Surfers Paradise - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Surfers Paradise - South 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 - South's population is around 16,993 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,783 people from the 14,210 reported in the 2021 Census, a rise of 19.6%. The change is inferred from ABS figures: estimated resident population was 16,873 as of June 2024 and there were 429 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 5,087 persons per square kilometer, placing Surfers Paradise - South in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth exceeded non-metro areas (8.6%) and the national average since the 2021 Census. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.9% of overall population gains recently, 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 a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Projected demographic shifts indicate exceptional growth is predicted until 2041, with an expected increase of 8,856 persons and a total rise of 51.4% over the 17 years based on the latest population numbers.

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

Surfers Paradise - South has averaged approximately 173 new dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 866 dwellings approved over the past five financial years (from FY-20 to FY-25), and 40 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, for every home built between FY-20 and FY-25, there were approximately 4.5 new residents. This demand significantly outpaces supply, typically exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers.

Developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties, as indicated by an average dwelling construction cost value of $1,903,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaled $2.0 million, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to residential. Relative to the Rest of Qld, Surfers Paradise - South has significantly less development activity, with 57.0% fewer approvals per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. New building activity shows a skew towards compact living, with 11.0% detached houses and 89.0% attached dwellings.

This trend offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 424 people per dwelling approval, Surfers Paradise - South demonstrates a developed market. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by approximately 8,736 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Surfers Paradise - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 35 potential impact projects. Notable ones are COAST, 26 Vista, Capri, and Greenwich Chevron Island. The following details projects likely most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions Surfers Paradise - South ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Surfers Paradise - South has a well-educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.0% in June 2025, with an employment growth of 2.3% over the past year.

This is 1.0% below Rest of Qld's unemployment rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was 56.5%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and retail trade, with a particularly strong specialization in accommodation & food at 2.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.3% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 4.5%.

Employment levels increased by 2.3% from June 2024 to June 2025, while labour force increased by 2.1%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data for Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Surfers Paradise - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Surfers Paradise - South's median income among taxpayers was $45,108 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $74,666 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld's which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $50,390 (median) and $83,409 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, personal income ranked at the 44th percentile ($777 weekly), while household income sat at the 25th percentile. Income analysis revealed that the largest segment comprised 29.6% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (5,029 residents). This was consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 31.7% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 79.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 20th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Surfers Paradise - South 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 - South, as per the latest Census, consisted of 12.4% houses and 87.6% 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 - South was at 26.9%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (20.0%) or rented (53.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,950 and the national figure of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $437 and the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 50.4 percent of all households, including 12.5 percent couples with children, 29.4 percent couples without children, and 7.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 49.6 percent, with lone person households at 39.0 percent and group households comprising 10.5 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.1.

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

Educational attainment in Surfers Paradise - South shows a significant advantage with 33.1% of residents aged 15+ holding 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 23.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 37.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (15.0%) and certificates (22.2%). Educational participation is high, with 33.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.0% in tertiary, 5.5% in primary, and 4.7% pursuing secondary education.

Surfers Paradise State School serves the area, with an enrollment of 615 students as of a recent report (date not specified). The school has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1038) and offers balanced educational opportunities for primary education only. Secondary options are available in surrounding areas due to limited local capacity (3.6 places per 100 residents vs 7.7 regionally), leading many families to travel nearby for schooling.

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

The analysis shows that there are 32 active public transport stops operating in Surfers Paradise - South. These stops offer a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. There are 12 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 2,195 weekly passenger trips.

The report rates transport accessibility as excellent, with residents typically located 199 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency is 313 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 68 weekly trips per individual stop.

Surfers Paradise - South'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 Surfers Paradise - South.

Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~9,601 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.2 and 7.1% of residents respectively. 73.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Rest of Qld. The area has 18.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,216 people), which is lower 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 - South 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-South has a high level of cultural diversity, with 29.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 45.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Surfers Paradise-South, accounting for 46.3%. Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to the rest of Queensland, comprising 0.7% versus 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (24.9%), Australian (17.1%), and Other (16.0%). Notably, Spanish (1.8% vs regional 1.1%), French (1.0% vs 0.8%), and Russian (0.6%) are overrepresented in Surfers Paradise-South compared to the region.

Surfers Paradise - South's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Surfers Paradise - South was 38 years as of the 2016 Census, slightly lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but matching Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group made up 26.3% of the population in Surfers Paradise - South, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage and well above the national average of 14.5%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age cohort was less prevalent at 4.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows a decrease in median age to 38 years from 39 between 2016 and 2021. The 25-34 age group grew from 22.5% to 26.3%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 11.3% to 12.6%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 12.1% to 10.1% and the 65-74 group dropped from 11.9% to 10.6%. By 2041, Surfers Paradise - South's age composition is projected to change notably. The 25-34 age cohort is expected to increase markedly, growing by 2,865 people (64%) from 4,467 to 7,333.