Burleigh Waters, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Burleigh Waters QLD is 14,556 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Burleigh Waters is $803 per week ($41,756 per year). Median rent in Burleigh Waters is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Burleigh Waters has a median age of 42 years, older than the national median of 38. Burleigh Waters has a population density of 2,154 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Burleigh Waters is New Zealand. The most common religion is No religion (42.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Portuguese. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Burleigh Waters is $2,000.

Population
14,556
Census 2021
Median income
$803/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$500/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
42years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Burleigh Waters vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Burleigh Waters is $803 a week, 7% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 585th of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $500 a week, $180 more than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 28.8% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 42, the same age as in the typical QLD suburb.

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBurleigh WatersTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$803/wk$747/wk +7%$766/wk
Household income$1,735/wk$1,593/wk +9%$1,637/wk
Rent$500/wk$320/wk +56%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,000/mo$1,625/mo +23%$1,733/mo
Median age4242 0 yrs42
Rent share of household income28.8%20.4% +8.4 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Burleigh Waters, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Burleigh Waters Population

14,556 residents at the 2021 Census.

Burleigh Waters Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$803/wk
$41,756 per year
Ranked 3,580 of 14,663
Median Rent
$500/wk
$2,167 per month
Ranked 576 of 14,663
Median Age
42years
4 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg household size: 2.6 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Burleigh Waters Rent Prices & Affordability

29% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,735/wk
Median rent $500/wk
Rent to income 28.8%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Burleigh Waters against your income

About $7,518 a month
Median rent $500/wk
Left after rent $1,235/wk
Rent share 28.8%

Burleigh Waters Schools

10
schools nearby
5
government
1057
avg ICSEA score
9,489
total students
Marymount Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 1,020 students
1085
ICSEA
Marymount College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,262 students
1073
ICSEA
Varsity College Government
Combined · Prep-12 · 3,304 students
1065
ICSEA
Miami State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 835 students
1053
ICSEA
Burleigh Heads State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 458 students
1048
ICSEA
Caningeraba State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 1,068 students
1042
ICSEA
Miami State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,542 students
1032
ICSEA
Arcadia College - Varsity Lakes Temporary Facility Independent
Secondary
Mastery Schools Australia - Varsity Lakes Campus Independent
Combined
Mastery Schools Australia - Varsity Lakes Secondary Temporary Facility Independent
Secondary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Burleigh Waters, with a map

Burleigh Waters Map

Burleigh Waters, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Burleigh Waters

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.0% (6,841) Female 53.0% (7,713)

Population Density

2,154
people per km²
14,556 people · 6.8 km²

Households

2.6
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,131
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

New Zealand
5.9%
England
5.0%
South Africa
1.0%
Brazil
1.0%
Japan
0.7%
Scotland
0.6%
Philippines
0.5%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Portuguese
1.3%
Japanese
0.9%
Spanish
0.7%
French
0.4%
Italian
0.3%
Cantonese
0.3%
German
0.3%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
43.3%
Australian
36.0%
Irish
12.9%
Scottish
11.2%
German
4.9%
Italian
3.6%
New Zealander
2.1%
Dutch
1.7%
Chinese
1.5%
Australian Aboriginal
1.4%
Maori
1.3%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
42.6%
Catholic
23.9%
Anglican
13.8%
Not stated
5.7%
Uniting Church
3.5%
Christian (other)
2.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.8%
Buddhism
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
47.5% 5,615
Separated
3.0% 358
Divorced
10.0% 1,181
Widowed
5.9% 696
Never married
33.6% 3,967

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
44.2%
Couple: no children
26.4%
Couple: no children under 15
15.6%
One parent: no children under 15
7.1%
One parent: children under 15
6.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
22.1%
2 persons
34.7%
3 persons
17.2%
4 persons
18.2%
5 persons
6.0%
6+ persons
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Burleigh Waters

Housing Tenure

Of the 5,404 occupied private dwellings in Burleigh Waters at the 2021 Census, 20.2% were rented, 38.6% owned outright and 39.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 48 dwellings
Owned outright
38.6% 2,084 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
39.0% 2,107 dwellings
Rented
20.2% 1,091 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.4% 77 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
73.0%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
14.8%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
12.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
0.7%
2 bedrooms
19.7%
3 bedrooms
41.6%
4 bedrooms
30.9%
5 bedrooms
6.2%
6+ bedrooms
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.3%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
2.6%
$800-$999/mo
4.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
12.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
15.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
15.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.2%
1 vehicle
34.6%
2 vehicles
41.7%
3 vehicles
13.0%
4+ vehicles
6.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Burleigh Waters

Employment

Employed full-time
36.0% 3,840 people
Employed part-time
23.9% 2,547 people
Unemployed
2.9% 313 people
Not in labour force
37.1% 3,960 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
29.8%
Technicians & Trade Workers
16.4%
Managers
15.9%
Community & Personal Service
13.2%
Clerical & Administrative
11.4%
Sales Workers
6.3%
Labourers
4.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
1.8%
$400-$499/wk
6.4%
$500-$649/wk
4.8%
$650-$799/wk
6.3%
$800-$999/wk
6.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
9.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.0%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.7%
$4,000+/wk
12.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.9%
$1-$149/wk
4.9%
$150-$299/wk
5.5%
$300-$399/wk
4.2%
$400-$499/wk
3.8%
$500-$649/wk
4.2%
$650-$799/wk
9.5%
$800-$999/wk
11.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500+/wk
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
75.9%
Did not go to work
13.3%
Car (passenger)
4.3%
Walked only
2.2%
Bicycle
1.6%
Bus
0.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.5%
Truck
0.5%
Train
0.4%
Other
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%
Tram/Light Rail
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
64.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
23.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.8%
Year 9 or equivalent
4.1%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
35.5%
Bachelor Degree
30.1%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.8%
Postgraduate Degree
7.6%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.2%
Certificate I/II
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
24.5%
Health
13.2%
Society & Culture
12.5%
Engineering
12.3%
Education
9.9%
Architecture & Building
9.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.3%
Creative Arts
5.2%
Information Technology
2.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.7%
Agriculture & Environment
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
28.5%
Secondary: Government
16.2%
Pre-school
10.9%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
9.9%
Vocational Education
9.3%
Primary: Catholic
9.2%
Secondary: Catholic
8.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
7.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
90.0%
Has need for assistance
5.8%
Need for assistance not stated
4.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,054
Arthritis
488
Asthma
436
Heart disease
316
Lung condition
303
Diabetes
238
Cancer
229
Kidney disease
132
Stroke
131
Dementia
57

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.0% 1,352
Did not provide
88.0% 9,902

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
13.0% 1,464
Not a volunteer
87.0% 9,838

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 6
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 11
Previously served
3.0% 340
Never served
96.8% 10,963

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
32.2%
1 child
13.3%
2 children
33.2%
3 children
15.8%
4 children
4.4%
5+ children
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
44
1951: 1960
191
1961: 1970
290
1971: 1980
341
1981: 1990
435
1991: 2000
465
2001: 2010
757
2011: 2015
401
2016
73
2017
78
2018
69
2019
88
2020
59
2021
15

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

13.7%
moved in the last year
39.3%
moved in the last 5 years
4.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
62.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
11,911
Moved from QLD
1,088
Moved: same area (SA2)
237
Moved from NSW
227
Moved from VIC
153
Moved from overseas
84
Moved from SA
25
Moved from ACT
19
Moved from WA
12
Moved from NT
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.1%
5: 14 hours
31.0%
15: 29 hours
13.4%
30+ hours
8.0%
Did not do domestic work
25.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
86.8%
Step family: no other children
9.2%
Blended family: no other children
3.0%
Other couple: children only
0.4%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%
Step family: other children present
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Burleigh Waters

The closest suburb to Burleigh Waters is Burleigh Heads, 1.7 km away.

Burleigh Heads
1.7 km away · income $889/wk · rent $480/wk
Miami
1.8 km away · income $919/wk · rent $470/wk
Varsity Lakes
2.3 km away · income $789/wk · rent $490/wk
Mermaid Waters
3.7 km away · income $816/wk · rent $450/wk
Mermaid Beach
4.1 km away · income $1,021/wk · rent $460/wk
Robina
4.3 km away · income $772/wk · rent $540/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Burleigh Waters

What is the population of Burleigh Waters QLD?

The population of Burleigh Waters QLD is 14,556 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,154 people per km². Burleigh Waters is ranked #300 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Burleigh Waters?

The median personal income in Burleigh Waters QLD is $803 per week, or $41,756 per year. The median household income is $1,735 per week. Family income is $2,131 per week. Burleigh Waters is ranked #3,580 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Burleigh Waters?

Median rent in Burleigh Waters QLD is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Rent represents 28.8% of household income, which is considered moderate. Burleigh Waters ranks #576 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Burleigh Waters?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Burleigh Waters QLD is $2,000. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Burleigh Waters?

The median age in Burleigh Waters QLD is 42 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Burleigh Waters a good suburb to live in?

Burleigh Waters is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 14,556. The median income is $803/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (28.8% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 30446. All dollar figures in AUD.