Hope Island
Older, wealthier and still expanding, Hope Island stands out on the northern Gold Coast with 14,522 residents, a median age of 50 and household income in the 72.3 percentile. Its age profile is 10.0 years above the national benchmark, while 37.7% born overseas is 16.1 percentage points higher than national. Compared with nearby Helensvale and Coomera, the 41.1% outright ownership and housing mix point to a more mature, asset-rich market that is still growing at 3.51% a year.
Population
14,522
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,934/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$660K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Hope Island suits buyers who want space and lower repayment pressure, but not a bargain entry point. Separate houses make up 60.2% of dwellings, with another 19.4% semi-detached and 18.2% apartments, so the market has more choice than a pure house suburb. The $2200 monthly mortgage burden equals 26.3% of income, below common stress levels, because 41.1% own outright and household income sits at $1934 a week. Families needing 4 or more bedrooms have a real pool at 37.6%.
For Buyers
Hope Island suits buyers who want space and lower repayment pressure, but not a bargain entry point. Separate houses make up 60.2% of dwellings, with another 19.4% semi-detached and 18.2% apartments, so the market has more choice than a pure house suburb. The $2200 monthly mortgage burden equals 26.3% of income, below common stress levels, because 41.1% own outright and household income sits at $1934 a week. Families needing 4 or more bedrooms have a real pool at 37.6%.
For Investors
Investors face a trade-off between demand growth and leasing risk. Renting accounts for 28.1% of homes and the median rent is $550 a week, while rents rose 31.0% over the shift period. Population momentum is strong at 3.51% a year, or about 640 people, driven mainly by 599 net internal migrants annually. The caution is vacancy at 11.9%, higher than many landlords would want, and 0 approvals in 12 months means new supply is not the reason to buy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
1
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
Demographics
Hope Island is older and more international than the national average: median age is 50, 10.0 years above national, and 37.7% were born overseas, 16.1 percentage points higher. University attainment is 32.6%, 2.5 points above national, which fits the high share of Managers at 1,464 and Professionals at 1,362. English ancestry leads at 6,271, while Mandarin has 184 speakers. Average household size of 2.4 is 0.1 below national because couples without children are prominent at 42.3%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.2%
Houses
19.4%
Townhouse
18.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Hope Island tilts larger and owner-held rather than transient. Separate houses are 60.2% of stock, semi-detached homes 19.4% and apartments 18.2%, while 3 bedroom dwellings lead at 43.8% and 4 plus bedrooms add 37.6%. Outright ownership at 41.1% ranks higher than mortgaged homes at 30.8% and renters at 28.1%. With rent taking 28.4% of income and mortgages 26.3%, stress flags are lower, but the absence of a suburb median house price makes comparable sale checks essential.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$865
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.9%
Unoccupied
759
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.3%
Couples, no children
11,495
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hope Island's workforce is weighted to service and white-collar roles. Healthcare employs 630 people or 14.2%, construction 559 or 12.6%, and professional/tech 473 or 10.7%, with education at 398 and retail at 322. Managers number 1,464 and Professionals 1,362, supporting IEO decile 7 and IRSAD decile 8, both above average. Unemployment is 5.8%, but participation is only 50.6% because the median age of 50 leaves more residents outside the labour force.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
9,464
Unemployed
230
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.2%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
50.6%
Employed
6,028
Occupations
Top Industries
University
32.6%
Postgraduate
8.4%
Born Overseas
37.7%
Dwellings
5,514
Transport to Work
Daily life in Hope Island is strongly car-based. Car driving accounts for 92.2% of commuting, far above public transport at 1.1% and walking or cycling at 1.9%, so convenience depends on parking, road access and household vehicle access. The suburb covers 14.02 sq km at 1,035.9 people per sq km, so short local distances are not guaranteed and planning around traffic matters. IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 8 point to above average advantage, which supports services and household resilience.
Drive
92.2%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.51%/yr
(+640 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is one of Hope Island's clearest signals. The trend forecast adds 3.51% a year, equal to about 640 residents, and the medium path rises from 18,426 in 2026 to 21,625 by 2031. Migration is led by internal moves, with 599 net internal migrants a year compared with 270 net overseas migrants. The shift profile is Aging: seniors rose 9.9 points and working-age share fell 6.8 points. Gentrification score is 0 and stage is New development, so growth is more about population inflow and housing turnover than inner-city reinvention.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+270
Net Internal / yr
+599
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hope Island compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hope Island a good suburb to live in?
Yes, particularly for buyers who value space, ownership stability and a mature age profile. Median age is 50, outright ownership is 41.1% and household income sits in the 72.3 percentile, but daily life is car-dependent with 92.2% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Hope Island?
A current suburb-level median house price is not available, so use recent comparable sales for specific estates and dwelling types. Other cost markers show median rent at $550 a week and a typical mortgage payment of $2200 a month.
What schools are in Hope Island?
There are 0 schools within Hope Island itself, so families should verify catchments and nearby options before buying. With 14,522 residents and 92.2% of commuters driving, school access is likely to depend on the car.
Is Hope Island safe?
A suburb crime rate is not available, so safety should be checked against current Queensland Police updates and street-level context. The social profile is relatively advantaged, with IRSD decile 8 and 41.1% outright ownership, which can support stability.
Is Hope Island good for property investment?
Hope Island has investment appeal through 3.51% annual population growth, $550 median weekly rent and 31.0% rent growth over the shift period. The main caution is 11.9% vacancy, so property selection and leasing assumptions matter.
How is Hope Island's population changing?
Hope Island is growing quickly, with the forecast trend adding 3.51% a year or about 640 people. The medium path reaches 21,625 by 2031, and migration is mainly internal with 599 net internal migrants annually.
What languages are spoken in Hope Island?
English dominates, but the overseas-born share is high at 37.7%, which is 16.1 percentage points above national. The largest non-English language listed is Mandarin with 184 speakers, plus German 38 and Korean 35.
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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