Southport
Apartment living and overseas migration are the defining features of Southport: 54.8% of homes are apartments, 41.3% of residents were born overseas, and the population is 36,786 at a density of 2,562.9 people per square kilometre. At 37, the median age is 3 years below the national figure, while the 2.1-person average household is 0.4 below the national average. Compared with nearby Labrador and Main Beach, Southport has a more apartment-led profile, supporting a dense, service-oriented lifestyle. Healthcare employs 22.0% of workers, and 59.0% of households rent, so the suburb suits people prioritising access and flexibility over a detached-home setting.
Population
36,786
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,268/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
70
Southport suits buyers who prioritise smaller, lower-maintenance dwellings, but its tenure mix makes the purchase decision sensitive to entry price and body-corporate costs. Apartments account for 54.8% of homes and 41.8% are two-bedroom dwellings, compared with 23.9% separate houses and 28.7% three-bedroom homes. A mortgage repayment benchmark is $1,647 a month, with mortgage costs at 30.0% of income, below the 32.3% rent-to-income pressure recorded for renters. Because a median house price is not available, buyers should compare recent sales by building, tenure and body-corporate fee rather than rely on a suburb-wide figure. Household income sits at the 28.6th percentile, below the midpoint, so deposit size and borrowing limits matter.
For Buyers
Southport suits buyers who prioritise smaller, lower-maintenance dwellings, but its tenure mix makes the purchase decision sensitive to entry price and body-corporate costs. Apartments account for 54.8% of homes and 41.8% are two-bedroom dwellings, compared with 23.9% separate houses and 28.7% three-bedroom homes. A mortgage repayment benchmark is $1,647 a month, with mortgage costs at 30.0% of income, below the 32.3% rent-to-income pressure recorded for renters. Because a median house price is not available, buyers should compare recent sales by building, tenure and body-corporate fee rather than rely on a suburb-wide figure. Household income sits at the 28.6th percentile, below the midpoint, so deposit size and borrowing limits matter.
For Investors
Southport has a clear rental-demand base, with 59.0% of households renting versus 20.8% owning outright and 18.2% with a mortgage. Weekly rent is $410 and vacancy is 9.7%, a higher availability level than a tightly held market, so investors should allow for leasing competition and building-specific differences. The 57 development applications in 12 months point to an active pipeline, which can add amenity but also increase future competing supply. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, supporting tenant turnover in apartments and smaller dwellings. Rent growth of 29.0% across the shift period is positive, but the 9.7% vacancy rate means yield analysis should stress-test incentives, downtime and strata costs rather than assume every building performs like the suburb average.
Development Activity
Total DAs
73
Last 12 Months
70
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 Southport
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Southport Flexible Learning Centre (Southport)
St Hilda's School (Southport)
The Southport School (Southport)
Southport Special School
Keebra Park State High School
Demographics
Southport is younger than the national profile but moving toward an older age structure: median age is 37, or 3 years below national, while the senior share has risen 3.3 percentage points and the young share has fallen 1.8 points. University attainment is 35.8%, 5.7 points above national, and overseas-born residents make up 41.3%, 19.7 points above national. English, Irish and Scottish are the leading nominated ancestries at 12,048, 3,560 and 3,087 people; Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 631. No religion counts 15,508 compared with 14,458 for Christianity. The 2.1-person household average is 0.4 below national, reflecting a strong apartment and couple-oriented setting.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
23.9%
Houses
21.0%
Townhouse
54.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Southport's housing stock is more compact than detached-home markets. Apartments make up 54.8% of dwellings, compared with 23.9% separate houses and 21.0% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom properties are the largest bedroom group at 41.8%, followed by three-bedroom homes at 28.7%, while 18.4% have 0 or 1 bedroom. Renting dominates at 59.0%, versus 20.8% owned outright and 18.2% mortgaged, which helps explain the suburb's high turnover rate of 40.4%. Mortgage costs equal 30.0% of income, while rent costs equal 32.3%, so affordability pressure is higher for renters than mortgagors. A median house price is not available, making building-level sales evidence more useful than a broad suburb comparison.
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $410.
$800
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $800 · units $755
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$666
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
1,670
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.3% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.9%
Couples with children
47.8%
Couples, no children
22.0%
Single parent
8,575
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Southport's largest industry at 22.0% of employment, followed by hospitality at 12.5%, education at 9.2%, retail at 9.1% and construction at 7.6%. The occupational mix is led by professionals at 3,613 people, community and personal service workers at 2,775, trades at 2,150, labourers at 1,949 and sales at 1,912. Weekly personal income is $666 and household income is $1,268, while unemployment is 7.8% and participation is 57.4%. Socioeconomic indicators are uneven: IEO sits at decile 6, above the midpoint, but IER and IRSD are both decile 2, while IRSAD is decile 4. This split is consistent with a service-rich centre where employment access coexists with lower household resources and rental stress.
Unemployment
7.8%
Labour Force
18,691
Unemployed
1,453
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
48.7%
Part-time
38.9%
Participation
57.4%
Employed
17,238
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.8%
Postgraduate
9.4%
Born Overseas
41.3%
Dwellings
15,397
Transport to Work
Southport is practical for residents who value services, schools and a central urban setting, though car use remains dominant. Car drivers account for 67.6% of commuters, compared with 6.5% using public transport and 8.3% walking or cycling; 12.1% work from home. Nine schools operate across the suburb, including 6 government schools, 1 Catholic school and 2 independent schools, with primary, high, special and flexible-learning options. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cut across the suburb. Density is 2,562.9 people per square kilometre, higher than a low-density suburban pattern, while IRSAD is decile 4, below the midpoint. For safety, inspect current street-level conditions and local incident information before choosing a home, especially around busy commercial and transport areas.
Drive
67.6%
Public Transport
6.5%
Walk / Cycle
8.3%
Work from Home
12.1%
Population Forecast
+2.59%/yr
(+525 people/yr)
EstablishedSouthport is an established, high-growth centre rather than a static suburb. The forecast trend is 2.59% annual growth, higher than a flat-growth trajectory, and the wider area has recorded 43.4% population change over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, which aligns with the 41.3% overseas-born share and helps sustain demand for apartments and services. The gentrification model rates the area 43, with an Active stage, while the shift profile labels the trajectory Aging. Rent growth of 29.0% and a 3.3-point rise in senior share suggest growth will be shaped by both incoming residents and an older resident base. Development activity reached 57 applications in 12 months, so future amenity and supply may arrive together.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+624
Net Internal / yr
-61
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +55% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +624/yr, Accelerating: 17% → 33%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Southport compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southport a good suburb to live in?
Southport can suit residents who prefer apartment living, services and access to schools over a detached-home setting. Apartments represent 54.8% of dwellings, the median age is 37, and 9 schools provide several education types. Car use is high at 67.6%, so transport preferences should be considered.
What is the median house price in Southport?
A suburb-wide median house price is not available. Buyers can compare recent sales with the $1,647 monthly mortgage benchmark, the 54.8% apartment share and the 23.9% separate-house share, then check building fees, condition and tenure before making an offer.
What schools are in Southport?
Southport has 9 schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors, including primary, high, special and flexible-learning settings. Local examples include Southport State School, Southport State High School, Keebra Park State High School and St Hilda's School. Confirm enrolment zones for the exact address.
Is Southport safe?
Safety should be assessed at street level because Southport is a dense suburb with 36,786 residents and 2,562.9 people per square kilometre. Inspect the exact street during daytime and evening, review current incident information, and compare conditions around commercial and transport areas before choosing a property.
Is Southport good for property investment?
Southport has a substantial rental base, with 59.0% of households renting, weekly rent of $410 and vacancy of 9.7%. The 57 development applications in 12 months and 29.0% rent growth support investor interest, but higher vacancy than tightly held markets makes building selection, strata costs and downtime important.
How is Southport's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 2.59% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 43.4% over 10 years, while gentrification is rated Active with a score of 43. The trajectory is also Aging, with the senior share up 3.3 points.
What languages are spoken in Southport?
Southport has an overseas-born share of 41.3%, which is 19.7 percentage points above the national figure. Listed language groups include Mandarin at 631 people, Korean at 403, Japan at 291, Canton at 179 and Punjabi at 141, adding to the suburb's multilingual service needs.
What development is happening in Southport?
Development activity reached 57 applications in 12 months, including operational works and combined applications. This points to an active pipeline that may improve amenity while increasing competing supply. Buyers and investors should check the exact project status, construction timing and likely effect on nearby buildings.
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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