
+10.3% YoY
Jun 2021 → Mar 2026 · 20 periods
Queensland RTA · suburb grain · Mar 2026
$750
$540
Jun 2021Mar 2026
Why it fits

Recent price movement shows visible market momentum. Population movement supports a growth-led read. Transport coverage adds a practical access signal.

Read full evidence → Compare suburb Run calculator
Median house
$975K
House median, latest period
↑12.1%YoY D6 vs AU
Median rent
$750/wk
Income-stretched rent market
↑10.3%YoY D10 vs AU
Gross yield
4.0%
Moderate yield band
D10 vs AU
Population
6,357
6K local footprint
D10 vs AU
Schools
1
Matched school context
D1 vs AU
Drive to city
86 min
101.7 km to Brisbane CBD · free-flow
Solar
2,576
124 added 12mo · 16MW

Price history

House and unit medians · ABS + state datasets

Trend & investor depth

Derived from this suburb's own price, rent and income history
Indicative cashflow-$397/wk (-$20,670/yr) · interest-only @ 6.4%, 80% LVR
Rent stabilitystable — rents vary ±6.4% around trend
Value vs advantage+6% vs suburbs of similar SEIFA advantage (decile 6)

Indicative cashflow is interest-only and excludes tax — use the calculator for a full projection. Turnover divides recorded sales by an estimated household count (population over average household size).

Investment grade

Composite · growth · yield · stability
Bgrade · 78/100 · top 22% of 3,604AU suburbs
Peer distributionstronger than 78% of AU suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Capital growth69
Rental yield79
Stability29
Volatility-13.3ppCycle-2.0Affordability-1.5

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer · stability drivers signed (+ = steadier)

Relative grade across Australian suburbs, combining qp's capital-growth (multi-year CAGR + cycle timing), rental-yield, and stability (price volatility + cycle + affordability) metrics via a three-pillar property-scoring method with an imbalance penalty. Within-Australia relative, indicative only — not financial advice.

Investor profile

Who invests in Palmwoods

Owner-occupied 78%Rented 22%
Investor activityATO
Negatively geared5.5%
299 of 644 landlords
Avg rental loss$7,072/yr
Landlords (rental income)644
Reported capital gains494
Investor exposure index(moderate vs national)57.3/100
The read

Owner-occupier stronghold

75% of homes here are owner-occupied and 21% rented, with 6% of landlords negatively geared.

Why it fits

75% owner-occupied — owner-occupiers hold longer and absorb rate shocks, supporting price stability.

ABS Census 2021 tenure (G37), ATO postcode rental statistics, and QuickProperty's investor-exposure index. Owner-occupied = owned outright + with a mortgage.

Mortgage affordability

RBA rate · ABS Census 2021 household income
63%
of household income to service a new loan
14.4 yrs
to save a 20% deposit
Severe
housing-stress band
Rent vs buyRenting cheaper

New-loan repayment $4,777/mo vs median rent $3,250/mo (+47% · +$352/wk)

If rates move

At 4.2%: $3,814/mo (-963) · at 6.2% (current): $4,777/mo · at 8.2%: $5,832/mo (+1,055)

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year principal-and-interest loan at the current RBA new owner-occupier variable rate, against median weekly household income (ABS Census 2021). Stress bands follow the 30% / 45%-of-income thresholds used in ANZ-CoreLogic and AIHW reporting. Rent vs buy compares that repayment with the suburb's median advertised rent; it excludes rates, insurance, maintenance and deposit opportunity cost.

Stronger alternatives nearby

Similar-priced suburbs in other council areas that rate higher on a metric.

Higher yield

similar price · cross-LGA

Stronger 5-yr growth

similar price · cross-LGA

More affordable

lower price-to-income

Alternatives are similar-priced suburbs (0.7–1.4x this suburb's median) in other council areas that exceed it on the named metric. Indicative — not financial advice.

Affordability

Buying & renting · ABS Census + state data
Buying
10.8x
median home price as a multiple of annual household income
Stretched
Renting
43%
median weekly rent as a share of gross household income (the 30% rule)
High stress

Owners with a mortgage repay a median of $1,878/mo, while renters pay about $3,250/mo — renting runs $1,372/mo higher on these medians.

Median price
$975K
Household income · yr
$90K
Median rent · wk
$750
Owner mortgage · mo
$1,878
Gross yield
4.0%

Household income

ABS Census · ATO
$90K household · yr+13.5% vs QLD suburb median
Personal
$39K
Family
$104K
Household
$90K
Household income distribution (ABS Census 2021 · weekly)11% could service the median house
Under $300
71
$300-649
278
$650-999
248
$1,000-1,499
321
$1,500-1,999
255
$2,000-2,999
474
$3,000-3,999
255
$4,000+
177

Serviceability line: a household needs about $3,675/wk to hold a new loan on the median house at 30% of income (20% deposit, 30-year P&I, current RBA rate).

At the median asking rent, about 70% of households here would spend more than 30% of income on rent (rent stress line: $2,500/wk income).

Median taxable income trend (ATO, 2018-19 – 2022-23)$43K → $52K

Housing stock and tenure

ABS Census 2021
Tenure (2,247 households)2.0% social housing
Owned outright
33%
Owned with mortgage
42%
Rented
21%
Dwelling structure4.8% of dwellings unoccupied on census night
Separate house
90%
Townhouse / semi
8%
Flat / apartment
1%

Getting to work: 78% drive, 1% public transport, 2% walk or cycle, 16% worked from home (2021 Census, taken during COVID-era work-from-home arrangements).

Schools

ACARA 2025
Total1
Avg ICSEA1030
Students485
Government1
  • Palmwoods State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1030

Livability

OSM · GTFS · schools + hospitals
54/ 100 livability index

Top 46% most liveable of 4,565Australian suburbs.

Peer distributionstronger than 54% of Australian suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Everyday access78
Public transport (12 stops)37
Schools & hospitals25

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer

Suburb-level access-density index (not an address-level walk-time score), normalised within Australian suburbs. Method based on the Urban Liveability Index (Higgs et al. 2019) and Walk Score — three equal-weighted domains combined with an imbalance penalty.

Crime Year ending May 2026
3,582
3,582 per 100k
D5 vs AU

Crime

lga
Rate · per 100k3,582
Total incidents3,582· Year ending May 2026
  • Assault41925%
  • Break And Enter30118%
  • Drug Offences67941%
  • Fraud25415%

Development screen

Could a secondary dwelling be worth investigating?

Some supporting context
secondary dwelling / granny flat screening context Low broad constraint context

Policy position

Official source access limited

The official state policy page could not be reliably re-verified automatically in the latest review. Treat this screen as preliminary and confirm the current planning and building requirements with the state source and local council.

Rental use: State rental-law changes allow secondary dwellings to be rented more broadly, but implementation depends on an approved lawful dwelling and local planning/building requirements.

Open official policy source

Separate houses

86.1%

Suburb share of occupied private dwellings recorded as separate houses.

6.8 pp above the state median

State median 79.3% · 838 valid suburbs

Residential-zone context

53.0%

Broad suburb sampling only; the property zoning and overlays can differ.

Near the state median

State median 52.0% · 443 valid suburbs

Rental households

20.9%

Demand context only; it does not establish permission to rent a secondary dwelling.

8.8 pp below the state median

State median 29.7% · 838 valid suburbs

Mapped hazards

Not staged

No broad-area layer staged for this suburb. No broad-area layer staged for this suburb.

Approval pathway

Four checks, each with a different evidence threshold.

This is an investigation sequence, not a guarantee that every step applies or that approval will be granted.

  1. 01 Verify current source

    State policy position

    The current secondary dwelling / granny flat position needs direct confirmation before relying on this screen.

  2. 02 Property dependent

    Planning pathway

    Confirm zoning, lot controls, overlays, setbacks, site coverage and whether planning approval is required.

  3. 03 Design dependent

    Building approval

    Confirm the building approval route after the design, site classifications, services and construction requirements are known.

  4. 04 Check separately

    Intended use

    Confirm long-term rental, short-stay or family-use rules separately from permission to construct the dwelling.

Property due diligence

Turn the suburb screen into a property checklist.

Every check starts unconfirmed. Progress stays in this browser and suburb evidence never clears an address-level requirement.

0evidence acquired
0evidence missing
0reviews due
0consultant questions

Active record: Palmwoods unnamed property

0/14checked
0issues found

Site controls

Lot area and dimensions

Confirm title dimensions, usable site area and any minimum lot threshold.

Status for Lot area and dimensions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Setbacks and site coverage

Test setbacks, private open space, landscaping and maximum site coverage against a concept plan.

Status for Setbacks and site coverage
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Slope and ground conditions

Check survey levels, soil classification, retaining needs and likely earthworks.

Status for Slope and ground conditions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title and planning

Zoning and overlays

Obtain current property-level zoning, overlays and applicable planning controls.

Status for Zoning and overlays
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title, easements and covenants

Review the title for easements, covenants, restrictions and common property.

Status for Title, easements and covenants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Services and access

Sewer and stormwater

Locate assets and connection points, then confirm capacity, clearances and discharge requirements.

Status for Sewer and stormwater
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Power, water and metering

Confirm service routes, upgrade needs and whether separate metering is permitted or practical.

Status for Power, water and metering
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Vehicle access and parking

Test driveway width, gradients, turning, parking and emergency access requirements.

Status for Vehicle access and parking
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Construction constraints

Bushfire exposure

Order an address-level bushfire assessment and determine any BAL construction response.

Status for Bushfire exposure
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Flood and overland flow

Obtain property flood information and check floor levels, flow paths and drainage constraints.

Status for Flood and overland flow
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Wind, corrosion and termite

Confirm site classifications that affect structural design, materials and durability.

Status for Wind, corrosion and termite
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Approval and use

Planning approval pathway

Confirm exemption, complying pathway or permit requirements with the responsible authority.

Status for Planning approval pathway
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Building approval and consultants

Identify required survey, design, engineering, energy, certification and inspection evidence.

Status for Building approval and consultants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Rental and intended use

Confirm occupation, rental, short-stay and family-use rules plus insurance and tax implications.

Status for Rental and intended use
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Palmwoods, QLD 4555 · Local browser record

Investigation aid only. Confirm current planning, building, title, service and hazard requirements with qualified professionals and responsible authorities.

Building due diligence

Construction requirements can change by location.

Code baseline only

The National Construction Code is the baseline. Local hazards and site classifications can change the required structure, materials, fixings, insulation and detailing.

Known here

SUBURB CONTEXT

No local compliance layer is staged.

This is missing evidence, not evidence that the property has no constraints.

Check the property

ADDRESS + DESIGN

NCC climate zone

Check the property

Confirm the NCC climate zone used for the building design and energy provisions.

May affect: Insulation and glazing · Condensation control · Roof-space ventilation

Wind class and BAL

Site assessment required

A suburb layer cannot determine the site wind classification or Bushfire Attack Level.

May affect: Structure and tie-downs · Cladding and fixings · Openings and bushfire detailing

Corrosion and termite exposure

Check the property

Confirm marine or corrosive exposure and the applicable termite-management requirements.

May affect: Fasteners and connectors · Roofing and coatings · Termite management

This screen identifies investigation triggers, not building quality or property compliance. Confirm the address, design and current jurisdiction rules with the council, building surveyor or certifier, designer and engineer.

NCC 2022 Housing Provisions: how to use · NCC 2022 Volume Two and Housing Provisions

Short-term rentals

Inside Airbnb
35
active listings · ~5.5 per 1,000 residents
86%
entire homes (vs private rooms)
54%
run by multi-listing operators
Investment view Estimated
$219
median nightly (entire home)
22%
estimated occupancy
$16,158
estimated annual revenue (gross)

Estimated short-let income is 0.4× the $39,000/yr a long-term let would earn at the median rent — before management fees, cleaning, vacancy beyond the occupancy model, and short-stay regulation.

Active Airbnb listings point-mapped to this suburb from Inside Airbnb (CC BY 4.0). Occupancy and revenue are estimates from Inside Airbnb's San Francisco model (review-rate proxy, minimum-stay assumption, occupancy capped at 70%) — they are gross, indicative, and not a guarantee of returns. Short-stay letting is subject to state and local regulation.

Planning zones

QLD council planning schemes (QPP)
Dominant zone General residential
Residential 5% Public / Open space 4% Industrial 1%
Residential density: Standard

Land-use mix estimated by point-sampling the suburb against Queensland council planning-scheme zone polygons (CC BY 4.0). This is a suburb-level snapshot of planning zones, not a parcel-level zoning certificate or development advice. Check the relevant planning scheme for an individual property.

Population outlook

ABS projection · Palmwoods SA2 area · 2022 base
12,236 people · 202214,262 by 2032 (+16.6%)

ABS population projection (2022 base) for the Palmwoods SA2 statistical area — the finest official projection grain available; suburb-level projections do not exist.

Full data detail Census · ATO · ABS · state datasets
Palmwoods QLD — Property Data and Demographics

Located in Queensland within the Sunshine Coast local government area, Palmwoods is a medium-sized suburb (postcode 4555). It is home to about 6,357 residents, with an established demographic and a median age of 43. Households earn a median income of $90K per year, with an average household size of 2.7 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement into the broader catchment, with population growth running at +2.0% year-on-year at the LGA level. QLD employment has moved +1.5% year-on-year in the official ABS Labour Force trend series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. QLD also had 35 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 16 underway, and 30 in planning as at 2025-09-01, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are professionals, technicians & trades, clerical & administrative. Employment in the area leans toward healthcare and construction. The top ancestries reported are English, Australian, Scottish.

Palmwoods has a median house price of $975,000, which has climbed sharply by 12.1% year-on-year. Units have a median price of $685,000 (+14.4% YoY). The current median weekly rent is $750. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 4.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,878.

Palmwoods is served by 1 school, including 1 primary. The average ICSEA score is 1030, which is around the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 2 rail stations, 10 bus stops. The crime rate in the Sunshine Coast LGA is below average at 3,582 incidents per 100,000 population.

From an investment perspective, Palmwoods shows a gross rental yield of approximately 4.0%, rated as moderate yield. Property prices are near the state median ($975K/$1.1M). The price-to-income ratio of 10.8x is considered stretched. House prices have moved +12.1% year-on-year. Population growth of +2.0% year-on-year points to stable demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.

Market & money
Investment signalsHeuristics
Rental Yield4.0%· Moderate Yield
Price vs State$975K/$1.1M· Near Median
Affordability10.8x↓ Stretched
Price Momentum+12.1%↑ Rising
Pop. Growth+2.0%· Stable
Development+0%· Steady
InvestmentQLD
Mortgage · mth$1,878
Rent · wk(Census)$430
Market rent · wk(Q1 2026)$750
Gross yield2.3%
Price / income10.8x
Population growth · Sunshine Coast LGAABS ERP
Population (2025)381,957
5-year growth+2.5% CAGR
YoY change+2%
20012025
Development · Sunshine Coast LGAABS Approvals
Approvals (2026)3,063
Houses 55%Units 45%
YoY change+0%
Employment · Sunshine Coast LGASALM
Unemployment (Dec-25)3.4%
YoY change+0pp
Dec-10Dec-25
Property investors · Postcode 4555ATO
Negatively geared5.5%
299 of filers
Avg rental loss$7,072/yr
Landlords (rental income)644
Reported capital gains494
People & prosperity
DemographicsCensus 21
Population6,357
Median age43
Household size2.7
HH income · wk$1,738
Personal income · wk$746
Persons / bedroom0.8
IncomeATO 22-23
Median income$52,310
Mean income$66,219
Earners8,663
YoY change+7.3%
SEIFA indexABS
Advantage (IRSAD)6/10
Education (IEO)6/10
Economic (IER)7/10
Disadvantage (IRSD)6/10
Income momentumCensus 16→21
HH income · wk$1,361 → $1,738
Change+27.7%
vs QLD median+9.7 pp
Median rent+16.2%
gentrifyingvs QLD 2016–21
Top occupationsCensus
Professionals595Technicians & Trades486Clerical & Administrative406Managers393Community & Personal Service355
Top industriesCensus
Healthcare535Construction393Retail Trade312Education280Accommodation & Food196
Top ancestryCensus
English3,132Australian2,314Scottish841Irish806German473
Area & amenity
Local amenitiesOSM
Supermarkets1
Pharmacies1
GP / clinics4
Fuel stations0
Cafes & dining5
TransportGTFS
Rail stations2
Bus stops10
Main St at Palmwoods Railway Station
Palmwoods station, platform 1
Hospitals · Sunshine Coast LGAAIHW
Public4
Private9
Caloundra Hospitalpublic
Maleny Hospitalpublic
Nambour General Hospitalpublic
Sunshine Coast University Hospitalpublic
Buderim Gastroenterology Centreprivate
Buderim Private Hospitalprivate
+7 more in Sunshine Coast LGA
Aged care · Sunshine Coast LGAGEN
Facilities49
Residential places4,152
TriCare Kawana Waters Aged Care Residence162 places
Ozcare Caroline Chisholm156 places
Kawana Waters Care Community151 places
Rockpool Pelican Waters150 places
Bolton Clarke The Ormsby140 places
St Vincent's Care Services Maroochydore135 places
+43 more in Sunshine Coast LGA
Childcare · Sunshine Coast LGAACECQA
Services178
Approved places14,247
Exceeding NQS56
Kuluin Outside School Hours Care Program250 places
Buderim OSHC200 places
NCC early learners188 places
Helping Hands Talara180 places
Milestones Early Learning Meridan Plains180 places
Mooloolaba Outside School Hours Care166 places
+172 more in Sunshine Coast LGA
Nearby in Sunshine Coast LGA12
Wurtulla$1.1M · 6,254Currimundi$1.1M · 6,570Glass House Mountains$874K · 5,601Beerwah$860K · 7,734Golden Beach$1.2M · 5,646Caloundra West$770K · 7,270Meridan Plains$885K · 4,589Baringa$890K · 4,604Landsborough$860K · 4,446Bli Bli$921K · 10,138Caloundra$995K · 3,932Pelican Waters$1.4M · 7,393
Tax calculatorsaustax.tools
Stamp Duty CalculatorQLD ↗Land Tax CalculatorQLD ↗Capital Gains Tax↗Depreciation Calculator↗Investment Property Tax↗
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Sources & freshness
Strong evidence

Palmwoods carries enough direct local evidence for a first-pass decision.

QuickProperty mixes release files, Census baselines, and matched local services on this page. Read the status panel before treating every metric as equally fresh.

PRICE POSTURE
Prices come from release-based suburb series.

Direct state price coverage is used where present; missing house or unit anchors fall back to annual ABS SA2 matches

RENT POSTURE
Rent is using a state market dataset when available.

Use current rent as a starting signal, not as a fixed underwriting truth.

SERVICE POSTURE
Service coverage is matched locally, not inferred nationally.

Schools, transport, and hospitals are useful as presence signals, but they still have different source cadences.

Data status
Property prices
QGSO Housing Profiles / ABS Data by Region · 2024 · Direct state price coverage is used where present; missing house or unit anchors fall back to annual ABS SA2 matches
medium stability · automated · every update · quarterly
Verify
Market rent
Queensland RTA · Q1 2026 · State market dataset
medium stability · automated · every update · quarterly
Available
Crime
State crime dataset · Year ending May 2026 · Area-level release dataset
Available
Schools
ACARA 2025 · 1 schools matched
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Hospitals
AIHW · No linked local hospital coverage
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Missing
Transport
GTFS feeds · 12 matched stops/stations
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Population growth
ABS ERP · 2025 · Annual estimate series
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Building approvals
ABS Building Approvals · 2026 · Annual release series
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Available means a direct local dataset is linked. Verify means coverage exists but freshness or precision is weaker, such as ABS price fallback, Census rent fallback, or low-confidence hospital matching.

Palmwoods FAQ

Common questions
  1. What LGA is Palmwoods in?

    Palmwoods is in the Sunshine Coast Local Government Area, QLD, postcode 4555. Council-level context for Sunshine Coast LGA (suburb mix, population, rent, and price coverage) is available on the QuickProperty LGA page.

  2. What is the median house price in Palmwoods?

    The current median house price in Palmwoods, QLD is $975K, based on the latest available sales data from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region.

  3. What is the typical weekly rent in Palmwoods?

    The median weekly rent in Palmwoods is $750/wk, based on the current market rent dataset. The current rent signal is income-stretched rent market.

  4. What does the rent signal say about Palmwoods?

    Income-stretched rent market: Weekly rent screens at about 75% of annual income. Use this as a suburb screening signal before comparing candidates or modelling a purchase; the matching rent ranking can provide broader market context.

  5. Is Palmwoods a good investment?

    QuickProperty's investment signals for Palmwoods show: Moderate Yield, Near Median, Stretched. These are computed from price, rent, income, and population data — not an opaque score.

  6. Where does QuickProperty get its data for Palmwoods?

    Property prices come from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region. Demographics are from ABS Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA. Crime statistics are from state police agencies. Transport data is sourced from GTFS feeds.

  7. How often is the Palmwoods data updated?

    Property prices update quarterly. RBA macro indicators update with each deploy. Demographics are from Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA 2025.