Mermaid Waters vs Clear Island Waters

Mermaid Waters is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 50 in Clear Island Waters. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Clear Island Waters, about half of households are couple families. 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

Mermaid Waters

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (7 vs 2)
  • has more parks and reserves (68 vs 20)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • But Clear Island Waters carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 60/100)

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

First-home buyers

Clear Island Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($707,500 vs $913,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mermaid Waters

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (26% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $540/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Mermaid Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (50/100 vs 42/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Clear Island Waters

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 19%)
  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 60/100)
  • But Mermaid Waters is more walkable (50/100 vs 42/100)

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 3.6%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Mermaid 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.

Mermaid 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.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Walkability 50 / 42
Mermaid Waters — Walkability: 50/100 Clear Island Waters — Walkability: 42/100
Safety 40 / 55
Mermaid Waters — Safety: 40/100 Clear Island Waters — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mermaid Waters — Low fire risk: 100/100 Clear Island Waters — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Mermaid Waters has more residents (13,088 vs 4,395); Clear Island Waters skews older (50 vs 40).

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Population 13,088
+66% vs other
 4,395
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.7% +6.7%
Median age 40 50
Median household income $91,832/yr
+8% vs other
 $84,084/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk $540/wk
+20% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
0-4 5.4% / 3.4%
Mermaid Waters — 0-4: 5.4% Clear Island Waters — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 11.9% / 10.5%
Mermaid Waters — 5-14: 11.9% Clear Island Waters — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 5.4% / 5.7%
Mermaid Waters — 15-19: 5.4% Clear Island Waters — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.3% / 4.8%
Mermaid Waters — 20-24: 5.3% Clear Island Waters — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 13.7% / 8.0%
Mermaid Waters — 25-34: 13.7% Clear Island Waters — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 14.2% / 10.1%
Mermaid Waters — 35-44: 14.2% Clear Island Waters — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 13.8% / 14.1%
Mermaid Waters — 45-54: 13.8% Clear Island Waters — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 11.2% / 13.1%
Mermaid Waters — 55-64: 11.2% Clear Island Waters — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 10.7% / 14.3%
Mermaid Waters — 65-74: 10.7% Clear Island Waters — 65-74: 14.3%
75-84 6.2% / 10.5%
Mermaid Waters — 75-84: 6.2% Clear Island Waters — 75-84: 10.5%
85+ 2.2% / 5.4%
Mermaid Waters — 85+: 2.2% Clear Island Waters — 85+: 5.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mermaid Waters 40.0% couple families
Mermaid Waters — Couple Families: 40.0% Mermaid Waters — Lone Person: 33.3% Mermaid Waters — One Parent Families: 16.3% Mermaid Waters — Group Household: 8.6% Mermaid Waters — Other Families: 1.7%
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.

Mermaid Waters 29.6% renting
Mermaid Waters — Owned Outright: 35.4% Mermaid Waters — Mortgage: 35.0% Mermaid Waters — Renting: 29.6%
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.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Bachelor Degree 14.6% / 16.2%
Mermaid Waters — Bachelor Degree: 14.6% Clear Island Waters — Bachelor Degree: 16.2%
Certificate III & IV 14.5% / 10.6%
Mermaid Waters — Certificate III & IV: 14.5% Clear Island Waters — Certificate III & IV: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 9.3%
Mermaid Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Clear Island Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 6.0%
Mermaid Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Clear Island Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 1.7%
Mermaid Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% 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.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
New Zealand 5.8% / 5.0%
Mermaid Waters — New Zealand: 5.8% Clear Island Waters — New Zealand: 5.0%
England 4.7% / 5.8%
Mermaid Waters — England: 4.7% Clear Island Waters — England: 5.8%
China 1.8% / 5.9%
Mermaid Waters — China: 1.8% Clear Island Waters — China: 5.9%
South Africa 0.8% / 2.1%
Mermaid Waters — South Africa: 0.8% Clear Island Waters — South Africa: 2.1%
Japan 0.9% / 0.9%
Mermaid Waters — Japan: 0.9% Clear Island Waters — Japan: 0.9%
Brazil 1.6% / —
Mermaid Waters — Brazil: 1.6% Clear Island Waters — Brazil: not among its largest
Taiwan — / 1.6%
Mermaid Waters — Taiwan: not among its largest Clear Island Waters — Taiwan: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mermaid Waters 59.5% houses
Mermaid Waters — Houses: 59.5% Mermaid Waters — Townhouses: 31.9% Mermaid Waters — Flats / Apartments: 8.6%
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

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Median house price $2,200,000 $2,255,000
Median unit price $913,000 $707,500
Median land price $3,045,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 145 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.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
2 bed $902K / $680K
Mermaid Waters — 2 bed: $902K (96 sales) Clear Island Waters — 2 bed: $680K (6 sales)

96 vs 6 sales

3 bed $1.01M / $1.01M
Mermaid Waters — 3 bed: $1.01M (19 sales) Clear Island Waters — 3 bed: $1.01M (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.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
3 bed $1.8M / $1.4M
Mermaid Waters — 3 bed: $1.8M (59 sales) Clear Island Waters — 3 bed: $1.4M (12 sales)

59 vs 12 sales

4 bed $2.38M / $2.2M
Mermaid Waters — 4 bed: $2.38M (104 sales) Clear Island Waters — 4 bed: $2.2M (53 sales)

104 vs 53 sales

5 bed $2.65M / $2.84M
Mermaid Waters — 5 bed: $2.65M (30 sales) Clear Island Waters — 5 bed: $2.84M (28 sales)

30 vs 28 sales

6 bed $3.17M / $3.1M
Mermaid Waters — 6 bed: $3.17M (5 sales) Clear Island Waters — 6 bed: $3.1M (5 sales)

5 vs 5 sales

Development activity

Mermaid 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.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Houses 3.6%
$1,200/wk on $1.75M
 4.3%
$1,500/wk on $1.82M
Units 4.6%
$850/wk on $960K
 4.8%
$600/wk on $649K

Ranking within QLD

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 65% of QLD Higher than 55% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 87% 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 88% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 27% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 56% of QLD Higher than 66% of QLD

Liveability

Mermaid Waters is more walkable (50 vs 42); Clear Island Waters scores higher overall (74 vs 67).

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Grade A
same for both
Score 67/100 74/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Mermaid Waters carries more crime risk (60 vs 45).

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
60/100
 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

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast campus, 3.6 km
 2
Gold Coast campus, 3.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.8% 2.5%

Schools in Mermaid Waters

  • Merrimac State High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Miami State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Clear Island Waters

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 68 20
Childcare 7 2
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 3 5

Mobility

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Walkability score 50/100 42/100
Distance to Brisbane 82.9 km
+2% vs other
 81.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 67 min 66 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 57/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 120.5
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.

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Car (driver) 71.3% / 70.4%
Mermaid Waters — Car (driver): 71.3% Clear Island Waters — Car (driver): 70.4%
Worked from Home 18.0% / 21.4%
Mermaid Waters — Worked from Home: 18.0% Clear Island Waters — Worked from Home: 21.4%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 5.4%
Mermaid Waters — Car (passenger): 4.8% Clear Island Waters — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 2.1% / 0.7%
Mermaid Waters — Walked Only: 2.1% Clear Island Waters — Walked Only: 0.7%
Bicycle 1.3% / 0.7%
Mermaid Waters — Bicycle: 1.3% Clear Island Waters — Bicycle: 0.7%
Bus 1.3% / 0.4%
Mermaid Waters — Bus: 1.3% Clear Island Waters — Bus: 0.4%
Train 0.7% / 1.0%
Mermaid Waters — Train: 0.7% Clear Island Waters — Train: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.3%).

Setting

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Elevation -14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.8 km
1.8 km to a named beach
 4.0 km
4.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters
Connectivity score 77/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 8%
6,060 premises
 0%
1,920 premises

Climate

Mermaid 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)

Mermaid 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

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

Federal electorate

Mermaid 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

Mermaid 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

Mermaid Waters

Coastal Luxury Parks Regional Centre River Townhouses

Clear Island Waters

Luxury Parks Quiet Retirees River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mermaid Waters

Mermaid Waters vs Robina Mermaid Waters vs Burleigh Waters Mermaid Waters vs Broadbeach Waters Mermaid Waters vs Miami Mermaid Waters vs Mermaid Beach Mermaid Waters vs Broadbeach

Other comparisons with Clear Island Waters

Clear Island Waters vs Robina Clear Island Waters vs Carrara Clear Island Waters vs Broadbeach Waters Clear Island Waters vs Merrimac
Full data on Mermaid 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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