Currumbin
With a 19.8% vacancy rate and 41.1% of dwellings being apartments, Currumbin carries the signature of a Gold Coast coastal suburb used heavily as a holiday and short-term rental market. The permanent population of 3,278 sits in a compact 2.04 km2, and household income ranks in the 66th percentile nationally. University qualifications reach 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above the national average. The median age of 42 is 2 years older than the national figure, and the suburb is on an aging trajectory with the senior share climbing 3.3 points over the decade.
Population
3,278
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,830/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$608K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $608,000 based on 2025 rental data, with weekly rent running at $490. Separate houses make up only 45.7% of the stock, while apartments account for 41.1% and semi-detached dwellings 13.3%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.5%, followed by three-bedroom at 33.4% and 4-plus bedroom at 25.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,134, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 36.8% outnumber renters at 30.8% and mortgage holders at 32.4%, suggesting a stable, longer-tenure owner base rather than a churn of first-home buyers entering the market.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $608,000 based on 2025 rental data, with weekly rent running at $490. Separate houses make up only 45.7% of the stock, while apartments account for 41.1% and semi-detached dwellings 13.3%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.5%, followed by three-bedroom at 33.4% and 4-plus bedroom at 25.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,134, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 36.8% outnumber renters at 30.8% and mortgage holders at 32.4%, suggesting a stable, longer-tenure owner base rather than a churn of first-home buyers entering the market.
For Investors
A 30.8% renter share and $490 weekly rent give landlords a reasonable tenant base, but the 19.8% vacancy rate is a significant caution flag, well above typical investment thresholds and consistent with a market where short-term holiday letting competes with long-term rentals. Against the $608,000 median, $490 weekly rent implies a gross yield around 4.2%, above average for the Gold Coast corridor. Population is forecast to grow at 1.31% annually, adding roughly 176 residents each year, and overseas migration contributes an average of 193 net arrivals annually, supporting demand. The gentrification score of 23 and stage of early signs, combined with 24% population growth since 2011, suggest longer-term capital upside rather than immediate yield compression.
Schools in Currumbin iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Currumbin State School
Prep-6 · 1144 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, and the suburb is aging: the senior share rose 3.3 points while the working-age share fell 1.4 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents represent 18.4% of the population, which is 3.2 points below the national average, reflecting an Anglo-leaning demographic profile. Ancestry is led by English (1,509 residents), Irish (604) and Scottish (430), giving the suburb one of the more homogeneous ancestry profiles on the Gold Coast. University qualifications at 40.4% run 10.3 points above the national figure. Average household size is 2.3, just below the national average of 2.5, consistent with the older couples and smaller-family households that make up 30.6% of all families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
45.7%
Houses
13.3%
Townhouse
41.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into thirds: 36.8% own outright, 32.4% carry a mortgage and 30.8% rent. The 19.8% vacancy rate far exceeds the healthy-market benchmark of 3%, which reflects seasonal and short-stay usage. Apartments at 41.1% of dwellings are almost equal to separate houses at 45.7%, giving buyers more choice of stock types than in many suburban markets. Two-bedroom units at 37.5% and three-bedroom homes at 33.4% account for most of the supply, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 25.5% for larger households. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9% and rent-to-income of 26.8% both sit comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting affordability is manageable relative to incomes at the 66th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$2,134
Rent / wk
$490
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$909
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.8%
Unoccupied
321
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.6%
Couples, no children
2,399
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 20.7% of workers (250 residents), followed by Education at 13.7% (165) and Construction at 12.2% (147). Professional/Tech services account for 9.2% (111) and Retail 6.6% (80). By occupation, Professionals lead with 477 workers, followed by Managers (269) and Community/Personal services (195). The unemployment rate is 4.7%, above the tight-labour-market norms seen in major cities, and the participation rate of 58.7% reflects the older age profile with 811 residents not in the labour force. Real personal income grew 22.2% over the decade, outpacing many comparable coastal markets. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 7 and IEO decile of 7 both place Currumbin above average nationally on education and income measures.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
7,948
Unemployed
197
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.5%
Part-time
38.8%
Participation
58.7%
Employed
1,530
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.4%
Postgraduate
7.7%
Born Overseas
18.4%
Dwellings
1,305
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 87.7% of workers drive and only 1.3% use public transport, which is far below the national average for connected suburbs, reflecting the dispersed Gold Coast road network. Walking and cycling account for 5.9% of commutes, above many comparable coastal areas. Only 3.5% of residents (109 people) require daily assistance, low relative to the median age of 42. The IRSAD decile of 7 places Currumbin above the national median on combined advantage and disadvantage measures. Volunteering reaches 16.4% of the population. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs such as Currumbin Valley and Palm Beach. Rent-to-income at 26.8% stays below the stress threshold, keeping the suburb accessible for renters despite high headline vacancy.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.31%/yr
(+176 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 18.4% over the decade and currently tracks at 1.31% annually, adding roughly 176 residents per year. Overseas migration is the primary driver, contributing an average of 193 net arrivals annually, while internal migration is essentially neutral at minus 1. Medium forecasts project the population rising from 13,477 in 2025 to 14,374 by 2031 at the SA2 level. Rent growth over the period reached 37.9%, substantially outpacing the income growth of 22.2%, which has pushed the affordability ratio from 57.9% in 2011 to 53.1% in 2021, an improving trend. The gentrification score of 23 indicates early signs, supported by signals of 24% population growth since 2011 and accelerating university-educated share from 8% to 15%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+193
Net Internal / yr
-1
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +24% since 2011, Accelerating: 8% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Currumbin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Currumbin a good suburb to live in?
Currumbin scores decile 7 on IRSAD nationally, placing it in the upper half on advantage measures. Household income sits in the 66th percentile and university qualifications reach 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above the national average. The main trade-offs are a 19.8% vacancy rate driven by holiday rental activity and near-total car dependence with only 1.3% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Currumbin?
The median house price is estimated at $608,000 based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $490 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,134, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, which is below the 30% stress threshold. Apartments make up 41.1% of the stock, so buyers have a range of price points available.
What schools are in Currumbin?
No schools are recorded inside the Currumbin suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Currumbin Valley, Palm Beach and Elanora. Despite this, the local adult population is well educated, with university qualifications at 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above the national figure.
Is Currumbin safe?
Crime statistics specific to Currumbin are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national median, and only 3.5% of its 3,278 residents require daily assistance. The IRSAD decile of 7 places the suburb in the upper half nationally on combined advantage measures.
Is Currumbin good for property investment?
Against the $608,000 median, $490 weekly rent implies a gross yield around 4.2%, solid for the Gold Coast corridor. However, the 19.8% vacancy rate is a significant caution flag, consistent with short-term holiday rental competition. Overseas migration averaging 193 net arrivals annually supports long-term demand. Rent growth of 37.9% over the decade exceeded income growth of 22.2%, pointing to sustained rental demand pressure.
How is Currumbin's population changing?
Population grew 18.4% over the decade and is forecast to grow at 1.31% annually, adding about 176 residents each year. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 193 net arrivals annually, while internal migration is near-neutral at minus 1. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 reaching 14,374 by 2031, up from 13,477 in 2025. The suburb is on an aging trajectory, with the senior share rising 3.3 points over the decade.
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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