Broadbeach Waters vs Clear Island Waters

Broadbeach Waters is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 50 in Clear Island Waters. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Clear Island Waters, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Broadbeach Waters: a median of $2.59 million, against $2.25 million in Clear Island Waters, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Clear Island Waters tends to suit older residents.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Broadbeach Waters has more separate houses rather than flats (78% vs 63%)
  • Clear Island Waters carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 91/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Clear Island Waters

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($707,500 vs $920,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($2,255,000 vs $2,591,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Clear Island Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($540/wk vs $600/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Broadbeach Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (57/100 vs 42/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Clear Island Waters

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 91/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (37% vs 22%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 19%)
  • But Broadbeach Waters has more GPs (3 vs 1)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Clear Island Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 2.9%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Broadbeach Waters and Clear Island Waters drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Walkability 57 / 42
Broadbeach Waters — Walkability: 57/100 Clear Island Waters — Walkability: 42/100
Safety 9 / 55
Broadbeach Waters — Safety: 9/100 Clear Island Waters — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Broadbeach Waters — Low fire risk: 100/100 Clear Island Waters — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Broadbeach Waters has more residents (8,164 vs 4,395); Broadbeach Waters has higher household incomes ($107,744 vs $84,084).

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Population 8,164
+46% vs other
 4,395
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.9% +6.7%
Median age 43 50
Median household income $107,744/yr
+22% vs other
 $84,084/yr
Median weekly rent $600/wk
+10% vs other
 $540/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
0-4 4.1% / 3.4%
Broadbeach Waters — 0-4: 4.1% Clear Island Waters — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 11.1% / 10.5%
Broadbeach Waters — 5-14: 11.1% Clear Island Waters — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 5.9% / 5.7%
Broadbeach Waters — 15-19: 5.9% Clear Island Waters — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 6.1% / 4.8%
Broadbeach Waters — 20-24: 6.1% Clear Island Waters — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 12.1% / 8.0%
Broadbeach Waters — 25-34: 12.1% Clear Island Waters — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 12.7% / 10.1%
Broadbeach Waters — 35-44: 12.7% Clear Island Waters — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 15.4% / 14.1%
Broadbeach Waters — 45-54: 15.4% Clear Island Waters — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 13.2% / 13.1%
Broadbeach Waters — 55-64: 13.2% Clear Island Waters — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 11.0% / 14.3%
Broadbeach Waters — 65-74: 11.0% Clear Island Waters — 65-74: 14.3%
75-84 5.9% / 10.5%
Broadbeach Waters — 75-84: 5.9% Clear Island Waters — 75-84: 10.5%
85+ 2.5% / 5.4%
Broadbeach Waters — 85+: 2.5% Clear Island Waters — 85+: 5.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Broadbeach Waters 44.3% couple families
Broadbeach Waters — Couple Families: 44.3% Broadbeach Waters — Lone Person: 30.6% Broadbeach Waters — One Parent Families: 13.3% Broadbeach Waters — Group Household: 9.8% Broadbeach Waters — Other Families: 2.0%
Clear Island Waters 46.2% couple families
Clear Island Waters — Couple Families: 46.2% Clear Island Waters — Lone Person: 34.8% Clear Island Waters — One Parent Families: 13.9% Clear Island Waters — Group Household: 3.4% Clear Island Waters — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Broadbeach Waters 23.2% renting
Broadbeach Waters — Owned Outright: 40.4% Broadbeach Waters — Mortgage: 36.5% Broadbeach Waters — Renting: 23.2%
Clear Island Waters 21.3% renting
Clear Island Waters — Owned Outright: 47.4% Clear Island Waters — Mortgage: 31.3% Clear Island Waters — Renting: 21.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Bachelor Degree 16.1% / 16.2%
Broadbeach Waters — Bachelor Degree: 16.1% Clear Island Waters — Bachelor Degree: 16.2%
Certificate III & IV 14.0% / 10.6%
Broadbeach Waters — Certificate III & IV: 14.0% Clear Island Waters — Certificate III & IV: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.9% / 9.3%
Broadbeach Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.9% Clear Island Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 6.0%
Broadbeach Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% Clear Island Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.7%
Broadbeach Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Clear Island Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
New Zealand 6.3% / 5.0%
Broadbeach Waters — New Zealand: 6.3% Clear Island Waters — New Zealand: 5.0%
England 4.9% / 5.8%
Broadbeach Waters — England: 4.9% Clear Island Waters — England: 5.8%
China 1.7% / 5.9%
Broadbeach Waters — China: 1.7% Clear Island Waters — China: 5.9%
South Africa 1.2% / 2.1%
Broadbeach Waters — South Africa: 1.2% Clear Island Waters — South Africa: 2.1%
Taiwan — / 1.6%
Broadbeach Waters — Taiwan: not among its largest Clear Island Waters — Taiwan: 1.6%
Brazil 1.3% / —
Broadbeach Waters — Brazil: 1.3% Clear Island Waters — Brazil: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Broadbeach Waters 78.3% houses
Broadbeach Waters — Houses: 78.3% Broadbeach Waters — Townhouses: 6.4% Broadbeach Waters — Flats / Apartments: 15.2%
Clear Island Waters 63.2% houses
Clear Island Waters — Houses: 63.2% Clear Island Waters — Townhouses: 25.4% Clear Island Waters — Flats / Apartments: 11.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Median house price $2,591,000 $2,255,000
Median unit price $920,000 $707,500
Median land price $2,550,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 150 sales
 32 days
from 62 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
1 bed $731K / $625K
Broadbeach Waters — 1 bed: $731K (7 sales) Clear Island Waters — 1 bed: $625K (10 sales)

7 vs 10 sales

2 bed $920K / $680K
Broadbeach Waters — 2 bed: $920K (19 sales) Clear Island Waters — 2 bed: $680K (6 sales)

19 vs 6 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
3 bed $1.95M / $1.4M
Broadbeach Waters — 3 bed: $1.95M (45 sales) Clear Island Waters — 3 bed: $1.4M (12 sales)

45 vs 12 sales

4 bed $2.49M / $2.2M
Broadbeach Waters — 4 bed: $2.49M (108 sales) Clear Island Waters — 4 bed: $2.2M (53 sales)

108 vs 53 sales

5 bed $3.71M / $2.84M
Broadbeach Waters — 5 bed: $3.71M (44 sales) Clear Island Waters — 5 bed: $2.84M (28 sales)

44 vs 28 sales

6 bed $4.38M / $3.1M
Broadbeach Waters — 6 bed: $4.38M (10 sales) Clear Island Waters — 6 bed: $3.1M (5 sales)

10 vs 5 sales

Development activity

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
New dwellings approved 7,196
across Gold Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Houses 2.9%
$1,515/wk on $2.75M
 4.3%
$1,500/wk on $1.82M
Units 4.8%
$800/wk on $870K
 4.8%
$600/wk on $649K

Ranking within QLD

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 55% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 89% of QLD Higher than 85% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 92% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of QLD
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 9% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 65% of QLD Higher than 66% of QLD

Liveability

Broadbeach Waters is more walkable (57 vs 42); Clear Island Waters scores higher overall (74 vs 58).

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Grade B A
Score 58/100 74/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Broadbeach Waters carries more crime risk (91 vs 45).

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
91/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast campus, 5.3 km
 2
Gold Coast campus, 3.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.4% 2.5%

Schools in Broadbeach Waters

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Clear Island Waters

  • St Vincent's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 1
Parks & reserves 19 20
Childcare 3 2
GPs 3 1
Pharmacies 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 6 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 1 5

Mobility

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Walkability score 57/100 42/100
Distance to Brisbane 82.4 km
+1% vs other
 81.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 66 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 57/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 126.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 3 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 4218
 1.7%
postcode 4226
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 32
postcode 4218
 51
postcode 4226

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Car (driver) 67.9% / 70.4%
Broadbeach Waters — Car (driver): 67.9% Clear Island Waters — Car (driver): 70.4%
Worked from Home 21.2% / 21.4%
Broadbeach Waters — Worked from Home: 21.2% Clear Island Waters — Worked from Home: 21.4%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 5.4%
Broadbeach Waters — Car (passenger): 4.3% Clear Island Waters — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 2.5% / 0.7%
Broadbeach Waters — Walked Only: 2.5% Clear Island Waters — Walked Only: 0.7%
Bicycle 1.5% / 0.7%
Broadbeach Waters — Bicycle: 1.5% Clear Island Waters — Bicycle: 0.7%
Train 0.8% / 1.0%
Broadbeach Waters — Train: 0.8% Clear Island Waters — Train: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.4%).

Setting

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Elevation 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.0 km
2.0 km to a named beach
 4.0 km
4.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Connectivity score 74/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
4,320 premises
 0%
1,920 premises

Climate

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Annual rainfall 1,351 mm 1,556 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C 28.7°C
Winter min (Jul) 12.5°C 10.8°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
PM2.5 4.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.43 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Division Moncrieff McPherson
Member Angie Bell Leon Rebello
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Broadbeach Waters

Coastal Luxury Parks Quiet Regional Centre

Clear Island Waters

Luxury Parks Quiet Retirees River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Broadbeach Waters

Broadbeach Waters vs Surfers Paradise Broadbeach Waters vs Carrara Broadbeach Waters vs Mermaid Waters Broadbeach Waters vs Benowa Broadbeach Waters vs Broadbeach Broadbeach Waters vs Bundall

Other comparisons with Clear Island Waters

Clear Island Waters vs Robina Clear Island Waters vs Carrara Clear Island Waters vs Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters vs Merrimac
Full data on Broadbeach Waters Full data on Clear Island Waters
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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