QLD · Gold Coast Council
Mermaid Beach, 4218
Current weather
17.2°CClear sky
87% humidity · 8.1 km/h wind · 21.8° / 15° today · 0.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Café precinct
- Green suburb
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Mermaid Beach wears its coastal identity openly, a mid-sized suburb built around sand, sea and an easy outdoor rhythm. Coastal character runs through daily life, with the wider region offering extra trips and outings when you want them. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with family life visible on every street. Food and coffee are a real part of local identity, with plenty of places to meet and linger. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because housing affordability and transport and access lag similar coastal suburbs, despite relative strength in parks and green space and community and employment.
Population
- Population
- 7,329
- Median age
- 35
- Median household income / week
- $1,895
- Dwelling vacancy
- 22.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 938 of 4,110
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,820
- Employment rate
- 67.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 216 / 600 / 1,964
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $880
Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- RTA bond statistics — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) · Period: Mar 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
- 518
- Against the person
- 57
- Against property
- 280
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 70.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 129 residents
- State safety percentile
- 84.3th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -3.4%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences545
- Good Order Offences125
- Other Property Damage129
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)884
- Unlawful Entry163
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Jul 2026; Jan 2026 to Jul 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Public transport
5 public transport stops in this suburb
- Gold Coast Hwy at Mermaid Beach South station
- Gold Coast Hwy at Mermaid Beach South station
- Gold Coast Hwy at Mermaid Beach station
- Gold Coast Hwy at Mermaid Beach station
- Gold Coast Hwy at Nobby Beach station
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Amenities
623 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- BWSAlcohol
Unit 2-3
- CellarbrationsAlcohol
- LiquorlandAlcohol
- Bam Bam BakehouseBakery
2519 Gold Coast Highway
- Foster's BakeryBakery
- Oriental BakeryBakery
- Bbq (2)
- Beauty By The BeachBeauty salon
- Bella Bronze TanBeauty salon
Unit 2
- House of HalsaBeauty salon
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
30 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Albatross ParkPark
- Annette Kellerman ParkPark
- Jim's ReservePark
- Ken Mansbridge ParkPark
- Mermaid ParkPark
- Park or reserveNature reserve
- St Johns ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 24
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Coastal Dental Caredentist
- Craig Holt Psychologistpsychotherapist
- Diamond Bridge Clinicclinic
- Dive Chiropractic Centre Gold Coastalternative
- Dr Paul Allisondoctor
- Dr Ray Stewart Dental Surgeondentist
- Eyecare Plusoptometrist
- Fix My Musclesphysiotherapist
- Gold Coast Pharmaceutical Supportpharmacy
- Maven Dentaldentist
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 20
- Parks (OSM)
- 20
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 54.0/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 23% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 1491st in Australia
- State rank
- 336th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #28 among Coastal & beach · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #47 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 52 Espressoamenitiescafe
- ABC Gold Coastamenitiesstudio
- AS Colouramenitiesclothes
- ATÓRA Trainingamenitiesfitness_centre
- About A Girlamenitiesclothes
- About a GirlamenitiesUnit 2clothes
- Afro Crownamenitieshairdresser_supply
- All Sports Travelamenitiestravel_agency
- All Time TattooamenitiesUnit 1tattoo
- All-Time Coffee Co.amenitiesUnit 1cafe
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Gold Coast Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.