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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
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Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Sales Detail
Population
Currumbin Waters has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends
Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Currumbin Waters' population is around 10,209 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 412 people (4.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,797 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,183 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 20 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,034 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 78.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Moving forward with demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 631 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 5.9% in total over the 17 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is lower than average in Currumbin Waters according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets
Currumbin Waters has averaged approximately 11 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 56 homes. As of FY-26, 5 approvals have been recorded. On average, 6.5 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating significant demand exceeding new supply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $614,000, targeting the premium market segment.
This financial year has seen $7.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Currumbin Waters shows substantially reduced construction, with 89.0% below the regional average per person, supporting stronger demand and values for established properties. This activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 89.0% detached houses and 11.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a focus on family homes. Developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (71.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes amidst densification trends.
The location has approximately 1066 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Population forecasts suggest Currumbin Waters will gain 605 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Currumbin Waters has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally
The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 25 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Central Park Residences, GemLife Currumbin Waters, Currumbin Creek Road-Bienvenue Drive Intersection Upgrade, and Currumbin Service and Retail Centre. The following list details those considered most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4
13 km southern extension of the Gold Coast Light Rail from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport. Includes up to 14 new stops, a new stabling facility at Stewart Road, and fleet expansion. Designed to support population growth, improve public transport connectivity to the airport and southern coastal communities, and reduce road congestion. Community consultation completed May 2025; project remains in detailed planning and business case refinement phase awaiting final Queensland and Australian Government funding decisions.
Gold Coast Heavy Rail Extension - Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport
Long-term planning to extend the Gold Coast heavy rail line south from Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport via new stations at Tallebudgera, Elanora/Palm Beach, Tugun and the airport terminal. The 13 km corridor has been protected since 2008. The project is reaffirmed in ShapingSEQ 2023 and SEQ Rail Connect (2032 Olympic legacy plan) as a future priority, but remains unfunded with no committed construction start date or detailed business case released as of December 2025.
Currumbin Service and Retail Centre
A mixed-use warehouse style retail development on 4.5ha of land, offering fuel, fast food, health, fitness, and storage facilities for the local community and travellers, accessible from the M1 Highway at the Stewart Road interchange.
Tugun Satellite Health Centre (Banyahrmabah)
The Tugun Satellite Health Centre (Banyahrmabah) supports emergency departments by providing urgent walk-in care for minor injuries and illnesses, kidney dialysis, women's, newborn, and children's clinics, day medical infusions, pharmacy services, and allied health outpatients in a community setting.
Currumbin Service and Retail Centre
Completed mixed-use retail and service centre on a 4.5 ha site at the M1/Stewart Road interchange, anchored by a service station and quick service food outlets, with large format retail, gym and multi-level self storage. Opened in 2023 and largely leased, it serves local residents and motorway traffic.
Palm Beach Oceanway Extension
Extension of the beachfront cycling and walking path along Palm Beach, connecting to existing infrastructure to promote active transport and recreation. The project includes new pathways, lighting, and amenities to enhance community access.
Elanora Childcare Centre Development Site
Proposed 51-place dual-level childcare facility development on a 755 sqm site adjoining Elanora State School. The site presents an investment opportunity in a high-demand childcare catchment area with strong demographics and proximity to The Pines Shopping Centre.
Admiral Crescent Residential Care and Retirement Facility
Approved development for a residential care facility and retirement village with 154 suites on a 1.48ha site zoned for medium density residential, located opposite John Flynn Hospital. The site was recently sold on May 2, 2025, with development approval in place.
Employment
Employment conditions in Currumbin Waters demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally
Currumbin Waters has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of September 2025, which is lower than the Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.
The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 2.7% over the past year. As of September 2025, 5,314 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate of 61.4%, similar to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Currumbin Waters has a particular specialization in construction, employing 1.5 times the regional level.
Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.2% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 4.5%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 2.7%, while labour force grew by 2.3%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.7% and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. As of 25-Nov-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Currumbin Waters' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis
AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Currumbin Waters SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $50,117 and an average income of $71,710. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Rest of Qld's $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 13.99%, median income is estimated at $57,128 and average at $81,742. Census data ranks Currumbin Waters incomes modestly, between the 37th to 43rd percentiles. The $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band captures 31.5% of residents (3,215 individuals), similar to broader regional trends at 31.7%. Housing affordability is severe; only 81.1% of income remains, ranking at the 40th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Currumbin Waters is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Dwelling structure in Currumbin Waters, evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 71.4% houses and 28.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 49.8% houses and 50.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Currumbin Waters was 35.3%, with the rest either mortgaged (42.4%) or rented (22.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Currumbin Waters was $468, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $450. Nationally, Currumbin Waters' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,100 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Currumbin Waters has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households account for 74.5% of all households, including 34.0% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.5%, with lone person households at 22.6% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of Currumbin Waters exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
Educational qualifications in Currumbin Waters trail Australian benchmarks. As of 2021, 20.9% of residents aged 15 and above held university degrees, compared to the national average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills were prominent, with 42.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (29.9%).
Educational participation was notably high, with 29.2% of residents enrolled in formal education as of the 2020 Census. This included 10.2% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Transport analysis indicates 34 active transport stops operating within Currumbin Waters. These are a mix of bus services. Three individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 496 weekly passenger trips.
Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 276 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 70 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 14 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health outcomes in Currumbin Waters are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts
Currumbin Waters shows below-average health outcomes, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups.
Private health cover is high at approximately 55% of the total population (around 5,645 people). The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.7 and 8.1% of residents respectively. Around 68.6% report no medical ailments, compared to 70.3% in the rest of Queensland. About 19.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (around 1,992 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligned with the overall population's health profile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Currumbin Waters ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Currumbin Waters, as per data from the 2016 Census, had a low cultural diversity with 81.7% of residents born in Australia and 89.8% being Australian citizens. The majority spoke English only at home, at 94.8%. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 49.0% of the population.
While Judaism's representation was similar to the rest of Queensland at 0.1%, other religions had varying levels: Buddhism (3.2%), Hinduism (1.6%), Islam (1.5%), and Other Religions (2.8%). The top three ancestry groups were English (32.8%), Australian (27.1%), and Irish (9.7%). Notable differences in ethnic group representation included New Zealanders at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 1.1%, Scots at 8.6% versus 8.9%, and Maori at 0.7% against a regional average of 0.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Currumbin Waters's median age exceeds the national pattern
The median age in Currumbin Waters is 41 years, matching Rest of Qld's average but slightly higher than Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Currumbin Waters has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (14.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.8%). According to the 2021 Census, the median age in Currumbin Waters decreased by 1.1 years from 42 to 41, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes show that the 35-44 age group grew from 12.6% to 14.3%, while the 25-34 cohort increased from 9.5% to 10.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 14.1% to 12.2%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 13.0% to 11.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that Currumbin Waters' age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow strongly, increasing by 262 people (24%) from 1,098 to 1,361. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 45-54 and 5-14 cohorts.