Tallai
Household income at the 83.5th percentile nationally and 67% of homes with four or more bedrooms make Tallai one of the more prosperous acreage pockets on the southern Gold Coast. The suburb spans 13 square kilometres at a low density of 343 residents per km2, and 89.9% of dwellings are separate houses, a figure well above the national average for suburban areas. Median age sits at 44, which is 4 years above the national median, consistent with the aging trajectory signal. The overseas-born share of 27.3% runs 5.7 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting modest international community draw. Just 11.1% of residents rent, placing Tallai firmly in owner-occupier territory.
Population
4,465
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,198/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$656K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $656,000 based on 2025 rent data, with weekly rent averaging $550. Monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.8%, below the 30% stress threshold and manageable against household income in the 83.5th percentile nationally. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 89.9%, with apartments at just 0.7%. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 67%, which is unusually high compared to the national average, pointing to large family dwellings on generous lots. Outright owners account for 38.2% and mortgage holders for 50.7%, meaning most buyers are still carrying debt, but housing stress indicators are benign. Vacancy sits at 3.4%, moderate for the area.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $656,000 based on 2025 rent data, with weekly rent averaging $550. Monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.8%, below the 30% stress threshold and manageable against household income in the 83.5th percentile nationally. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 89.9%, with apartments at just 0.7%. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 67%, which is unusually high compared to the national average, pointing to large family dwellings on generous lots. Outright owners account for 38.2% and mortgage holders for 50.7%, meaning most buyers are still carrying debt, but housing stress indicators are benign. Vacancy sits at 3.4%, moderate for the area.
For Investors
With only 11.1% of residents renting, Tallai offers a thin tenant pool relative to most suburban markets. Weekly rent of $550 against a $656,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.4%, modest but higher than comparable coastal suburbs. The vacancy rate of 3.4% sits at a level that demands scrutiny, as it suggests limited urgency in the rental market. Demand drivers are positive: net internal migration averages 91 persons per year and overseas migration adds 63, supporting steady population growth of 0.99% annually. Development activity is minimal at 1 application in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is negligible. Gentrification signals are emerging, with population up 19% since 2011 and affordability improving from 72.2% in 2011 to 65.4% in 2021, suggesting gradual market maturation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
1
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
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national median, and the senior share rose 3.8 points while the working-age share fell 2.6 points over the decade, confirming an aging trajectory. Average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above the national figure, driven by a high proportion of couples with children, who make up 1,611 of 3,674 families. Overseas-born residents at 27.3% are 5.7 percentage points above the national average, though the suburb is predominantly Anglo-Celtic in ancestry: English (1,957), Scottish (571) and Irish (470) are the top three. University qualifications at 31.5% are 1.4 percentage points above national, indicating a slightly more educated population than average. Volunteering participation is 15%, and 78.2% of residents have lived in the same address for five or more years, reflecting a settled, stable community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.9%
Houses
9.5%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupation dominates strongly, with 38.2% owning outright and 50.7% on a mortgage, leaving just 11.1% renting, well below the national average. This unusually low renter share reflects the suburb's large-lot, detached character: 89.9% of dwellings are separate houses compared to the national norm. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 67% of stock, far above the national proportion, while two-bedroom dwellings represent only 10.9% and apartments a negligible 0.7%. The estimated median house price of $656,000 comes with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.8% and a rent-to-income ratio of 25.0%, both below stress thresholds, indicating that established residents carry manageable housing costs relative to their incomes in the 83.5th percentile nationally. The semi-detached share of 9.5% adds modest medium-density variety without disrupting the detached character.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$780
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.4%
Unoccupied
48
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.2%
Couples, no children
3,674
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 18.9% (259 workers), above the national share for most outer-suburban areas, followed by Construction at 13.7% (188) and Education at 13.1% (180). Professional/Technical services account for 10.7% (147 workers), a share consistent with a high-income suburb. By occupation, Professionals lead at 498 workers, followed by Managers (286) and Clerical/Admin (266). The IRSD decile of 8 and IRSAD decile of 7 place Tallai in the upper tier of relative advantage nationally, though the IEO decile of 6 (education and occupation) is more moderate, suggesting income advantage driven partly by asset ownership rather than professional credentials alone. Unemployment runs at 4.6%, close to national norms. The participation rate of 53.5% is below average, because 1,144 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the suburb's aging and retiree component.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
5,130
Unemployed
155
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.3%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
53.5%
Employed
1,837
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.5%
Postgraduate
7.3%
Born Overseas
27.3%
Dwellings
1,340
Transport to Work
Tallai is almost entirely car-dependent, with 92.1% of residents driving to work and public transport used by just 0.8%, well below state and national averages for comparable suburban areas. This reflects both the low-density 13 km2 layout and limited transit infrastructure on the southern Gold Coast fringe. No crime statistics are available for this suburb, so safety cannot be quantified, but the IRSD decile of 8 and IRSAD decile of 7 position Tallai in the upper advantage tier, which correlates with lower disadvantage-driven crime nationally. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas. The IER decile of 10 (economic resources) is the highest available, indicating strong household wealth. Housing stress is low at 22.8% mortgage-to-income and 25.0% rent-to-income, and 8.7% of residents require daily assistance, within normal ranges for a suburb with a median age 4 years above national.
Drive
92.1%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.99%/yr
(+91 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 0.99% per year, adding around 91 persons annually, which places Tallai ahead of the national average for established suburbs. The 10-year change of 15.2% reflects genuine organic growth, not just boundary changes. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population rising from around 9,211 in 2025 to 9,576 by 2031. Both migration channels contribute: internal migration averages a net 91 per year and overseas migration 63. The gentrification score of 33 (early signs stage) is supported by population up 19% since 2011, accelerating growth rates, and affordability improving from 72.2% to 65.4% over the decade. Real income growth of 16.7% since 2011 further reinforces the positive economic trajectory, while the aging trajectory signal cautions that demographic demand will tilt toward downsizer and retiree product over time.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+63
Net Internal / yr
+91
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +19% since 2011, Net internal migration +91/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 14%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tallai compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tallai a good suburb to live in?
Tallai ranks in the top decile for economic resources (IER decile 10) and sits in the upper advantage tier nationally on IRSD (decile 8) and IRSAD (decile 7). Household income is at the 83.5th percentile nationally, housing stress is low at 22.8% mortgage-to-income, and 78.2% of residents stay long-term. The main trade-off is near-total car dependence, with public transport used by just 0.8% of residents.
What is the median house price in Tallai?
The median house price is estimated at $656,000 based on 2025 rental data, with weekly rent averaging $550. Monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.8% is below the 30% stress threshold. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 67% of the stock, pushing the typical property size well above the national average.
What schools are in Tallai?
No schools are recorded inside the Tallai suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs on the southern Gold Coast. The suburb has a university qualification rate of 31.5%, which is 1.4 percentage points above the national figure, suggesting access to quality education elsewhere in the region.
Is Tallai safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Tallai in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on IRSD (relative disadvantage) and decile 7 on IRSAD, placing it in the upper advantage tier nationally. Only 8.7% of residents (around 367 people) require daily assistance, which is consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Tallai good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $550 against a $656,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.4%, reasonable for the Gold Coast fringe. However, the renter pool is thin at just 11.1% of residents, and the 3.4% vacancy rate warrants monitoring. Population grows at 0.99% annually with net internal migration of 91 per year, providing steady demand support. The gentrification score of 33 (early signs) and rent growth of 30% over the past decade suggest moderate capital growth potential.
How is Tallai's population changing?
Population is growing at 0.99% annually, adding around 91 persons per year, above the pace of most established suburbs nationally. The 10-year change is 15.2%, and the broader SA2 is projected to reach 9,576 by 2031, up from 9,211 in 2025. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.8 points over the decade, so future demand will increasingly favour larger, single-storey homes suited to downsizers.
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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