Nerang
QLDNerang is a growing suburb in QLD with 17,048 residents.
- SAL code
- 32117
- SA2
- 309061248
- Population
- 17,048
- LGA
- Gold Coast
Nerang, QLD had 17,048 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 4.4% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 40. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,733 a month. Around 62.3% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 38.2%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 62.8% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 47 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Nerang, QLD at a glance
Nerang is one of the Gold Coast's older inland hubs, ~7 km west of Surfers Paradise in the City of Gold Coast, straddling the M1 between the coast and the hinterland. Housing is a mix of older detached homes on bigger lots, river-flat estates, and pockets of newer townhouses. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Nerang trades a beach postcode for space, transport, and access to both worlds. You're 10-15 minutes to Broadbeach by car, but also at the gateway to the hinterland — Mt Tamborine and Springbrook are weekend-drive distance. Streets are a patchwork of 70s-80s brick-and-tile homes on 700m²+ lots, riverside estates around the Nerang River, and newer townhouse infill closer to the centre. Nerang Station sits on the Gold Coast heavy-rail line to Brisbane, and the M1 runs through the suburb. Local shops cluster around Nerang Mall and Nerang Fair; the Nerang Central Shopping Centre redevelopment is lifting the retail offer. Nerang State High and Nerang State School anchor the public catchment, with St Brigid's Catholic Primary and Silkwood (Mt Nathan) nearby. In short: a practical, well-connected Gold Coast suburb if you want hinterland access and rail without paying coastal-strip prices.
For investors
Nerang is a tight, two-speed market. Median house ~$992,800 with 12-month growth of 14.97%; median unit ~$700,000, +10.24% YoY (htag April 2026). Median rents sit around $780/wk houses (4.26% gross yield) and $700/wk units (5.09% gross yield). Vacancy is sub-1% (~0.99%) and stock-on-market is exceptionally thin (~0.26%, ~0.8 months inventory). 256 house and 99 unit sales in the last 12 months — a deep enough market to enter and exit.
Strengths
- Strong recent capital growth (~+15% houses, ~+10% units YoY, htag April 2026) on a Gold Coast inland hub.
- Sub-1% vacancy and ~0.8 months inventory — leasing velocity is high and re-pricing power sits with the landlord.
- Rail (Nerang Station) + M1 + bus interchange make this one of the better-connected non-coastal suburbs on the Coast.
- Unit yields ~5.1% (~$700/wk on $700K median) compete with cheaper Brisbane corridors while sitting in a Gold Coast LGA.
Trade-offs
- House yields ~4.3% are moderate after the recent run — entry is no longer cheap relative to the rent it produces.
- Older housing stock means CapEx allowance for renovation, plumbing, and roofs on the 70s-80s base.
- Parts of the suburb sit on the Nerang River flats — flood overlays affect insurance and lender appetite on specific streets; check the property-level overlay tile below.
- Industrial pockets along Lawrence Drive and the M1 frontage shape tenant pool and amenity in those sub-areas.
What's coming
City of Gold Coast has the Nerang Administration Precinct and Nerang Bicentennial Community Centre flagged for redevelopment in consultation with the community, and Nerang Central Shopping Centre is in active redevelopment. The 2025/26 Council program also added a youth support worker to the Nerang Neighbourhood Centre. Watch for hinterland-edge structure-plan updates as Gold Coast's western corridor keeps absorbing growth.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a connected, larger-lot Gold Coast suburb with rail and hinterland access. For investors: a tight, two-speed market with strong recent growth — units carry the better cashflow.
Population
?17,048
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+4.4%
3yr: +4.1% · 10yr: +8.4%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,423/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
40
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?4/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?5.2%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
3
2 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?15
13 long day, 6 OSHC
Parks & green space
?47
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?13
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?859
Gold Coast · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
state Valuer-General sale price data not yet loaded for QLD
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from QLD police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Nerang - Mount Nathan (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Nerang suburb alone is ~17,048 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 15,345 to 22,560 over 24 years, averaging 1.6% per year.
Schools
3 in suburbSector
2 public · 1 private
Type
2 primary · 1 secondary
Total enrolment
1,381(2 of 3 reporting)
Avg per school
691
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for QLD.
Source when available: QLD Department of Education — QSpatial State School Catchment Areas.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 5.1%Predominantly detached houses (62.8%), mixed tenure (62.3% own or mortgage), built for families (52% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
QLD 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: QLD QRA Bushfire Prone Area
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: QLD Local Government Flood Planning Areas
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
15 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONSERVATION | CONSERVATIONEnvironmental | 47.7% | 16.88 km² |
| RURAL RESIDENTIAL | RURAL RESIDENTIALRural | 16.0% | 5.67 km² |
| LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL | LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIALResidential | 8.0% | 2.83 km² |
| OPEN SPACE | OPEN SPACEparks | 5.2% | 1.84 km² |
| LIMITED DEVELOPMENT (CONSTRAINED LAND) | LIMITED DEVELOPMENT (CONSTRAINED LAND)Special use | 3.2% | 1.14 km² |
| EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY | EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRYIndustrial | 2.9% | 1.02 km² |
| MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL | MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIALResidential | 2.4% | 0.85 km² |
| LOW IMPACT INDUSTRY | LOW IMPACT INDUSTRYIndustrial | 1.5% | 0.52 km² |
| COMMUNITY FACILITIES | COMMUNITY FACILITIESSpecial use | 1.3% | 0.46 km² |
| CENTRE | CENTREBusiness | 1.1% | 0.38 km² |
| SPECIAL PURPOSE | SPECIAL PURPOSESpecial use | 0.6% | 0.22 km² |
| RURAL | RURALRural | 0.4% | 0.13 km² |
| SPORT AND RECREATION | SPORT AND RECREATIONRecreation | 0.2% | 0.05 km² |
| MIXED USE, FRINGE BUSINESS PRECINCT | MIXED USE, FRINGE BUSINESS PRECINCTmixed-use | 0.2% | 0.05 km² |
| RURAL, RURAL LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENT PRECINCT | RURAL, RURAL LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENT PRECINCTRural | 0.1% | 0.05 km² |
Source: QLD DSDILGP Local Government Planning Scheme Zones (ZONE_QLD/2026-05-12/be11464ce5af1cd4) · As of May 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.