Broadbeach Waters

Population growth drivers in Broadbeach Waters are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Broadbeach Waters' population, as of February 2026, is approximately 8,939 people. This figure represents a growth of 775 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,164. The increase was inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,916 in June 2024 and an additional 61 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 1,683 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Broadbeach Waters' growth rate of 9.5% since the 2021 Census exceeds that of the Rest of Qld (9.1%), indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.4% to overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected for national regional areas. Broadbeach Waters is expected to expand by 1,291 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 14.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Broadbeach Waters among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Broadbeach Waters has granted approximately 33 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 166 homes. As of FY26, 25 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.4 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating high demand outpacing new supply. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $1,153,000, targeting the premium market segment.

This financial year has seen $15.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Broadbeach Waters shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 70.0% below the regional average per person. The area maintains a traditional suburban character, with 86.0% detached houses and 14.0% townhouses or apartments. There are approximately 266 people per dwelling approval, suggesting potential for growth.

By 2041, Broadbeach Waters is projected to gain 1,268 residents, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Construction pace is reasonable with projected population growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as population rises.

Broadbeach Waters has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 41 projects that could impact this particular region. Notable ones include The Landmark, The Lanes, Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 (Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads), and the Broadbeach South light rail station.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Broadbeach Waters demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Broadbeach Waters has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.4%.

As of this date, 5,004 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, lower than Rest of Qld's 4.1%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. According to Census responses, 20.6% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food sectors.

The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employment is under-represented at 0.3% compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.4%, labour force by 2.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest total employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Broadbeach Waters' employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Broadbeach Waters SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $54,312 with an average level of $84,052. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Rest of Qld's median and average incomes of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates for Broadbeach Waters would be approximately $59,694 (median) and $92,382 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Broadbeach Waters are at the 67th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 29.6% of locals fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income category, which is consistent with broader metropolitan trends at 31.7%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 32.2% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.3% of income but strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Broadbeach Waters is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Broadbeach Waters, as per the latest Census evaluation, 78.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 21.7% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Broadbeach Waters stood at 40.4%, with mortgaged properties at 36.4% and rented ones at 23.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,863. Weekly rent in Broadbeach Waters was recorded at $600, substantially above the national average of $375.

Broadbeach Waters features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.5% of all households, including 31.0% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.5%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households comprising 6.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Broadbeach Waters exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 30.1% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA4 region average of 25.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (13.4%) and certificates (22.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.2% in secondary education, 8.1% in primary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis shows that Broadbeach Waters has 34 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes, together providing a total of 2,398 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically living within 225 meters of the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature, and cars remain the primary mode of transport at 89%. On average, there are 1.7 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 20.6% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 342 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 70 weekly trips per stop.

Broadbeach Waters's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Broadbeach Waters shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 62% of the total population (5,506 people) have private health cover, compared to 52.5% in Rest of Qld and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (7.1%) and mental health issues (5.9%). About 73.7% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Rest of Qld's 67.6%. The area has 18.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,620 people), lower than Rest of Qld's 20.4%. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population, ranking nationally in line with them.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Broadbeach Waters was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Broadbeach Waters, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016, exhibited higher cultural diversity than most local areas. It had 14.6% of its population speaking languages other than English at home and 31.1% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 53.6%.

Judaism showed significant overrepresentation at 0.7%, compared to the Rest of Qld's 0.1%. In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (29.9%), Australian (21.2%), and Irish (8.7%). Notable divergences included New Zealand (1.6% vs regional 0.9%), Spanish (0.8% vs 0.3%), and Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.2%).

Broadbeach Waters's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Broadbeach Waters is 42 years, close to the Rest of Queensland's average of 41 years but above the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland average, the 35-44 age cohort is notably over-represented at 14.7% locally, while the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 10.0%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, Broadbeach Waters has become younger, with its median age dropping from 43 years to 42 years. Specifically, the 25 to 34 age group grew from 12.1% to 14.2%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 12.7% to 14.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group declined from 15.4% to 11.9%, and the 65 to 74 age group dropped from 11.0% to 9.7%. Population forecasts for Broadbeach Waters indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, increasing by 389 people (31%) from 1,267 to 1,657. Conversely, both the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.