Burleigh Heads

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

Burleigh Heads' population was around 10,235 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 1,059 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,176. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 10,055 in June 2025 and an additional 651 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 1,195 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Burleigh Heads' growth of 11.5% since the 2021 census exceeded Rest of Qld's 9.2% and the national average, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.1% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data were adopted. These state projections did not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends suggest a median increase just below national regional areas, with Burleigh Heads expected to grow by 1,094 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 8.9% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Burleigh Heads among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Burleigh Heads has seen approximately 129 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 645 homes. As of FY-26, 50 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.9 new residents per year arrive for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25. This pace matches or exceeds demand, providing more options for buyers and enabling population growth that may surpass current expectations.

The average construction value of new dwellings is $770,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In this financial year alone, there have been $26.0 million in commercial approvals, suggesting steady investment activity. Comparing Burleigh Heads to the rest of Queensland, it shows comparable new home approvals per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. However, development activity has moderated recently. Nationally, Burleigh Heads' developer confidence is notably strong. New building activity comprises 13.0% detached houses and 87.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 33.0% houses.

This trend suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. With around 133 people per dwelling approval, Burleigh Heads exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Burleigh Heads is projected to add 914 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Burleigh Heads has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 45 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Isabel by Mosaic, Morris Property Group's Burleigh Development, Bondi Burleigh - Morris Property Group, and GURNER's Burleigh Heads project. The following list details those most relevant.

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.

The employment environment in Burleigh Heads shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Burleigh Heads has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.4% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.0% over the past year. By this date, 5,826 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.6% lower than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation stood at 67.0%, slightly higher than Regional Qld's 64.5%. According to Census responses, 19.6% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food services. Notably, the area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing had lower representation at 0.3% compared to Regional Qld's average of 4.5%.

As of Census, there were 1.5 workers for every resident, indicating Burleigh Heads functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 3.0% while labour force grew by 2.7%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Regional Qld recorded employment growth of 0.7%, labour force growth of 1.0%, and an increase in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Burleigh Heads' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Burleigh Heads SA2 is $57,773 and average income is $77,443. This contrasts with Regional Qld's figures of a median income of $53,146 and an average income of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $64,336 (median) and $86,241 (average) as of March 2026. From the Census conducted in August 2021, personal income ranks at the 64th percentile ($883 weekly), while household income sits at the 42nd percentile. Income brackets indicate that 30.3% of residents fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket (3,101 people). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 40th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Burleigh Heads features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Burleigh Heads' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 33.4% houses and 66.6% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Compared to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% others. Home ownership in Burleigh Heads stood at 36.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.4% and rented at 36.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Burleigh Heads was $480, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Burleigh Heads' mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 vs Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Burleigh Heads features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 57.9% of all households, including 17.9% couples with children, 30.3% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.1%, with lone person households making up 33.0% and group households comprising 8.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

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

Burleigh Heads has a notably high educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 33.4% holding university qualifications compared to the broader Queensland average of 20.6%. This is also higher than the SA4 region's average of 25.4%. The area's strong educational advantage is reflected in its high proportion of residents with bachelor degrees (23.3%), postgraduate qualifications (7.1%), and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 37.2% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.8%) and certificates (23.4%).

Educational participation in the area is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes tertiary education (7.5%), primary education (7.3%), and secondary education (6.3%).

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

Burleigh Heads has 22 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are covered by 12 individual routes, collectively facilitating 2,240 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average located 204 meters from the nearest stop. The area, predominantly residential, sees most commuters traveling outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 87%, while walking accounts for 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 19.6% of residents work from home, a figure potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 320 trips daily, translating to roughly 101 weekly trips per individual stop.

Burleigh Heads's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data for Burleigh Heads indicates positive outcomes relative to other areas. Mortality rates and health conditions are broadly in line with national benchmarks.

The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is high at approximately 58% of the total population, compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.1 and 7.4% of residents respectively. 70.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 21.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,241 people), higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Burleigh Heads records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Burleigh Heads had a cultural diversity profile roughly similar to its wider region's average. Its population composition was 81.4% citizens, 76.5% born in Australia, and 92.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Burleigh Heads, with 47.9% of people identifying as such.

However, Judaism showed an overrepresentation, comprising 0.3% of the population compared to 0.1% across Regional Qld. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English at 31.2%, Australian at 23.5%, and Irish at 11.0%. Notably, New Zealanders were overrepresented at 1.3% (vs regional 0.9%), French at 0.9% (vs 0.5%), and Scottish at 8.9% (vs 7.8%).

Burleigh Heads hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Burleigh Heads is 42 years, close to Regional Queensland's average of 41 and above the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 age cohort is notably over-represented at 21.6% compared to Regional Queensland's average of 19%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 6.2%. Nationally, the 25-34 age group comprises 14.6%. Since the Census in August 2021, Burleigh Heads has seen a decrease in median age from 44 to 42 years. The 25-34 age group increased from 17.4% to 21.6%, while the 75-84 cohort rose from 7.1% to 8.3%. Meanwhile, the 65-74 age group decreased from 13.6% to 11.1% and the 45-54 group dropped from 12.6% to 10.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow by 497 people (23%), from 2,205 to 2,703. Conversely, the 55-64 and 65-74 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.