Tugun
The standout figure is a 12.8% vacancy rate, far higher than typical Queensland coastal markets, which paired with a 30.9% renter share and 37.9% rent growth over the decade points to a market reshaped by short-stay holiday letting rather than permanent oversupply. The median age of 39 runs 1 year below the national figure yet the senior share has still expanded 3.3 points, marking an aging trajectory. With 89.2% of commuters driving and just 2.1% using public transport, this is a car-dependent coastal community next to the airport.
Population
7,175
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,737/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Separate houses make up 46.4% of stock, with semi-detached at 30.3% and apartments at 23.0%, so buyers find a genuine mix rather than a tower-dominated market. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 43.2% and 4-plus bedrooms add 21.1%, meaning roughly two-thirds of homes suit families. Owner-occupiers already hold the majority, with 39.8% carrying a mortgage and 29.3% owning outright, well above the 30.9% renting. The trade-off is car dependence: 89.2% drive to work because public transport reaches only 2.1%, so a household here effectively needs a vehicle.
For Buyers
Separate houses make up 46.4% of stock, with semi-detached at 30.3% and apartments at 23.0%, so buyers find a genuine mix rather than a tower-dominated market. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 43.2% and 4-plus bedrooms add 21.1%, meaning roughly two-thirds of homes suit families. Owner-occupiers already hold the majority, with 39.8% carrying a mortgage and 29.3% owning outright, well above the 30.9% renting. The trade-off is car dependence: 89.2% drive to work because public transport reaches only 2.1%, so a household here effectively needs a vehicle.
For Investors
Rent has climbed 37.9% over the decade, the clearest signal of tenant demand. The complication is a 12.8% vacancy rate, far above a balanced market, which alongside the coastal location and airport proximity suggests a large slice of stock cycles through holiday and short-stay letting rather than permanent tenancies. That splits the strategy: long-term yield looks solid, but headline vacancy overstates risk for a permanent rental and understates seasonality for a holiday let. Population growth of 1.31% a year is driven almost entirely by overseas migration at 193 net annually, while internal migration is flat at -1.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
10
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 39 is 1 year below the national median, and overseas-born residents at 19.5% sit 2.1 points below national, marking a predominantly Anglo-Celtic, Australian-born community. English ancestry leads decisively at 3,040, followed by Irish (1,023) and Scottish (852), while the largest non-English language is Portuguese at just 57 speakers, reflecting low cultural diversity compared with metropolitan suburbs. University qualification at 30.2% is effectively level with national, only 0.1 points higher, so this is not a credential-heavy population despite its SEIFA advantage. Couples with children (2,157) outnumber couples without children (1,444) across 5,154 families, and the average household size of 2.4 sits 0.1 below national, consistent with a family and retiree mix on an aging trajectory.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
46.4%
Houses
30.3%
Townhouse
23.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here leans firmly to ownership: 39.8% hold a mortgage and 29.3% own outright, together 69.1%, against 30.9% renting, higher owner-occupation than most coastal tourist suburbs. The stock is 46.4% separate houses, 30.3% semi-detached and 23.0% apartments, a more balanced spread than apartment-dominated beach markets. Three-bedroom homes lead at 43.2% with 4-plus at 21.1%, while studios and one-bedrooms are a thin 3.4%. The IER decile 5 trails the IRSAD decile 7, a gap that reflects the renter and retiree slice diluting aggregate economic resources rather than genuine disadvantage.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Mar 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $460.
$750
Bond data Mar 2026 quarter · units $750
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$850
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.8%
Unoccupied
393
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.0%
Couples, no children
5,154
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 21.3% (535 workers), well above its national share, followed by Construction at 15.2% (381) and Education at 12.6% (316), a service-and-trades base typical of a maturing coastal community rather than a knowledge hub. Professional and technical work is a modest 8.3% (207), consistent with university attainment that only matches national. Professionals lead occupations at 880, with Community and Personal Service workers second at 524, reinforcing the care-economy tilt. Unemployment at 4.7% sits near the national average, but participation of 58.7% is below national because the aging population pulls 1,588 residents out of the labour force. Real incomes grew 22.2% over the decade and the IEO decile 7 confirms above-median education and occupation standing.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
7,948
Unemployed
197
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.1%
Part-time
38.2%
Participation
58.7%
Employed
3,308
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.2%
Postgraduate
6.0%
Born Overseas
19.5%
Dwellings
2,674
Transport to Work
Tugun is built around the car, with 89.2% driving to work and only 2.1% on public transport, far below metropolitan rates, plus 4.1% walking or cycling, so an active beach lifestyle coexists with heavy road reliance. SEIFA places the suburb in IRSAD decile 7 and IRSD decile 7, both above the median and signalling low relative disadvantage. Housing pressure is contained, with rent-to-income at 26.5% and mortgage-to-income at 25.9% under the 30% stress threshold. A volunteering rate of 14.2% points to community engagement, while 5.3% of residents (350 people) report needing assistance with core activities, slightly elevated and consistent with the older age profile. The household income percentile of 60.9 confirms middle-to-upper standing nationally.
Drive
89.2%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.31%/yr
(+176 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 1.31% a year, about 176 people, classifying Tugun as steady rather than booming. The estimated resident population reached 13,477 in 2025, up from 12,887 in 2023, and a 10-year rise of 18.4%. Medium projections point to 14,374 by 2031. Overseas migration at 193 net per year is the sole driver, with internal migration flat at -1, so growth depends on international arrivals rather than interstate inflow. The trajectory is aging: the senior share climbed 3.3 points while the working-age share slipped 1.4 points. A gentrification score of 42 marks early-stage change, supported by rent growth of 37.9% and affordability that improved from 57.9% in 2011 to 53.1% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+193
Net Internal / yr
-1
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +24% since 2011, Accelerating: 8% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tugun compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tugun a good suburb to live in?
Tugun ranks in SEIFA decile 7 on both IRSAD and IRSD, above the national median and indicating low relative disadvantage. Housing stress is contained, with mortgage-to-income at 25.9% and rent-to-income at 26.5%, both under 30%. The main trade-off is car dependence: 89.2% drive to work because only 2.1% use public transport.
What is the median house price in Tugun?
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950 and weekly rent is $460, which produces a gross rental yield near 4.2%, well above the sub-2% yields of premium inner-city markets.
What schools are in Tugun?
The data brief lists no schools recorded within the Tugun suburb boundary, so families typically rely on schools in neighbouring southern Gold Coast suburbs. With 43.2% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 21.1% having 4 or more, the housing stock is oriented toward families who will travel for education.
Is Tugun safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available in the data brief for Tugun, so a precise safety rate cannot be quoted. As a proxy for social conditions, the suburb sits in IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 7, both above the national median, which generally correlates with lower levels of relative disadvantage.
Is Tugun good for property investment?
The caution is a 12.8% vacancy rate, well above balanced, reflecting heavy short-stay and holiday letting near the airport, so investors should separate permanent rental demand from seasonal turnover.
How is Tugun's population changing?
Population grows about 1.31% per year, roughly 176 people, reaching an estimated 13,477 in 2025 and projected to hit 14,374 by 2031. Growth is driven almost entirely by overseas migration at 193 net per year, while the median age of 39 and a 3.3 point rise in the senior share confirm an aging trajectory.
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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