QLD · Gold Coast Council
Palm Beach, 4221
Current weather
16.9°CClear sky
92% humidity · 10.1 km/h wind · 21.8° / 14.8° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Café precinct
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- National parks
Suburb profile
Palm Beach wears its coastal identity openly, a established suburb built around sand, sea and an easy outdoor rhythm. The coast is the anchor, with regional towns nearby for markets, dining and weekend exploring. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with plenty of young families in the mix. Coffee, casual meals and neighbourhood eateries give the suburb a lived-in social scene. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by parks and green space and transport and access, while housing affordability and schools and education sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar coastal suburbs.
Population
- Population
- 16,349
- Median age
- 39
- Median household income / week
- $1,721
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 1,147 of 7,795
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,093
- Employment rate
- 62.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 459 / 1,315 / 2,554
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)
- $920
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)
- 388
- Against the person
- 53
- Against property
- 254
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 23.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 308 residents
- State safety percentile
- 17.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -8.6%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences66
- Other Property Damage49
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)261
- Traffic And Related Offences50
- Unlawful Entry69
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
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 1,040.5
- Palm Beach State SchoolPrimary
- Palm Beach-Currumbin State High SchoolSecondary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
43 public transport stops in this suburb
- Gold Coast Hwy at Eighth Avenue
- Gold Coast Hwy at Fourth Avenue
- Gold Coast Hwy at Palm Beach Police Station
- Gold Coast Hwy at Tenth Avenue
- Palm Beach
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
266 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- BWSAlcohol
- LiquorlandAlcohol
- Palm Beach CellarsAlcohol
Unit 4-5 4-10 Phillipine Parade
- ArmaguardATM
- BOQATM
- Venue SmartATM
- WestpacATM
- Crustie'sBakery
1136 Gold Coast Highway
- Lakeside BakeryBakery
16 Phillipine Parade
- Lee's Cakes & PastriesBakery
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
68 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Andy Frizzell (OBE) ParkPark
- Beree-Badalla ReservePark
- Bromley ParkPark
- Dogwood PlacePark
- Elizabeth Sloper GardensPark
- Japonica Drive ParklandsPark
- Jefferson EsplanadePark
- Lake Awonga LinksPark
- Lions ParkPark
- Melaleuca Drive Canal ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 22
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Active Hand TherapyGold Coast Highwayphysiotherapist
- After Hours DoctorPalm Beach Avenuedoctor
- Audiologistaudiologist
- Blooms The ChemistPhillipine Paradepharmacy
- ChemproFifth Avenuepharmacy
- Chempro 23rd Avenuepharmacy
- Clinicclinic
- Dentistdentist
- Divine Dental Centredentist
- Doctordoctor
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)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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)
- 45
- Parks (OSM)
- 44
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
- 69.9/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 3% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 205th in Australia
- State rank
- 43rd in QLD
- Peer rank
- #6 among Coastal & beach · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #8 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- '94 Morning Clubamenities114 Gold Coast Highwaycafe
- 5th Avenue Hairamenitieshairdresser
- After Hours Doctoramenities24 Palm Beach Avenuedoctors
- Amplifonamenitieshearing_aids
- Armaguardamenitiesatm
- Australia Postamenitiespost_box
- Australia Post Parcel Lockeramenitiesparcel_locker
- BOQamenitiesatm
- BOQamenities1146 Gold Coast Highwaybank
- BWSamenitiesalcohol
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.