Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach

The population grew by 35% since 2011 to nearly 14,000 people. It is a relatively mature area where the typical resident is 40, and the proportion of seniors has risen to 18.9%. Children under 15 make up only 8.8% of the community, which is well below the national figure.

People born overseas make up 29.8% of the population, which is well above the Queensland average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, while New Zealand and England are the most frequent birthplaces outside Australia.

English is the main language for 75.8% of residents. While 14.3% use another language at home, the proportion of people who speak little or no English is quite low at 1.5%.

A large number of residents identify as having no religion, accounting for 43.3% of the population. This figure has risen sharply by 21 percentage points since 2011.

This is a highly qualified community, with 29.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also well above the national figure at 64%.

Typical personal weekly income is $950, which is a little above both the state and national figures. There has been a notable increase in high earners, with the share of people earning $2,000 or more a week rising to 13.5% since 2011.

Residents here are in better health than most, with far fewer people reporting long-term health conditions (23.7%) or mental health conditions (6.9%) compared to the state average.

Community participation in unpaid work is very low; the share of people caring for children unpaid is far below the national figure. Volunteers make up 12% of the population, which is a little below the state average.

First Nations residents here are noticeably older and have much higher Year 12 completion rates (66.7%) than those in other similar areas.

The area has very small households, with only 1.9 people per home. This is partly explained by the fact that 35.6% of people live alone, a figure far above the national average.

Apartments make up the vast majority of homes at 80.3%, while detached houses are very rare. Renting is much more common here than elsewhere in the state, and typical weekly rents are a little above the national figure at $440.

While 8.4% of homes have no car, the area is very well connected, with 100% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Working from home is also common, accounting for 16.9% of commutes.

This is a highly transient community, as 61.1% of residents moved here within the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas also make up a much larger share of the population (21.2%) than in most other areas.

Full-time employment is much lower than the national figure at 53.9%. Many residents work in health care, accommodation, or food services.

The area is a major business hub with 3,074 businesses and shows strong overall advantage. Population growth since 2021 has been well above the state average.

The area receives far more rainfall than the Queensland average, with an annual total of 1,578mm. Average minimum temperatures are also much higher than in most other parts of the state.

Described as a walker's paradise, the area has a walkability score of 8.8. Every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park and groceries, and 97.8% are near health services.