Mermaid Waters QLD 4218
Located in Queensland, Mermaid Waters sits 83 km from Brisbane CBD, around 1 hour 5 minutes by car. The suburb has 13,088 residents, a median age of 40, and a median household income of $91,832 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The suburb grew 8.7% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $450 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. Mermaid Waters is characterised by high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. All 2 schools within the suburb boundary rank above the state average, and walkability is moderate.
Is Mermaid Waters a good suburb?
Mermaid Waters scores a A (67/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community.
Mixed results
2 schools · 2 above peer schools
Some car dependence
Walkability 50/100 · 82.9 km · 67 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $2.2M
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 60/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 8/10 · median age 40 · 13,088 residents
Liveability Rating
67 / 100 · Ranked #210 in QLDEach bar is Mermaid Waters's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Mermaid Waters?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
67 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataMermaid Waters's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $2.2 million, roughly 11% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$2,200,000
20% above its 6 neighbours (median $1,840,000)
Based on 213 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 26 days — median across 145 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 7 sales $880K
- 3 bed 59 sales $1.8M
- 4 bed 104 sales $2.38M
- 5 bed 30 sales $2.65M
- 6 bed 5 sales $3.17M
Units
$913,000
9% below its 7 neighbours (median $1,000,000)
Based on 122 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 21 days — median across 64 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 96 sales $902K
- 3 bed 19 sales $1.01M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Mermaid Waters are currently listed at around $1.75 million on average. Based on 35 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.75M
35 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$960K
20 units listed in the last 6 months.
55 of the suburb's 4,965 dwellings (1.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Mermaid Waters rent for around $1,200 a week on average, based on 89 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$1,200/wk
In line with its 7 neighbours (median $1,200/wk)
89 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$850/wk
15% below its 6 neighbours (median $995/wk)
43 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
132 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,470 rented homes (9.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $1,130/wk
- 20 bonds
- +58% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $750/wk
- 53 bonds
- +61% 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 202566 Severely unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 45% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4218.
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 $1.75 million median
$850/week ($44,000 a year) on a $960,000 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 Mermaid Waters safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Mermaid Waters sits in the moderate band, with 169 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 15% on the prior year.
169 offences
15.0% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202470 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
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
Two schools serve Mermaid Waters, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Merrimac State High School and Miami State School lead the pack.
- • 1,765 students across 2 schools (avg 882)
- • ICSEA 1029-1053, median 1041 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Merrimac State High School (930 students)
Primary
Secondary
Universities nearby
- 3.6 kmGold Coast campusBond University · 180 courses
- 8.8 kmGold CoastGriffith University · 218 courses
1.8% 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
Mermaid Waters is somewhat walkable on foot — at 50/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Mermaid Waters.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 120.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 110.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 107.6 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 22.9 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 Mermaid Waters.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 8%
- Premises covered
- 6,060
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 30 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 6 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Mermaid Waters is home to about 13,100 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $92,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.4%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
13,088
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$91,832/yr
Census Median Rent
$450/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$42,432/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Unoccupied Dwellings
8.5%
Total Dwellings
4,965
Owner-Occupier Rate
70.4%
Houses
59.5%
Rental Stress
25.5%
Mortgage Stress
28.3%
Work From Home
18.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
17 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 3 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,431 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 66.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 80.5%
- Employment Rate
- 60.6%
- Completed Year 12
- 51.4%
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.
645 residents (4.9%) 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.
9.1% of residents (1,122) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (397).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 12,383 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 (187 of 6,555).
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 2,898 people work here; 6,555 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.4 jobs per working resident. At least 56% 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: at least 602 homes
- Within 2 years at least 501 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 101 to 500 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (2 parcels), 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, 10.0 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Gold Coast Seaway, 12.3 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- -14 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.8 km
- 1.8 km to a named beach
- Near high-voltage lines
- 0.2% of addresses
- 11 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 1,351 mm
- 96 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 28.9°C
- 1 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 12.5°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
1 facility within 5 km- 3.8 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
EV adoption
In postcode 4218, 515 of 30,061 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.0% (896 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4218, 5,743 rooftop-solar systems totalling 40.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 18,137 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 344 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
7 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 36 across postcode 4218.
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 $2,200,000 this is $1,450,000 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 2026-10-27 — 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 Angie Bell Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Angie Bell | 41.2% | 58.8% | +2.4 |
| 2022 | Angie Bell | 38.8% | 61.2% | -4.2 |
| 2019 | Angie Bell | 34.6% | 65.4% | +0.8 |
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 Ray Stevens Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ray Stevens LNP | 63.1% |
| 2020 | Ray Stevens LNP | 54.4% |
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 Mermaid 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 13,088 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
- #2 in Sportiest Gold Coast suburbs
- #3 in Gold Coast suburbs where the most Greek is spoken at home
- #4 in Gold Coast suburbs where the most Italian is spoken at home
- #6 in Gold Coast suburbs where 3-bedroom house rents rose most
- #6 in Gold Coast suburbs where the most Spanish is spoken at home
- #8 in Gold Coast suburbs where the most Cantonese is spoken at home
- #8 in Gold Coast suburbs with the highest EV adoption today
- #10 in Gold Coast suburbs with the largest Jewish community
- #11 in The most liveable suburbs in Gold Coast
- #11 in Gold Coast suburbs where 2-bedroom unit rents rose most
- #12 in Gold Coast suburbs where the most people cycle to work
- #13 in Where the Chinese community lives in Gold Coast
- #14 in Gold Coast suburbs where the most Mandarin is spoken at home
- #14 in Gold Coast suburbs that suit young professionals
- #15 in Gold Coast suburbs with the fastest EV adoption growth
- #15 in Gold Coast's most educated suburbs
Nearby suburbs
Robina QLD 4226
Burleigh Waters QLD 4220
Broadbeach Waters QLD 4218
Miami QLD 4220
Mermaid Beach QLD 4218
Broadbeach QLD 4218
Compare Mermaid 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 Mermaid Waters
Is Mermaid Waters a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Mermaid Waters is moderate (60/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Mermaid Waters?
Mermaid Waters has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Mermaid Waters a good place to live?
Mermaid Waters has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (67/100), 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 Mermaid Waters?
Mermaid Waters, QLD had a population of 13,088 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Mermaid Waters, QLD?
The postcode for Mermaid Waters, QLD is 4218.
How far is Mermaid Waters from Brisbane?
Mermaid Waters is 83 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 67 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Mermaid Waters?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Mermaid Waters was $91,832 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 Mermaid Waters?
The median advertised rent in Mermaid Waters is $1,200 a week for houses (89 listings) and $850 a week for units (43 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Mermaid Waters?
The median age of residents in Mermaid Waters was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Mermaid Waters?
There are 2 schools inside the Mermaid Waters boundary: 2 above similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Mermaid Waters walkable?
Mermaid Waters scores 50/100 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 Mermaid Waters?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Mermaid 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 Mermaid Waters below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Mermaid Waters?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Mermaid Waters, Gold Coast Seaway (12.3 km away), summer days average 28.9°C, winter nights 12.5°C, 1,351 mm of rain a year over 96 rainy days, and 1 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Mermaid 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 Mermaid Waters belong to?
Mermaid 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 Mermaid 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 Mermaid 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 Mermaid Waters in?
Mermaid Waters sits within the federal Division of Moncrieff, currently held by Angie Bell (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.