Broadbeach Waters

Population growth drivers in Broadbeach Waters are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

The population of Broadbeach Waters is estimated at 9,122 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 958 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,164. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 9,109 following examination of ABS data released in June 2025, and an additional 61 validated new addresses since the Census date. This equates to a density ratio of 1,717 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Broadbeach Waters' population growth of 11.7% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the Rest of Qld (9.2%) and the national average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.0% 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. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Looking ahead, the suburb is projected to increase by 1,289 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 14.0% over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Broadbeach Waters among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Broadbeach Waters has seen approximately 33 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling about 166 homes. In FY26 so far, there have been 34 approvals. This results in an average of 4.4 new residents per year for every home built between FY21 and FY25. The average construction cost value for these properties is $1,959,000.

Commercial approvals this financial year amount to $15.1 million. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Broadbeach Waters has 70.0% lower building activity per capita. Most new constructions are standalone homes (88.0%), with townhouses or apartments making up the remainder (12.0%). The area currently hosts about 262 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential for growth.

Future projections estimate a population increase of 1,276 residents by 2041. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, but increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Broadbeach Waters 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 39 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include The Landmark, The Lanes Retail Precinct, Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 (Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads), and Broadbeach South light rail station. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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Employment conditions in Broadbeach Waters demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Broadbeach Waters has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in the past year, showing a 2.5% employment growth. As of December 2025, 5,053 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, below Regional Qld's 4.0%.

Workforce participation is similar to Regional Qld's 64.5%. A moderate 20.6% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 impacts. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food services. The area has strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.3% versus Regional Qld's average of 4.5%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over December 2024 to December 2025, employment increased by 2.5%, labour force by 2.6%, and unemployment rose by 0.1 percentage points. Regional Qld showed slower growth: employment up 0.7% and labour force up 1.0%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Broadbeach Waters' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, although this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The suburb of Broadbeach Waters had a median taxpayer income of $52,125 and an average income of $125,740 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. Nationally, this is exceptionally high, contrasting with Regional Qld's median income of $53,146 and average income of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $58,046 (median) and $140,024 (average) as of March 2026. The 2021 Census showed household, family and personal incomes in Broadbeach Waters clustered around the 67th percentile nationally. Distribution data revealed that 29.6% of residents (2,700 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, consistent with broader metropolitan trends at 31.7%. Economic strength was evident with 32.2% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consumed 17.3% of income, yet strong earnings placed disposable income at the 68th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

Broadbeach Waters is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Broadbeach Waters, as recorded at the latest Census, 78.4% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 21.7% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments and other types of dwellings. This compares to Regional Queensland's figures of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Broadbeach Waters stood at 40.4%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 36.4% and rented ones 23.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, surpassing Regional Queensland's average of $1,655. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Broadbeach Waters was recorded at $600, compared to Regional Queensland's $345 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Broadbeach Waters' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

Broadbeach Waters features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.5% of all households, including 31.0% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.5%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households making up 6.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5 people.

Broadbeach Waters demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate of 30.1%, as of the latest data available, exceeds both the Rest of Queensland average of 20.6% and the SA4 region average of 25.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 21.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 35.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.4%) and certificates (22.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.2% in secondary education, 8.1% in primary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 34 active transport stops operating within Broadbeach Waters, consisting of a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 16 individual routes, collectively facilitating 2,398 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 225 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward, with car remaining the dominant mode of transportation at 89%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 20.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 342 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 70 weekly trips per individual stop.

Broadbeach Waters's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results for Broadbeach Waters, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 77% of the total population (7,025 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Qld and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.1 and 5.9% of residents respectively. 73.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Qld. The area has 18.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,660 people), which is lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Broadbeach Waters was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Broadbeach Waters had a higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 14.6% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 31.1% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Broadbeach Waters, accounting for 53.6% of the population. Notably, Judaism had a higher representation in Broadbeach Waters at 0.7%, compared to 0.1% across Regional Qld.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.9%), Australian (21.2%), and Irish (8.7%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: New Zealand (1.6% vs regional 0.9%), Spanish (0.8% vs 0.3%), and Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.2%) were notably overrepresented in Broadbeach Waters.

Broadbeach Waters hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Broadbeach Waters is close to Regional Queensland's average of 41 years, which is also higher than the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Regional Qld, the 35-44 age group is notably over-represented at 14.7% locally, while the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 10.2%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the area has become younger, with median age dropping from 43 to 42 years. Notably, the 25-34 age group grew from 12.1% to 14.1%, and the 35-44 cohort increased from 12.7% to 14.7%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 15.4% to 12.1%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 11.0% to 9.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 386 people (30%) from 1,286 to 1,673. Conversely, both the 55-64 and 15-24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.