Highland Park vs Nerang

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Highland Park, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Highland Park: a median of $1.2 million, against $1.03 million in Nerang, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Highland Park tends to suit couples, while Nerang 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

They split

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

  • Highland Park carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 75/100)
  • Nerang has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Nerang

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,029,000 vs $1,200,000)
  • has cheaper units ($701,053 vs $790,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Nerang

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($390/wk vs $430/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Highland Park

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 17/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Highland Park is more walkable (66/100 vs 17/100)
  • Nerang has more GPs (7 vs 1)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Highland Park Nerang
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.

Highland Park Nerang
Walkability 66 / 17
Highland Park — Walkability: 66/100 Nerang — Walkability: 17/100
Safety 47 / 25
Highland Park — Safety: 47/100 Nerang — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 100 / 45
Highland Park — Low fire risk: 100/100 Nerang — Low fire risk: 45/100

Demographics

Nerang has more residents (17,048 vs 6,576); Highland Park has higher household incomes ($83,668 vs $73,996).

Highland Park Nerang
Population 6,576 17,048
+159% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.0% +1.1%
Median age 42 40
Median household income $83,668/yr
+12% vs other
 $73,996/yr
Median weekly rent $430/wk
+9% vs other
 $390/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Highland Park Nerang
0-4 5.5% / 5.3%
Highland Park — 0-4: 5.5% Nerang — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 12.6% / 11.9%
Highland Park — 5-14: 12.6% Nerang — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 5.9% / 5.7%
Highland Park — 15-19: 5.9% Nerang — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 4.7% / 5.8%
Highland Park — 20-24: 4.7% Nerang — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 11.5% / 13.4%
Highland Park — 25-34: 11.5% Nerang — 25-34: 13.4%
35-44 13.0% / 13.0%
Highland Park — 35-44: 13.0% Nerang — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 13.2% / 13.1%
Highland Park — 45-54: 13.2% Nerang — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 13.1% / 12.0%
Highland Park — 55-64: 13.1% Nerang — 55-64: 12.0%
65-74 10.6% / 10.4%
Highland Park — 65-74: 10.6% Nerang — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 7.3% / 6.7%
Highland Park — 75-84: 7.3% Nerang — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 2.5% / 2.9%
Highland Park — 85+: 2.5% Nerang — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Highland Park 49.1% couple families
Highland Park — Couple Families: 49.1% Highland Park — Lone Person: 27.1% Highland Park — One Parent Families: 18.4% Highland Park — Group Household: 4.4% Highland Park — Other Families: 0.8%
Nerang 35.0% couple families
Nerang — Couple Families: 35.0% Nerang — Lone Person: 36.8% Nerang — One Parent Families: 20.5% Nerang — Group Household: 6.0% Nerang — 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.

Highland Park 17.8% renting
Highland Park — Owned Outright: 34.5% Highland Park — Mortgage: 47.6% Highland Park — Renting: 17.8%
Nerang 33.2% renting
Nerang — Owned Outright: 25.9% Nerang — Mortgage: 40.9% Nerang — Renting: 33.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Highland Park Nerang
Certificate III & IV 18.0% / 18.9%
Highland Park — Certificate III & IV: 18.0% Nerang — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 9.9% / 8.4%
Highland Park — Bachelor Degree: 9.9% Nerang — Bachelor Degree: 8.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 8.4%
Highland Park — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Nerang — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.5% / 2.3%
Highland Park — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5% Nerang — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.3%
Highland Park — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Nerang — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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.

Highland Park Nerang
New Zealand 8.3% / 7.6%
Highland Park — New Zealand: 8.3% Nerang — New Zealand: 7.6%
England 5.4% / 4.4%
Highland Park — England: 5.4% Nerang — England: 4.4%
Philippines 1.0% / 0.9%
Highland Park — Philippines: 1.0% Nerang — Philippines: 0.9%
South Africa 1.1% / 0.7%
Highland Park — South Africa: 1.1% Nerang — South Africa: 0.7%
India — / 1.8%
Highland Park — India: not among its largest Nerang — India: 1.8%
Japan 1.0% / 0.6%
Highland Park — Japan: 1.0% Nerang — Japan: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Highland Park 85.0% houses
Highland Park — Houses: 85.0% Highland Park — Townhouses: 4.7% Highland Park — Flats / Apartments: 10.4%
Nerang 61.4% houses
Nerang — Houses: 61.4% Nerang — Townhouses: 23.1% Nerang — Flats / Apartments: 15.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Highland Park Nerang
Median house price $1,200,000 $1,029,000
Median unit price $790,000 $701,053
Median land price — $1,415,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 39 sales
 25 days
from 159 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.

Highland Park Nerang
3 bed $1.12M / $954K
Highland Park — 3 bed: $1.12M (37 sales) Nerang — 3 bed: $954K (140 sales)

37 vs 140 sales

4 bed $1.26M / $1.11M
Highland Park — 4 bed: $1.26M (43 sales) Nerang — 4 bed: $1.11M (79 sales)

43 vs 79 sales

5 bed $1.38M / $1.59M
Highland Park — 5 bed: $1.38M (9 sales) Nerang — 5 bed: $1.59M (28 sales)

9 vs 28 sales

Development activity

Highland Park Nerang
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.

Highland Park Nerang
Houses 4.5%
$950/wk on $1.09M
 4.6%
$850/wk on $970K
Units — 4.8%
$725/wk on $790K

Ranking within QLD

Highland Park Nerang
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 44% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 13% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 90% of QLD Higher than 77% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 83% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of QLD
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 64% of QLD

Liveability

Highland Park is more walkable (66 vs 17); Highland Park scores higher overall (65 vs 27).

Highland Park Nerang
Grade B D
Score 65/100 27/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Nerang carries more bushfire risk (55 vs 0); Nerang carries more crime risk (75 vs 53).

Highland Park Nerang
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
55/100
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 5
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Highland Park Nerang
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast, 8.2 km
 1
Gold Coast, 8.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 1.2%

Schools in Highland Park

  • William Duncan State School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Nerang

  • Nerang State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Nerang State School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Brigid's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Mastery Schools Australia Independent · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Highland Park Nerang
Supermarkets 1 4
Cafes & restaurants 1 9
Parks & reserves 8 32
Childcare 4 13
GPs 1 7
Pharmacies 1 7
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 2 5
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 6 13

Mobility

Highland Park Nerang
Walkability score 66/100 17/100
Distance to Brisbane 73.3 km 74.1 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 56 min 59 min
Public transport score 60/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 17.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 138.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 4211
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4211
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.

Highland Park Nerang
Car (driver) 79.4% / 80.1%
Highland Park — Car (driver): 79.4% Nerang — Car (driver): 80.1%
Worked from Home 12.7% / 11.6%
Highland Park — Worked from Home: 12.7% Nerang — Worked from Home: 11.6%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.4%
Highland Park — Car (passenger): 4.6% Nerang — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Walked Only 1.3% / 1.3%
Highland Park — Walked Only: 1.3% Nerang — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 1.1% / 0.9%
Highland Park — Bus: 1.1% Nerang — Bus: 0.9%
Train 0.7% / 1.2%
Highland Park — Train: 0.7% Nerang — Train: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.1%).

Setting

Highland Park Nerang
Elevation 63 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.7 km 10.0 km

NBN connectivity

Highland Park Nerang
Connectivity score 72/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 33%
2,625 premises
 10%
8,658 premises

Climate

Highland Park Nerang
Annual rainfall 1,556 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Highland Park Nerang
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.91 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Highland Park Nerang
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Highland Park Nerang
Division Moncrieff Wright
Member Angie Bell Scott Buchholz
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Highland Park Nerang
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Highland Park

Parks Quiet River

Nerang

Parks Regional Centre River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Highland Park

Highland Park vs Carrara Highland Park vs Worongary Highland Park vs Gilston

Other comparisons with Nerang

Nerang vs Pacific Pines Nerang vs Carrara Nerang vs Ashmore Nerang vs Maudsland Nerang vs Molendinar Nerang vs Gilston
Full data on Highland Park Full data on Nerang
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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