Gaven vs Helensvale

Helensvale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 45 in Gaven. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Gaven: a median of $1.59 million, against $1.36 million in Helensvale, though rent is higher in Helensvale.

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

Helensvale

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (66 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (9 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Gaven carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 75/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Gaven has cheaper land ($1,350,000 vs $1,600,000)
  • Helensvale has cheaper houses ($1,359,000 vs $1,587,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Gaven

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($455/wk vs $495/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Helensvale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (47/100 vs 25/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Helensvale

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (19% vs 1%)
  • has more GPs (8 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (47/100 vs 25/100)
  • But Gaven carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 75/100)

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

Investors

Helensvale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.4% vs 5.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gaven Helensvale
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.

Gaven Helensvale
Walkability 25 / 47
Gaven — Walkability: 25/100 Helensvale — Walkability: 47/100
Safety 47 / 25
Gaven — Safety: 47/100 Helensvale — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 39 / 100
Gaven — Low fire risk: 39/100 Helensvale — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Helensvale has more residents (18,949 vs 1,638); Gaven skews older (45 vs 41).

Gaven Helensvale
Population 1,638 18,949
+1057% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.1% +12.4%
Median age 45 41
Median household income $104,780/yr $104,728/yr
Median weekly rent $455/wk $495/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gaven Helensvale
0-4 4.1% / 5.2%
Gaven — 0-4: 4.1% Helensvale — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 10.3% / 13.0%
Gaven — 5-14: 10.3% Helensvale — 5-14: 13.0%
15-19 7.4% / 7.3%
Gaven — 15-19: 7.4% Helensvale — 15-19: 7.3%
20-24 6.3% / 5.9%
Gaven — 20-24: 6.3% Helensvale — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 9.3% / 10.6%
Gaven — 25-34: 9.3% Helensvale — 25-34: 10.6%
35-44 11.1% / 13.0%
Gaven — 35-44: 11.1% Helensvale — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 16.1% / 15.4%
Gaven — 45-54: 16.1% Helensvale — 45-54: 15.4%
55-64 17.0% / 12.4%
Gaven — 55-64: 17.0% Helensvale — 55-64: 12.4%
65-74 12.3% / 9.4%
Gaven — 65-74: 12.3% Helensvale — 65-74: 9.4%
75-84 5.2% / 5.5%
Gaven — 75-84: 5.2% Helensvale — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 0.9% / 2.3%
Gaven — 85+: 0.9% Helensvale — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gaven 57.5% couple families
Gaven — Couple Families: 57.5% Gaven — Lone Person: 16.3% Gaven — One Parent Families: 19.9% Gaven — Group Household: 5.5% Gaven — Other Families: 0.8%
Helensvale 55.4% couple families
Helensvale — Couple Families: 55.4% Helensvale — Lone Person: 23.0% Helensvale — One Parent Families: 16.5% Helensvale — Group Household: 3.7% Helensvale — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gaven 12.3% renting
Gaven — Owned Outright: 33.1% Gaven — Mortgage: 54.6% Gaven — Renting: 12.3%
Helensvale 19.8% renting
Helensvale — Owned Outright: 32.3% Helensvale — Mortgage: 48.0% Helensvale — Renting: 19.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Gaven Helensvale
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 16.0%
Gaven — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% Helensvale — Certificate III & IV: 16.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.3% / 11.9%
Gaven — Bachelor Degree: 8.3% Helensvale — Bachelor Degree: 11.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.6% / 9.6%
Gaven — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6% Helensvale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 3.8%
Gaven — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Helensvale — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.5%
Gaven — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Helensvale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

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.

Gaven Helensvale
New Zealand 10.0% / 7.7%
Gaven — New Zealand: 10.0% Helensvale — New Zealand: 7.7%
England 5.2% / 7.7%
Gaven — England: 5.2% Helensvale — England: 7.7%
South Africa 0.8% / 1.7%
Gaven — South Africa: 0.8% Helensvale — South Africa: 1.7%
China — / 2.3%
Gaven — China: not among its largest Helensvale — China: 2.3%
India 0.4% / 0.9%
Gaven — India: 0.4% Helensvale — India: 0.9%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.7%
Gaven — Philippines: 0.5% Helensvale — Philippines: 0.7%
Malaysia 0.7% / —
Gaven — Malaysia: 0.7% Helensvale — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gaven 99.4% houses
Gaven — Houses: 99.4% Gaven — Townhouses: 0.0% Gaven — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Helensvale 81.3% houses
Helensvale — Houses: 81.3% Helensvale — Townhouses: 14.4% Helensvale — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Gaven Helensvale
Median house price $1,587,500 $1,359,000
Median unit price — $759,500
Median land price $1,350,000 $1,600,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 41 days
from 4 sales
 32 days
from 212 sales

Development activity

Gaven Helensvale
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.

Gaven Helensvale
Houses — 5.0%
$1,200/wk on $1.25M
Units — 5.5%
$850/wk on $797K

Ranking within QLD

Gaven Helensvale
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 77% of QLD
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 97% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 91% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 81% of QLD

Liveability

Helensvale is more walkable (47 vs 25); Helensvale scores higher overall (60 vs 40).

Gaven Helensvale
Grade C B
Score 40/100 60/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Gaven carries more bushfire risk (61 vs 0); Helensvale carries more crime risk (75 vs 53).

Gaven Helensvale
Bushfire Moderate
61/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
53/100
 High
75/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Gaven Helensvale
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Gold Coast, 6.8 km
 None

Schools in Gaven

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

Schools in Helensvale

  • Helensvale State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Helensvale State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Gaven Helensvale
Supermarkets 0 6
Cafes & restaurants 0 8
Parks & reserves 1 66
Childcare 2 9
GPs 0 8
Pharmacies 0 4
Banks & Bank@Post 0 12
Fuel stations 0 4
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 4 2

Mobility

Gaven Helensvale
Walkability score 25/100 47/100
Distance to Brisbane 67.2 km
+2% vs other
 65.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 51 min 53 min
Public transport score 32/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 148.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 19 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 4211
 2.6%
postcode 4212
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4211
 73
postcode 4212

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.

Gaven Helensvale
Car (driver) 72.4% / 73.8%
Gaven — Car (driver): 72.4% Helensvale — Car (driver): 73.8%
Worked from Home 17.7% / 17.5%
Gaven — Worked from Home: 17.7% Helensvale — Worked from Home: 17.5%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 4.6%
Gaven — Car (passenger): 5.9% Helensvale — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Walked Only 3.0% / 1.0%
Gaven — Walked Only: 3.0% Helensvale — Walked Only: 1.0%
Train 0.4% / 1.5%
Gaven — Train: 0.4% Helensvale — Train: 1.5%
Tram / Light Rail 0.6% / 1.0%
Gaven — Tram / Light Rail: 0.6% Helensvale — Tram / Light Rail: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.8%).

Setting

Gaven Helensvale
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.3 km 5.9 km

NBN connectivity

Gaven Helensvale
Connectivity score 51/100 73/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
619 premises
 22%
8,208 premises

Climate

Gaven Helensvale
Annual rainfall 1,351 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Gaven Helensvale
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³ 5.0 µg/m³
PM10 19.3 µg/m³ 14.5 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.91 pphm 0.42 pphm

Council rates

Gaven Helensvale
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Gaven Helensvale
Division Fadden
same for both
Member Cameron Caldwell
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gaven Helensvale
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gaven

Acreage Premium

Helensvale

Parks Regional Centre Trams

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gaven

Gaven vs Nerang Gaven vs Pacific Pines Gaven vs Oxenford Gaven vs Arundel Gaven vs Molendinar

Other comparisons with Helensvale

Helensvale vs Upper Coomera Helensvale vs Coomera Helensvale vs Hope Island Helensvale vs Oxenford Helensvale vs Arundel Helensvale vs Coombabah
Full data on Gaven Full data on Helensvale
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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