Mermaid Waters
Waterway living sits behind the headline in Mermaid Waters: 70.4% of homes are owner occupied, split between 35.4% owned outright and 35.0% with a mortgage. Inland from Mermaid Beach and close to Broadbeach Waters, it is less apartment-led than the coastal strip, with 59.6% separate houses and 32.0% semi-detached homes. Education levels are above national settings by 5.4 percentage points, while household income sits in the 62.1 percentile, supporting a stable middle to upper-middle market.
Population
13,088
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,766/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$582K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers are buying into space and ownership stability rather than a high-rise beach market. Separate houses account for 59.6% of dwellings and semi-detached homes add another 32.0%, well above the 6.6% apartment share. The typical mortgage payment is $2,167 per month and mortgage costs take 28.3% of income, below a stress setting. Larger households are supported because 38.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 31.6% have 3 bedrooms.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are buying into space and ownership stability rather than a high-rise beach market. Separate houses account for 59.6% of dwellings and semi-detached homes add another 32.0%, well above the 6.6% apartment share. The typical mortgage payment is $2,167 per month and mortgage costs take 28.3% of income, below a stress setting. Larger households are supported because 38.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 31.6% have 3 bedrooms.
For Investors
Mermaid Waters has a moderate rental base, with 29.6% renting compared with 70.4% owner occupiers. Weekly rent is $450, and rent takes 25.5% of income, below a stress setting, which helps tenant capacity. Vacancy is 7.9%, so investors should price conservatively because availability is higher than the ownership-heavy profile might suggest. Only 3 development applications in 12 months point to limited new supply, while overseas migration adds a forecast 222 people a year.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
3
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 Mermaid Waters iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Miami State School
Prep-6 · 835 students
Merrimac State High School
7-12 · 930 students
Demographics
The suburb's age profile is close to the national average, with a median age of 40 and an age gap of 0.0 years versus national. Overseas-born residents make up 29.9%, which is 8.3 percentage points higher than national, while university attainment is 35.5%, 5.4 points above national. English ancestry is the largest group at 5,128 people, followed by Irish at 1,481 and Scottish at 1,318. Mandarin, Portuguese and Cantonese are present but smaller language groups.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
59.6%
Houses
32.0%
Townhouse
6.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is broad but not dense: 59.6% separate houses, 32.0% semi-detached homes and only 6.6% apartments. That is lower apartment exposure than nearby Mermaid Beach, which helps explain the family-sized bedroom mix. Ownership is balanced, with 35.4% owned outright, 35.0% mortgaged and 29.6% rented. A current median house price is not recorded, so affordability is better read through costs: mortgages take 28.3% of income and rent takes 25.5%, both below stress settings.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$816
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
423
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.8%
Couples, no children
9,994
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mermaid Waters has a service-led workforce with healthcare at 17.2% of workers, construction at 13.2%, education at 10.7%, professional and tech at 9.6%, and hospitality at 7.9%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,523 people, followed by managers at 963. Employment is steady rather than exceptional: unemployment is 5.0% and participation is 56.5%. All 4 SEIFA measures sit in decile 7, IEO 7, IER 7, IRSD 7 and IRSAD 7, above the middle deciles with no obvious disadvantage anomaly.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
8,331
Unemployed
207
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.5%
Part-time
35.5%
Participation
56.5%
Employed
5,809
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.5%
Postgraduate
8.4%
Born Overseas
29.9%
Dwellings
4,957
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 88.1% drive to work, far higher than the 1.7% using public transport and the 4.2% walking or cycling. That suits households prioritising schools, shops and Gold Coast road access over train commuting. Local schooling is compact, with 2 government schools and an ICSEA range of 1029 to 1053. Miami State School is the stronger primary option at 1053 with 835 enrolments, while Merrimac State High School serves secondary students at 1029 with 930 enrolments.
Drive
88.1%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.93%/yr
(+136 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is measured rather than explosive. The trend forecast is 0.93% a year, or about 136 people annually, with the medium scenario rising from 14,318 in 2026 to 14,998 by 2031. Migration is the main driver because overseas inflow averages 222 people a year, compared with a small net internal loss of 6 people. The gentrification score is 31 and the stage is Early signs, while the shift metrics show rent growth of 32.4% and real income growth of 21.9%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+222
Net Internal / yr
-6
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +18% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +222/yr, Accelerating: 2% → 16%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mermaid Waters compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mermaid Waters a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers who want established Gold Coast housing with less apartment density than the beach strip. Owner occupiers make up 70.4% of households, 59.6% of dwellings are separate houses, and the median age of 40 points to a settled local base.
What is the median house price in Mermaid Waters?
A current median house price is not recorded for Mermaid Waters. Buyers can still benchmark the market through costs and stock mix: the median mortgage payment is $2,167 per month, 59.6% of homes are separate houses and 32.0% are semi-detached.
What schools are in Mermaid Waters?
There are 2 local government schools. Miami State School is a primary school with an ICSEA of 1053 and 835 enrolments, while Merrimac State High School is a secondary school with an ICSEA of 1029 and 930 enrolments.
Is Mermaid Waters safe?
No suburb-level crime rate is published for Mermaid Waters, so inspections at different times of day remain important. The suburb has 13,088 residents, a 70.4% owner-occupier share and 2 local schools, all useful context for assessing local streets.
Is Mermaid Waters good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking a stable, owner-led suburb rather than a high-turnover rental market. Renters are 29.6% of households, weekly rent is $450, vacancy is 7.9%, and only 3 development applications in 12 months suggest limited new local supply.
How is Mermaid Waters's population changing?
Population growth is forecast to be steady at 0.93% a year, or about 136 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 14,998 residents by 2031, with overseas migration adding 222 people a year compared with a small internal loss of 6.
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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