Nerang vs Pacific Pines

Pacific Pines is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 40 in Nerang. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Pacific Pines, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Pacific Pines: a median of $1.17 million, against $1.03 million in Nerang, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Nerang tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Pacific Pines suits families with children and couples.

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

Pacific Pines

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (44/100 vs 75/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (82% vs 56%)
  • But Nerang has more parks and reserves (32 vs 20)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Nerang has cheaper houses ($1,029,000 vs $1,170,000)
  • Pacific Pines has cheaper land ($1,065,000 vs $1,415,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Nerang

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($390/wk vs $470/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Pacific Pines

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (53/100 vs 17/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (51 min vs 59 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (65.5 km vs 74.1 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Nerang

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (7 vs 3)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 9%)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (39% vs 24%)
  • But Pacific Pines is more walkable (53/100 vs 17/100)

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

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

Nerang Pacific Pines
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.

Nerang Pacific Pines
Walkability 17 / 53
Nerang — Walkability: 17/100 Pacific Pines — Walkability: 53/100
Safety 25 / 56
Nerang — Safety: 25/100 Pacific Pines — Safety: 56/100
Low fire risk 45 / 38
Nerang — Low fire risk: 45/100 Pacific Pines — Low fire risk: 38/100

Demographics

Pacific Pines has higher household incomes ($108,680 vs $73,996); Pacific Pines rents higher ($470/wk vs $390/wk).

Nerang Pacific Pines
Population 17,048
+2% vs other
 16,664
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.1% -0.6%
Median age 40 34
Median household income $73,996/yr $108,680/yr
+47% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk $470/wk
+21% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nerang Pacific Pines
0-4 5.3% / 6.7%
Nerang — 0-4: 5.3% Pacific Pines — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 11.9% / 17.1%
Nerang — 5-14: 11.9% Pacific Pines — 5-14: 17.1%
15-19 5.7% / 7.5%
Nerang — 15-19: 5.7% Pacific Pines — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 5.8% / 6.4%
Nerang — 20-24: 5.8% Pacific Pines — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 13.4% / 12.7%
Nerang — 25-34: 13.4% Pacific Pines — 25-34: 12.7%
35-44 13.0% / 16.7%
Nerang — 35-44: 13.0% Pacific Pines — 35-44: 16.7%
45-54 13.1% / 14.9%
Nerang — 45-54: 13.1% Pacific Pines — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 12.0% / 9.5%
Nerang — 55-64: 12.0% Pacific Pines — 55-64: 9.5%
65-74 10.4% / 5.6%
Nerang — 65-74: 10.4% Pacific Pines — 65-74: 5.6%
75-84 6.7% / 2.6%
Nerang — 75-84: 6.7% Pacific Pines — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ 2.9% / 0.4%
Nerang — 85+: 2.9% Pacific Pines — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Pacific Pines 61.4% couple families
Pacific Pines — Couple Families: 61.4% Pacific Pines — Lone Person: 12.4% Pacific Pines — One Parent Families: 20.9% Pacific Pines — Group Household: 3.8% Pacific Pines — 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.

Nerang 33.2% renting
Nerang — Owned Outright: 25.9% Nerang — Mortgage: 40.9% Nerang — Renting: 33.2%
Pacific Pines 32.8% renting
Pacific Pines — Owned Outright: 17.2% Pacific Pines — Mortgage: 50.0% Pacific Pines — Renting: 32.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Nerang Pacific Pines
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 16.6%
Nerang — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Pacific Pines — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 8.4% / 10.5%
Nerang — Bachelor Degree: 8.4% Pacific Pines — Bachelor Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 8.8%
Nerang — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Pacific Pines — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 3.5%
Nerang — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Pacific Pines — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.6%
Nerang — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Pacific Pines — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

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.

Nerang Pacific Pines
New Zealand 7.6% / 9.8%
Nerang — New Zealand: 7.6% Pacific Pines — New Zealand: 9.8%
England 4.4% / 4.9%
Nerang — England: 4.4% Pacific Pines — England: 4.9%
India 1.8% / 2.0%
Nerang — India: 1.8% Pacific Pines — India: 2.0%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.3%
Nerang — Philippines: 0.9% Pacific Pines — Philippines: 1.3%
South Africa 0.7% / 1.4%
Nerang — South Africa: 0.7% Pacific Pines — South Africa: 1.4%
China — / 1.5%
Nerang — China: not among its largest Pacific Pines — China: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nerang 61.4% houses
Nerang — Houses: 61.4% Nerang — Townhouses: 23.1% Nerang — Flats / Apartments: 15.6%
Pacific Pines 76.0% houses
Pacific Pines — Houses: 76.0% Pacific Pines — Townhouses: 23.8% Pacific Pines — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Nerang Pacific Pines
Median house price $1,029,000 $1,170,000
Median unit price $701,053 $792,500
Median land price $1,415,000 $1,065,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 159 sales
 21 days
from 125 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.

Nerang Pacific Pines
3 bed $954K / $936K
Nerang — 3 bed: $954K (140 sales) Pacific Pines — 3 bed: $936K (54 sales)

140 vs 54 sales

4 bed $1.11M / $1.18M
Nerang — 4 bed: $1.11M (79 sales) Pacific Pines — 4 bed: $1.18M (191 sales)

79 vs 191 sales

5 bed $1.59M / $1.35M
Nerang — 5 bed: $1.59M (28 sales) Pacific Pines — 5 bed: $1.35M (36 sales)

28 vs 36 sales

Development activity

Nerang Pacific Pines
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.

Nerang Pacific Pines
Houses 4.6%
$850/wk on $970K
 4.3%
$900/wk on $1.09M
Units 4.8%
$725/wk on $790K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Nerang Pacific Pines
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 44% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
Schools Higher than 13% of QLD Higher than 63% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 77% of QLD Higher than 88% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 84% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 79% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 64% of QLD —

Liveability

Pacific Pines is more walkable (53 vs 17); Pacific Pines scores higher overall (50 vs 27).

Nerang Pacific Pines
Grade D B
Score 27/100 50/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Nerang carries more crime risk (75 vs 44).

Nerang Pacific Pines
Bushfire Moderate
55/100
 Moderate
62/100
Crime High
75/100
 Moderate
44/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Nerang Pacific Pines
Inside the suburb 4
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 3
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Gold Coast, 8.8 km
 1
Gold Coast, 9.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.2% 2.0%

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

Schools in Pacific Pines

  • Park Lake State School Government · Primary above peers
  • Jubilee Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Pacific Pines State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Pacific Pines State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Nerang Pacific Pines
Supermarkets 4 2
Cafes & restaurants 9 12
Parks & reserves 32 20
Childcare 13 9
GPs 7 3
Pharmacies 7 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 5 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 13 5

Mobility

Nerang sits further from the CBD (74.1 km vs 65.5 km).

Nerang Pacific Pines
Walkability score 17/100 53/100
Distance to Brisbane 74.1 km
+12% vs other
 65.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 59 min 51 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 138.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 59.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 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.

Nerang Pacific Pines
Car (driver) 80.1% / 79.2%
Nerang — Car (driver): 80.1% Pacific Pines — Car (driver): 79.2%
Worked from Home 11.6% / 12.7%
Nerang — Worked from Home: 11.6% Pacific Pines — Worked from Home: 12.7%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 5.3%
Nerang — Car (passenger): 4.4% Pacific Pines — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Train 1.2% / 1.0%
Nerang — Train: 1.2% Pacific Pines — Train: 1.0%
Walked Only 1.3% / 0.6%
Nerang — Walked Only: 1.3% Pacific Pines — Walked Only: 0.6%
Bus 0.9% / 0.7%
Nerang — Bus: 0.9% Pacific Pines — Bus: 0.7%

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

Setting

Nerang Pacific Pines
Elevation 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 80 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.0 km 9.1 km

NBN connectivity

Nerang Pacific Pines
Connectivity score 71/100 73/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
8,658 premises
 50%
5,774 premises

Climate

Nerang Pacific Pines
Annual rainfall 1,556 mm 1,351 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C 28.9°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.8°C 12.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Nerang Pacific Pines
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

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

Federal electorate

Nerang Pacific Pines
Division Wright Fadden
Member Scott Buchholz Cameron Caldwell
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Nerang

Parks Regional Centre River Townhouses

Pacific Pines

Family Parks Regional Centre Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nerang

Nerang vs Carrara Nerang vs Ashmore Nerang vs Maudsland Nerang vs Highland Park Nerang vs Molendinar Nerang vs Gilston

Other comparisons with Pacific Pines

Pacific Pines vs Oxenford Pacific Pines vs Maudsland Pacific Pines vs Gaven
Full data on Nerang Full data on Pacific Pines
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or