Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach
Statistical Area - sa2

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

AreaSearch's analysis indicates that Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach's population is approximately 16,903 as of August 2025. This reflects a growth of 2,906 people, representing a 20.8% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 13,997 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,864 in June 2024 and an additional 1,829 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5,634 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach's growth of 20.8% since the 2021 census exceeds the non-metro area's growth of 8.6%, as well as the national average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using 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 are adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data for each age cohort. Looking ahead, exceptional growth is predicted over the period from 2025 to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with an increase of 11,313 persons expected and a total increase of 60.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach has received approximately 567 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that from FY21 to FY25, around 2,839 homes were approved, with 80 approvals recorded so far in FY26. On average, 0.8 new residents per year per dwelling have been constructed over the past five financial years. This indicates that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth.

The average value of new homes being built is $2,362,000, suggesting a focus on premium properties. Additionally, $176.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach has 196.0% higher new home approvals per person, demonstrating robust developer confidence in the location. Recent construction comprises 2.0% detached houses and 98.0% medium to high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points for buyers. The area has approximately 73 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. Future projections indicate that Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach will add around 10,273 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Area's performance is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified 61 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include The Star Residences Epsilon Tower, The Alfred, Sea Glass, and Amaya Broadbeach. Projects of particular relevance are listed below.

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

Employment conditions in Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach has a skilled workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% in June 2025, lower than Rest of Qld's 3.9%.

Employment grew by 2.0% over the past year. Of residents, 62.8% participate in the workforce, similar to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance (24%), accommodation & food (17%), and construction (13%). Professional & technical services show strong specialization with an employment share 1.8 times regional levels.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing have limited presence at 0.4% compared to the region's 4.5%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.8, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.0%, with labour force growth also at 2.0%, maintaining a stable unemployment rate. Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.8% during the same period, with unemployment rising slightly to 4.1%. Statewide in Queensland, employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs) by Sep-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, favourable compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% 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

Mermaid Beach Broadbeach had a median taxpayer income of $55,702 and an average income of $134,368 in financial year 2022. These figures are higher than the Rest of Qld's median of $50,780 and average of $64,844 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $62,225 and the average will be around $150,102, based on a 11.71% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 74th percentile with weekly earnings of $950, while household income sits at the 44th percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket captures 33.2% of Mermaid Beach Broadbeach's community (5,611 individuals), similar to the metropolitan region's 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 81.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 41st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach, as per the latest Census data, 9.9% of dwellings were houses while 90.1% consisted of semi-detached properties, apartments and other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's figures of 45.3% houses and 54.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in the area stood at 27.7%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 22.9% and rented properties making up 49.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,019. The median weekly rent figure was $440 compared to Non-Metro Qld's $465. Nationally, Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863 while rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 54.4% of all households, including 12.5% couples with children, 32.7% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 45.6%, with lone person households at 35.6% and group households comprising 10.0%. The median household size is 1.9 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 36.1% have university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 25.4% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.2% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 13.3% and certificates at 20.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.4% in tertiary education, 5.4% in primary education, and 4.7% pursuing secondary education. The area is anchored by Broadbeach State School, which serves 1,183 students. It is one of the 1 schools focusing exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 7.0, below the regional average of 11.5. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1076.

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

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach has 38 active public transport stops offering a mix of lightrail and bus services. These stops are served by 18 individual routes, collectively facilitating 5,629 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average proximity of 170 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency across all routes averages 804 trips per day, equating to approximately 148 weekly trips per stop.

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach. Both young and old age cohorts experience low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 82% of the total population (13,911 people), compared to 68.9% across Rest of Qld and a national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 6.9 and 6.7% of residents respectively. 72.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.7% across Rest of Qld. The area has 18.2% of residents aged 65 and over (3,067 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach 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

Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach showed higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 15.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 33.0% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 47.0%. Judaism stood out at 0.6%, compared to 0.4% regionally.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (29.0%), Australian (20.7%), and Other (10.1%). Notably, Spanish (0.9%) was slightly overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.7%. Similarly, French (0.9% vs 0.8%) and New Zealand (1.2% vs 1.3%) also showed slight overrepresentation.

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach is 39 years, lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38. The age profile shows that 25-34 year-olds are prominent at 25.5%, while the 5-14 group is smaller at 5.6% compared to Rest of Qld. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the median age has decreased by 1.1 years from 40 to 39, indicating a younger demographic shift. During this period, the 25-34 age group grew from 22.7% to 25.5%, while the 45-54 cohort declined from 11.6% to 10.1% and the 55-64 group dropped from 14.0% to 12.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the 25-34 age group expected to grow by 76%, reaching 7,596 people from 4,311.