Region (SA4) · Area profile
Gold Coast
1,858 km²
A population of 640,778 makes the Gold Coast one of the largest areas at this level, having grown by 26% since 2011. This is a highly mobile community where nearly half of all residents have moved house in the last five years. It is a diverse place with a high proportion of overseas-born residents and a significant number of people who identify as having no religion. The area feels more urban than the state average, with many people living in flats or townhouses rather than separate houses.
Rapid population growth here is outstripping school provision.
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The typical resident is 39, and the population is slightly older than the national figure. De facto relationships are much more common here than in most other areas, and the number of people aged 65 and over has risen by 3.4 percentage points since 2011.
People born overseas make up 28.9% of the population, which is well above the Queensland figure of 22.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.
About 13.5% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure that has risen by 3.4 percentage points since 2011. However, this is still well below the national figure of 22.3%.
The area has a high proportion of people with no religion at 43.8%, which is well above the national figure. This has been a major trend, with the number rising by 21 percentage points since 2011.
Educational attainment has climbed, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher rising by 7.4 percentage points since 2011. Year 12 completion is also higher than in most areas, at 59.3%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,692, which is about the same as the state and national figures. Since 2011, typical household income has risen by $519.
About 26.9% of people have a long-term health condition, which is a little below the state average. Mental health conditions are reported by 8.4% of residents, which is lower than in most areas.
Volunteer rates are much lower than most areas at 11.5%, having fallen by 3.6 percentage points since 2011. Unpaid care for children is around the middle for its level at 26.1%.
First Nations people here have higher typical incomes and lower unemployment rates than most other areas. Year 12 completion is also far above the national figure at 52.1%.
Families tend to be larger than usual, with 2.5 people per home. This is consistent with a higher than average share of one-parent families at 15.2%.
The Gold Coast has far fewer separate houses than the state average, with many residents living in flats or townhouses. Typical weekly rent is $450, which is much higher than in most areas.
Most people drive to work, with 62.8% as the driver. While 13.9% work from home, this is well below the national figure of 21.0%.
This is a very transient area, with 48.9% of people moving in the last five years, which is well above the national figure of 40.7%.
More adults are working or looking for work than in most areas, though the share of full-time employment is much lower than the national figure. The biggest industries are health care and construction.
The region continues to grow quickly, with the population increasing by 9.0% since the last census, which is much higher than most similar areas.
The area receives high annual rainfall, averaging 1,430mm, which is far above the Queensland average. Minimum temperatures are also much higher than in most other areas.
The Gold Coast is somewhat walkable, with 83.3% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Most homes are also within a 15-minute walk of a park or grocery store.