Clifton Beach (Qld)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Clifton Beach reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, Clifton Beach's population is estimated at around 3,520. This reflects an increase of 328 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,192. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,382 following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 609 persons per square kilometer. Clifton Beach's 10.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (7.8%) and non-metro area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 50%.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. Looking at population projections moving forward, Clifton Beach is expected to expand by 571 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 13.5% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Clifton Beach when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Clifton Beach has had around 20 new homes approved each year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 101 homes were approved, with a further 12 approved in FY-26 so far.

On average, over the past five financial years, each dwelling has resulted in an estimated 2.4 new residents per year, suggesting solid demand supporting property values. The average construction cost value of new homes is $457,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Clifton Beach has seen 16.0% less new development per person but ranks among the 85th percentile nationally in terms of development activity, with recent periods showing increased activity.

All building activity since FY-21 has consisted solely of standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking family homes with space. Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than previously implied (72.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. Clifton Beach currently has approximately 112 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Clifton Beach is expected to grow by 475 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Clifton Beach has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 6thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could influence the area. Key projects include The Palms Collection Masterplan, Reefsedge Resort & Waterpark, The Palms, and Deep Creek Estate. Below is a list detailing those likely to be most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Clifton Beach ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Clifton Beach has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.4% as of June 2025, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

In this month, 1,859 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 2.5 percentage points below Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was on par with Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Leading employment industries among residents comprised health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and education & training. The area demonstrated particularly notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence with 0.5% employment compared to 4.5% regionally. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data for the wider area, aggregated from wider statistical area data, during the year to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.3% while employment declined by 1.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. This compared to Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.8%, labour force expanded by 2.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offered further insight into potential future demand within Clifton Beach. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, had been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. National employment was forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Clifton Beach's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, noting this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Clifton Beach has an average national income. The median income is $53,775 and the average income is $65,503. This differs from Rest of Qld's figures, which are a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $61,298 (median) and $74,667 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals personal income ranks at the 51st percentile ($808 weekly), while household income sits at the 34th percentile. Distribution data shows the largest segment comprises 29.7% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,045 residents). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 34th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Clifton Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 72.3% houses and 27.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 80.8% houses and 19.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clifton Beach was at 37.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented ones at 31.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,820, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Clifton Beach was $365, lower than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $390. Nationally, Clifton Beach's median monthly mortgage repayment is lower at $1,820 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and median weekly rent is also lower at $365 compared to the national figure of $375.

Clifton Beach has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 71.7% of all households, including 22.9% couples with children, 36.3% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.3%, with lone person households at 25.1% and group households comprising 3.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Clifton Beach 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 educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 28.1% among residents aged 15+, surpassing both the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA4 region average of 21.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.3% and graduate diplomas at 2.6%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 39.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 13.1% and certificates at 26.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education. Educational facilities seem to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

Clifton Beach has 16 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two routes that together offer 193 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Clifton Beach is rated as good, with residents typically located 325 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 27 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Clifton Beach'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 Clifton Beach residents have relatively positive health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across younger and older age groups.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 53%, slightly higher than the average SA2 area (~1,871 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.8% and 7.2% of residents respectively. Around 70.1% of residents report being free from medical ailments, compared to 73.1% in Rest of Qld. There are 23.0% seniors aged 65 and over (809 people), higher than the 16.7% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Clifton Beach was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Clifton Beach had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 11.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 32.4% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Clifton Beach, accounting for 44.8%. Judaism, however, was slightly overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.2% across Rest of Qld.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.0%), Australian (20.9%), and Irish (8.7%). Notably, Hungarian (0.4%) Dutch (1.9%) and Russian (0.5%) ethnicities were more prevalent in Clifton Beach compared to regional averages.

Clifton Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Clifton Beach has a median age of 48, which is higher than the Rest of Qld figure of 41 and significantly above the national norm of 38. The 55-64 age group comprises 16.7% of Clifton Beach's population, compared to Rest of Qld, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 9.2%. This 55-64 concentration is higher than the national figure of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group grew from 9.7% to 10.9%, while the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 16.1% to 14.0%. By 2041, Clifton Beach is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition. The 65 to 74 group will grow by 21%, reaching 607 people from 503. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 53% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age cohorts.