Highland Park
Detached houses make up 85.1% of dwellings here, well above the apartment-heavy inner-city Gold Coast, and that house-first stock shapes everything else. The $525,000 median house price sits at the affordable end, supported by household income in the 52.9th percentile nationally, almost exactly the middle of the country. Owners with a mortgage (47.6%) outnumber outright owners (34.5%) and far outweigh the 17.8% who rent, the classic mortgage-belt pattern. The median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above national and the senior share has climbed 4.9 points over the decade, so the suburb is aging rather than churning. SEIFA places it mid-table, with IRSAD in decile 5 and economic resources higher at decile 7.
Population
6,576
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,609/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$525K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $525,000 median house price, Highland Park is far more attainable than the Gold Coast's coastal suburbs, and the stock matches family demand: 85.1% separate houses, with 3-bedroom homes at 44.2% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 40.8%, so larger family dwellings dominate. Apartments are just 10.2% of stock. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,800 against household income produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers here carry less repayment pressure than in pricier markets. The high mortgage share of 47.6% confirms an active owner-occupier base rather than a rental-dominated one. With outright owners at 34.5%, much of the housing is held by settled families, so genuine listings can be scarce relative to demand for the larger 4-bedroom homes.
For Buyers
At a $525,000 median house price, Highland Park is far more attainable than the Gold Coast's coastal suburbs, and the stock matches family demand: 85.1% separate houses, with 3-bedroom homes at 44.2% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 40.8%, so larger family dwellings dominate. Apartments are just 10.2% of stock. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,800 against household income produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers here carry less repayment pressure than in pricier markets. The high mortgage share of 47.6% confirms an active owner-occupier base rather than a rental-dominated one. With outright owners at 34.5%, much of the housing is held by settled families, so genuine listings can be scarce relative to demand for the larger 4-bedroom homes.
For Investors
Renters make up 17.8% of households, a thinner tenant pool than apartment-heavy suburbs, and weekly rent averages $430. Against the $525,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 4.3%, healthier than premium coastal markets where yields fall closer to 2%. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is slightly loose but not oversupplied, consistent with a market built around owner-occupiers rather than investors. Demand support is modest: net overseas migration adds about 57 residents a year while internal migration removes 46, leaving the suburb reliant on overseas arrivals for natural growth. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is effectively flat, which protects existing landlords from fresh competition. Rent grew 21.7% over the decade, so the case rests on steady yield and rent escalation more than rapid capital gains, given 0.28% annual population growth.
Schools in Highland Park iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
William Duncan State School
Prep-6 · 580 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.9 points while the young share fell 1.7 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 27.8%, which is 6.2 points above national, though university qualifications at 24.7% sit 5.4 points below national, a trades-and-services profile rather than a knowledge-worker one. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,874), Scottish (719) and Irish (641), with German (329) behind. The top non-English language backgrounds are Japanese (36), Mandarin (18) and Croatian (15), a small international layer. Average household size is 2.7, which is 0.2 above national, consistent with the family base where couples with children (2,105 families) outnumber couples with no children (1,547). Christianity (3,110) is the dominant religion, with Buddhism (102) a distant second.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.1%
Houses
4.7%
Townhouse
10.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts firmly toward buyers: 47.6% carry a mortgage, 34.5% own outright and only 17.8% rent. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners points to a population still paying down homes rather than a settled retiree base, which fits the mortgage-belt identity. The stock is 85.1% separate houses, with apartments at just 10.2% and semi-detached at 4.7%, so detached family living defines the market. By size, 3-bedroom homes lead at 44.2% and 4-plus-bedroom at 40.8%, while 2-bedroom dwellings are only 14.3%, confirming a family rather than downsizer market. The $525,000 median against household income places it among more affordable Gold Coast options. Mortgage-to-income at 25.8% and rent-to-income at 26.7% both stay below the 30% stress line, a rare combination that signals genuine affordability for both owners and tenants.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$722
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
94
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples, no children
5,491
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in services rather than corporate sectors: Healthcare leads at 20.1% (411 workers), Construction follows at 13.2% (270) and Education at 12.1% (247), with Retail at 7.9% and Professional/Tech at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals (575) lead but Community and Personal Service workers (415), Clerical and Admin (392) and Managers (354) fill out a broad mid-skill base, which aligns with university attainment running 5.4 points below national. Unemployment sits at 5.5% and the full-time employment rate is 62.6%. Participation reads 56.4%, held down by 1,806 residents not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 42. SEIFA tells a mixed story: economic resources score decile 7, above the IRSAD decile 5, because high home-ownership lifts the wealth measure even where education and occupation (IEO decile 5) sit mid-table.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
4,935
Unemployed
187
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.6%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
56.4%
Employed
2,875
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.7%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
27.8%
Dwellings
2,369
Transport to Work
Highland Park is overwhelmingly car-dependent: 91.9% of commuters drive, well above the national average, while public transport carries just 1.1% and only 1.7% walk or cycle, a function of the low-density 1,676 residents per km2 layout across 3.92 km2. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the detached, low-density setting. Detailed crime statistics are not available here, but SEIFA offers an indirect read: the IRSD index of relative disadvantage sits at decile 6, above the middle, and only 6.3% of residents (396 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 12.4%, and with rent-to-income at 26.7% staying below the stress line, the suburb keeps day-to-day living costs manageable relative to higher-priced Gold Coast areas.
Drive
91.9%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.28%/yr
(+25 people/yr)
EstablishedHighland Park is an established, slow-growth suburb: annual population growth registers just 0.28% and the 10-year change is a mere 0.7%, so expansion is minimal. The forecast holds the population near 8,885 by 2031, up from about 8,797 in 2025, a modest trend continuation rather than a boom. Overseas migration of 57 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 46, so the suburb leans on overseas arrivals to stay flat. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying with a score of 13, fitting a mid-decile suburb with no luxury catalyst. Affordability improved from 64.1% in 2011 to 57.5% in 2021, a better trajectory than markets where prices outpaced incomes, while real incomes grew 10.5% over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+57
Net Internal / yr
-46
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Highland Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Highland Park a good suburb to live in?
Highland Park suits families seeking detached housing affordably: 85.1% of dwellings are separate houses and the $525,000 median sits at the affordable end of the Gold Coast. SEIFA places it mid-table at IRSAD decile 5, with economic resources higher at decile 7, and both mortgage and rent costs stay below the 30% stress line.
What is the median house price in Highland Park?
The median house price is $525,000, affordable by Gold Coast standards. Weekly rent averages $430, giving a gross yield near 4.3%, and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,800, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Highland Park?
No schools are recorded inside the Highland Park boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident profile is family-heavy, with couples with children making up 2,105 families against 1,547 couples with no children, and an average household size of 2.7, above national.
Is Highland Park safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Highland Park in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 6 on relative disadvantage, above the middle tier, and only 6.3% of its residents (396 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a settled, low-disadvantage area.
Is Highland Park good for property investment?
Rent of $430 a week against a $525,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.3%, stronger than coastal Gold Coast suburbs near 2%. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is balanced, and with 17.8% of households renting plus no new development in 12 months, returns lean on steady yield rather than fast capital growth at 0.28% annual population growth.
How is Highland Park's population changing?
Population growth is just 0.28% annually with a 0.7% rise over 10 years, classifying it as established and slow-growth. Forecasts hold the population near 8,885 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.9 points and the young share down 1.7 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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