Surfers Paradise - North
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Surfers Paradise - North's population is around 14,377 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,173 people (17.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,204 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,341 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 942 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,844 persons per square kilometer, which places Surfers Paradise - North in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 17.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (8.6%) and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 85.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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 based on 2021 data. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period to 2041 with the area expected to expand by 9,121 persons, an increase of 63.2% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Surfers Paradise - North among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Surfers Paradise - North saw approximately 609 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY21 and FY25, around 3,047 dwellings were approved, with no recorded approvals yet in FY26. On average, about 0.8 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these five years, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and potential for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $1,089,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $23.1 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Surfers Paradise - North has 129.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice and indicating robust developer interest in the area. New developments consist of approximately 1.0% detached dwellings and 99.0% townhouses or apartments, favouring compact living which offers affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 30 people per dwelling approval, Surfers Paradise - North exhibits characteristics of a growth area. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by approximately 9,085 residents.

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

Surfers Paradise - North has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects are River Terrace, Surfers Paradise Revitalisation, Orama, and Cypress Palms. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Surfers Paradise - North has been broadly consistent with national averages

Surfers Paradise - North has a highly educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.6% in the past year, lower than Rest of Qld's 3.9%.

Employment growth was estimated at 2.0% over the same period. As of June 2025, 8,138 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 0.3% below Rest of Qld's rate. Workforce participation was 54.8%, lower than Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries include accommodation & food (strong specialization), health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.6 at the Census, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.0% while labour force grew by 2.1%, raising unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. Rest of Qld saw similar trends but with slightly higher unemployment increase. State-level data to Sep-25 showed Queensland employment contracted by 0.23%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.2%. National comparisons were favourable, though lagging national employment growth. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Surfers Paradise - North's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Surfers Paradise - North's median income among taxpayers was $44,817 and average income stood at $74,186 in the financial year 2022. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld's of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $50,065 (median) and $82,873 (average) as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household incomes were at the 18th percentile while personal income was at the 43rd percentile. The distribution showed that 28.0% of residents (4,025 people) fell within the $800 - 1,499 bracket, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket led at 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 77.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Surfers Paradise - North features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Surfers Paradise - North, as per the latest Census, comprised 7.7% houses and 92.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro Qld's 25.1% houses and 74.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Surfers Paradise - North stood at 29.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.0% and rented ones at 52.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,950. Median weekly rent in the area was $415, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $437. Nationally, Surfers Paradise - North's median monthly mortgage repayment is lower at $1,625 than Australia's average of $1,863, while median weekly rent is higher at $415 compared to the national figure of $375.

Surfers Paradise - North features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 51.3% of all households, including 9.3% couples with children, 33.9% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 48.7%, with lone person households at 40.9% and group households comprising 7.8%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.1.

The educational profile of Surfers Paradise - North exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Surfers Paradise - North significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 31.4% of residents aged 15+ held university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in Rest of Qld and 25.4% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees were most common at 21.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills also featured prominently, with 37.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (15.1%) and certificates (21.9%).

Educational participation was notably high at 28.7%, including 7.2% in tertiary education, 4.1% in primary education, and 3.8% pursuing secondary education. Educational facilities appeared to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries as of 2016, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

The analysis indicates that Surfers Paradise - North has 23 operational public transport stops. These comprise a combination of light rail and bus services. Five distinct routes serve these stops, facilitating a total of 2,427 weekly passenger journeys.

The accessibility of transport in the area is deemed good, with residents generally situated approximately 207 metres from their nearest stop. On average, across all routes, service frequency stands at 346 trips per day, translating to roughly 105 weekly trips per individual stop.

Surfers Paradise - North's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Surfers Paradise - North residents.

Prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~8,123 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.3 and 7.1% of residents respectively. 70.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Rest of Qld. As of 2019, the area has 23.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,319 people), which is higher than the 21.8% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Surfers Paradise - North is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Surfers Paradise - North has a high level of cultural diversity, with 26.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 46.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Surfers Paradise - North, comprising 48.7% of people. Judaism is overrepresented compared to the rest of Queensland, making up 0.6% of the population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (26.9%), Australian (16.6%), and Other (14.9%). There are notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Spanish is overrepresented at 1.1%, Russian at 0.7%, and French at 0.9%.

Surfers Paradise - North hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Surfers Paradise - North's median age is 43 years, higher than Rest of Qld's average of 41 and national average of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 24.5%, compared to Rest of Qld's figure. The 5-14 cohort makes up 3.3%. Nationally, the 25-34 age group is 14.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows median age decreased by 1.7 years to 43. The 25-34 age group grew from 20.1% to 24.5%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 10.3% to 11.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort declined from 14.2% to 12.2%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 12.5% to 10.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes for Surfers Paradise - North, with the 25-34 cohort projected to grow by 73%, adding 2,558 residents to reach 6,079.