Households are where demographics hit the property market. Even if population growth is steady, household growth can be faster when the average household size falls – and that is exactly what is happening on the Fraser Coast.
Forecasts show that in 2026 we will have around 53,300 households and about 56,946 dwellings, with an average household size of 2.20 people. Compare that to 20 years ago: fewer lone-person households, more family-sized household structures, and less demand for compact, low-maintenance product. Today, couples without children and lone-person households are a much bigger slice of the pie.
The practical consequence is a product mismatch risk. If we keep delivering only traditional detached family homes, we underserve downsizers, single households and renters – and we force them to compete for the same stock. That drives up prices at the entry and mid-market, and it pushes people into housing that does not suit their stage of life.
Forecast.id modelling suggests we need to add about 860 dwellings per year on average through to 2046 to keep up with growth. That is not just a construction target – it is a planning and infrastructure target. Without zoning certainty, trunk infrastructure and approvals that keep pace, the number becomes a fantasy and affordability does the screaming.
For FCPIA, this is where ‘gentle density’ becomes a sensible conversation. Done well, it is not about towers. It is about choice: duplexes, townhomes, well-designed units, and accessible villas in the right locations.
Stats source: forecast.id household and dwelling forecasts (2026) and dwelling demand estimates to 2046; profile.id / .id household composition trends.
