Urban Area · Area profile
Gold Coast - Tweed Heads
1,251 km²
Rapid growth and high mobility define Gold Coast - Tweed Heads, where the population has surged by over 3,400% since 2011. It is a diverse and evolving community with a strong international feel, as over a quarter of residents were born overseas. The area is highly walkable and popular with new arrivals, attracting a mix of professional workers and families. While the typical resident is 40, the community is increasingly multicultural and urban in its housing style.
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The typical resident is 40, which is a little older than the national figure. While the population has grown massively to 693,596, the proportion of children under 15 has fallen by 4.4 percentage points since 2011.
This is a highly international area where 27.8% of people were born overseas, a figure well above the Queensland average. This diversity has grown significantly, with the proportion of overseas-born residents rising 19 percentage points since 2011.
The use of languages other than English at home has risen 10 percentage points since 2011 to 12.8%. While this is much higher than most similar areas, it remains well below the national figure of 22.3%.
A little over 43% of people report having no religion, which is well above the national figure. This trend has accelerated, rising 20 percentage points since 2011.
The area is more qualified than most similar places, with 21.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is part of a broader trend in education, as the share of people who completed Year 12 rose 25 percentage points since 2011.
Typical weekly family incomes are $1,976, which is higher than most similar areas. Earnings have risen steadily, with typical household income increasing by $805 since 2011.
Residents here are generally healthier than those in similar areas, with much lower rates of mental health conditions (8.5%) and long-term health conditions (27.5%).
Participation in volunteering is among the lowest for this level at 11.6%, falling 10 percentage points since 2011. Rates of unpaid care and housework are also much lower than in most similar areas.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.5 people per home. Families with children make up 54.6% of households, while the share of people living alone has fallen since 2011.
The area has shifted away from detached houses, which now make up 56.8% of homes, far below the national figure of 72.3%. Renting is common, and typical weekly rents are among the highest at this level at $450.
Most people drive to work, but 13.9% work from home, which is much higher than in most similar areas. Public transport use for commuting is also higher than typical for this level.
The community is very transient, with 48.2% of people moving in the last five years, which is well above the national average of 40.7%.
More adults are working or looking for work than in most similar areas, though the share of full-time employment is well below the national figure at 54.1%.
This is a very walkable area, with a score of 6.0. It is far more accessible than the state average, with 85.9% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport.