Franchise opportunities in Sunshine, VIC
Geography: this report covers the Sunshine 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 Sunshine
258 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Sunshine:
Bucking Bull
Burger Urge
Cafe2U
Coolabah Tree Cafe
Advanced Hair Studio
Barber Industries
Sunshine on the map
Where Sunshine 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.
Loading nearby operators in Sunshine…
Top 3 recommended franchise categories
What it costs to start in Sunshine
Franchise fees don’t change by suburb, but the categories that fit Sunshine best sit in these all-in investment ranges (Q2 2026 Fee Index, national medians).
| Category | Total investment | Initial fee | Royalty | Sunshine fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service Food | $350K–$900K | $50,000 | 7.0% | 45 |
| Coffee & Café | $118K–$450K | $45,000 | 6.5% | 39 |
| Hair & Barber | $140K–$380K | $40,000 | 6.5% | 36 |
| Food & Beverage | $250K–$750K | $50,000 | 7.0% | 31 |
| Bakery & Dessert | $200K–$550K | $45,000 | 6.5% | 27 |
| Retail | $180K–$600K | $45,000 | 5.5% | 25 |
Fees: Q2 2026 Fee Index. The fit score blendsSunshine’s demand, competition, demographics and growth, see methodology.
Sunshine snapshot
| Metric | Sunshine | State avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,568 | 18,304 | -48% |
| Median household income | $81,400 | $94,695 | -14% |
| 5-year population growth | -6.6% | 30.4% | -37.0 pts |
Community & demographics
Who lives in Sunshine, and what it means for a franchise. Every figure below is a real ABS Census 2021 median for this area, not an estimate.
| Measure | Sunshine | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35 years | Younger market, skews to fitness, quick-service food and services |
| Average household size | 2.6 people | Smaller households, favours convenience and single-serve formats |
| Median household income | $1,566/wk | Overall spending power of the local market |
| Median family income | $1,806/wk | Discretionary spend of family households |
| Median personal income | $706/wk | Individual earnings, a labour-cost and spend signal |
| Median rent | $340/wk | Cost of living and a proxy for commercial rents |
| Median mortgage | $1,842/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 Sunshine (213011336). Incomes are median weekly (household income is also shown annualised in the headline stats).
Housing, tenure & households
How Sunshine 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 | Sunshine | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Renting | 40.4% | High rental share, a mobile, convenience-led customer base |
| Owned with a mortgage | 28.6% | Working homeowners, family services and home categories |
| Owned outright | 27.1% | Fewer outright owners, younger area |
| Separate houses | 69.2% | Mixed density, more walk-in potential |
| Flats & apartments | 8.3% | Low density, destination retail and services |
| Family households | 66.8% | Broad household mix |
| Lone-person households | 25.5% | Fewer single-person homes |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | Higher unemployment, price-sensitive spend, easier hiring |
Source: ABS Census 2021, Sunshine, 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 Sunshine scores 45 out of 100. With a population of 9,568, 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 ($81,400) sits below the state average ($94,695), which can favour value-led formats.
Nearby competition by category
| Category | Est. operators | Competition | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service Food | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Coffee & Café | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Hair & Barber | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Food & Beverage | 1 | Low | Gap |
| 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 Sunshine compares to nearby areas
| Location | Population | Median income | 5-yr growth | Top category | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunshine | 9,568 | $81,400 | -6.6% | Quick-Service Food | 45 |
| Roxburgh Park (South) - Somerton | 9,582 | $85,400 | -6.1% | Quick-Service Food | 46 |
| Truganina - North | 9,548 | $120,000 | 731.7% | Quick-Service Food | 70 |
| Plenty - Yarrambat | 9,521 | $132,800 | -2.8% | Quick-Service Food | 58 |
| Dandenong - South | 9,491 | $67,000 | -1.8% | Quick-Service Food | 42 |
| Ballarat East - Warrenheip | 9,654 | $62,900 | 3.6% | Quick-Service Food | 47 |
| Murrumbeena | 9,467 | $108,600 | -3.5% | Quick-Service Food | 52 |
Keep exploring Sunshine & Victoria
By category in Sunshine
Nearby Victoria areas
Frequently asked questions
What franchise is best for Sunshine?
Based on population, income, growth and competition data, Quick-Service Food scores highest for Sunshine at 45/100, competition sits below typical metro density. The next best are Coffee & Café and Hair & Barber.
How much does a franchise cost in Sunshine?
Fees don't vary by suburb, Quick-Service Food franchises run $350,000–$900,000 all-in nationally (Q2 2026 Fee Index, n=96). See the Fee Index for the full breakdown.
Is Sunshine good for a coffee franchise?
It's promising: a coffee & café franchise scores 39/100 in Sunshine, 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: Q2 2026 Fee Index.
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