Franchise opportunities in Sheldon - Mount Cotton, QLD
Geography: this report covers the Sheldon - Mount Cotton area (ABS SA2). Demographics from the ABS Census 2021.
How this opportunity score works
The score is a weighted 0–100 research signal, not a site-selection decision. It combines, per category:
- Demand (category fit for the population) — 30%
- Competition gap (trade-area model, more room scores higher) — 25%
- Demographic fit (income vs the category) — 20%
- 5-year population growth (percentile) — 15%
- Franchise availability (systems recruiting here) — 10%
Inputs: ABS Census 2021 (population, income, growth) and a trade-area competition model using OpenStreetMap / ABS business data where available. It doesn’t model rent, site specifics or local trading conditions, treat it as a starting point for research, then confirm on the ground and with the franchisor. See our methodology.
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For sale & open territories in Sheldon - Mount Cotton
250 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Sheldon - Mount Cotton:
Beefy's
Bucking Bull
Cafe2U
Coolabah Tree Cafe
Advanced Hair Studio
Barber Industries
Sheldon - Mount Cotton on the map
Where Sheldon - Mount Cotton sits and the real local businesses around its centre, the operators a new franchise would compete with. Tap a pin for the business name and type.
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Top 3 franchise categories by opportunity score
What it costs to start in Sheldon - Mount Cotton
Franchise fees don’t change by suburb, but the categories that fit Sheldon - Mount Cotton best sit in these all-in investment ranges (Q3 2026 Fee Index, national medians).
| Category | Total investment | Initial fee | Royalty | Sheldon - Mount Cotton fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service Food | $337,000–$675,000 | $45,000 | 6.0% | 57 |
| Coffee & Café | $300,000–$700,000 | $35,000 | 6.0% | 54 |
| Hair & Barber | $243,000–$482,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 48 |
| Food & Beverage | $650,000–$1,475,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 43 |
| Bakery & Dessert | $350,000–$625,000 | $50,000 | Not enough data | 40 |
| Retail | $200,000–$511,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 39 |
Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index (“Not enough data” means fewer than five systems publish that figure). The fit score blends Sheldon - Mount Cotton’s demand, competition, demographics and growth, see methodology.
Sheldon - Mount Cotton snapshot
| Metric | Sheldon - Mount Cotton | Typical QLD area | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,459 | 11,872 | -29% |
| Median household income | $137,100 | $90,700 | +51% |
| 5-year population growth | 3.1% | 5.3% | -2.2 pts |
Community & demographics
Who lives in Sheldon - Mount Cotton, and what it means for a franchise. Every figure below is a real ABS Census 2021 median for this area, not an estimate.
| Measure | Sheldon - Mount Cotton | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37 years | Broad working-age and family customer base |
| Average household size | 3.1 people | Family-heavy, favours food, education and household services |
| Median household income | $2,637/wk | Overall spending power of the local market |
| Median family income | $2,687/wk | Discretionary spend of family households |
| Median personal income | $1,050/wk | Individual earnings, a labour-cost and spend signal |
| Median rent | $475/wk | Cost of living and a proxy for commercial rents |
| Median mortgage | $2,167/mo | Homeowner cost base in the area |
| People per bedroom | 0.8 | More space per resident, established housing |
Source: ABS Census 2021 (G02/G35/G36/G37/G46) + ERP 2016→2021 · SA2 Sheldon - Mount Cotton (301021011). Incomes are median weekly (household income is also shown annualised in the headline stats).
Housing, tenure & households
How Sheldon - Mount Cotton lives, works and is housed, and what each signal means for siting a franchise here. All figures are real ABS Census 2021 counts for this area.
| Measure | Sheldon - Mount Cotton | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Renting | 10.7% | Owner-heavy, settled households with steadier local spend |
| Owned with a mortgage | 61.6% | Working homeowners, family services and home categories |
| Owned outright | 26.3% | Fewer outright owners, younger area |
| Separate houses | 99.5% | Suburban, car-based, drive-to trade area |
| Flats & apartments | 0.4% | Low density, destination retail and services |
| Family households | 89.6% | Family-led demand, education, food and household services |
| Lone-person households | 9% | Fewer single-person homes |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | Tight labour market, strong incomes but harder hiring |
Source: ABS Census 2021, Sheldon - Mount Cotton, tenure (G37), dwelling structure (G36), household composition (G35) and labour force (G46).
Survival & viability analysis
Quick-Service Food viability: High
The quick-service food opportunity in Sheldon - Mount Cotton scores 57 out of 100. With a population of 8,459, the catchment is smaller, so demand may support only one well-sited quick-service food outlet. At about 1 existing quick-service food operator, competition sits below typical metro density, an opening for a well-run entrant. Median household income ($137,100) runs above the typical comparable area in the state ($90,700), supporting discretionary spend.
Nearby competition by category
| Category | Est. operators | Competition | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee & Café | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Quick-Service Food | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Hair & Barber | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Food & Beverage | 1 | Medium | Competitive |
| Bakery & Dessert | 1 | High | Saturated |
| Retail | 1 | High | Saturated |
Operator counts are a trade-area model derived from ABS population, not a live business census. Richer POI data (OpenStreetMap / Google Places) is ingested per methodology.
How Sheldon - Mount Cotton compares to nearby areas
| Location | Population | Median income | 5-yr growth | Top category | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon - Mount Cotton | 8,459 | $137,100 | 3.1% | Quick-Service Food | 57 |
| Whitfield - Edge Hill | 8,456 | $87,200 | -0.1% | Quick-Service Food | 43 |
| Earlville - Bayview Heights | 8,451 | $76,900 | -0.2% | Quick-Service Food | 40 |
| Clontarf | 8,494 | $72,200 | 0.4% | Quick-Service Food | 39 |
| Bentley Park | 8,496 | $95,200 | 2.7% | Quick-Service Food | 48 |
| Highland Park | 8,503 | $86,900 | -0.9% | Quick-Service Food | 43 |
| Walkerston - Eton | 8,524 | $109,500 | 0.7% | Quick-Service Food | 51 |
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Frequently asked questions
What franchise is best for Sheldon - Mount Cotton?
Based on population, income, growth and competition data, Quick-Service Food scores highest for Sheldon - Mount Cotton at 57/100, competition sits below typical metro density. The next best are Coffee & Café and Hair & Barber.
How much does a franchise cost in Sheldon - Mount Cotton?
Fees don't vary by suburb. Across the Quick-Service Food systems that publish their costs, the Q3 2026 Fee Index shows a median all-in cost of $337,000–$675,000 (173 systems), a $45,000 median initial fee (9 systems), a 6.0% median royalty (9 systems) and a 4.3% median marketing levy (9 systems) nationally. See the Fee Index for every category.
Is Sheldon - Mount Cotton good for a coffee franchise?
It's promising: a coffee & café franchise scores 54/100 in Sheldon - Mount Cotton, with about 1 existing operators in the trade area (Strong suitability).
Demographics: ABS Census 2021 & Regional Population. Category scores combine ABS demographics with a trade-area competition model and live franchise availability, see methodology. Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index.
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