Burleigh Heads
An apartment-led coastal profile sets Burleigh Heads apart: apartments account for 46.7% of dwellings, compared with 39.1% separate houses, while the vacancy rate is a notably high 19.5%. The suburb has 10,572 residents across 10.24 square kilometres, creating a density of 1,032.9 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, and household income sits at the 59.6th percentile. Compared with nearby Burleigh Waters and Miami, the compact housing mix supports a smaller-household lifestyle, reflected in an average household size of 2.2. The combination of coastal demand, apartment supply and ageing demographics helps explain why Burleigh Heads feels established rather than driven by rapid new-family growth.
Population
10,572
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,701/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
36
Homebuyers need to choose between a compact apartment profile and a smaller detached-house pool. Apartments account for 46.7% of dwellings, versus 39.1% separate houses and 13.8% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom properties dominate at 41.2%, while 3-bedroom homes make up 29.3% and 4-bedroom-plus homes account for 22.5%, supporting singles, couples and downsizers more than large families. The listed monthly mortgage figure is $2,058, and mortgage payments equal 27.9% of household income, while 30.0% of households have a mortgage. Rent is $480 a week, giving buyers a useful ownership comparison. Compared with Burleigh Waters and Miami, inspect parking, body-corporate costs and building condition closely because apartment expenses can shape affordability more than floor area.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to choose between a compact apartment profile and a smaller detached-house pool. Apartments account for 46.7% of dwellings, versus 39.1% separate houses and 13.8% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom properties dominate at 41.2%, while 3-bedroom homes make up 29.3% and 4-bedroom-plus homes account for 22.5%, supporting singles, couples and downsizers more than large families. The listed monthly mortgage figure is $2,058, and mortgage payments equal 27.9% of household income, while 30.0% of households have a mortgage. Rent is $480 a week, giving buyers a useful ownership comparison. Compared with Burleigh Waters and Miami, inspect parking, body-corporate costs and building condition closely because apartment expenses can shape affordability more than floor area.
For Investors
Investors face a high-rent but high-vacancy equation. Weekly rent is $480 and 34.1% of households rent, indicating an established tenant base, but the 19.5% vacancy rate means leasing conditions can be uneven between apartment buildings and smaller residential pockets. Compared with a lower-vacancy market, this calls for conservative rental assumptions and careful checking of competing listings. There were 33 development records in the past 12 months, which may add supply or improve local amenity, although the mix includes minor changes and operational works rather than only new dwellings. The annual growth trend is 0.99%, with overseas migration the primary driver. Without a current median sale price, a reliable gross yield cannot be calculated, so investors should prioritise settled comparable sales, body-corporate fees and vacancy history.
Development Activity
Total DAs
37
Last 12 Months
36
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
Schools in Burleigh Heads
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Burleigh Heads State School
Demographics
Burleigh Heads has an older and more university-educated profile than the national average. The median age is 42, or 2 years above national levels, while 34.1% of residents have university qualifications, 4 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents make up 23.2%, which is 1.6 points above the national comparison, although the ancestry profile remains strongly Anglo-leaning, led by English at 4,342 people, Irish at 1,484 and Scottish at 1,227. Average household size is 2.2, or 0.3 below the national figure, because couples without children represent 49.8% of couples and families. No religion accounts for 4,632 residents compared with 4,503 identifying with Christianity. Compared with younger growth suburbs, the 70.1% two-year stay rate and 29.9% turnover rate point to a relatively settled population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
39.1%
Houses
13.8%
Townhouse
46.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure is unusually split across outright ownership, mortgages and renting: 34.4% of households own outright, 30.0% have a mortgage and 34.1% rent. Apartments form the largest dwelling category at 46.7%, higher than separate houses at 39.1%, with semi-detached homes at 13.8%. The bedroom profile reinforces the apartment influence, with 41.2% of homes having 2 bedrooms, 29.3% having 3 bedrooms, 22.5% having 4 or more and 7.1% having 0 or 1. Rent is $480 per week, while rent-to-income is 28.2% and mortgage-to-income is 27.9%, indicating similar cost pressures for both tenure groups. A current median house price and price-to-income ratio are not available, so buyers should rely on recent settled sales rather than broad suburb assumptions. Compared with Burleigh Waters and Miami, the smaller and more vertical housing mix makes parking, storage and body-corporate charges especially important.
Mortgage / mo
$2,058
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $480.
$1,150
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $1,150 · units $850
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$889
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.5%
Unoccupied
1,027
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.6%
Couples with children
49.8%
Couples, no children
15.0%
Single parent
2,627
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is spread across healthcare, education, construction, professional and technical work, and retail. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.7%, or 716 workers, followed by education at 12.4% and construction at 12.3%. The occupation mix includes 1,410 professionals, 813 managers, 711 community and personal service workers, 681 trades workers and 591 clerical and administrative workers. The unemployment rate is 4.6%, participation is 61.0% and 53.9% of employed residents work full time, supporting a broad but not exclusively high-income labour base. Compared with its economic-resource position, education and occupation status is higher: the IEO sits in decile 8, while IER is in decile 4; IRSD and IRSAD both sit in decile 7. That gap suggests strong skills and professional participation alongside more mixed household resources. Household income ranks at the 59.6th percentile.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
5,604
Unemployed
256
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.9%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
61.0%
Employed
5,348
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.1%
Postgraduate
7.8%
Born Overseas
23.2%
Dwellings
4,242
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 70.5% of residents travel as car drivers, compared with only 1.4% using public transport and 5.4% walking or cycling. Working from home is significant at 19.5%, which can reduce commuting pressure for some households but increases the value of apartment layout, noise control and internet access. Burleigh Heads State School is the local government state-school option identified within the suburb, and families should confirm catchments and enrolment requirements against the exact address. The suburb has a density of 1,032.9 people per square kilometre and an average household size of 2.2, supporting access to a compact mix of homes and services. Its IRSAD decile of 7 is above the middle of the national distribution. Compared with a low-density outer suburb, the compact setting is convenient, but car dependence remains higher than the walking and public-transport shares suggest.
Drive
70.5%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
5.4%
Work from Home
19.5%
Population Forecast
+0.99%/yr
(+100 people/yr)
EstablishedBurleigh Heads is an established market with an annual growth trend of 0.99%, driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 14.3% over 10 years, while the demographic trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 3.8 percentage points, the young share fell 1.2 points and the working share fell 0.9 points. Rent growth reached 37.1%, and affordability moved from 58.1 in 2011 to 54.4 in 2021, with the trend labelled Improving. Gentrification signals are mixed. One measure gives a score of 6 and the stage Not gentrifying, while shift indicators record 38 and Early signs. Compared with a fast-expanding family corridor, this points to steadier change, with overseas migration, rising rents and ageing households shaping demand more than a major young-buyer influx.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+179
Net Internal / yr
+23
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +19% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Burleigh Heads compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burleigh Heads a good suburb to live in?
Burleigh Heads suits residents who value a compact coastal setting, apartment choice and access to local services. Apartments represent 46.7% of dwellings, the median age is 42 and 19.5% work from home. Car use is high at 70.5%, so daily convenience depends partly on having reliable parking and road access.
What is the median house price in Burleigh Heads?
A current median house price is not available, so buyers should avoid relying on a guessed figure. For context, 39.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 46.7% are apartments and the listed monthly mortgage figure is $2,058. Compare recent settled sales by dwelling type, condition and body-corporate cost.
What schools are in Burleigh Heads?
Burleigh Heads State School is the local government state-school option identified within the suburb. Families should confirm year levels, catchment boundaries and enrolment requirements for the exact address, because school access can change across nearby streets. Burleigh Heads has 10,572 residents, creating varied household demand.
Is Burleigh Heads safe?
Safety is best assessed at street level rather than through a single suburb label. Visit the address at different times, check lighting and pedestrian activity, and review recent Queensland Police updates before renting or buying. Burleigh Heads has 10,572 residents across 10.24 square kilometres, so conditions may differ between coastal, retail and residential pockets.
Is Burleigh Heads good for property investment?
Burleigh Heads has an established rental base, with 34.1% of households renting and weekly rent at $480. The 19.5% vacancy rate is a risk because leasing conditions can vary between buildings. There were 33 development records in 12 months, while the annual growth trend is 0.99%. Check settled sales, vacancy history and body-corporate fees before investing.
How is Burleigh Heads's population changing?
The suburb has 10,572 residents, while population change across the wider area is 14.3% over 10 years. The annual growth trend is 0.99%, with overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.8 percentage points and the young share down 1.2 points.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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