Birkdale
Birkdale reads as a settled bayside family market where detached housing dominates the identity: 84.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 55.9% have 4 or more bedrooms. The median age of 43 sits 3.0 years above the national figure, while household income is in the 71.1 percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Wellington Point and Thorneside, Birkdale looks less like a high turnover rental pocket and more like an owner occupier mortgage belt with steady demand.
Population
14,816
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,903/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$552K
Estimated from rent (2025)
For homebuyers, the appeal is space and stability rather than apartment choice. Separate houses make up 84.0% of dwellings, far above apartments at 4.7%, and 55.9% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should test value against the $2,000 monthly mortgage benchmark and the 24.3% mortgage to income ratio, which sits below common stress levels. The tradeoff is car reliance, because 90.4% drive to work.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, the appeal is space and stability rather than apartment choice. Separate houses make up 84.0% of dwellings, far above apartments at 4.7%, and 55.9% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should test value against the $2,000 monthly mortgage benchmark and the 24.3% mortgage to income ratio, which sits below common stress levels. The tradeoff is car reliance, because 90.4% drive to work.
For Investors
Birkdale is not a high churn rental market: only 19.8% of homes are rented, lower than ownership on a mortgage at 42.8% and outright ownership at 37.4%. Median rent is $435 a week and vacancy is 3.9%, so income prospects depend more on tenant quality than scarcity. With 0 new developments in the past 12 months, supply pressure is limited, while overseas migration adds 106 people a year and internal migration adds 54, supporting gradual demand.
Schools in Birkdale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary MacKillop Primary School
Prep-6 · 557 students
Birkdale State School
Prep-6 · 462 students
Birkdale South State School
Prep-6 · 407 students
Demographics
Birkdale has 14,816 residents with a median age of 43, which is 3.0 years above the national benchmark and points to an aging household profile. Overseas born residents are 23.4%, 1.8 percentage points above national, while university attainment is 28.1%, 2.0 points below national. English ancestry leads at 6,500 people, followed by Irish at 1,847 and Scottish at 1,751, so the suburb leans Anglo while still recording smaller Mandarin, Afrikaans and Punjabi language groups.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.0%
Houses
11.3%
Townhouse
4.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is strongly owner occupied, with 37.4% owned outright and 42.8% owned with a mortgage, together far above the 19.8% renting share. A current median house price is not available, but the structure of the market is clear: 84.0% separate houses, 11.3% semi detached homes and 4.7% apartments. Larger homes dominate because 55.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 32.0% have 3. Affordability pressure is moderate, with rent to income at 22.9% and mortgage to income at 24.3%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$435
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$813
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
218
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.4%
Couples, no children
12,362
Total families
Economy & Employment
Birkdale's workforce is anchored by essential services and trades, which helps explain its stable income profile. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.3% and 830 workers, followed by construction at 12.7%, education at 12.0%, professional and tech at 8.1%, and public admin at 7.2%. Full time work accounts for 66.3% of employed residents and unemployment is 4.5%. SEIFA is mixed: education and occupation sits at decile 5, but economic resources rank higher at decile 8, above the midpoint.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
9,383
Unemployed
223
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.3%
Part-time
29.2%
Participation
56.2%
Employed
6,521
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.1%
Postgraduate
5.9%
Born Overseas
23.4%
Dwellings
5,335
Transport to Work
Birkdale suits households that prioritise schools, space and car access. There are 3 local schools spanning Catholic and Government sectors, with ICSEA scores from 993 to 1071. St Mary MacKillop Primary is the highest scoring at 1071 with 557 students, while Birkdale State School adds a Government option at 1002 and 462 students. Transport is car led: 90.4% drive to work, higher than public transport at 3.8% and walking or cycling at 1.2%. IRSAD decile 6 and IRSD decile 7 sit above the midpoint.
Drive
90.4%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.47%/yr
(+75 people/yr)
EstablishedBirkdale's growth outlook is slow and established rather than speculative. The trend forecast is 0.47% a year, or about 75 people annually, with the medium path rising from 16,013 in 2026 to 16,388 in 2031. Migration is the main support, led by overseas migration at 106 people a year compared with internal migration at 54. The shift profile is aging, with seniors up 7.0 points and young residents down 1.9 points, while the gentrification score is 7 and classed as Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+106
Net Internal / yr
+54
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +54/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Birkdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birkdale a good suburb to live in?
Birkdale suits families and owner occupiers who want space, with 84.0% separate houses and 55.9% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms. It is car dependent, though, with 90.4% driving to work compared with 3.8% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Birkdale?
A current median house price is not available for Birkdale. Useful housing benchmarks include a $2,000 monthly mortgage, $435 weekly median rent, 84.0% separate houses and a 24.3% mortgage to income ratio.
What schools are in Birkdale?
Birkdale has 3 local schools: St Mary MacKillop Primary School, Birkdale State School and Birkdale South State School. ICSEA scores range from 993 to 1071, with enrolments of 557, 462 and 407 students respectively.
Is Birkdale safe?
A current crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available for Birkdale, so recent police sources should be checked. Socioeconomic indicators are steady, with IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 6, both above the midpoint.
Is Birkdale good for property investment?
Birkdale is more a steady hold than a fast rental play. Renting is 19.8%, vacancy is 3.9% and median rent is $435 a week. With 0 recent developments and overseas migration adding 106 people a year, supply risk looks contained.
How is Birkdale's population changing?
Birkdale is growing slowly. The forecast trend is 0.47% a year, or about 75 people annually, with the medium population path moving from 16,013 in 2026 to 16,388 in 2031. Overseas migration is the main driver at 106 people a year.
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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