Elanora vs Palm Beach

Palm Beach is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 42 in Elanora. In both, most households own their home. In Elanora, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Palm Beach: a median of $1.91 million, against $1.48 million in Elanora, though rent is higher in Elanora. On these figures, Elanora tends to suit couples and buyers on a tighter budget, while Palm Beach suits people living alone.

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

Elanora

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (79% vs 41%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 48%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 69/100)
  • But Palm Beach has more parks and reserves (33 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

Elanora

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($860,000 vs $1,180,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,477,500 vs $1,910,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Palm Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (38% vs 17%)
  • has cheaper rent ($445/wk vs $525/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Palm Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 42/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Palm Beach

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (59% vs 21%)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 4)
  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 42/100)
  • But Elanora carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 69/100)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Elanora returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 3.6%)
  • Palm Beach is growing faster (11.6% vs 3.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Elanora and Palm Beach drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Elanora Palm Beach
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.

Elanora Palm Beach
Walkability 42 / 61
Elanora — Walkability: 42/100 Palm Beach — Walkability: 61/100
Safety 49 / 31
Elanora — Safety: 49/100 Palm Beach — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Elanora — Low fire risk: 100/100 Palm Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Palm Beach has more residents (16,349 vs 12,539); Elanora rents higher ($525/wk vs $445/wk).

Elanora Palm Beach
Population 12,539 16,349
+30% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.2% +11.6%
Median age 42 39
Median household income $90,688/yr
+1% vs other
 $89,492/yr
Median weekly rent $525/wk
+15% vs other
 $445/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Elanora Palm Beach
0-4 5.6% / 5.0%
Elanora — 0-4: 5.6% Palm Beach — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 13.4% / 11.0%
Elanora — 5-14: 13.4% Palm Beach — 5-14: 11.0%
15-19 6.4% / 4.9%
Elanora — 15-19: 6.4% Palm Beach — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 5.4% / 5.5%
Elanora — 20-24: 5.4% Palm Beach — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 9.5% / 16.1%
Elanora — 25-34: 9.5% Palm Beach — 25-34: 16.1%
35-44 13.6% / 14.4%
Elanora — 35-44: 13.6% Palm Beach — 35-44: 14.4%
45-54 13.9% / 13.0%
Elanora — 45-54: 13.9% Palm Beach — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 11.6% / 12.3%
Elanora — 55-64: 11.6% Palm Beach — 55-64: 12.3%
65-74 10.8% / 10.4%
Elanora — 65-74: 10.8% Palm Beach — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 7.0% / 5.3%
Elanora — 75-84: 7.0% Palm Beach — 75-84: 5.3%
85+ 2.9% / 2.0%
Elanora — 85+: 2.9% Palm Beach — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Elanora 48.5% couple families
Elanora — Couple Families: 48.5% Elanora — Lone Person: 26.7% Elanora — One Parent Families: 19.4% Elanora — Group Household: 4.4% Elanora — Other Families: 1.0%
Palm Beach 33.9% couple families
Palm Beach — Couple Families: 33.9% Palm Beach — Lone Person: 40.7% Palm Beach — One Parent Families: 14.4% Palm Beach — Group Household: 9.6% Palm Beach — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Elanora 17.4% renting
Elanora — Owned Outright: 38.8% Elanora — Mortgage: 43.9% Elanora — Renting: 17.4%
Palm Beach 37.9% renting
Palm Beach — Owned Outright: 29.2% Palm Beach — Mortgage: 32.9% Palm Beach — Renting: 37.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Elanora Palm Beach
Certificate III & IV 17.7% / 16.4%
Elanora — Certificate III & IV: 17.7% Palm Beach — Certificate III & IV: 16.4%
Bachelor Degree 11.6% / 15.6%
Elanora — Bachelor Degree: 11.6% Palm Beach — Bachelor Degree: 15.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 9.4%
Elanora — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Palm Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 3.9%
Elanora — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Palm Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 2.1%
Elanora — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Palm Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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.

Elanora Palm Beach
England 5.1% / 3.8%
Elanora — England: 5.1% Palm Beach — England: 3.8%
New Zealand 4.5% / 4.3%
Elanora — New Zealand: 4.5% Palm Beach — New Zealand: 4.3%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.8%
Elanora — South Africa: 1.0% Palm Beach — South Africa: 0.8%
Brazil 0.4% / 1.3%
Elanora — Brazil: 0.4% Palm Beach — Brazil: 1.3%
Scotland 0.6% / 0.4%
Elanora — Scotland: 0.6% Palm Beach — Scotland: 0.4%
Canada 0.4% / 0.4%
Elanora — Canada: 0.4% Palm Beach — Canada: 0.4%
Germany 0.4% / —
Elanora — Germany: 0.4% Palm Beach — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Elanora 78.7% houses
Elanora — Houses: 78.7% Elanora — Flats / Apartments: 4.3% Elanora — Townhouses: 17.1%
Palm Beach 40.9% houses
Palm Beach — Houses: 40.9% Palm Beach — Flats / Apartments: 39.3% Palm Beach — Townhouses: 19.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Elanora Palm Beach
Median house price $1,477,500 $1,910,000
Median unit price $860,000 $1,180,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 157 sales
 26 days
from 134 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.

Elanora Palm Beach
3 bed $1.35M / $1.75M
Elanora — 3 bed: $1.35M (81 sales) Palm Beach — 3 bed: $1.75M (104 sales)

81 vs 104 sales

4 bed $1.53M / $2.25M
Elanora — 4 bed: $1.53M (124 sales) Palm Beach — 4 bed: $2.25M (93 sales)

124 vs 93 sales

5 bed $1.8M / $2.95M
Elanora — 5 bed: $1.8M (14 sales) Palm Beach — 5 bed: $2.95M (30 sales)

14 vs 30 sales

Development activity

Elanora Palm Beach
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.

Elanora Palm Beach
Houses 4.3%
$1,225/wk on $1.49M
 3.6%
$1,325/wk on $1.9M
Units — 4.0%
$895/wk on $1.16M

Ranking within QLD

Elanora Palm Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 64% of QLD Higher than 63% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 85% of QLD Higher than 89% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 87% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 67% of QLD Higher than 32% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 32% of QLD

Liveability

Palm Beach is more walkable (61 vs 42).

Elanora Palm Beach
Grade B
same for both
Score 64/100
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Palm Beach carries more crime risk (69 vs 51).

Elanora Palm Beach
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
71/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 High
70/100
Industrial facilities nearby 8
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Elanora Palm Beach
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast Airport Development Park - Bilinga, 6.3 km
 2
Gold Coast Airport Development Park - Bilinga, 6.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.6%
same for both

Schools in Elanora

  • Elanora State School Government · Primary above peers
  • Elanora State High School Government · Secondary at peers

Schools in Palm Beach

  • Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Palm Beach State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Elanora Palm Beach
Supermarkets 6 1
Cafes & restaurants 9 39
Parks & reserves 5 33
Childcare 6 4
GPs 4 6
Pharmacies 2 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 4 1
Fuel stations 2
same for both
Beaches 0 2
Waterways 0 13

Mobility

Elanora Palm Beach
Walkability score 42/100 61/100
Distance to Brisbane 94.1 km
+1% vs other
 93 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 70 min 69 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 122.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 307.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4221
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 4221
same for both

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.

Elanora Palm Beach
Car (driver) 76.7% / 73.3%
Elanora — Car (driver): 76.7% Palm Beach — Car (driver): 73.3%
Worked from Home 15.5% / 17.6%
Elanora — Worked from Home: 15.5% Palm Beach — Worked from Home: 17.6%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 3.4%
Elanora — Car (passenger): 4.4% Palm Beach — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Walked Only 1.0% / 2.1%
Elanora — Walked Only: 1.0% Palm Beach — Walked Only: 2.1%
Bus 1.0% / 1.5%
Elanora — Bus: 1.0% Palm Beach — Bus: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.7%).

Setting

Elanora Palm Beach
Elevation 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.0 km
3.1 km to a named beach
 760 m
766 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Elanora Palm Beach
Connectivity score 76/100 78/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 12%
5,135 premises
 12%
9,048 premises

Climate

Elanora Palm Beach
Annual rainfall 1,637 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Elanora Palm Beach
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

Elanora Palm Beach
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Elanora Palm Beach
Division McPherson
same for both
Member Leon Rebello
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Elanora Palm Beach
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Elanora

Premium Regional Centre

Palm Beach

Apartments Beach Coastal Parks Premium Regional Centre River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Elanora

Elanora vs Burleigh Heads Elanora vs Currumbin Waters Elanora vs Tallebudgera Elanora vs Currumbin Valley

Other comparisons with Palm Beach

Palm Beach vs Burleigh Heads Palm Beach vs Currumbin Waters Palm Beach vs Tallebudgera Palm Beach vs Currumbin
Full data on Elanora Full data on Palm Beach
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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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