Bilinga
A 26.0% vacancy rate in a suburb of only 1,883 people is the headline figure for Bilinga, and it points directly to the apartment-heavy nature of the housing stock. Some 73.1% of dwellings are apartments, far above national norms, creating a market that functions more like a short-stay tourism precinct than a conventional residential suburb. Median age sits at 48, which is 8 years above the national figure, and 48.0% of residents rent rather than own, compared to the national renter share of roughly 32%. Household income sits at the 42.5th percentile nationally, below average, yet the suburb attracts a workforce with 30.1% holding university qualifications, matching the national rate exactly.
Local council: Gold Coast
Population
1,883
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,435/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
At that repayment level relative to household income, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.2%, which crosses the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up only 23.3% of dwellings, meaning buyers seeking a detached home compete for genuinely scarce stock in a market where 73.1% of dwellings are apartments. The bedroom mix skews toward two-bedroom units at 49.3%, with three-bedroom dwellings at 28.3% and four-plus at 12.7%. Buyers should note that 30.4% of residents own outright and 21.6% hold a mortgage, suggesting a stable long-term owner base alongside a large 48.0% renter cohort.
For Buyers
At that repayment level relative to household income, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.2%, which crosses the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up only 23.3% of dwellings, meaning buyers seeking a detached home compete for genuinely scarce stock in a market where 73.1% of dwellings are apartments. The bedroom mix skews toward two-bedroom units at 49.3%, with three-bedroom dwellings at 28.3% and four-plus at 12.7%. Buyers should note that 30.4% of residents own outright and 21.6% hold a mortgage, suggesting a stable long-term owner base alongside a large 48.0% renter cohort.
For Investors
A 48.0% renter share and weekly rent of $428 give landlords a broad tenant pool, but the 26.0% vacancy rate is a significant caution signal, one of the highest recorded and reflecting the apartment-dominant stock that skews toward short-term holiday use rather than permanent tenants. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, which limits near-term supply pressure but also indicates a static market. The 35.3% annual turnover rate suggests residents cycle through regularly, so void periods between tenants are more frequent than in lower-turnover suburbs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 48 is 8 years above the national figure, making Bilinga one of the older resident profiles in QLD coastal markets. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below the national average, consistent with a retiree and couples-without-children profile: 48.4% of families are couples with no children, and one-parent families are negligible. Overseas-born residents account for 20.3% of the population, sitting 1.3 percentage points below the national figure. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (820 residents), Irish (252) and Scottish (231). University qualifications reach 30.1%, matching the national rate, while the full-time employment rate of 57.8% reflects the older demographic where many residents are near or in retirement.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
23.3%
Houses
3.6%
Townhouse
73.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Bilinga divides into 30.4% owning outright, 21.6% on a mortgage, and 48.0% renting, with the large renter share driven by holiday apartments rather than a typical residential rental market. The stock is 73.1% apartments, 23.3% separate houses, and 3.6% semi-detached, a composition that looks more like Surfers Paradise than a suburban residential area. Two-bedroom apartments dominate at 49.3% of all dwellings, with three-bedroom at 28.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.2%, above the 30% stress threshold despite the suburb sitting at only the 42.5th percentile for household income nationally. The 26.0% vacancy rate is the defining housing characteristic, roughly 4 to 5 times higher than a typical residential suburb, because of the holiday-letting inventory.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $428.
$800
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · units $800
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$804
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
26.0%
Unoccupied
292
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.2% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.6%
Couples with children
58.6%
Couples, no children
15.7%
Single parent
478
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 20.3% of the workforce (130 workers), followed by Construction at 12.3% (79) and Hospitality at 9.7% (62), with Education at 9.5% and Professional/Tech at 9.4%. The Hospitality share reflects proximity to the Gold Coast tourism strip. By occupation, Professionals (203) and Community/Personal service workers (142) are the largest groups, with Managers at 126. Unemployment sits at 6.5%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 51.8% is lower than typical because 586 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 48. Weekly household income of $1,435 places Bilinga at the 42.5th percentile nationally, below the national median.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
978
Unemployed
57
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.8%
Part-time
37.8%
Participation
57.4%
Employed
921
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.1%
Postgraduate
5.4%
Born Overseas
20.3%
Dwellings
824
Transport to Work
Transport in Bilinga is car-dependent: 84.0% of residents drive to work, higher than national averages, while only 2.0% use public transport. Walking and cycling account for 8.4%, reflecting the compact suburban layout. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Gold Coast suburbs. Crime data is not available for Bilinga in this dataset. The 16.2% volunteering rate indicates reasonable community participation for a suburb of this size. Rent-to-income sits at 29.8%, just below the 30% stress threshold, making it manageable for tenants relative to household income at the 42.5th percentile nationally. The 5.2% of residents needing daily assistance (89 people) is notable for a suburb of 1,883 and ties to the older age profile.
Drive
68.9%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
6.9%
Work from Home
18.0%
Growth Outlook
Bilinga is a small, stable suburb with a population of 1,883 across a 2.72 square kilometre footprint, giving a density of 692.7 residents per square kilometre, moderate by coastal standards. The 35.3% annual residential turnover rate indicates churn rather than organic growth, with 64.7% of residents having stayed put in the previous year. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, signalling that the built form is largely static. The identity signals of high vacancy and apartment dominance are typical of established coastal resort precincts that grow slowly in permanent population even as tourist and short-stay numbers fluctuate. The older median age of 48, 8 years above national, suggests the permanent resident base will continue to age rather than renew rapidly.
Population trend: Gold Coast council area
Bilinga sits in the Gold Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Bilinga's.
Residents 2025
691,230
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.0%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.8%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bilinga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bilinga a good suburb to live in?
Bilinga suits retirees and couples without children, given a median age of 48 (8 years above national) and a 48.4% couples-no-children household profile.
What is the median house price in Bilinga?
Weekly rent averages $428 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.2%, above the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up only 23.3% of dwellings.
What schools are in Bilinga?
No schools are recorded within the Bilinga suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 2.72 square kilometres on the Gold Coast, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite the lack of local schools, 30.1% of residents hold university qualifications, matching the national rate.
Is Bilinga safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bilinga in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, 5.2% of the 1,883 residents (89 people) need daily assistance, slightly elevated and consistent with the older median age of 48. The suburb's small size and coastal residential character are factors that typically correlate with lower crime density than high-density urban areas.
Is Bilinga good for property investment?
However, the 26.0% vacancy rate is a key risk, reflecting the holiday-apartment stock. No new development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, limiting supply growth. Investors should stress-test for vacancy rather than assuming the full rental rate.
How is Bilinga's population changing?
Bilinga has a stable small population of 1,883 across 2.72 square kilometres. The 35.3% annual turnover rate shows residents cycle through regularly, with 64.7% staying put year-on-year. The median age of 48, compared to the national median of 40, suggests the permanent resident base is gradually aging rather than attracting young families.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
Explore Bilinga on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map