Burleigh Waters
Car dependence is pronounced, with 73.3% of workers driving and only 1.1% using public transport. Burleigh Waters has 14,556 residents across 6.76 square kilometres, producing a density of 2,153.7 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 42 is 2 years above the national level, while household income sits at the 60.8th percentile. Housing is detached-dominant, with 71.1% of dwellings separate houses, and tenure is relatively settled because 39.1% are owned outright compared with 20.5% rented. Buyers comparing Burleigh Waters with Burleigh Heads or Varsity Lakes should weigh its family-sized housing, mature age profile and slow-growth outlook against more location-specific price differences.
Population
14,556
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,735/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
A current median house price is unavailable, so buyers should assess individual listings against the suburb's housing mix and borrowing capacity. The typical stock is suitable for households needing space: 71.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 41.5% have 3 bedrooms and 38.0% have 4 or more. Monthly mortgage payments are listed at $2,000, while weekly rent is $500, and mortgage costs equal 26.6% of household income without a mortgage-stress flag. That supports a more manageable ownership position for established earners, whose household income ranks at the 60.8th percentile. The median age is 42, or 2 years above national, so the suburb may suit buyers seeking a mature, family-oriented setting rather than a strongly apartment-led market.
For Buyers
A current median house price is unavailable, so buyers should assess individual listings against the suburb's housing mix and borrowing capacity. The typical stock is suitable for households needing space: 71.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 41.5% have 3 bedrooms and 38.0% have 4 or more. Monthly mortgage payments are listed at $2,000, while weekly rent is $500, and mortgage costs equal 26.6% of household income without a mortgage-stress flag. That supports a more manageable ownership position for established earners, whose household income ranks at the 60.8th percentile. The median age is 42, or 2 years above national, so the suburb may suit buyers seeking a mature, family-oriented setting rather than a strongly apartment-led market.
For Investors
Burleigh Waters presents a steady rather than speculative rental proposition. Weekly rent is $500, 20.5% of households rent, and the vacancy rate is 4.9%, so investors should allow for competition between tenant demand and available stock rather than assume automatic rental pressure. The housing base is relatively family-friendly, with 71.1% separate houses and 38.0% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms. Rental growth has reached 35.1%, while development activity totals 8 applications over 12 months, limiting the scale of nearby construction signals. Forecast growth is 0.45% annually and is driven primarily by overseas migration. Household income sits at the 60.8th percentile, above the midpoint, which can support tenant stability, although detailed yield calculations require a purchase price.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
10
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 Waters
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Marymount College (Burleigh Waters)
Marymount Primary School (Burleigh Heads)
Caningeraba State School
Demographics
Burleigh Waters has 14,556 residents and a median age of 42, placing the suburb 2 years above the national age level. The overseas-born share is 24.2%, or 2.6 percentage points above national, while 31.8% have university qualifications, 1.7 points above national. Average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above national, and 78.3% of residents stayed at the same address compared with a 21.7% turnover rate. English ancestry is recorded for 6,299 people, followed by Irish at 1,877 and Scottish at 1,625. Christianity accounts for 7,216 people and no religion for 6,199. These figures point to a settled population with a larger mature household base because long-term residence and family housing are both common.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.1%
Houses
26.3%
Townhouse
2.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing pattern is more established and detached than apartment-led. Separate houses account for 71.1% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 26.3% and apartments 2.6%. Ownership is split between 39.1% owned outright and 39.5% with a mortgage, both higher than the 20.5% renting share. Larger homes dominate, with 41.5% containing 3 bedrooms and 38.0% containing 4 or more, while only 0.7% have 0 or 1 bedroom. This mix aligns with the household structure, where 44.9% of families are couples with children and 37.6% are couples without children. Weekly rent is $500 and monthly mortgage payments are $2,000; rent consumes 28.8% of household income and mortgage costs 26.6%, with neither marked as housing stress. Buyers comparing stock with Burleigh Heads or Varsity Lakes should inspect dwelling condition and exact land size rather than rely on suburb-wide averages.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $500.
$1,150
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $1,150 · units $850
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$803
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
276
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.9%
Couples with children
37.6%
Couples, no children
16.2%
Single parent
4,048
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.1%, employing 878 people, followed by construction at 14.4% and 699, education at 13.4% and 649, professional and technical services at 8.4% and 408, and retail at 6.5% and 317. The leading occupations are professionals at 1,580, trades at 1,028, managers at 978, community and personal service workers at 914, and clerical and administrative workers at 897. Labour force participation is 62.3%, unemployment is 4.3%, and 54.5% work full time. Household income is $1,735 per week at the 60.8th percentile. SEIFA results are mixed but generally above the national midpoint: education and occupation ranks at decile 6, economic resources at 8, disadvantage at 8 and advantage at 7. The lower education and occupation decile alongside stronger resource scores suggests household financial capacity is not uniform across the suburb.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
7,363
Unemployed
317
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.5%
Part-time
36.1%
Participation
62.3%
Employed
7,046
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.8%
Postgraduate
6.4%
Born Overseas
24.2%
Dwellings
5,400
Transport to Work
Daily travel is the main practical consideration. Car driving accounts for 73.3% of journeys, compared with 1.1% by public transport and 3.7% by walking or cycling; 17.7% work from home. Three nearby schools span 2 Catholic non-state schools, including primary and secondary options, and 1 government state school. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. A current suburb-level crime rate is unavailable, so safety should be assessed using Queensland Police information and an inspection of the specific street, lighting and traffic conditions. Social conditions are relatively strong, with an IRSAD decile of 7 and an IRSD decile of 8, both above the national midpoint. The 2.6-person average household size and 44.9% share of couples with children also support demand for nearby services and family-sized dwellings.
Drive
73.3%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
17.7%
Population Forecast
+0.45%/yr
(+69 people/yr)
EstablishedBurleigh Waters has a slow-growth outlook. The forecast annual trend is 0.45%, while population change across the wider area is 3.9% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but the trajectory is labelled Stable, consistent with an established housing base and a median age of 42 that is 2 years above national. The shift indicators record rent growth of 35.1% and real income growth of 22.0%, while affordability moved from 69.2 in 2011 to 62.3 in 2021 and is labelled Improving. Gentrification signals are limited: the gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, although a separate shift score of 26 is labelled Early signs. Together, these results suggest incremental change because migration and rent momentum are present without a strong redevelopment or displacement pattern.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+146
Net Internal / yr
-43
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Burleigh Waters compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burleigh Waters a good suburb to live in?
Burleigh Waters suits households seeking larger homes and a settled environment. Separate houses make up 71.1% of dwellings, the median age is 42, and 3 nearby schools provide government and Catholic options. Car access is important because 73.3% drive while only 1.1% use public transport.
What is the median house price in Burleigh Waters?
A current median house price is unavailable. Buyers can use the housing mix as a guide: 41.5% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms, 38.0% have 4 or more, and monthly mortgage payments are listed at $2,000. Compare recent sales for the exact street and property type.
What schools are in Burleigh Waters?
There are 3 nearby schools spanning 2 Catholic non-state schools and 1 government state school. Options include primary and secondary education, with Caningeraba State School and Marymount schools serving the local area. Check the exact enrolment zone before signing a contract.
Is Burleigh Waters safe?
A current suburb-level crime rate is unavailable, so safety should be checked through Queensland Police statistics and an inspection of the exact street. Burleigh Waters has 14,556 residents, and 6.1% of people report needing assistance, so local access and street conditions should be considered alongside crime information.
Is Burleigh Waters good for property investment?
Burleigh Waters may suit investors seeking established family-oriented rental stock. Weekly rent is $500, the vacancy rate is 4.9%, and rental growth is recorded at 35.1%. However, annual forecast growth is 0.45% and only 8 development applications were recorded over 12 months, so purchase price and yield need close checking.
How is Burleigh Waters's population changing?
Growth is gradual rather than rapid. Population change across the wider area is 3.9% over 10 years, with an annual forecast trend of 0.45%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Stable. The median age is 42, which is 2 years above national.
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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