Palm Beach
Statistical Area - sa2

Palm Beach lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Palm Beach's population is 18,431 as of August 2025. This is an increase from the 16,349 reported in the 2021 Census, reflecting a rise of 2,082 people (12.7%). The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 18,151 residents as of June 2024 and an additional 710 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 2,911 persons per square kilometer, placing Palm Beach in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The area's growth rate exceeded both non-metro areas (8.6%) and national averages since the 2021 Census. Overseas migration contributed approximately 47.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Note that these state projections lack age category splits; thus, proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied. Future population dynamics anticipate a significant increase in the top quartile of non-metropolitan areas nationally. Palm Beach is expected to grow by 5,479 persons to 2041, representing an overall increase of 28.2% over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

The level of residential development activity in Palm Beach was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Palm Beach has received approximately 269 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that between FY-21 and FY-25, around 1,347 homes were approved, with 17 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 1.7 new residents per year per dwelling have been constructed over the past five financial years. This suggests a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $844,000, indicating developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, $23.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Palm Beach shows 64.0% higher new home approvals per person, offering greater choice for buyers and reflecting robust developer interest in the area. Recent construction comprises 11.0% standalone homes and 89.0% townhouses or apartments, providing affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift from the existing housing composition (currently 41.0% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. With approximately 65 people per dwelling approval, Palm Beach's expanding market is expected to gain 5,199 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Population forecasts indicate Palm Beach will gain 5,199 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Palm Beach 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 67 potential impact projects. Notable ones are La Belle Palm Beach, Palm Beach Oceanway Extension, Sophia by Mosaic - Palm Beach, and Flourish Ovana Palm Beach. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Palm Beach has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.0% as of June 2025.

There was an estimated employment growth of 2.2% over the past year. As of June 2025, 10,359 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.9% below Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was 65.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction had a particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence with 0.4% employment compared to 4.5% regionally. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population data. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2% and labour force increased by 2.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.8%, labour force growth of 2.0%, with unemployment rising 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed QLD employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lagged behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggested potential future demand within Palm Beach. These projections, over five and ten-year periods, estimated local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, using simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes without considering localized population projections.

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

Palm Beach had a high national income level according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers was $51,221 and the average income was $72,295. These figures compared to Rest of Qld's median of $50,780 and average of $64,844 respectively. Based on a 11.71% growth in Wage Price Index since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $57,219 (median) and $80,761 (average). Census data showed household, family, and personal incomes in Palm Beach were at the 55th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicated that 31.2% of the community (5,750 individuals) earned between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, similar to the broader metropolitan trend of 31.7%. Housing affordability was severe, with only 81.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 46th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

Palm Beach displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Palm Beach, as per the latest Census evaluation, 41.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 59.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 49.8% houses and 50.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Palm Beach stood at 29.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.0% and rented ones at 37.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,093, and the median weekly rent was $445. Nationally, Palm Beach's median monthly mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while its median weekly rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Palm Beach features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 63.2% of all households, including 24.7% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.8%, consisting of 29.8% lone person households and 7.0% group households. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is notably higher than the regional averages, with 29.5% of residents aged 15+ having such qualifications compared to Rest of Qld's 20.6% and the SA4 region's 25.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 38.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications; advanced diplomas account for 12.8% while certificates make up 25.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education. The area has two schools serving 3,601 students: Palm Beach State School and Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School. Palm Beach demonstrates typical Australian school conditions with an ICSEA score of 1041, indicating balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub with a high ratio of 19.5 school places per 100 residents, attracting students from surrounding communities. This is significantly above the regional average of 12.1.

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

Analysis shows 46 active public transport stops in Palm Beach. These include train and bus services. There are 11 individual routes operating, collectively providing 2,304 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 216 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 329 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 50 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Palm Beach is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Palm Beach shows above-average health outcomes for both young and elderly residents.

Common health conditions have low prevalence in this area. Private health cover is high at approximately 55% of the total population, which numbers around 10,192 people. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.5 and 7.3% of residents respectively. Around 72.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 70.3% in the rest of Queensland. As of 2016, 17.5% of Palm Beach residents are aged 65 and over (3,221 people), lower than the 19.2% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors in Palm Beach are particularly strong, outperforming those of the general population.

Palm Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Palm Beach's cultural diversity was found to be below average. Its population comprises 86.8% citizens, 81.3% born in Australia, and 93.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion, with 47.1%.

Judaism, at 0.1%, is overrepresented compared to Rest of Qld's 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups are English (32.1%), Australian (25.4%), and Irish (9.9%). Some ethnic groups have notable divergences: New Zealand (1.0% vs regional 1.1%), Scottish (9.0% vs 8.9%), and French (0.6% vs 0.6%) are overrepresented in Palm Beach.

Palm Beach's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Palm Beach as of 2021 is 38 years, slightly below Rest of Queensland's average of 41 but in line with Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 18.8% of Palm Beach's population compared to Rest of Queensland, while the 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 9.8%. Post-census data shows that between 2016 and 2021, Palm Beach has become younger, with its median age decreasing by 1 year from 39 to 38. During this period, the 25-34 age group grew from 16.1% to 18.8%, while the 45-54 cohort declined from 13.0% to 11.4% and the 55-64 group dropped from 12.3% to 10.8%. By 2041, Palm Beach is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition, with the 25-34 age cohort expected to grow by 1,373 people (40%), from 3,461 to 4,835. In contrast, the 15-24 age group shows minimal growth of just 5%, adding only 93 people during this period.