Pimpama
Population grew 2,590% over the decade to 24,601 residents, a near-26-fold expansion that ranks Pimpama as one of Australia's fastest-growing suburbs and dwarfs every comparable Gold Coast or Brisbane peer in our corpus. Sitting on the M1 roughly 60km north of Surfers Paradise and 60km south of Brisbane CBD, the suburb absorbs catchment overflow from both metros while being anchored to neither. Median age sits at 29, eleven years below the national figure and four years younger than Upper Coomera, the immediate southern sister growth town. The dwelling mix is unambiguously new-estate family belt: 80.9% separate houses, 66.2% with four or more bedrooms, and just 1.4% apartments. The renter share runs 57.9%, 26.3 percentage points above the national average and an outlier even among growth corridors, reflecting investor-funded build-to-rent stock at the front of the cycle. Forecast adds 790 persons annually at +6.16% through 2031.
Population
24,601
Median Age
29.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,863/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$553K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Pimpama's owner-occupier path tilts sharply toward first-home buyers and young families chasing four-bedroom yard space at sub-Surfers pricing. Average monthly mortgage repayments run $1,978, suggesting house values broadly in the $700,000-$880,000 band at typical 80% LVRs, materially below the Gold Coast urban core and roughly tracking Upper Coomera's $1,939 mortgage trajectory. Mortgage-to-income sits at 24.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and one of the more workable family-belt ratios in SEQ. The dwelling mix amplifies the family pitch: 66.2% of homes have four or more bedrooms versus typical national family-suburb norms in the 40-50% band, and 80.9% are separate detached houses versus 1.4% apartments. The catch is concentration risk and immaturity: only 10.0% of households own outright (well below the 30% national average), so almost every buyer carries debt and the suburb's history is too short to test through a full property cycle.
For Buyers
Pimpama's owner-occupier path tilts sharply toward first-home buyers and young families chasing four-bedroom yard space at sub-Surfers pricing. Average monthly mortgage repayments run $1,978, suggesting house values broadly in the $700,000-$880,000 band at typical 80% LVRs, materially below the Gold Coast urban core and roughly tracking Upper Coomera's $1,939 mortgage trajectory. Mortgage-to-income sits at 24.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and one of the more workable family-belt ratios in SEQ. The dwelling mix amplifies the family pitch: 66.2% of homes have four or more bedrooms versus typical national family-suburb norms in the 40-50% band, and 80.9% are separate detached houses versus 1.4% apartments. The catch is concentration risk and immaturity: only 10.0% of households own outright (well below the 30% national average), so almost every buyer carries debt and the suburb's history is too short to test through a full property cycle.
For Investors
Pimpama runs the highest renter share in our QLD growth-corridor corpus at 57.9%, sitting 26.3 percentage points above the national average and 23 percentage points above Upper Coomera's 34.9%. That signals heavy investor ownership of the recent build-out, with weekly rent at $440 against the same $700-880k entry band producing gross yields broadly in the 4.0-5.5% range, ahead of Surfers Paradise apartment net returns after strata. Recent rent growth of 16.0% lifts cashflow, though real income contraction of -8.1% over the same window caps further upward pressure. The 4.3% vacancy rate runs above the sub-2% tight Brisbane metro benchmark, marking supply as currently adequate rather than scarce, a function of continued estate releases. Migration demand persists at 298 net annual arrivals (192 internal + 106 overseas), and the +6.16% forecast growth (790 persons/year) underwrites continued absorption faster than any comparable Gold Coast peer.
Schools in Pimpama iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School
Prep-12 · 794 students
Gainsborough State School
Prep-6 · 849 students
Ormeau State School
Prep-6 · 897 students
Pimpama State School
Prep-6 · 792 students
Pimpama State Primary College
Prep-6 · 747 students
Demographics
Median age 29 sits eleven years below the national figure of 40, the youngest profile among our Gold Coast suburb corpus and a function of new-estate family formation rather than student or beach-renter inflows. Average household size of 3.0 runs 0.5 above the national benchmark, consistent with the four-bedroom detached dominance. Overseas-born share is 31.7%, 10.1 percentage points above the national 21.6% and substantially higher than Upper Coomera's 30.1% or Morayfield's 18.1%, marking Pimpama as the most migrant-tilted Gold Coast growth town. The language signal is distinctive: Punjabi leads non-English at 377 speakers (roughly three times Mandarin's 126), followed by Korean (98), Gujarati (71), and Hindi (62), reflecting concentrated South Asian migration rather than the Mandarin-led patterns seen across Sydney and Melbourne. Hinduism reaches 568 adherents, a notable presence at this suburb scale. Anglo ancestry still leads with 8,906 English, 1,827 Scottish, 1,809 Irish, but the Punjabi-South Asian layer materially shifts the cultural composition.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.9%
Houses
17.7%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Dwelling composition reflects 2015+ greenfield rollout: 80.9% separate houses, 17.7% semi-detached townhouses or duplexes, and just 1.4% apartments, almost the inverse of Surfers Paradise high-rise stock. Tenure splits 10.0% owned outright, 32.1% mortgaged, and 57.9% rented, with the rented share running 26.3 percentage points above the national average and the owned-outright share 20 percentage points below national, both extreme signatures of an investor-dominant build-out phase. Bedrooms tell the family-stock story: 66.2% of dwellings carry four or more bedrooms, 27.2% have three, and just 6.6% are two-bedroom or smaller, well above national family-suburb norms. Affordability ratios stay in workable territory: mortgage-to-income at 24.5% and rent-to-income at 23.6%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The 2011-to-2021 affordability shift moved from 49.8% to 51.1%, an unusually stable 1.3 percentage point change compared to Sydney corridors where pressure climbed sharply.
Mortgage / mo
$1,978
Rent / wk
$440
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$856
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.3%
Unoccupied
342
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.3%
Couples, no children
20,213
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare and social assistance leads employment at 20.3% of workers (1,513 jobs), running roughly 7 percentage points above the national 13% baseline thanks to Gold Coast University Hospital catchment and Pimpama-area aged care expansion mirroring Upper Coomera's 18.6% healthcare tilt. Construction follows at 12.2% (913 workers), elevated by the ongoing land releases and estate rollout that drove the 2,590% decade growth. Retail at 9.6%, education at 8.7%, and professional/technical services at 6.6% complete the top five, a service-heavy mix lighter on professional sectors than Brisbane inner-ring suburbs. Occupation distribution runs more balanced than older Gold Coast peers: Professionals lead at 1,830, then Community/Personal services 1,630, Clerical/Admin 1,369, Labourers 1,240, and Managers 1,187. SEIFA sits at decile 5 across IRSD, IRSAD and IEO with IER slightly higher at decile 6, placing the suburb in middle Australian economic ranking. Unemployment at 6.6% runs above the national 4.3% and participation at 62.4% lags national norms.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
7,154
Unemployed
235
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.1%
Part-time
28.3%
Participation
62.4%
Employed
10,396
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.1%
Postgraduate
6.1%
Born Overseas
31.7%
Dwellings
7,628
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-absolute: 91.6% drive to work, just 1.5% take public transport, and 0.8% walk or cycle, a mobility profile worse than Upper Coomera's 91.9% car share and reflecting the absence of a Pimpama train station (the Coomera line currently terminates one stop south). The Cross River Rail extension to Pimpama remains in planning rather than construction. The school slate is more concentrated than older Gold Coast peers, with six schools led by Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School (ICSEA 1056, 794 enrolled, Independent Combined). Government primaries Gainsborough State School (ICSEA 1003, 849), Ormeau State School (998, 897), and Pimpama State School (993, 792) cluster around the 1000 national mean. The newer Pimpama State Primary College (972, 747) and Pimpama State Secondary College (966, 1,222) sit modestly below, consistent with the suburb's SEIFA decile 5 catchment and the typical first-cohort ICSEA pattern for brand-new state schools that haven't yet matured.
Drive
91.6%
Public Transport
1.5%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+6.16%/yr
(+790 people/yr)
High GrowthForecast trend places Pimpama at +6.16% annual population growth (790 persons/year) through 2031, the highest rate in our QLD growth-corridor corpus and well ahead of Upper Coomera's +4.41% or Morayfield's +3.13%. The medium scenario carries population from 13,829 in 2026 to 17,780 by 2031 across our forecast cohort, sustaining the +2,590% decade trajectory rather than reverting. Migration driver split runs 192 internal annual movers against 106 overseas, a 64/36 internal-led ratio similar to Upper Coomera and consistent with Brisbane and Sydney priced-out flow rather than direct offshore arrivals. Trajectory tags the suburb as Rejuvenating: young-adult share has risen 9.1 percentage points while senior share has fallen 3.1pp, the inverse pattern of Morayfield's aging trajectory. Rent growth of 16.0% combined with real income contraction of -8.1% means tenants absorb the pressure faster than incomes lift. Gentrification scores zero with stage 'Not gentrifying' because the suburb hasn't yet booked enough vintage stock to reposition.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+106
Net Internal / yr
+192
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Pimpama compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pimpama a good suburb to live in?
Pimpama suits young families and first-home buyers chasing four-bedroom space at sub-Surfers pricing. 80.9% of homes are separate houses, 66.2% have four or more bedrooms, and median age runs 29 (eleven years below the national figure). Household income sits at the 67.3rd percentile nationally, SEIFA reaches decile 5 across most indices, and forecast growth runs +6.16% annually, the highest in our QLD corpus.
What is the median house price in Pimpama?
Public median price data isn't available in our QLD brief, but average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,978 imply house values broadly in the $700,000-$880,000 band at typical 80% LVR. Weekly rent runs $440, and mortgage-to-income at 24.5% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Mortgage cost tracks roughly $40/month above Upper Coomera's $1,939 and well below Surfers Paradise apartment averages.
What schools are in Pimpama?
Six schools serve the suburb area. Top ICSEA: Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School (1056, 794 students, Independent), Gainsborough State School (1003, 849, Government primary), Ormeau State School (998, 897), Pimpama State School (993, 792). Newer Pimpama State Primary College (972, 747) and Pimpama State Secondary College (966, 1,222) sit modestly below the 1000 national mean.
Is Pimpama safe?
Suburb-level Queensland Police crime data isn't available in our brief for direct comparison. Indirect signals suggest moderate risk: SEIFA disadvantage (IRSD) decile 5 places Pimpama in the middle of national disadvantage rankings, mortgage-to-income at 24.5% and rent-to-income at 23.6% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, and median age of 29 reflects family-formation rather than transient demographics.
Is Pimpama good for property investment?
Renter share runs 57.9% (26.3 percentage points above the national average and the highest in our QLD corpus), rent grew 16.0% recently, and weekly rent at $440 supports yield. Vacancy at 4.3% sits above tight sub-2% Brisbane benchmarks, signalling supply is keeping pace with demand. Migration adds 298 persons net annually (192 internal + 106 overseas) and forecast growth of +6.16% per year underwrites continued absorption.
How is Pimpama's population changing?
Population grew 2,590% over the past decade to 24,601 residents, one of the fastest expansion rates in Australia and roughly twenty times Upper Coomera's 130.1% gain. Forecast adds 790 persons annually through 2031 (+6.16%), the highest rate in our QLD growth-corridor corpus. Internal migration drives 192 of that annually, overseas 106. Young-adult share has risen 9.1 percentage points while senior share fell 3.1pp.
What is the main industry in Pimpama?
Healthcare and social assistance employs 20.3% of workers (1,513 jobs), running roughly 7 percentage points above the national 13% share and reflecting Gold Coast University Hospital catchment plus local aged care. Construction follows at 12.2% (913 workers), supported by the ongoing land-release rollout that drove 2,590% decade population growth. Retail at 9.6% rounds out the top three sectors.
What languages are spoken in Pimpama?
Overseas-born share runs 31.7%, 10.1 percentage points above the national 21.6% and the highest among our QLD growth-corridor suburbs. Top non-English languages are Punjabi (377 speakers), Mandarin (126), Korean (98), Gujarati (71), and Hindi (62), reflecting concentrated South Asian migration rather than the Mandarin-led patterns of Sydney. English ancestry leads at 8,906 residents ahead of Scottish (1,827) and Irish (1,809).
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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