Palm Beach
High vacancy shapes Palm Beach more than its beachside postcode suggests, with a 14.7% vacancy rate and 37.9% of homes rented. The suburb holds 16,349 residents in just 6.33 sqkm, so density is higher than many outer Gold Coast areas at 2,582.1 people per sqkm. Compared with nearby Currumbin and Burleigh Heads, Palm Beach reads as a compact coastal market with a strong apartment and townhouse layer, not only detached homes. Household income sits at the 60.5 percentile, while the median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure.
Population
16,349
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,721/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$570K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Palm Beach suits buyers who want coastal access without relying only on large detached housing, because separate houses are 41.1% of stock while apartments are close behind at 38.6% and semi detached dwellings add 19.9%. The median house price is not currently available, so affordability is better read through repayments: the typical mortgage is 2,093 per month and mortgage to income is 28.1%, higher than rent to income at 25.9%. Smaller households fit the stock profile, with 37.0% 2 bedroom homes and 33.6% 3 bedroom homes, while 4 plus bedroom dwellings are lower at 21.7%.
For Buyers
Palm Beach suits buyers who want coastal access without relying only on large detached housing, because separate houses are 41.1% of stock while apartments are close behind at 38.6% and semi detached dwellings add 19.9%. The median house price is not currently available, so affordability is better read through repayments: the typical mortgage is 2,093 per month and mortgage to income is 28.1%, higher than rent to income at 25.9%. Smaller households fit the stock profile, with 37.0% 2 bedroom homes and 33.6% 3 bedroom homes, while 4 plus bedroom dwellings are lower at 21.7%.
For Investors
Rental demand is structurally important in Palm Beach, with 37.9% renting, higher than outright ownership at 29.2% and mortgaged ownership at 32.9%. Weekly rent is 445, while the 14.7% vacancy rate is the key caution because it points to a market with more available or intermittently occupied stock than a very tight rental suburb. There were 0 recorded development samples over 12 months, so new supply pressure is not visible locally. Forecast migration still supports demand, with overseas migration the primary driver at 230 net people annually and internal migration adding 158.
Schools in Palm Beach iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Palm Beach State School
Prep-6 · 894 students
Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School
7-12 · 2819 students
Demographics
Palm Beach has a mature but not old profile: the median age is 39, which is 1.0 year below the national benchmark. University attainment is 34.2%, 4.1 percentage points above the national rate, helping explain the professional workforce share. Overseas born residents are 18.7%, lower than the national comparison by 2.9 points, and ancestry is Anglo leaning, led by English at 7,223, Irish at 2,224 and Scottish at 2,021. Average household size is 2.3, below the national figure by 0.2, which fits the high share of 2 bedroom and apartment stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
41.1%
Houses
19.9%
Townhouse
38.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Palm Beach is mixed rather than house dominated. Separate houses are 41.1% of dwellings, only slightly higher than apartments at 38.6%, with semi detached homes at 19.9%. Tenure is also balanced: 29.2% are owned outright, 32.9% have a mortgage and 37.9% are rented, so renting is the largest single category. The bedroom profile reinforces a compact market, with 37.0% 2 bedroom homes compared with 21.7% at 4 plus bedrooms. Stress indicators are contained because rent to income is 25.9% and mortgage to income is 28.1%, although no current median house price is available.
Mortgage / mo
$2,093
Rent / wk
$445
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$873
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.7%
Unoccupied
1,147
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.4%
Couples, no children
11,701
Total families
Economy & Employment
Palm Beach has an economy tied to services, building and education rather than a single employer base. Healthcare leads at 18.9% or 1,155 workers, followed by construction at 14.2% and education at 12.2%; professional and tech work adds 9.3%. Occupations skew skilled, with 2,177 professionals and 1,232 managers, which aligns with household income at the 60.5 percentile. Unemployment is 4.7% and participation is 59.3%. SEIFA is above average on advantage measures, with IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 7, while economic resources sit closer to the median at IER decile 5.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
11,012
Unemployed
311
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
59.3%
Employed
7,763
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.2%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
18.7%
Dwellings
6,621
Transport to Work
Palm Beach is practical for households that drive, because 89.7% commute by car compared with just 2.0% using public transport and 4.3% walking or cycling. Schooling is concentrated rather than scattered: 2 government schools serve the suburb, with Palm Beach State School at ICSEA 1,059 and enrolment 894, and Palm Beach-Currumbin State High at ICSEA 1,022 and enrolment 2,819. The ICSEA range sits above the national average benchmark of 1,000. IRSAD decile 7 also points to above average social advantage, while suburb-specific crime rates are not separately stated.
Drive
89.7%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.4%/yr
(+262 people/yr)
EstablishedPalm Beach is forecast to keep growing, but at a measured established suburb pace rather than a greenfield surge. The trend rate is 1.4% a year, equal to about 262 people annually, and the medium scenario rises from 18,237 in 2026 to 19,547 in 2031. Migration is the main engine because overseas migration contributes 230 net people a year, higher than internal migration at 158. Change is also visible in the gentrification score of 54 and Active stage. The shift indicators are mixed: rent growth is 48.3% and real income growth is 28.1%, while affordability moved from 54.2 in 2011 to 51.0 in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+230
Net Internal / yr
+158
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +29% since 2011, Net internal migration +158/yr, Strong overseas inflow +230/yr, Accelerating: 5% → 23%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Palm Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palm Beach a good suburb to live in?
Palm Beach is strong for coastal, compact living, with 16,349 residents, a median age of 39 and IRSAD decile 7. It suits car based households best because 89.7% drive compared with 2.0% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Palm Beach?
A current median house price is not available for Palm Beach. Affordability can still be read through housing costs: the typical mortgage is 2,093 per month, while weekly rent is 445.
What schools are in Palm Beach?
Palm Beach has 2 local government schools. Palm Beach State School has ICSEA 1,059 and 894 students, while Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School has ICSEA 1,022 and 2,819 students.
Is Palm Beach safe?
A suburb-specific crime rate is not available for Palm Beach, so safety should be checked against broader local reporting. The area sits in IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 7, both above average advantage measures.
Is Palm Beach good for property investment?
Palm Beach has investment appeal through a 37.9% renter share and weekly rent of 445, but the 14.7% vacancy rate is higher than a tight rental market. There were 0 recorded development samples over 12 months.
How is Palm Beach's population changing?
Palm Beach is growing at a forecast 1.4% a year, or about 262 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 19,547 by 2031, with overseas migration adding 230 net people a year.
How do people get around in Palm Beach?
Travel is car led, with 89.7% driving compared with 2.0% using public transport and 4.3% walking or cycling. That makes parking, commute routes and local access important when comparing homes.
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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