Franchise opportunities in St Lucia, QLD
Geography: this report covers the St Lucia 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 St Lucia
250 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover St Lucia:
St Lucia on the map
Where St Lucia 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
3. Quick-Service Food
43What it costs to start in St Lucia
Franchise fees don’t change by suburb, but the categories that fit St Lucia best sit in these all-in investment ranges (Q3 2026 Fee Index, national medians).
| Category | Total investment | Initial fee | Royalty | St Lucia fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food & Beverage | $650,000–$1,475,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 48 |
| Bakery & Dessert | $350,000–$625,000 | $50,000 | Not enough data | 45 |
| Quick-Service Food | $337,000–$675,000 | $45,000 | 6.0% | 43 |
| Retail | $200,000–$511,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 42 |
| Beauty & Health | $150,000–$494,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 40 |
| Coffee & Café | $300,000–$700,000 | $35,000 | 6.0% | 40 |
Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index (“Not enough data” means fewer than five systems publish that figure). The fit score blends St Lucia’s demand, competition, demographics and growth, see methodology.
St Lucia snapshot
| Metric | St Lucia | Typical QLD area | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,485 | 11,872 | +5% |
| Median household income | $91,600 | $90,700 | +1% |
| 5-year population growth | -6.0% | 5.3% | -11.3 pts |
Community & demographics
Who lives in St Lucia, and what it means for a franchise. Every figure below is a real ABS Census 2021 median for this area, not an estimate.
| Measure | St Lucia | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25 years | Younger market, skews to fitness, quick-service food and services |
| Average household size | 2.4 people | Smaller households, favours convenience and single-serve formats |
| Median household income | $1,761/wk | Overall spending power of the local market |
| Median family income | $2,389/wk | Discretionary spend of family households |
| Median personal income | $548/wk | Individual earnings, a labour-cost and spend signal |
| Median rent | $410/wk | Cost of living and a proxy for commercial rents |
| Median mortgage | $2,000/mo | Homeowner cost base in the area |
| People per bedroom | 0.9 | More space per resident, established housing |
Source: ABS Census 2021 (G02/G35/G36/G37/G46) + ERP 2016→2021 · SA2 St Lucia (304031096). Incomes are median weekly (household income is also shown annualised in the headline stats).
Housing, tenure & households
How St Lucia 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 | St Lucia | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Renting | 53.1% | High rental share, a mobile, convenience-led customer base |
| Owned with a mortgage | 17.8% | Working homeowners, family services and home categories |
| Owned outright | 26.6% | Fewer outright owners, younger area |
| Separate houses | 33% | Mixed density, more walk-in potential |
| Flats & apartments | 59.6% | Higher density, strong for cafés, gyms and quick-service food |
| Family households | 55.1% | Broad household mix |
| Lone-person households | 25% | Fewer single-person homes |
| Unemployment rate | 10.8% | Higher unemployment, price-sensitive spend, easier hiring |
Source: ABS Census 2021, St Lucia, tenure (G37), dwelling structure (G36), household composition (G35) and labour force (G46).
Survival & viability analysis
Food & Beverage viability: High
The food & beverage opportunity in St Lucia scores 48 out of 100. With a population of 12,485, the catchment is smaller, so demand may support only one well-sited food & beverage outlet. At about 1 existing food & beverage operator, competition sits below typical metro density, an opening for a well-run entrant. Median household income ($91,600) runs above the typical comparable area in the state ($90,700), supporting discretionary spend.
Nearby competition by category
| Category | Est. operators | Competition | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food & Beverage | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Bakery & Dessert | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Retail | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Beauty & Health | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Lawn & Garden | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Mortgage & Finance | 1 | Low | Gap |
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 St Lucia compares to nearby areas
| Location | Population | Median income | 5-yr growth | Top category | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Lucia | 12,485 | $91,600 | -6.0% | Food & Beverage | 48 |
| Currumbin - Tugun | 12,486 | $88,200 | 6.2% | Food & Beverage | 56 |
| Eumundi - Yandina | 12,501 | $93,400 | 16.1% | Food & Beverage | 61 |
| Paddington - Milton | 12,427 | $126,200 | 8.2% | Food & Beverage | 67 |
| Ashmore | 12,548 | $82,200 | 2.4% | Food & Beverage | 51 |
| Samford Valley | 12,569 | $145,900 | 3.8% | Food & Beverage | 65 |
| Gracemere | 12,579 | $89,100 | 5.2% | Food & Beverage | 56 |
Keep exploring St Lucia & Queensland
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Frequently asked questions
What franchise is best for St Lucia?
Based on population, income, growth and competition data, Food & Beverage scores highest for St Lucia at 48/100, competition sits below typical metro density. The next best are Bakery & Dessert and Quick-Service Food.
How much does a franchise cost in St Lucia?
Fees don't vary by suburb. Across the Food & Beverage systems that publish their costs, the Q3 2026 Fee Index shows a median all-in cost of $650,000–$1,475,000 (17 systems) nationally. See the Fee Index for every category.
Is St Lucia good for a coffee franchise?
It's promising: a coffee & café franchise scores 40/100 in St Lucia, with about 2 existing operators in the trade area (Moderate 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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