Burleigh Waters QLD 4220
Burleigh Waters is a suburb in Queensland, 89 km from Brisbane CBD, around 1 hour 10 minutes by car. Population is 14,556; the median age is 42 and the median household income is $90,220 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The suburb grew 1.7% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $500 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,000. Burleigh Waters is characterised by high crime risk. Of 3 schools within the suburb boundary, 2 rank above the state average, and walkability is moderate.
Is Burleigh Waters a good suburb?
Burleigh Waters scores a B (64/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on schools, transit, and community, weaker on safety.
Above the state average
3 schools · 2 above peer schools · Top 4% in QLD
Very walkable
Walkability 60/100 · 89.3 km · 68 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $1.84M
High crime risk
Fire 15/100 · Crime 73/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 8/10 · median age 42 · 14,556 residents
Liveability Rating
64 / 100 · Ranked #283 in QLDEach bar is Burleigh Waters's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Burleigh Waters?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
64 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataBurleigh Waters's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.84 million, about 8% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,840,000
30% above its 5 neighbours (median $1,410,000)
Based on 338 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 29 days — median across 202 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 20 sales $1.04M
- 3 bed 126 sales $1.48M
- 4 bed 155 sales $2M
- 5 bed 32 sales $2.27M
Units
$900,000
In line with its 5 neighbours (median $913,000)
Based on 43 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 39 days — median across 25 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 30 sales $845K
- 3 bed 13 sales $1.06M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Burleigh Waters are currently listed at around $1.58 million on average. Based on 81 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.58M
81 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$879K
10 units listed in the last 6 months.
91 of the suburb's 5,404 dwellings (1.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Burleigh Waters rent for around $1,200 a week on average, based on 62 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$1,200/wk
25% above its 5 neighbours (median $960/wk)
62 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$860/wk
In line with its 5 neighbours (median $850/wk)
16 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
78 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,119 rented homes (7.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $1,075/wk
- 23 bonds
- +55% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $795/wk
- 13 bonds
- +58% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies. Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202565 Severely unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 46% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4220.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$1,200/week ($62,000 a year) on a $1.58 million median
$860/week ($45,000 a year) on a $879,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Burleigh Waters safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Burleigh Waters sits in the high band, with 181 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 34% on the prior year.
181 offences
34.1% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202446 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Three schools serve Burleigh Waters, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Caningeraba State School and Marymount College lead the pack.
- • 3,350 students across 3 schools (avg 1,117)
- • Sectors: 2 Catholic, 1 Government
- • ICSEA 1042-1085, median 1073 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Marymount College (1,262 students)
Primary
Secondary
Universities nearby
1.6% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Burleigh Waters is somewhat walkable on foot — at 60/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car. Within the suburb there are 6 supermarkets, 17 parks and 22 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Burleigh Waters.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 94.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 87.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 84.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 19.6 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Burleigh Waters.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 12%
- Premises covered
- 6,513
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Gold Coast: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 36 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 9 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Burleigh Waters is home to about 14,600 residents, with a median age of 42, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $90,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.3%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
14,556
Median Age
42
Median Household Income
$90,220/yr
Census Median Rent
$500/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$41,756/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.1%
Total Dwellings
5,404
Owner-Occupier Rate
79.3%
Houses
71.1%
Rental Stress
28.8%
Mortgage Stress
26.6%
Work From Home
17.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
30 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 6 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,091 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 72.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.9%
- Employment Rate
- 59.6%
- Completed Year 12
- 46.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
382 residents (2.6%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
8.6% of residents (1,177) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (489).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 13,764 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
3% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (215 of 7,042).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 4,558 people work here; 7,042 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.6 jobs per working resident. At least 35% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,298 a year through Gold Coast based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Gold Coast
In the year to August 2026, 7,196 new dwellings were approved across Gold Coast. That mix is 1,146 houses and 6,050 units. Approvals are down 34.9% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 101 to 500 homes
- In 5 to 10 years 101 to 500 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (1 parcel), by when it expects lots to be registered. Yields are published in ranges, so these are too.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Gold Coast Native Title Group.
Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. No native title claim is currently registered here, so the last registered claimant remains the Aboriginal party.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 4.9 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 14.3 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.43 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Southport (Gold Coast, South East Queensland) monitoring station, 14.3 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Coolangatta, 11.5 kmHigh rainfall — mild summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 4 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.9 km
- 1.9 km to a named beach
- Near high-voltage lines
- 0.5% of addresses
- 38 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 1,637 mm
- 113 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 28.6°C
- 0 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 10.5°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
8 facilities within 5 km- 2.3 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 2.5 km
- 2.6 kmWaste Treatment and Disposal ServicesTop reported: Chlorine & compounds · Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ammonia (total)
- 2.7 kmBread Manufacturing (Factory based)Top reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol · Oxides of Nitrogen
- 3.1 kmOther Electricity GenerationTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Sulfur dioxide
EV adoption
In postcode 4220, 426 of 30,100 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.6% (788 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4220, 6,564 rooftop-solar systems totalling 46.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 14,580 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 427 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$30,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
$30,000 for contracts signed on or after 20 November 2023, with no end date. IT DID NOT REVERT TO $15,000: the tier was due to end 30 June 2026 and the 2026-27 Queensland Budget (23 June 2026) continued it for contracts signed from 1 July 2026. This file carried a "due to revert" note until 2026-09-18 — it was never true, and a note predicting a change is not the same as a change. Cap is "less than $750,000" including land and contract variations — less than, not up to. New homes only: "There are no home owner grants for established homes."
Mortgage repayments
15 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 48 across postcode 4220.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Queensland Revenue Office
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $30,000 — see what qualifies with Queensland Revenue Office.
At $1,840,000 this is $1,090,000 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $30,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Queensland Revenue Office.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-26 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Leon Rebello Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Leon Rebello | 45.6% | 54.4% | +4.9 |
| 2022 | Karen Andrews | 40.7% | 59.3% | -2.9 |
| 2019 | Karen Andrews | 37.8% | 62.2% | +0.6 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Hermann Vorster Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hermann Vorster LNP | 62.8% |
| 2020 | Michael Hart LNP | 51.2% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Burleigh Waters?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 14,556 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
- #1 in Sportiest Gold Coast suburbs
- #2 in Highest-yielding Gold Coast suburbs (units)
- #6 in Gold Coast suburbs where the most people cycle to work
- #8 in Gold Coast suburbs with the fastest EV adoption growth
- #8 in Gold Coast's most owner-occupied suburbs
- #10 in Gold Coast suburbs where 3-bedroom house rents rose most
- #12 in Gold Coast suburbs with the highest EV adoption today
- #12 in Gold Coast suburbs where 2-bedroom unit rents rose most
- #14 in Gold Coast suburbs with the most rooftop solar
Nearby suburbs
Compare Burleigh Waters to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Burleigh Waters
Is Burleigh Waters a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Burleigh Waters is high (73/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Burleigh Waters?
Burleigh Waters has a low recorded bushfire history (15/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Burleigh Waters a good place to live?
Burleigh Waters has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (64/100), ranked against other QLD suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Burleigh Waters?
Burleigh Waters, QLD had a population of 14,556 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Burleigh Waters, QLD?
The postcode for Burleigh Waters, QLD is 4220.
How far is Burleigh Waters from Brisbane?
Burleigh Waters is 89 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 68 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Burleigh Waters?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Burleigh Waters was $90,220 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Burleigh Waters?
The median advertised rent in Burleigh Waters is $1,200 a week for houses (62 listings) and $860 a week for units (16 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Burleigh Waters?
The median age of residents in Burleigh Waters was 42 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Burleigh Waters at risk of bushfire?
Burleigh Waters has a low recorded bushfire history (15/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Burleigh Waters?
There are 3 schools inside the Burleigh Waters boundary: 2 above and 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Burleigh Waters walkable?
Burleigh Waters scores 60/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Burleigh Waters?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Burleigh Waters (Southport (Gold Coast, South East Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 4.9 µg/m³ and PM10 of 14.3 µg/m³. That puts Burleigh Waters below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Burleigh Waters?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Burleigh Waters, Coolangatta (11.5 km away), summer days average 28.6°C, winter nights 10.5°C, 1,637 mm of rain a year over 113 rainy days, and 0 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Burleigh Waters?
First-home buyers in QLD may be eligible for $30,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by Queensland Revenue Office; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Burleigh Waters belong to?
Burleigh Waters sits within the Gold Coast local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Burleigh Waters?
The average residential rates bill through Gold Coast is $1,298 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Burleigh Waters?
Across Gold Coast, 7,196 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 34.9% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Burleigh Waters in?
Burleigh Waters sits within the federal Division of McPherson, currently held by Leon Rebello (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2025–26
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2024
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.