Beachmere
A median age of 57, fully 17.0 years above the national figure, is the single fact that shapes Beachmere most. The aging skew explains the 36.4% labour force participation rate, because 2,191 residents have left the workforce, and it sits behind a household income in just the 17.6th percentile nationally. Yet the suburb is far from static: population rose 22.1% over the decade and net internal migration adds 245 people a year, with the gentrification gauge reading active at a score of 49. Housing stays affordable by Queensland standards at a $438,000 median, and dwellings are 83.9% separate houses across a low-density 31.87 km2 footprint of about 150 residents per square kilometre.
Population
4,782
Median Age
57.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,103/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
Median House
$438K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $438,000 median house price, Beachmere undercuts most of metropolitan Brisbane, and the stock suits families rather than downsizers despite the older population: 48.4% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 28.3% have four or more, while separate houses make up 83.9% and apartments only 11.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, modest in dollar terms, but against the local household income in the 17.6th percentile the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.7%, above the 30% stress threshold. That divergence matters: the homes are cheap nationally, yet incomes are low enough that even small loans stretch budgets. Outright owners dominate at 46.3% versus 28.7% on a mortgage, a sign that much of the housing is held debt-free by established retirees rather than recent buyers.
For Buyers
At a $438,000 median house price, Beachmere undercuts most of metropolitan Brisbane, and the stock suits families rather than downsizers despite the older population: 48.4% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 28.3% have four or more, while separate houses make up 83.9% and apartments only 11.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, modest in dollar terms, but against the local household income in the 17.6th percentile the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.7%, above the 30% stress threshold. That divergence matters: the homes are cheap nationally, yet incomes are low enough that even small loans stretch budgets. Outright owners dominate at 46.3% versus 28.7% on a mortgage, a sign that much of the housing is held debt-free by established retirees rather than recent buyers.
For Investors
A 25.0% renter share and $350 weekly rent give a gross yield near 4.2% against the $438,000 median, well above the sub-2% yields typical of premium Brisbane suburbs, which is the core of the investment case here. Rent grew 20.0% over the period, and net internal migration of 245 residents a year, the suburb's primary growth driver, supports continued tenant demand. The caution is the 8.5% vacancy rate, higher than a tight rental market would show, and rent-to-income at 31.7% signals tenants are already stretched, capping how far rents can climb. Development is modest at 24 applications in 12 months, mostly single dwelling houses and carports rather than new estates, so supply stays constrained and the thesis leans on yield plus the 22.1% decade population growth more than rapid capital gains.
Development Activity
Total DAs
80
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-41.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Beachmere iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Birali Steiner School
Prep-10 · 157 students
Beachmere State School
Prep-6 · 334 students
Demographics
The median age of 57 runs 17.0 years above national, the defining trait, and the trajectory reinforces it: the senior share rose 11.8 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 6.0 points and the young share dropped 4.5 points. This is an aging community pulling further from the national profile. Overseas-born residents sit at 20.3%, which is 1.3 points below national, so the population is more Australian-born than typical, and ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (2,285), Irish (574) and Scottish (556). University qualifications reach only 18.2%, fully 11.9 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and personal services. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, and 46.5% of families are couples with no children, the largest family type at 1,664 households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.9%
Houses
2.1%
Townhouse
11.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward outright ownership: 46.3% own their home debt-free, 28.7% carry a mortgage and 25.0% rent, a pattern that reflects the older, retired resident base more than active buyer churn. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 83.9% separate houses, with apartments at 11.7% and semi-detached just 2.1%, and it skews to larger family homes with 48.4% three-bedroom and 28.3% four-plus-bedroom dwellings. The $438,000 median is affordable nationally, yet against local incomes the strain shows: mortgage-to-income reaches 32.7% and rent-to-income 31.7%, both above the 30% stress line. That gap between cheap prices and stressed ratios is the key housing tension, driven by household income in the 17.6th percentile rather than by high property values.
Mortgage / mo
$1,560
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$561
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
181
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.7% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.5%
Couples, no children
3,579
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in services and trades rather than knowledge sectors: Healthcare leads at 22.0% (212 workers), Construction follows at 14.4% (139) and Education at 10.8% (104), with Retail and Manufacturing rounding out the top five. By occupation, Clerical and Admin (222), Professionals (210) and Labourers (208) are closely matched, a broad spread without a dominant professional class, which fits the IEO education-and-occupation score of decile 2, near the bottom nationally. Participation reads just 36.4% and unemployment 6.7%, both shaped by the aging profile that leaves 2,191 residents out of the labour force. One anomaly stands out: the IER economic-resources score reaches decile 5, well above the decile 2 IEO and IRSAD scores, because the high 46.3% outright ownership lifts asset-based wealth even where current incomes are low.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
7,518
Unemployed
308
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.6%
Part-time
29.7%
Participation
36.4%
Employed
1,414
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.2%
Postgraduate
3.4%
Born Overseas
20.3%
Dwellings
1,963
Transport to Work
Beachmere is heavily car-dependent: 88.9% drive to work while only 1.6% use public transport and 3.6% walk or cycle, far below the national reliance on transit, a function of the low 150 residents per square kilometre density across 31.87 km2. The suburb scores decile 2 on IRSAD and decile 3 on IRSD, both toward the disadvantaged end nationally, and 12.1% of residents (543 people) need daily assistance, well above what a younger suburb would record, consistent with the median age of 57. Volunteering runs at 14.3% and resident turnover is moderate at 27.4%, meaning 72.6% stayed put, pointing to a settled population. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the quiet coastal setting.
Drive
88.9%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.74%/yr
(+309 people/yr)
EstablishedBeachmere is classified as established, yet it is growing steadily at 1.74% a year, adding roughly 309 residents annually, and the population has risen 22.1% over the past decade. Net internal migration is the engine, contributing 245 people a year against just 65 from overseas, so the inflow is Australians relocating rather than new arrivals. The gentrification gauge reads active at a score of 49, with signals including a 28% rise since 2011 and an accelerating renter share moving from 11% toward 16%. Affordability has improved over time, easing from 68.2% in 2011 to 63.2% in 2021, though it stays high relative to most markets. The combination of aging residents and active in-migration suggests a community attracting retirees and tree-changers faster than it loses younger households.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+65
Net Internal / yr
+245
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +28% since 2011, Net internal migration +245/yr, Accelerating: 11% → 16%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Beachmere compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beachmere a good suburb to live in?
Beachmere suits buyers wanting space and affordability, with an $438,000 median house price well below metropolitan Brisbane and 83.9% detached homes. It scores decile 2 on IRSAD, toward the disadvantaged end, and skews older at a median age of 57, 17.0 years above national, so it favours retirees and families over young professionals.
What is the median house price in Beachmere?
The median house price is $438,000, affordable by Queensland standards. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,560. Against local incomes the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.7%, above the 30% stress threshold despite the low purchase price.
What schools are in Beachmere?
No schools are recorded inside the Beachmere boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is older, with a median age of 57 and university qualifications at just 18.2%, which is 11.9 points below the national figure.
Is Beachmere safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Beachmere in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and has a settled population where 72.6% of residents stayed put, with turnover at a moderate 27.4%.
Is Beachmere good for property investment?
Rent of $350 a week against the $438,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, well above premium Brisbane suburbs. Net internal migration of 245 residents a year supports demand, but the 8.5% vacancy rate and rent-to-income of 31.7% suggest tenants are stretched, so returns lean on yield over fast capital growth.
How is Beachmere's population changing?
Population is growing 1.74% a year, about 309 residents, and has risen 22.1% over the decade. The driver is net internal migration of 245 people annually. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 11.8 points and the working-age share down 6.0 points over ten years.
How much development is happening in Beachmere?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest in scale. Most are single dwelling houses, carports and minor works rather than large estates, consistent with an established suburb growing 1.74% a year on net internal migration of 245 residents annually.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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