Clear Island Waters

Clear Island Waters has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

AreaSearch's analysis indicates Clear Island Waters' population is approximately 4,528 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 133 people (3.0%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 4,395. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 4,528 in June 2024 and one validated new address added post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 1,029 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth, contributing approximately 97.1% of overall gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections lack age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Considering projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of regional areas nationally is expected. The area is projected to gain 433 persons by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 9.6% over the 17-year period, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Clear Island Waters according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Clear Island Waters had minimal residential development activity with 2 dwelling approvals annually between 2016 and 2020, totaling 12 approvals over this period. This low level of development is characteristic of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It's important to note that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures can vary considerably based on individual projects.

Clear Island Waters showed significantly less construction activity than the rest of Queensland during this period, with activity levels also below national patterns. Recent building activity in the area consisted entirely of standalone homes, reflecting its rural character where larger properties and space are typical. Interestingly, developers were building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests at Census (64.0%), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. Looking ahead, Clear Island Waters is expected to grow by 433 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate (as of Q2 2021).

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Clear Island Waters has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Six projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 (Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads), Merrimac Railway Station, Clear Island Waters Urban Village, and Cypress Central. The following list details those likely to be of most relevance.

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Clear Island Waters significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Clear Island Waters has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.1% in September 2025, below Rest of Qld's 4.1%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. There were 2,111 residents employed as of September 2025, with a workforce participation rate of 51.8%, lower than Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services, which has a particularly high share at 1.9 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.2% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 4.5%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data. In the 12 months prior to September 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, labour force by 2.0%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.7% and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industries. Applying these projections to Clear Island Waters' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Clear Island Waters SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $47,353 and an average income of $60,118 in the 2022 financial year, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of Qld's median income being $50,780 and average income $64,844. By September 2025, current estimates project a median income of approximately $53,978 and an average income of $68,529, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since the 2022 financial year. The 2021 Census figures indicate that household, family, and personal incomes in Clear Island Waters rank modestly, between the 34th and 42nd percentiles. Income distribution shows that 26.9% of the population (1,218 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region at 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Clear Island Waters, with only 83.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 42nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Clear Island Waters displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Clear Island Waters, as per the latest Census evaluation, 63.6% of dwellings were houses while 36.5% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's 50.9% houses and 49.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clear Island Waters stood at 47.3%, with mortgaged properties at 31.4% and rented dwellings at 21.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, exceeding Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,907. The median weekly rent in the area was recorded at $540, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $500. Nationally, Clear Island Waters' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Clear Island Waters has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 73.8% of all households, including 31.6% couples with children, 31.4% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.2%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Qld.

Clear Island Waters shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Clear Island Waters is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 32.7% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in Rest of Qld and 25.4% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 31.2% of residents aged 15 years and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.7% and certificates for 18.5%.

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows three active stops in Clear Island Waters, served by buses. These stops are covered by eight routes, offering 806 weekly passenger trips combined. Residents' access to transport is limited, with an average distance of 648 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 115 trips daily across all routes, equating to around 268 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Clear Island Waters are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Health indicators suggest below-average outcomes in Clear Island Waters, with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~2,241 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.7 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A total of 69.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.7% across Rest of Qld. The area has 28.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,302 people), which is higher than the 17.1% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Clear Island 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

Clear Island Waters has a high level of cultural diversity, with 24.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 39.5% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Clear Island Waters, comprising 57.5% of the population. Judaism is overrepresented compared to the rest of Queensland, making up 0.8% of Clear Island Waters' population versus 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 26.0%, Australian at 19.7%, and Other at 9.5%. Notably, Russian (0.6%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average (0.4%), while South African representation matches the regional figure of 0.8%. New Zealanders make up 1.0% of Clear Island Waters' population, lower than the regional average of 1.5%.

Clear Island Waters ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Clear Island Waters has a median age of 50 years, which is significantly older than Rest of Qld's 41 and higher than Australia's median age of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 are particularly prominent, comprising 11.2% of the population, while the 25-34 group makes up only 9.0%. This is in contrast to Rest of Qld and the national average for the 65-74 cohort, which has declined from 14.4% to 12.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35-44 age group has grown from 10.1% to 11.2%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 8.0% to 9.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Clear Island Waters' age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 85+ age cohort projected to expand considerably, growing by 169 people (70%) from 242 to 412. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts.