Broadbeach Waters
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Broadbeach Waters are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Broadbeach Waters' population is approximately 8,916 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 752 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,164. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,916 in June 2024 and the addition of 54 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density of 1,679 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Broadbeach Waters' growth rate of 9.2% since the 2021 Census exceeds both the non-metro area (8.6%) and the national average, indicating its status as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.4% to overall population gains in recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, though these lack age category splits so proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied. Future demographic trends project an above median population growth for national regional areas, with Broadbeach Waters expected to expand by 1,291 persons to reach a total of approximately 10,207 by 2041, reflecting a 14.5% increase over the 17-year period.

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

Broadbeach Waters granted around 33 residential approvals annually. ABS data shows 166 approvals from FY2021 to FY2025, with 9 so far in FY2026. Average new residents per year is 4.4 per home built over the past five years. Supply lags demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New homes average $1,959,000, targeting premium segment. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $15.1 million. Compared to Rest of Qld, Broadbeach Waters has 70.0% lower construction per person. Limited new supply supports higher demand and values for established properties.

Detached houses comprise 86.0% of new building activity, townhouses or apartments 14.0%. The area averages 266 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth. Population forecasts project an increase of 1,291 residents by 2041. Construction pace is reasonable, but growing competition is expected as population increases.

Broadbeach Waters has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 41 potential impactful projects in total. Notable ones include The Landmark, The Lanes Mixed-Use Development, Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3, and Broadbeach South light rail station. Below are those likely most relevant.

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

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

Broadbeach Waters has an educated workforce with varied sector representation. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 2.1%.

This represents a 2.1% increase from the previous year. The area's unemployment rate is 1.9% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Broadbeach Waters is 62.3%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment among residents 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. However, agriculture, forestry & fishing sector is under-represented, with only 0.3% of Broadbeach Waters's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%. While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, keeping the unemployment rate stable at 2.1%. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.8% and a slight increase in unemployment rate. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Broadbeach Waters's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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

In financial year 2022, Broadbeach Waters had a median income among taxpayers of $52,125 and an average income of $125,740. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to the median and average incomes across Rest of Qld, which stood at $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. By March 2025, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 11.71%, estimated median income in Broadbeach Waters would be approximately $58,229 and average income around $140,464. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Broadbeach Waters cluster around the 67th percentile nationally for households, families, and individuals. The predominant income cohort spans 29.6% of locals (2,639 people) with weekly earnings between $1,500 and $2,999. This aligns with broader metropolitan trends where 31.7% fall into the same category. Higher earners make up a substantial portion at 32.2%, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. 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

Dwelling structure in Broadbeach Waters, evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 78.4% houses and 21.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 45.3% houses and 54.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Broadbeach Waters was at 40.4%, with the remainder mortgaged (36.4%) or rented (23.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,019. Median weekly rent in Broadbeach Waters was $600, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $465. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 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 account for 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 2.3.

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% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA4 region rate of 25.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 35.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas account for 13.4% and certificates for 22.4%.

Educational participation is high at 28.8%, including 8.2% in secondary education, 8.1% in primary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education. Schools appear to be located outside immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access them in neighboring areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 34 active stops operating within Broadbeach Waters, with a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 16 different routes, collectively offering 2,398 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 225 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 342 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 70 weekly trips per individual 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 demonstrates excellent health outcomes with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (7,150 people), compared to 68.9% across the rest of Queensland and 55.3% nationally. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.1 and 5.9% of residents respectively.

Notably, 73.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.7% across the rest of Queensland. The area has an 18.2% senior population (1,620 people), with seniors exhibiting strong health outcomes that outperform general population metrics.

Broadbeach Waters was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Broadbeach Waters had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 14.6% of its population speaking languages other than English at home and 31.1% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Broadbeach Waters, making up 53.6% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented, comprising 0.7% compared to 0.4% across the rest of Queensland.

Regarding ancestry, English was the largest group at 29.9%, followed by Australian at 21.2% and Irish at 8.7%. There were also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: New Zealand (1.6% vs regional 1.3%), Spanish (0.8% vs 0.7%), and Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%) were overrepresented in Broadbeach Waters.

Broadbeach Waters hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Broadbeach Waters is close to the Rest of Queensland's average of 41 years, which is also higher than the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland average, the 35-44 age cohort is notably over-represented at 14.4% locally, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 10.3%. Between the censuses conducted on 28 August 2016 and 27 May 2021, the area's median age decreased by 1.1 years to 42 years from 43 years. During this period, the proportion of the population in the 35-44 age group grew from 12.7% to 14.4%, while those aged 25-34 increased from 12.1% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 45-54 age cohort declined from 15.4% to 12.4%, and the 65-74 group decreased from 11.0% to 9.7%. Population forecasts for Broadbeach Waters indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, increasing by 434 people (36%) from 1,222 to 1,657. Conversely, both the 55-64 and 15-24 age groups are expected to decrease in number.