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

As of Nov 2025, Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach's population is approximately 16,915. This figure represents a growth of 2,918 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,997. The increase was inferred from an estimated resident population of 15,867 in June 2024 and an additional 1,834 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 5,638 persons per square kilometer, placing Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth of 20.8% since the 2021 census exceeds the non-metro average of 8.8%. 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 with a base year of 2022. 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, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period to 2041, with an expected increase of 11,313 persons and a total increase of 60.7%.

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

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach has seen approximately 567 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 2,839 homes were approved, with an additional 262 approved in FY26 so far. On average, each new home attracts about 0.8 new residents per year over these five years.

This pace of construction is keeping up with or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $610,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment. In FY26 alone, there have been $176.9 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum in the area. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach has 196.0% higher new home approvals per person, suggesting greater choice for buyers and strong developer confidence in the location. The recent construction trend shows 2.0% detached houses and 98.0% medium and high-density housing, promoting affordable entry points and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The area has approximately 73 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market with future projections expecting an addition of 10,261 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favorable 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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 60 projects that may impact the area. Notable ones are The Star Residences Epsilon Tower, The Alfred, Sea Glass, and Amaya Broadbeach.

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

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

Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach has a highly educated workforce with tourism and hospitality being prominent sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.0%.

As of June 2025, 9,889 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.2%, lower than Rest of Qld's 3.9%. Workforce participation was 62.8%, slightly higher than the regional average of 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food services, and construction. The area has a strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.4% compared to the regional average of 4.5%. The ratio of workers to residents was 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%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 3.1%. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%, with unemployment rising to 4.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's 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 current employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, although these are simplified extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach has an exceptionally high national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers is $55,702 and the average income stands at $134,368. These figures compare to Rest of Qld's median income of $50,780 and average income of $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates as of September 2025 would be approximately $63,495 for median income and $153,166 for average income. Census data reveals personal income ranks at the 74th percentile with a weekly income of $950, while household income sits at the 44th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 33.2% of individuals in Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach earn between $1,500 and $2,999, consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 31.7% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.1% of income remaining after housing costs, 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

Dwelling structure in Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach, as per the latest Census, consisted of 9.9% houses and 90.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 45.3% houses and 54.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach was 27.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.9% and rented ones at 49.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,019. Median weekly rent 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 above 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, which is 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 high, with 36.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications compared to the broader Queensland average of 20.6%. This figure is also higher than the SA4 region's average of 25.4%, indicating a significant educational advantage for the area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 13.3% and certificates for 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, serving 1,183 students as of a recent count. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1076. There is one school focusing exclusively on primary education in the area, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 7.0, which is below the regional average of 11.5, suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Transport analysis indicates 38 active transport stops operating within Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach, consisting of a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 18 individual routes, collectively facilitating 5,629 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 170 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 804 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 148 weekly trips per individual 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 saw low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 82% of the total population (13,921 people), compared to 68.9% across Rest of Qld.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis were found to be the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 6.9 and 6.7% of residents respectively. A total of 72.9% of residents declared 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 (3,070 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, surveyed in 2016, had 15.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 33.0% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 47.0%. Judaism's representation was higher at 0.6%, compared to 0.4% regionally.

Top ancestry groups were English (29.0%), Australian (20.7%), and Other (10.1%). Spanish (0.9%) and French (0.9%) were slightly overrepresented, while New Zealand was nearly equal at 1.2%.

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

The median age in Mermaid Beach-Broadbeach is 39 years, which is lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38. The age profile shows a prominence of 25-34 year-olds at 25.5%, while the 5-14 group is smaller at 5.6%. 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 shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include an increase in the 25-34 age group from 22.7% to 25.5%, a decline in the 45-54 cohort from 11.6% to 10.1%, and a decrease in the 55-64 group 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% (3,280 people), reaching 7,596 from 4,315.