Hope Island
Hope Island's most striking feature is its age profile: the median age is 50, or 10 years above the national figure, while 37.7% of residents were born overseas. The suburb has 14,522 residents across 14.02 square kilometres, giving a density of 1,035.9 people per square kilometre, and household income sits at the 72.3rd percentile. Separate houses account for 60.2% of dwellings, above the 18.2% apartment share, while vacancy is 11.9%. Positioned between Sanctuary Cove's established waterfront setting and the growth corridor around Coomera, Hope Island has a mature, downsizing-oriented profile. Its 40.5% outright ownership rate and 26.6% work-from-home share support demand for space and amenity rather than a young, high-turnover atmosphere.
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
6
Homebuyers need to assess Hope Island by dwelling type because a single suburb-wide price can conceal differences between detached homes, townhouses and apartments. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,200 per month, while reported mortgage costs equal 26.3% of household income, below the 28.4% rent-to-income figure. The housing mix is more family-sized than apartment-led: 43.8% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 37.6% have 4 or more, compared with 16.2% containing 2 bedrooms. Separate houses represent 60.2%, above the 18.2% apartment share and close to the 19.4% semi-detached share. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by property type and check body corporate, flood, maintenance and insurance costs before committing.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to assess Hope Island by dwelling type because a single suburb-wide price can conceal differences between detached homes, townhouses and apartments. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,200 per month, while reported mortgage costs equal 26.3% of household income, below the 28.4% rent-to-income figure. The housing mix is more family-sized than apartment-led: 43.8% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 37.6% have 4 or more, compared with 16.2% containing 2 bedrooms. Separate houses represent 60.2%, above the 18.2% apartment share and close to the 19.4% semi-detached share. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by property type and check body corporate, flood, maintenance and insurance costs before committing.
For Investors
Hope Island presents a rental opportunity with meaningful demand but also a vacancy risk. Weekly rent is $550 and 27.7% of households rent, lower than the 40.5% that own outright, so the market is not dominated by tenants. The vacancy rate of 11.9% is high, which can give renters more choice and make presentation, pricing and property management important. Recorded rent growth is 31.0%, while the wider forecast trend is 3.51% annually, driven by internal migration. Six development matters were lodged in the latest 12-month period, a smaller pipeline than a heavily expanding precinct. Investors should stress-test longer leasing periods and compare net yield after body corporate and waterfront maintenance costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
6
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 has an older resident base than Australia overall: its median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 37.7%, which is 16.1 percentage points above the national level, while university attainment at 32.6% is 2.5 points higher than nationally. Average household size is 2.4 people, 0.1 lower than the national comparison, and couples without children represent 54.9% of households versus 33.1% for couples with children. English ancestry is recorded for 6,271 people, followed by Scottish at 1,570 and Irish at 1,504. Christianity counts 7,552 residents compared with 5,162 reporting no religion. A 62.6% stay rate and 37.4% turnover rate suggest a settled base, although internal migration is adding momentum.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.2%
Houses
19.4%
Townhouse
18.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Hope Island's housing stock is more detached than apartment-based, with separate houses at 60.2%, semi-detached dwellings at 19.4% and apartments at 18.2%. Tenure is relatively established: 40.5% of homes are owned outright, 30.4% have a mortgage and 27.7% are rented. The bedroom profile supports larger households, with 43.8% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 37.6% containing 4 or more, while only 2.4% have 0 or 1 bedroom. Mortgage-to-income costs are 26.3%, lower than the 28.4% rent-to-income figure. Compared with apartment-focused pockets, the suburb's separate-house share points to buyers seeking space, but recent settled sales should still be checked by dwelling type because the local mix is not uniform.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $550.
$925
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $925 · units $800
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
33.1%
Couples with children
54.9%
Couples, no children
11.0%
Single parent
4,438
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hope Island's employment base is led by Healthcare at 14.2% or 630 workers, Construction at 12.6% or 559, Professional and Technical services at 10.7% or 473, Education at 9.0% or 398, and Retail at 7.3% or 322. Managers number 1,464 and Professionals 1,362, ahead of Clerical and Administrative workers at 955, supporting the suburb's household income percentile of 72.3. Unemployment is 5.3%, participation is 55.3% and the full-time rate is 57.5%, while 4,806 people are not in the labour force. Socioeconomic scores are comparatively strong: IEO is decile 7, while IER, IRSD and IRSAD are each decile 8. The higher IRSAD and IRSD results than IEO indicate material advantage alongside an older, less labour-force-intensive population.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
6,993
Unemployed
371
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.5%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
55.3%
Employed
6,622
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
32.6%
Postgraduate
8.4%
Born Overseas
37.7%
Dwellings
5,514
Transport to Work
Daily travel in Hope Island is strongly car-dependent because 67.6% of residents drive to work, compared with only 0.9% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling. The 26.6% work-from-home rate can reduce commuting pressure, but households without a car may face lower practical access to employment and services. Socioeconomic livability is comparatively solid: IRSAD is decile 8, above the IEO decile 7, while IER and IRSD also sit at decile 8. Need for assistance is recorded for 6.1% of residents, or 833 people, and volunteering is 10.9%. With 14.02 square kilometres and density of 1,035.9 people per square kilometre, the suburb combines a sizeable footprint with concentrated residential activity. Its strongest fit is for residents who value space, home-based work and private vehicle access.
Drive
67.6%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
26.6%
Population Forecast
+3.51%/yr
(+640 people/yr)
EstablishedHope Island's growth outlook is stronger than its established-suburb label suggests. The forecast trend is 3.51% annually and the primary driver is internal migration, while population change across the wider area is 70.9% over 10 years. At the same time, the trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has risen 9.9 percentage points, the young share has fallen 2.9 points and the working share has declined 6.8 points. This combination points to expansion led by incoming households alongside a steadily older resident base. The gentrification classification is New development with a score of 0, while the shift assessment is Not gentrifying with a score of 13. Growth is therefore more closely tied to internal migration and established development than to a sharp prestige-market transition.
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?
Hope Island suits residents seeking larger homes, established ownership and a quieter age profile. The median age is 50, 40.5% of homes are owned outright and 26.6% of residents work from home. Car dependence is significant, with 67.6% driving to work, so lifestyle quality depends heavily on having convenient vehicle access.
What is the median house price in Hope Island?
No median house price is quoted, so buyers should compare recent settled sales rather than rely on one headline figure. Property type matters because 60.2% of dwellings are separate houses, 19.4% are semi-detached and 18.2% are apartments. Compare like-for-like homes and include insurance, maintenance and body corporate costs.
What schools are in Hope Island?
Use the exact property address to confirm current school options, enrolment zones and travel times because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Household size averages 2.4 people, and families should check whether the preferred sector and year-level availability suit their needs before signing a contract.
Is Hope Island safe?
Safety should be checked using current Queensland Police incident information for the exact streets and times that matter to your household. Hope Island covers 14.02 square kilometres, so conditions can vary between residential pockets, waterfront areas and commercial locations. An in-person visit at different times is also useful.
Is Hope Island good for property investment?
Hope Island can suit investors who accept vacancy risk in exchange for rental and growth potential. Weekly rent is $550, rent growth is recorded at 31.0% and the annual forecast trend is 3.51%, driven by internal migration. However, vacancy is 11.9%, so investors should stress-test longer leasing periods and holding costs.
How is Hope Island's population changing?
Hope Island has 14,522 residents today, with wider-area population change recorded at 70.9% over 10 years. Forecast growth is 3.51% annually and is driven by internal migration. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 9.9 percentage points and the young share down 2.9 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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