Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Main Beach
3 km²
A far older population than most of the country defines Main Beach, where the typical resident is now 57. This is a high-income community of professionals and retirees, with a population that grew 14% since 2011. The area is almost entirely made up of apartments, creating a high-density feel where most people live alone or as couples without children. It is a wealthy, well-qualified pocket of the Gold Coast with a strong connection to the coast and a very walkable layout.
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Residents here are much older than the national figure, and those aged 65 and over make up 34.7% of the population. In contrast, children under 15 are very rare, making up only 5.9% of the community.
The community has a strong British influence, with 41.6% of people claiming English ancestry. About 26.0% were born overseas, which is well above the Queensland average.
English is the primary language for the vast majority, and only 8.8% of people use another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About 51.8% of residents identify as Christian. Those with no religion make up 33.5% of the population, which is well below the figures for both the state and the nation.
This is a highly qualified area, with 28.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is well above the Queensland average and is consistent with the high number of professionals and managers living here.
Incomes are high, with 17.3% of people earning $2,000 or more a week. A quarter of all households earn $3,000 or more weekly, a figure well above the national average.
Mental health conditions are reported far less often here than in other areas, at only 5.6%. Those needing help with daily activities make up 3.6% of the population, which is a little below the national figure.
Unpaid care for children is very low at 12.9%, which is far below the national figure and reflects the small number of children in the area.
The First Nations community is small, but those who live here have a typical personal income of $1,062, which is far above the Queensland and national figures.
Homes are small, with a typical size of 1.9 people. This is well below the national average, and it is common for people to live alone, which accounts for 35.5% of households.
The area is dominated by flats or apartments, which make up 89.2% of homes. Ownership is high, with 46.4% of homes owned outright, while typical weekly rents are well above the national figure at $500.
Working from home is very common, with 24.7% of the workforce doing so—far above the state average. Public transport is heavily used, with bus services being the primary mode.
The community is quite transient, as 50.9% of residents moved here in the last five years. This is far above the national average.
Adults working or looking for work make up 51.6% of the population, which is far below the state average, likely reflecting the large number of retirees.
The area is very advantaged, scoring an 8 out of 10 for overall advantage. It also ranks highly for job skills and education, sitting in the top 20% of similar areas.
Main Beach receives much more rainfall than the Queensland average, with 1,418mm annually. Average maximum temperatures are lower than the state average.
This is a walker's paradise with a score of 8.2. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of public transport, parks, groceries, and health services.