Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Coolangatta
2 km²
Bordering the coast in the Gold Coast region, Coolangatta is a high-density seaside hub with a notably mature population. The typical resident is 50, making it far older than the national figure, and over a quarter of the community are seniors. This is a transient and diverse area where many people live alone in apartments, and over half the residents have moved here in the last five years. Its character is a blend of retirees and a mobile, overseas-born population.
Coolangatta is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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Coolangatta is far older than most areas, with a typical age of 50 and 27.8% of people aged 65 and over. Children under 15 make up only 8.2%, which is far below the national figure of 18.2%.
English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and 20.9% of people were born overseas, which is a little below the Queensland figure.
English is the primary language for 84.1% of residents. Only 8.6% use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About 44% of people report having no religion, a figure that is well above the national average and has risen significantly since 2011.
The area has seen a rise in qualifications, with 23.6% of adults now holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is a little above the Queensland average.
Typical household incomes are well below the national figure at $1,331 a week, and only 13.9% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, with 30.6% of residents affected and 6.7% needing help with daily activities.
Unpaid care for children is among the lowest at this level at 16.2%. About 12.2% of people volunteer, which is a little below the national figure.
First Nations residents are noticeably older than the national average with a typical age of 29. They also have a much lower unemployment rate at 4.2%.
Homes are generally small, with only 1.9 people per home. This is well below the national figure, and 37.5% of people live alone.
The area is dominated by flats or apartments, which make up 76.9% of homes. Renting is far more common than the national average at 41.2%, though 36.5% of homes are owned outright.
Most residents rely on cars, though 9% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the state figure. Public transport departures are far above the Queensland average.
This is a highly mobile community, with 53.5% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 21.3% of the population.
Only 55.1% of adults are working or looking for work, which is much lower than most similar areas. Many work in health care, social assistance, or tourism.
The area has a high number of businesses, 958 in total, and population growth since 2021 has been much higher than most areas at 10.2%.
Coolangatta receives far more rainfall than the Queensland average, with 1,791mm annually, and typical minimum temperatures are much higher than most areas.
This is a walker's paradise, with a walkability score of 8.4. Every single home is within a 15-minute walk of a park and a school.