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Gold Coast - Tweed Heads vs Sunshine Coast

Name: Gold Coast - Tweed Heads vs Sunshine Coast — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Urban Area comparison ≈ 208 km apart · Gold Coast - Tweed Heads profile · Sunshine Coast profile

Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Sunshine Coast

Gold Coast - Tweed Heads and Sunshine Coast are both large Queensland regions, but they offer different lifestyles. Gold Coast - Tweed Heads is more walkable, with 68.5% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed and 85.9% within a short walk of public transport. It is also more diverse, with 27.8% of people born overseas and 12.8% using another language at home. By contrast, Sunshine Coast is more reliant on cars and separate houses, which are found in 73.2% of homes. It is also an older area, where 22.2% of residents are aged 65 or over, compared to 18.8% in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads.

Since 2011, the two areas have drifted further apart in several ways. The gap in separate house ownership has flipped and widened, while the difference in typical age has also reversed. However, they remain very similar in other ways. Both have about 17% of their population under 15, and typical weekly household incomes are nearly the same, sitting at $1,637 for Gold Coast - Tweed Heads and $1,590 for Sunshine Coast.

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Where they differ most

Separate houses: 16.4 pts higher in Sunshine Coast Volunteering: 3.9 pts higher in Sunshine Coast Limited English: 1.1 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Housework 15h+: 3.5 pts higher in Sunshine Coast Population: 310,693 larger in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

Demographics & Identity

Population in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +310,693 larger in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads gap widening

693,596 87th pct 382,903 86th pct

Median age in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +4 yrs older in Sunshine Coast gap widening

40 yrs 48th pct 44 yrs 71st pct

Age structure

25.1% Older adults (45–64) +1.9 pts ▸ 27.0%

26.7% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +3.8 pts 22.9%

18.8% Seniors (65+) +3.3 pts ▸ 22.2%

17.5% Children (0–14) ◂ +0.3 pts 17.2%

11.8% Youth (15–24) ◂ +1.1 pts 10.7%

Marital status

43.9% Married +4.8 pts ▸ 48.7%

36.5% Never married ◂ +5.1 pts 31.4%

11.0% Divorced +0.1 pts ▸ 11.0%

5.1% Widowed +0.4 pts ▸ 5.5%

3.6% Separated ◂ +0.2 pts 3.4%

Age & sex structure

Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Sunshine Coast

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

66.4% Australia +7.5 pts ▸ 73.9%

6.7% New Zealand ◂ +2.4 pts 4.3%

4.9% England +1.2 pts ▸ 6.1%

1.3% China ◂ +1.1 pts 0.2%

1.3% South Africa ◂ +0.1 pts 1.2%

1.1% India ◂ +0.4 pts 0.6%

0.9% Philippines ◂ +0.4 pts 0.5%

0.3% Italy ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%

0.2% Nepal +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.2% Vietnam ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Ancestry

40.4% English +5.2 pts ▸ 45.6%

31.3% Australian +3.9 pts ▸ 35.2%

10.8% Irish +1.8 pts ▸ 12.6%

10.2% Scottish +2.2 pts ▸ 12.4%

4.6% German +1.9 pts ▸ 6.5%

3.1% Chinese ◂ +2.2 pts 1.0%

3.1% Italian ◂ +0.4 pts 2.7%

1.6% Dutch +0.4 pts ▸ 2.0%

1.4% Indian ◂ +0.5 pts 0.8%

1.3% Filipino ◂ +0.6 pts 0.7%

0.8% Greek ◂ +0.3 pts 0.5%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%

Language

Language used at home

81.1% English only +7.6 pts ▸ 88.7%

1.7% Mandarin ◂ +1.4 pts 0.3%

0.5% Cantonese ◂ +0.4 pts 0.1%

0.5% Punjabi ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%

0.4% Italian ◂ +0.1 pts 0.3%

0.3% Tagalog ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%

0.3% Arabic ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.3% Hindi ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.2% Vietnamese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.2% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

43.4% No religion +3.5 pts ▸ 47.0%

44.5% Christianity ◂ +1.1 pts 43.4%

7.8% Not stated ◂ +0.6 pts 7.2%

1.4% Buddhism ◂ +0.4 pts 1.0%

1.0% Hinduism ◂ +0.4 pts 0.6%

0.9% Islam ◂ +0.7 pts 0.2%

0.8% Other religions ◂ +0.3 pts 0.5%

0.2% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

58.0% Year 12 ◂ +1.5 pts 56.5%

20.4% Year 10 +2.1 pts ▸ 22.5%

7.3% Year 11 +0.4 pts ▸ 7.7%

6.9% Year 9 or below ◂ +0.1 pts 6.8%

Highest qualification level

29.4% Certificate III / IV +2.3 pts ▸ 31.7%

23.3% Bachelor degree even 23.3%

17.4% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +0.5 pts 16.9%

6.9% Postgraduate degree ◂ +0.7 pts 6.2%

3.1% Graduate diploma / certificate +0.5 pts ▸ 3.6%

1.9% Certificate I / II +0.2 pts ▸ 2.0%

Field of qualification

19.9% Management & commerce ◂ +2.7 pts 17.2%

11.9% Engineering & related +1.2 pts ▸ 13.2%

11.3% Health +1.3 pts ▸ 12.6%

11.5% Society & culture even 11.5%

7.5% Education +1.7 pts ▸ 9.2%

7.1% Architecture & building +0.4 pts ▸ 7.5%

6.9% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.7 pts 6.2%

3.8% Creative arts ◂ +0.3 pts 3.6%

1.4% Agriculture & environment +0.8 pts ▸ 2.2%

1.9% Natural & physical sciences +0.2 pts ▸ 2.1%

2.0% Information technology ◂ +0.5 pts 1.5%

Income

Personal income in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +$17 higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads gap narrowing

$772 65th pct $755 57th pct

Household income in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +$47 higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads gap narrowing

$1,637 71st pct $1,590 67th pct

Family income in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +$59 higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads gap narrowing

$1,976 66th pct $1,917 58th pct

Household income distribution

30.4% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.6 pts 29.8%

27.8% $650–$1,499 +0.8 pts ▸ 28.5%

15.5% Under $650 +0.1 pts ▸ 15.5%

9.7% $4,000 or more ◂ +0.4 pts 9.3%

9.5% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +0.5 pts 9.0%

Personal income distribution

39.6% Under $650 +1.2 pts ▸ 40.8%

33.2% $650–$1,499 ◂ +0.2 pts 33.1%

15.6% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.2 pts 15.5%

3.7% $3,000 or more +0.1 pts ▸ 3.9%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

8.7% Arthritis +1.6 pts ▸ 10.4%

8.5% Mental health +0.7 pts ▸ 9.2%

7.9% Other condition +0.7 pts ▸ 8.6%

7.7% Asthma +0.3 pts ▸ 8.0%

4.0% Heart disease +0.7 pts ▸ 4.7%

3.3% Cancer +0.5 pts ▸ 3.8%

3.7% Diabetes ◂ +0.1 pts 3.6%

2.0% Lung condition +0.2 pts ▸ 2.2%

1.0% Stroke +0.2 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.9% Dementia even 0.9%

Number of long-term health conditions

63.7% None ◂ +1.8 pts 61.8%

18.9% One condition +1.2 pts ▸ 20.0%

5.7% Two conditions +0.8 pts ▸ 6.5%

3.0% Three or more +0.4 pts ▸ 3.4%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast even gap narrowing

2.5 71st pct 2.5 71st pct

Family composition

54.6% Couples with children ◂ +1.7 pts 52.9%

28.9% Couples without children +3.8 pts ▸ 32.6%

15.5% One-parent families ◂ +1.8 pts 13.7%

1.1% Other families ◂ +0.3 pts 0.8%

Household size

35.9% 2 people +2.7 pts ▸ 38.5%

24.3% 1 person ◂ +0.7 pts 23.6%

16.3% 3 people ◂ +1.3 pts 15.0%

15.0% 4 people ◂ +0.4 pts 14.6%

5.7% 5 people +0.1 pts ▸ 5.8%

2.8% 6 or more ◂ +0.3 pts 2.5%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +$5 higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads gap narrowing

$450 100th pct $445 99th pct

Mortgage in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +$22 higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads gap narrowing

$1,950 86th pct $1,928 85th pct

People / bedroom in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast even gap steady

0.80 57th pct 0.80 57th pct

How homes are owned or rented

29.5% Owned outright +5.2 pts ▸ 34.7%

34.6% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +0.3 pts 34.2%

33.0% Rented ◂ +6.1 pts 26.8%

1.5% Other tenure +1.4 pts ▸ 2.9%

1.5% Not stated ◂ +0.1 pts 1.4%

Types of homes

56.8% Separate house +16.4 pts ▸ 73.2%

21.1% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +7.8 pts 13.3%

21.1% Flat or apartment ◂ +8.5 pts 12.6%

0.8% Other dwelling ◂ +0.1 pts 0.7%

Bedrooms per home

34.2% 3 bedrooms +3.4 pts ▸ 37.7%

29.0% 4 bedrooms +3.1 pts ▸ 32.2%

21.9% 2 bedrooms ◂ +4.3 pts 17.7%

7.3% 5 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 7.3%

5.5% 1 bedroom ◂ +2.1 pts 3.4%

0.5% Studio / none even 0.5%

Weekly rent distribution

55.2% $350–$549 ◂ +2.2 pts 53.0%

17.4% $550–$749 ◂ +0.6 pts 16.8%

13.0% $200–$349 +2.7 pts ▸ 15.6%

5.7% Under $200 +1.8 pts ▸ 7.4%

5.6% $750 or more ◂ +1.6 pts 4.0%

Monthly mortgage distribution

36.8% $1,800–$2,999 +0.8 pts ▸ 37.6%

27.5% $1,000–$1,799 +0.6 pts ▸ 28.1%

16.0% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.5 pts 13.6%

13.1% Under $1,000 +1.2 pts ▸ 14.2%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

62.8% Car (driver) ◂ +0.6 pts 62.2%

13.9% Worked at home +1.1 pts ▸ 15.0%

3.9% Car (passenger) even 3.9%

2.1% Walked even 2.0%

0.7% Bicycle +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.6% Bus +0.1 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.5% Train ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

Motor vehicles per home

38.8% 2 vehicles +1.0 pts ▸ 39.8%

36.8% 1 vehicle ◂ +1.5 pts 35.3%

12.5% 3 vehicles +0.8 pts ▸ 13.3%

6.8% 4 or more +0.8 pts ▸ 7.6%

5.1% No vehicle ◂ +1.1 pts 3.9%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

15.3% Health care & social assistance +2.2 pts ▸ 17.5%

11.4% Construction +0.6 pts ▸ 12.1%

10.4% Retail trade ◂ +0.5 pts 10.0%

9.0% Accommodation & food ◂ +0.3 pts 8.8%

8.4% Education & training +0.3 pts ▸ 8.7%

6.5% Professional & technical ◂ +0.2 pts 6.3%

5.0% Manufacturing ◂ +0.5 pts 4.5%

4.2% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.3 pts 3.9%

4.1% Other services ◂ +0.1 pts 4.0%

3.9% Administrative & support ◂ +0.3 pts 3.6%

3.6% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.5 pts 3.0%

2.5% Finance & insurance +0.3 pts ▸ 2.9%

Occupations people work in

20.4% Professionals +0.6 pts ▸ 21.0%

14.3% Technicians & trades +0.9 pts ▸ 15.1%

13.0% Community & personal service +0.4 pts ▸ 13.4%

12.9% Managers ◂ +0.3 pts 12.6%

12.6% Clerical & administrative ◂ +0.6 pts 11.9%

10.4% Sales workers ◂ +0.8 pts 9.7%

9.3% Labourers +0.4 pts ▸ 9.7%

5.1% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +0.3 pts 4.8%

Walkability

Walk score in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +1.1 higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

6.0 85th pct 4.9 48th pct

Types ≤15 min in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +0.9 more in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

5.5 78th pct 4.6 43rd pct

15-min city in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +14.8 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

68.5% 80th pct 53.7% 50th pct

Walk to shops in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +12.9 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

70.4% 84th pct 57.5% 60th pct

Walk to transit in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +14.6 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

85.9% 62nd pct 71.3% 29th pct

Walk to school in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +5.4 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

54.8% 28th pct 49.4% 23rd pct

Walk to a park in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +6.5 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

94.0% 77th pct 87.5% 42nd pct

Walk to health in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +7.6 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

54.0% 86th pct 46.5% 67th pct

Amenities/1k in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +0.9 more in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

13.5 36th pct 12.6 26th pct

Intersections/km² in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +31 higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

52 87th pct 21 56th pct

Mean slope in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads in Sunshine Coast +0.3 pts higher in Gold Coast - Tweed Heads

6.7% 77th pct 6.4% 71st pct

Compare Gold Coast - Tweed Heads with nearby areas

Byron Bay Brisbane Lismore Ballina Warwick Grafton Toowoomba Sunshine Coast Coffs Harbour Gympie Kingaroy Maryborough

Compare Sunshine Coast with nearby areas

Gympie Maryborough Hervey Bay Kingaroy Brisbane Bundaberg Toowoomba Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Warwick Byron Bay Lismore Ballina

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Gold Coast - Tweed Heads vs Sunshine Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/3007/gold-coast-tweed-heads/vs/3015/sunshine-coast