Runaway Bay
With a median age of 54, a full 14 years above the national figure, Runaway Bay is one of the Gold Coast's most pronounced retirement-lifestyle suburbs. Nearly half of all homes (45.3%) are owned outright, yet only 45.8% of residents participate in the labour force, 20 points below the national average, reflecting a population that has largely exited the workforce. The housing mix is unusually diverse for the Gold Coast: 45.3% detached houses, 28.3% apartments, and 26.4% semi-detached, a three-way split rarely seen outside inner-city areas. At $552,000 estimated median, prices sit well below the broader Gold Coast, but a 10.6% vacancy rate raises questions about oversupply in the rental market.
Population
9,308
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,382/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$552K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The split housing stock offers entry points across budgets: detached houses at 45.3%, apartments at 28.3%, and semi-detached at 26.4%. The $552,000 estimated median sits well below Gold Coast prestige suburbs, placing it in an affordable bracket for the region. Three-bedroom homes (38.1%) are the most common, with four-plus bedroom properties at 31.2% and two-bedrooms at 25.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,000 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.4%, above the 30% stress threshold. Buyers should note that 90.4% of residents commute by car with public transport at just 1.1%, making vehicle ownership effectively mandatory.
For Buyers
The split housing stock offers entry points across budgets: detached houses at 45.3%, apartments at 28.3%, and semi-detached at 26.4%. The $552,000 estimated median sits well below Gold Coast prestige suburbs, placing it in an affordable bracket for the region. Three-bedroom homes (38.1%) are the most common, with four-plus bedroom properties at 31.2% and two-bedrooms at 25.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,000 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.4%, above the 30% stress threshold. Buyers should note that 90.4% of residents commute by car with public transport at just 1.1%, making vehicle ownership effectively mandatory.
For Investors
Renters comprise 25.5% of households, a modest pool further complicated by a 10.6% vacancy rate that is significantly higher than the national average. Median weekly rent of $435 against a $552,000 estimated median produces a gross yield around 4.1%, reasonable for the Gold Coast but tempered by the high vacancy. With zero development applications lodged in the past 12 months, there is no new supply pipeline, which may eventually tighten the rental market if demand rebounds. Population growth is sluggish at 0.32% per year (31 persons), suggesting limited demand growth. Overseas migration averages 121 net per year, but this is partially offset by internal flows.
Schools in Runaway Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis Xavier School
Prep-6 · 665 students
Demographics
English ancestry leads at 4,132, followed by Irish (1,051) and Scottish (1,023), consistent with the Gold Coast's Anglo-Australian profile. The 31.7% born overseas is 10.1 points above the national average, with Mandarin (73), Japanese (32), and Greek (26) as the top non-English languages. University qualifications at 27.8% sit 2.3 points below national, consistent with a retiree-heavy population where formal credentials are less relevant. The average household size of 2.2 is below the national 2.5, and 43.7% of families are couples without children, the highest share in this analysis and well above the typical Australian rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
45.3%
Houses
26.4%
Townhouse
28.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is heavily tilted toward outright holders at 45.3%, well above the national average, while mortgage holders account for 29.2% and renters 25.5%. This outright-ownership rate reflects the suburb's retiree base, where properties were purchased decades ago. The estimated $552,000 median makes Runaway Bay affordable by Gold Coast standards, though no PSI price history is available for trend analysis. Three-bedroom stock dominates at 38.1%, followed by four-plus bedrooms (31.2%). The 10.6% vacancy rate is notably high and suggests structural softness in the rental and secondary dwelling market.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$435
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$727
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
471
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.5% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.4% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.7%
Couples, no children
7,032
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 18.0% (475 workers), consistent with the aging population's service needs, followed by Construction at 13.1% (345) and Education at 10.7% (281). Professional/Tech at 7.7% and Retail at 7.1% round out the top five. The full-time employment rate of 61.5% matches the national average, but participation at 45.8% is extremely low, reflecting a suburb where 3,648 people are not in the labour force. The unemployment rate of 5.9% is above the national average. SEIFA scores sit uniformly at decile 6 across all four measures, placing Runaway Bay squarely in the middle of the national distribution.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
4,720
Unemployed
169
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
45.8%
Employed
3,545
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.8%
Postgraduate
6.5%
Born Overseas
31.7%
Dwellings
3,967
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 90.4% drive to work, public transport captures 1.1%, and walking/cycling just 3.1%, all reflecting the Gold Coast's dispersed suburban layout. The suburb has one school, St Francis Xavier School (Catholic, ICSEA 1,076, 665 students), sitting above the national benchmark. Families with school-age children will likely need to access secondary options in neighbouring suburbs. SEIFA IRSAD decile 6 and IRSD decile 6 confirm mid-range socio-economic advantage. Rent-to-income at 31.5% is above the stress flag, indicating that rental affordability is stretched despite the moderate headline rent of $435/week.
Drive
90.4%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.32%/yr
(+31 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grows at just 0.32% per year (31 persons), one of the slowest rates in this dataset. The 10-year change of 4.5% is well below the national average. Overseas migration of 121 net per year provides the primary growth source, with internal migration adding a modest 18 per year. The senior share expanded by 7.2 percentage points over the decade, the largest shift in this batch, while the working-age share contracted by 4.8 points. The medium forecast projects 9,807 by 2031, up marginally from 9,755 in 2025. Real income growth of just 2.3% over the decade confirms economic stagnation relative to inflation.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+121
Net Internal / yr
+18
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Runaway Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Runaway Bay a good suburb to live in?
Runaway Bay suits retirees and downsizers more than young families. The median age of 54 is 14 years above national, 45.3% own outright, and couples without children make up 43.7% of families. IRSAD decile 6 indicates mid-range advantage. The mixed housing stock (45.3% houses, 28.3% apartments, 26.4% semi-detached) provides variety, but the 90.4% car-commute rate means a vehicle is essential.
What is the median house price in Runaway Bay?
The estimated median is $552,000 (derived from rent, 2025). Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,000 create a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.4%, above the stress threshold. Median weekly rent is $435. No PSI price series is available for historical trend analysis.
What schools are in Runaway Bay?
One school serves the suburb: St Francis Xavier School (Catholic, ICSEA 1,076, 665 students), which sits above the national ICSEA benchmark of 1,000. Secondary school options require travel to neighbouring Gold Coast suburbs.
Is Runaway Bay safe?
Crime data is not available for Runaway Bay in the current dataset. The IRSD decile 6 indicates moderate socio-economic standing. The 74.2% residential stability rate is typical, with a 25.8% turnover rate. The suburb's retiree-heavy demographic (median age 54) generally correlates with lower crime rates compared to younger, high-turnover areas.
Is Runaway Bay good for property investment?
Gross yield is approximately 4.1% ($435/week on $552,000), above average for the Gold Coast. However, the 10.6% vacancy rate is a significant concern and suggests current oversupply. Zero development applications in 12 months means no new pipeline, which could help tighten the market over time. Population growth of 0.32% per year is sluggish, limiting demand-side pressure.
How is Runaway Bay's population changing?
Growth is minimal at 0.32% annually (31 persons/year). The senior share expanded 7.2 percentage points over the decade, the largest age-structure shift in this batch. Working-age residents contracted by 4.8 points. Medium projection reaches 9,807 by 2031. Real income grew just 2.3% over the decade, lagging well behind national wage growth.
What languages are spoken in Runaway Bay?
With 31.7% born overseas (10.1 points above national), the linguistic profile is modestly diverse. Mandarin (73 speakers), Japanese (32), Greek (26), Italian (20), and Portuguese (18) are the top non-English languages. English remains overwhelmingly dominant given the Anglo-Celtic ancestry base of 4,132 English, 1,051 Irish, and 1,023 Scottish.
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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