Tugun

Population growth drivers in Tugun are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of February 2026, the estimated population of Tugun is around 7,653, reflecting a 478 person increase since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 6.7% rise from the previous population figure of 7,175. AreaSearch's analysis, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and additional validated new addresses, estimates a resident population of 7,538 for Tugun. This results in a density ratio of 2,460 persons per square kilometer, placing Tugun in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Tugun has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.5%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia's SA2 area projections 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, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort where necessary. By 2041, the suburb of Tugun is projected to increase by 1,134 persons, reflecting a total increase of 15.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Tugun recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Tugun has seen approximately 35 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 176 homes were approved, with an additional 15 approved in FY26 so far. Each new dwelling built over these years has resulted in an average of 3 new residents per year.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $1,457,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. This financial year, Tugun has seen $3.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its residential character. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Tugun has 51.0% lower building activity per person. The scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. New development consists of 16.0% detached dwellings and 84.0% attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 46.0% houses.

With around 475 people per dwelling approval, Tugun shows a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Tugun's population is forecasted to grow by 1,184 residents through to 2041. Construction pace is maintaining reasonable growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

Tugun has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects likely impacting the region. Notable projects include Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4, Admiral Crescent Residential Care and Retirement Facility, Bilinga Residential Estate Stage 2, and Gold Coast Desalination Plant Expansion. The following list details those 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 conditions in Tugun demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Tugun has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% as of September 2025, lower than the Rest of Qld's 4.1%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.7%.

Workforce participation in Tugun is high at 73.5%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. As of Census responses, 16.0% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction notably has high representation with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.5% versus the regional average of 4.5%. Local employment opportunities may be limited as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 2.7% and labour force by 2.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.7%, labour force expanded by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Tugun's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, the suburb of Tugun had a median income among taxpayers of $50,462 with the average level standing at $68,555. This is slightly above average nationally and compares to levels of $53,146 and $66,593 across Rest of Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year ended June 30, 2023, current estimates would be approximately $55,463 (median) and $75,349 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Tugun cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. Distribution data shows 35.4% of the population (2,709 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen regionally where 31.7% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 47th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Tugun displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Tugun, as evaluated at the latest Census conducted on 28 August 2016, comprised 46.4% houses and 53.6% other dwellings including semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tugun was at 29.4%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (39.8%) or rented (30.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of June 2017, was $1,950, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $460. Nationally, Tugun's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375 as of June 2017.

Tugun features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 67.5% of all households, including 28.5% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 6.0%. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Tugun 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 of 27.2% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of Qld average of 20.6%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 19.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 40.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 13.4% and certificates at 26.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Tugun has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 1,309 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 177 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward using private vehicles, which remain the dominant mode of transportation at 92%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in Tugun. According to the 2021 Census, 16% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency across all routes averages 187 trips per day, equating to approximately 54 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Tugun is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Tugun shows better-than-average health outcomes according to AreaSearch's assessment, which considered mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence across both young and elderly age groups.

The prevalence of common health conditions is low in both cohorts. Approximately 54% (~4,160 people) of Tugun's population has private health cover, a figure that is relatively high. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.5% and 7.5% of residents respectively. Notably, 71.8% of Tugun residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes for those under 65 are above average. The area has 17.7% (1,354 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than the 20.4% figure for the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors in Tugun are also above average, generally aligning with national rankings for the overall population.

Tugun ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Tugun's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.6% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (80.5%), and speaking English only at home (91.6%). Christianity was the predominant religion in Tugun, accounting for 44.2% of the population. However, Judaism was overrepresented compared to the rest of Queensland, with 0.1% of Tugun's population identifying as Jewish versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.0%), Australian (25.0%), and Irish (10.4%). Notably, New Zealanders were overrepresented at 1.3% compared to the regional average of 0.9%, Welsh individuals at 0.7% versus 0.5%, and Spanish individuals at 0.6% versus 0.3%.

Tugun's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Tugun is 38 years, which is slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but aligns with Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 18.4% of Tugun's population, higher than Rest of Qld, while the 5-14 cohort makes up 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data indicates a decrease in median age from 39 to 38 years, with the 25-34 group growing from 15.6% to 18.4%, and the 35-44 cohort increasing from 14.1% to 16.1%. Conversely, the 55-64 group declined from 12.3% to 9.7%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 11.7% to 9.4%. By 2041, Tugun's age composition is projected to shift notably, with the 25-34 cohort expected to grow by 362 people (26%), from 1,408 to 1,771. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.