Surfers Paradise
QLDSurfers Paradise is a growing suburb in QLD with 26,412 residents.
- SAL code
- 32702
- SA2
- 309101562
- Population
- 26,412
- LGA
- Gold Coast
Surfers Paradise, QLD had 26,412 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 22.2% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 42. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,606 a month. Around 45.0% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 51.2%. Most dwellings are flats or apartments, making up 82.3% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 81 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
Surfers Paradise, QLD at a glance
Surfers Paradise is the Gold Coast's apartment-dominated tourist core, ~75 km south of Brisbane in the City of Gold Coast. The dwelling stock is overwhelmingly high-rise units fronting a patrolled surf beach, with a thin band of detached riverfront houses on the western side. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle, and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Surfers Paradise is one of the few Australian suburbs where you can buy an apartment, walk to a patrolled surf beach, and not need a car to live day-to-day. The G:link light rail runs through the suburb with stations at Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise and Northcliffe — Broadbeach, Southport health precinct and Helensvale heavy rail are all on the line. Cavill Avenue and the Esplanade carry the cafes, restaurants and nightlife; Macintosh Island Park and Evandale Parklands sit on the river side for green space. Surfers Paradise State School covers primary; St Hilda's and TSS in neighbouring suburbs cover the private secondary market. Trade-offs are real: tourist-precinct foot traffic, peak-event noise, and a built form that is mostly stratified high-rise. In short: a walkable, transit-connected, beach-front lifestyle if you want apartment living with the holiday-strip energy that comes with it.
For investors
Surfers Paradise is fundamentally a unit market. Median unit sale $780,000 against $750/week rent gives a 4.80% gross yield, with 12-month unit growth +9.86% and quarterly +2.97% (Your Investment Property May 2026). 1,408 unit sales in 12 months — one of QLD's deepest stratified markets. Houses are a thin, premium band: median $1,280,000, $1,350/week rent, 2.80% yield, -6.91% over 12 months on just 201 sales. Days-on-market 35 (units), 40 (houses).
Strengths
- Deep, liquid unit market — 1,408 sales in 12 months makes entry and exit simple at almost any price point.
- Solid unit growth (+9.86% YoY) paired with a 4.80% gross yield (Your Investment Property May 2026).
- Tight Gold Coast vacancy (~1.0%) and short-stay demand from a year-round tourist base support leasing velocity.
- G:link light rail through the suburb plus walkable beach + dining = durable tenant appeal without car dependence.
Trade-offs
- House segment is going backwards (-6.91% over 12 months, Your Investment Property May 2026) on thin volume — the asset class doesn't behave like the unit segment.
- Body corporate fees on resort-style towers can be heavy; net yield drops well below gross.
- Short-stay / Airbnb mix exposes returns to tourism cycles, schoolies disruption, and any future short-stay regulation from the City of Gold Coast.
- Heavy ongoing apartment supply pipeline across the Gold Coast core can cap rent growth even when vacancy stays tight.
What's coming
City of Gold Coast's Esplanade pedestrianisation trial (250 m, Hanlan Street to Soul) runs to 31 March 2026, with a permanence decision expected then and construction mid-to-late 2027 — unlocking ~5,000 m² of new public open space. The $100 million Cavill Avenue and Cavill Mall revitalisation is scheduled to build March 2028 to May 2029. The 2025/26 Annual Plan commits a record $543 million city-wide on transport and infrastructure.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a walkable, transit-rich beach lifestyle if apartment living and tourist-strip energy work for you. For investors: a unit-led yield + growth play, not a house play.
Population
?26,412
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+22.2%
3yr: +15.6% · 10yr: +34.2%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,323/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
42
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?4/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?3.1%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
1 primary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?2
2 long day
Parks & green space
?81
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?63
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 — Surfers Paradise - South (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Surfers Paradise suburb alone is ~26,412 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 9,102 to 17,410 over 24 years, averaging 2.7% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbSector
1 public
Type
1 primary
Total enrolment
643
Avg per school
643
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 0.1%Almost entirely apartments (82.3%), rental-heavy (51.2% renting), built for families (49% are 2 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
QLD 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
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. Source when available: QLD Reconstruction Authority — Bushfire Prone Area + Floodplain Assessment Overlay.
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
10 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL | HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIALResidential | 19.5% | 1.13 km² |
| LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL | LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIALResidential | 15.6% | 0.91 km² |
| OPEN SPACE | OPEN SPACEparks | 6.1% | 0.36 km² |
| MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL | MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIALResidential | 5.9% | 0.34 km² |
| CENTRE | CENTREBusiness | 5.9% | 0.34 km² |
| INNOVATION, GOLD COAST CULTURAL PRECINCT | INNOVATION, GOLD COAST CULTURAL PRECINCTOther | 3.1% | 0.18 km² |
| NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE | NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTREBusiness | 0.7% | 0.04 km² |
| COMMUNITY FACILITIES | COMMUNITY FACILITIESSpecial use | 0.4% | 0.02 km² |
| UNZONED | UNZONEDOther | 0.3% | 0.02 km² |
| SPECIAL PURPOSE | SPECIAL PURPOSESpecial use | 0.1% | 6,892 m² |
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.