Pacific Pines
Family scale is the clearest feature of Pacific Pines. Its population is 16,664, with a median age of 34, which is 6 years below the national figure, while average households contain 3.1 people, or 0.6 above the national average. Separate houses account for 76.0% of dwellings and 4 or more bedrooms for 65.4%, supporting its mortgage-belt identity. The overseas-born share is 33.7%, 12.1 percentage points above national levels, and household income sits at the 79.1 percentile. For comparisons with nearby Helensvale and Gaven, Pacific Pines' standout distinction is its family-housing scale rather than apartment density. The 49.8% mortgage share also points to a suburb shaped by established owner-occupiers and households still paying down loans.
Population
16,664
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,090/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Pacific Pines suits buyers seeking family-sized housing, with 76.0% of dwellings separate houses and 65.4% containing 4 or more bedrooms. Three-bedroom homes represent 33.6%, while semi-detached stock accounts for 23.8%, giving buyers more choice than the very limited 0.1% apartment share. The typical mortgage payment is $1,980 per month, equal to 21.9% of household income, and the 49.8% mortgage tenure share is above the 17.1% owned-outright share. Renting costs $470 per week and represents 22.5% of household income, so the affordability picture is comparatively manageable. Buyers should compare recent sales by street and dwelling condition because a suburb-wide median house price is not available.
For Buyers
Pacific Pines suits buyers seeking family-sized housing, with 76.0% of dwellings separate houses and 65.4% containing 4 or more bedrooms. Three-bedroom homes represent 33.6%, while semi-detached stock accounts for 23.8%, giving buyers more choice than the very limited 0.1% apartment share. The typical mortgage payment is $1,980 per month, equal to 21.9% of household income, and the 49.8% mortgage tenure share is above the 17.1% owned-outright share. Renting costs $470 per week and represents 22.5% of household income, so the affordability picture is comparatively manageable. Buyers should compare recent sales by street and dwelling condition because a suburb-wide median house price is not available.
For Investors
Pacific Pines has a meaningful tenant base, with 32.7% of households renting compared with 17.1% owning outright, creating a broader rental pool for investors. Weekly rent is $470 and the vacancy rate is 3.4%, so demand should be assessed alongside property type, transport access and leasing history rather than rent alone. The wider growth trend is 1.61% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver, which can support housing demand because new arrivals often begin in rental accommodation. Three development applications were recorded over 12 months, indicating some activity but not a large documented pipeline. The gentrification score is 14 and the area is classified as Not gentrifying, so the investment case is more established and yield-focused than transformation-led.
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 Pacific Pines
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Jubilee Primary School (Pacific Pines)
Pacific Pines State High School
Pacific Pines State School
Park Lake State School
Demographics
Pacific Pines combines a younger-than-national age profile with comparatively large households. The median age is 34, or 6 years below the national figure, and average household size is 3.1 people, 0.6 above national levels. Couples with children account for 52.3% of families, while one-parent families represent 17.8%, helping explain the strong demand for 3-bedroom and 4-plus-bedroom homes. Overseas-born residents comprise 33.7%, which is 12.1 percentage points above the national share. English ancestry is recorded for 6,440 residents, followed by Other at 2,139 and Scottish at 1,469. University attainment is 29.0%, 1.1 points below national levels, while 75.4% stayed at the same address, indicating lower turnover than the 24.6% who moved.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.0%
Houses
23.8%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Pacific Pines has a strongly detached housing form: 76.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 23.8% are semi-detached and only 0.1% are apartments. The bedroom profile is similarly family-oriented, with 65.4% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 33.6% containing 3 bedrooms. Mortgage households account for 49.8%, above the 17.1% owned-outright share and the 32.7% renting share, so household budgets are closely linked to lending conditions. Mortgage costs equal 21.9% of household income, while rent equals 22.5%, and neither tenure is flagged for stress. The affordability measure moved from 61.8 in 2011 to 57.0 in 2021 and is labelled Improving. Compared with higher-density coastal markets, the local housing choice is more suited to buyers wanting space and family accommodation.
Mortgage / mo
$1,980
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $470.
$850
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $850 · units $680
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$836
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.4%
Unoccupied
185
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
52.3%
Couples with children
28.5%
Couples, no children
17.8%
Single parent
4,709
Total families
Economy & Employment
Pacific Pines has a relatively strong household income position, with weekly household income of $2,090 and a 79.1 percentile ranking. Healthcare is the largest industry at 21.9%, or 1,267 workers, followed by Construction at 12.4% and 719, Education at 10.5% and 607, Retail at 8.6% and 500, and Professional and Technical services at 6.2% and 360. The leading occupations are Professionals with 1,606 workers, Trades with 1,336, and Community and Personal services with 1,190. Labour-force participation is 72.2%, full-time employment is 56.9% and unemployment is 5.3%, pointing to an active working population. Economic resources rank well above education and occupation: IER is decile 9 compared with IEO decile 5, while IRSD and IRSAD are both decile 6. That gap can reflect household resources exceeding formal education indicators.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
9,171
Unemployed
483
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.9%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
72.2%
Employed
8,688
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.0%
Postgraduate
7.3%
Born Overseas
33.7%
Dwellings
5,180
Transport to Work
Daily mobility in Pacific Pines is strongly car-led, with 79.8% driving to work compared with 1.3% using public transport and 0.8% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 12.8%, which may reduce some commuting pressure but does not replace the need for reliable road access. Four local schools provide a practical mix of 3 government schools and 1 Catholic non-state school, including 3 primary schools and 1 state high school. The family profile is reinforced by 52.3% of families being couples with children. Socioeconomic resources are above the suburb's education and occupation position, with IER at decile 9 versus IEO at decile 5, while IRSAD is decile 6. For safety decisions, check recent Queensland Police incident patterns and visit the specific street at different times rather than relying on socioeconomic rankings.
Drive
79.8%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
12.8%
Population Forecast
+1.61%/yr
(+308 people/yr)
EstablishedPacific Pines has an annual growth trend of 1.61%, higher than the -2.3% COVID dip, and the wider area recorded 11.8% population change over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which aligns with the suburb's 33.7% overseas-born share and can sustain demand for both rentals and family homes. The trajectory is classified as Aging: the young share fell by 3.3 percentage points while the senior share rose by 4.3 points. Growth therefore appears to be continuing alongside a gradual age shift rather than a rapid demographic reset. The gentrification score is 14 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so change is more consistent with established suburban expansion than an inner-city style uplift. COVID effects were temporary, with a 2.4% recovery following the dip.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+194
Net Internal / yr
-236
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal outflow -236/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Pacific Pines compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pacific Pines a good suburb to live in?
Pacific Pines can suit households wanting space, schools and family-sized homes. The median age is 34, 52.3% of families are couples with children, and 76.0% of dwellings are separate houses. Daily life is car-dependent, however, with 79.8% driving to work and only 1.3% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Pacific Pines?
A reliable current median house price is unavailable, so buyers should compare recent sales for similar homes and blocks. The local housing profile is clear: 76.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 65.4% have 4 or more bedrooms and 33.6% have 3 bedrooms.
What schools are in Pacific Pines?
Four schools serve Pacific Pines: Jubilee Primary School, Pacific Pines State High School, Pacific Pines State School and Park Lake State School. The mix includes 3 government schools and 1 Catholic non-state school, with 1 high school and 3 primary schools. Enrolment zones should be checked for each address.
Is Pacific Pines safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not available for a firm safety rating. Pacific Pines has an IRSAD decile of 6 and 5.0% of residents need assistance, but those figures do not measure crime. Check recent Queensland Police incidents, local conditions and the specific street before deciding.
Is Pacific Pines good for property investment?
Pacific Pines may suit investors seeking established family housing and a sizeable rental market. Renting accounts for 32.7%, weekly rent is $470 and vacancy is 3.4%. The annual growth trend is 1.61%, with overseas migration the primary driver, but purchase price and property condition are needed to assess yield.
How is Pacific Pines's population changing?
The suburb has 16,664 residents, while population change across the wider area is 11.8% over 10 years. Growth is running at 1.61% annually and is primarily driven by overseas migration. The trajectory is Aging, with the young share down 3.3 points and the senior share up 4.3 points.
What languages are spoken in Pacific Pines?
English ancestry is the largest recorded background at 6,440 residents, while overseas-born residents account for 33.7%. The main listed non-English languages include Mandarin with 155 speakers, Korean with 86, Punjabi with 75, Japanese with 69 and Malayalam with 56.
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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