Surfers Paradise - North

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

Surfers Paradise - North's population was around 14,436 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 2,232 people from the 2021 Census figure of 12,204. The change was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses since June 2024. The population density ratio was 5,868 persons per square kilometer, placing Surfers Paradise - North in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Between the 2021 Census and November 2025, Surfers Paradise - North's growth rate exceeded that of non-metro areas (8.8%) and the national average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 85.0% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections for years post-2032, based on 2021 data. Population projections predicted exceptional growth by 2041, with an increase of 9,121 persons, reflecting a total increase of 62.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Surfers Paradise - North had approximately 609 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. A total of 3,047 homes were approved during this period, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY26. The average population growth per dwelling built was 0.8 people over these five years.

This indicates that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost value of new homes in the area was $816,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, $23.1 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Surfers Paradise - North has 129.0% more building activity per person, significantly above the national average and reflecting robust developer interest in the area. New developments consist of 1.0% detached dwellings and 99.0% townhouses or apartments, favouring compact living options that are affordable for entry-level buyers, downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 30 people per dwelling approval, Surfers Paradise - North exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Surfers Paradise - North is projected to grow by 9,026 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Surfers Paradise - North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects likely to influence this region. Notable initiatives include River Terrace, Surfers Paradise Revitalisation, Cypress Palms, and Iconica. The following details projects expected to have the greatest relevance.

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

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

Surfers Paradise - North has an educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.6% as of a past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.6%.

As of September 2025, 8,350 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.5% below Rest of Qld's 4.1%. Workforce participation was 54.8%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries included accommodation & food (2.0 times the regional level), health care & social assistance (11.7%), and retail trade. The ratio of workers to residents, as at the Census, indicated above-normal local employment opportunities.

Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 2.6% alongside labour force growth of 2.7%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. By comparison, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.7%. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 showed Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, aligning with the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Surfers Paradise - North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is an illustrative extrapolation not accounting for localised population projections.

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

The Surfers Paradise - North SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $44,817 and an average income of $74,186 in financial year 2022. These figures were higher than those for the Rest of Qld: $50,780 (median) and $64,844 (average). By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,087 (median) and $84,565 (average), based on a 13.99% increase from the financial year 2022 Wage Price Index growth. According to Census 2021 income data, household incomes ranked at the 18th percentile, while personal incomes were at the 43rd percentile. Income distribution showed that 28.0% of residents (4,042 people) fell into the $800 - 1,499 bracket, contrasting with the surrounding region's leading bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 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, consisted of 7.7% houses and 92.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 25.1% houses and 74.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Surfers Paradise - North was 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 and the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Surfers Paradise - North was $415, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $437 and 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 constitute 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 account for 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, 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 is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 31.4% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 25.4% in the SA4 region. This educational advantage is reflected in the prevalence of bachelor degrees (21.4%), postgraduate qualifications (7.6%), and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 37.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (15.1%) and certificates (21.9%).

Educational participation is high in the area, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.2% in tertiary education, 4.1% in primary education, and 3.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 23 active stops operating within Surfers Paradise - North. These include lightrail and bus services. Five routes serve these stops, collectively offering 2,427 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 207 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 346 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 shows Surfers Paradise - North residents have a relatively low prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 56% (~8,156 people) of the total population has private health cover, which is high compared to other areas. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 8.3% of residents) and mental health issues (7.1%). A majority (70.7%) report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of Qld's 72.6%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.1% (3,333 people), compared to the Rest of Qld's 21.8%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Surfers Paradise - North are strong, even better than the general population in certain 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 high cultural diversity, with 26.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 46.0% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 48.7%. Judaism is overrepresented at 0.6%, compared to 0.6% regionally.

Top ancestry groups are English (26.9%), Australian (16.6%), and Other (14.9%). Spanish (1.1%) is notably overrepresented compared to the regional figure of 1.1%. French (0.9%) and Russian (0.7%) also show notable divergences from their respective regional percentages of 0.8% and 0.6%.

Surfers Paradise - North hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Surfers Paradise - North's median age is 43 years, which is higher than Queensland's average of 41 and exceeds the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 24.5% of its population, compared to 20.1% in 2021 Census data. This figure is well above the national average of 14.5%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort comprises only 3.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows a shift in median age down to 43 years due to younger residents moving in. The 25-34 age group has grown from 20.1% to 24.5%, while 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 Surfers Paradise - North indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to grow by 72%, adding 2,543 residents to reach a total of 6,079.