How many people live on the Gold Coast, and who are they?
A resort strip, a hinterland and a fast-filling corridor to the north: on the Gold Coast the residents are only part of the market, and the young families live away from the beach.
The Gold Coast region had 708,530 residents at 30 June 2025, the largest Australian city that is not a capital. Within a 45-minute drive of Cavill Avenue live 800,440 people. The northern corridor around Coomera is young and growing; the beachfront is older, lives in apartments and earns less, with an income index of 81.8 in Surfers Paradise.
How many people live within 15, 30 and 45 minutes of central Gold Coast?
People & Economy · Gold CoastFrom 13 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise, 188,854 people live within 15 minutes by car, 400,215 between 15 and 30 minutes and 211,371 between 30 and 45. The 45-minute area covers 1,239 km².
The total, 800,440, is more than the Gold Coast region itself: in the 30–45 minute band the drive reaches 56,656 residents of Logan, to the north, and 56,254 of the Tweed, across the border in New South Wales.
| Drive time | Residents | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 0–15 min | 188,854 | 188,854 |
| 15–30 min | 400,215 | 589,069 |
| 30–45 min | 211,371 | 800,440 |
Source: K-Stra analysis of 2 November 2026, drive time by car in average traffic from 13 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise; residents from ABS Estimated Resident Population at 30 June 2025, placed on address points.
How does the Gold Coast change with distance from the centre?
In a straight line, 312,162 people live within 10 kilometres of Cavill Avenue and 600,217 within 20. Within 5 km, 66.6% of homes are flats, 45.6% are rented and the median age is 41.8. The outer ring is not all Gold Coast: the 381,265 residents between 30 and 50 km include Logan, to the north, and the Tweed, across the border in New South Wales.
Income rises away from the beach, from an index of 83.4 within 5 km to 94.3 between 10 and 20 km: the opposite of the large capitals, where the centre earns most.
| Distance from 13 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise | Residents | Within this distance | Income index | Median age | Flats (2021) | Rented (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–5 km | 111,172 | 111,172 | 83.4 | 41.8 | 66.6% | 45.6% |
| 5–10 km | 200,990 | 312,162 | 89.1 | 40.5 | 30.6% | 38.0% |
| 10–20 km | 288,055 | 600,217 | 94.3 | 40.0 | 12.1% | 27.5% |
| 20–30 km | 146,657 | 746,874 | 89.6 | 38.3 | 15.7% | 34.3% |
| 30–50 km | 381,265 | 1,128,139 | 92.4 | 37.0 | 3.7% | 33.8% |
Straight-line rings counted by K-Stra on every address point, inside or outside the city boundary. Residents and age: ABS 2025; income index: ABS Personal Income 2022–23; flats and renting: ABS Census 2021.
What are the key figures for Gold Coast?
| Indicator | Gold Coast | QLD | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents, 30 June 2025 | 708,530 | 5,669,764 | 27,613,654 |
| Average yearly change, 2019–2025 | 2.07% | 1.90% | 1.50% |
| Area | 1,858 km² | 1,730,171 km² | 7,688,095 km² |
| Residents per km² | 381.4 | 3.3 | 3.6 |
| Median age | 39.4 | 38.6 | 38.5 |
| Aged under 15 | 16.3% | 17.7% | 17.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.0% | 17.4% | 17.5% |
| Income index | 91.1 | 96.6 | 100.0 |
| Consumption index | 91.6 | 96.8 | 100.0 |
| Spending per resident, a year | A$48,181 | A$50,902 | A$52,582 |
| Resident spending, a year | A$34.1 billion | A$288.6 billion | A$1,452.0 billion |
| Families (Census 2021) | 172,410 | 1,366,648 | 6,730,182 |
| Homes rented (Census 2021) | 35.2% | 35.7% | 33.6% |
| Flats and apartments (Census 2021) | 29.2% | 17.0% | 19.6% |
Area: the Gold Coast region (ABS SA4). Residents counted by K-Stra on the address points inside it; yearly change: council estimates 2019–2025 weighted by the residents each council brings. Income index from ABS Personal Income 2022–23 (tax data), measured or estimated; consumption index derived from it; 100 = Australia. Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25.
Which parts of the Gold Coast are largest, richest and youngest?
Ormeau – Oxenford, the northern corridor towards Brisbane, is by far the largest district, with 174,745 residents, the youngest median age, 34.6, and the highest income index, 97.2.
Surfers Paradise has 74.0% of homes in flats and a median age of 43.2; Gold Coast – North, around Runaway Bay and Paradise Point, is the oldest district, at 47.3.
| District (SA3) | Residents 2025 | Median age | Income index | Flats (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ormeau – Oxenford | 174,745 | 34.6 | 97.2 | 4.2% |
| Gold Coast – North | 77,133 | 47.3 | 88.0 | 32.7% |
| Nerang | 76,960 | 39.2 | 92.6 | 7.5% |
| Broadbeach – Burleigh | 73,666 | 40.9 | 93.7 | 42.1% |
| Southport | 71,140 | 38.1 | 81.7 | 48.1% |
| Coolangatta | 63,464 | 41.8 | 92.4 | 37.0% |
| Robina | 59,622 | 38.9 | 89.7 | 23.8% |
| Surfers Paradise | 50,212 | 43.2 | 81.8 | 74.0% |
| Mudgeeraba – Tallebudgera | 39,650 | 39.6 | 94.6 | 0.6% |
| Gold Coast Hinterland | 21,938 | 46.4 | 84.5 | 0.5% |
Where on the Gold Coast are new residents settling?
The City of Gold Coast, a single council of 691,230 residents, grew 12.5% from 2019 to 2025, on average 2.08% a year. The yearly series exists only for the council as a whole, so the districts are compared here by size and age.
The northern postcodes show where the growth goes: 4209 Upper Coomera has 82,507 residents, the most of any Gold Coast postcode, and a median age of 30.9, followed by 4208 Ormeau at 34.5.
Which postcodes in the Gold Coast have the highest and lowest incomes?
No Gold Coast postcode with more than 5,000 residents has an income index much above 100: the highest is 4208 Ormeau, at 101.6, then 4210 Oxenford (98.9) and 4212 Helensvale (95.7), all in the north.
The lowest are the centres of the visitor economy: 4215 Southport, with 61,344 residents, at 79.9, and 4217 Surfers Paradise at 81.8. Tamborine Mountain (4272), in the hinterland, is the oldest, at 51.2.
| Highest income index | Residents | Median age | Income index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4208 Ormeau | 26,938 | 34.5 | 101.6 |
| 4210 Oxenford | 25,032 | 36.5 | 98.9 |
| 4212 Helensvale | 36,681 | 44.7 | 95.7 |
| 4209 Upper Coomera | 82,507 | 30.9 | 95.6 |
| 4220 Burleigh Waters | 36,056 | 40.7 | 95.2 |
| Lowest income index | Residents | Median age | Income index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4215 Southport (Qld) | 61,344 | 39.3 | 79.9 |
| 4217 Surfers Paradise | 50,230 | 43.2 | 81.8 |
| 4272 Tamborine Mountain | 9,125 | 51.2 | 83.8 |
| 4225 Coolangatta (Qld) | 9,252 | 49.2 | 86.8 |
| 4214 Ashmore | 43,002 | 40.3 | 87.0 |
ABS postal areas with more than 5,000 residents inside the city, named after their most populous suburb; the part of each postcode inside the city boundary only. Income index: ABS personal income tax data for 2022–23, measured for councils and SA2 areas and estimated elsewhere; a postcode is the average of its addresses, weighted by residents, so it can differ from the council that contains it.
How much do residents of the Gold Coast spend, and how many businesses serve them?
The Gold Coast has 16.19 accommodation businesses, 15.74 restaurants and 9.60 gyms per 10,000 residents — more than any of the five capitals in all three — and 8.98 real estate agencies. Supermarkets, at 2.31, are the fewest of the six cities.
| Category | Per resident | Total (A$ million) |
|---|---|---|
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | A$4,864 | 3,446 |
| Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics | A$1,440 | 1,020 |
| Clothing and footwear | A$1,788 | 1,267 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | A$11,919 | 8,445 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance | A$1,962 | 1,390 |
| Health | A$3,462 | 2,453 |
| Transport | A$5,077 | 3,597 |
| Information and communication | A$881 | 624 |
| Recreation, sport and culture | A$4,769 | 3,379 |
| Education services | A$1,591 | 1,127 |
| Restaurants and accommodation services | A$3,893 | 2,758 |
| Insurance and financial services | A$3,778 | 2,677 |
| Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services | A$2,757 | 1,953 |
| All categories | A$48,181 | 34,138 |
| Per 10,000 residents | Gold Coast | QLD | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | 2.31 | 2.79 | 2.92 |
| Pharmacies | 2.92 | 2.66 | 2.63 |
| Gyms & fitness centers | 9.60 | 7.87 | 7.06 |
| Bars & cafés | 13.59 | 11.62 | 12.00 |
| Restaurants | 15.74 | 11.10 | 12.17 |
| Hairdressers | 12.94 | 9.89 | 9.31 |
| Childcare & early learning | 4.90 | 5.07 | 5.24 |
| Aged care & retirement living | 2.48 | 2.55 | 2.50 |
| Fuel stations | 2.68 | 3.91 | 3.74 |
| Real estate agencies | 8.98 | 6.74 | 5.34 |
| Hotels & accommodation | 16.19 | 16.39 | 15.11 |
Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25; residents only, visitors not included. K-Stra places catalogue, October 2026, as the app classifies each business; residents at 30 June 2025.
What does this mean for choosing a location in the Gold Coast?
Hospitality on the Gold Coast is built for visitors as much as for residents. K-Stra counts residents only, so a café or a restaurant in Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach faces a resident market that looks crowded and lower-income; the visitors who fill it are not in the figures.
Everyday retail follows the residents, and the residents are increasingly in the north: Upper Coomera, Ormeau and Oxenford are young, growing and earn more than the beachfront. Supermarkets per resident are the lowest of the six cities.
A 45-minute drive from Surfers Paradise reaches into Logan and northern New South Wales. For a large-format store, the Gold Coast’s market is wider than its own boundaries.
What else do people ask about the Gold Coast?
What is the population of the Gold Coast?
The Gold Coast region (ABS SA4) had 708,530 residents at 30 June 2025, and the City of Gold Coast council 691,230. It is the largest Australian city that is not a state or territory capital.
How many people live within 30 minutes of Surfers Paradise?
589,069 people live within a 30-minute drive of 13 Cavill Avenue in average traffic, according to a K-Stra analysis of 2 November 2026, and 800,440 within 45 minutes.
Which part of the Gold Coast is growing fastest?
The northern corridor between Coomera and Ormeau. Upper Coomera (4209) is the most populous postcode on the Gold Coast, with 82,507 residents and a median age of 30.9, the youngest in the city.
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