Mermaid Waters, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Mermaid Waters QLD is 13,088 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Mermaid Waters is $816 per week ($42,432 per year). Median rent in Mermaid Waters is $450 per week ($1,950 per month). Mermaid Waters has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. Mermaid Waters has a population density of 1,851 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Mermaid Waters is New Zealand. The most common religion is No religion (43.4% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mermaid Waters is $2,167.

Population
13,088
Census 2021
Median income
$816/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$450/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
Census 2021

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

Mermaid Waters vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Mermaid Waters is $816 a week, 9% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 538th of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $450 a week, $130 more than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 25.5% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 40, 2 years younger than in the typical QLD suburb (42).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureMermaid WatersTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$816/wk$747/wk +9%$766/wk
Household income$1,766/wk$1,593/wk +11%$1,637/wk
Rent$450/wk$320/wk +41%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$1,625/mo +33%$1,733/mo
Median age4042 −2 yrs42
Rent share of household income25.5%20.4% +5.1 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 Mermaid Waters, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Mermaid Waters Population

13,088 residents at the 2021 Census.

Mermaid Waters Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$816/wk
$42,432 per year
Ranked 3,318 of 14,663
Median Rent
$450/wk
$1,950 per month
Ranked 1,049 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Mermaid Waters Rent Prices & Affordability

25% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,766/wk
Median rent $450/wk
Rent to income 25.5%

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

Median rent in Mermaid Waters against your income

About $7,653 a month
Median rent $450/wk
Left after rent $1,316/wk
Rent share 25.5%

Mermaid Waters Schools

9
schools nearby
5
government
1057
avg ICSEA score
6,003
total students
St Vincent's Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 794 students
1091
ICSEA
Broadbeach State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 1,204 students
1082
ICSEA
Robina State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 698 students
1055
ICSEA
Miami State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 835 students
1053
ICSEA
Miami State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,542 students
1032
ICSEA
Merrimac State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 930 students
1029
ICSEA
Arcadia College - Varsity Lakes Temporary Facility Independent
Secondary
Mastery Schools Australia - Varsity Lakes Secondary Temporary Facility Independent
Secondary
Mastery Schools Australia - Varsity Lakes Campus Independent
Combined

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

All schools near Mermaid Waters, with a map

Mermaid Waters Map

Mermaid Waters, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Mermaid Waters

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.3% (6,328) Female 51.7% (6,764)

Population Density

1,851
people per km²
13,088 people · 7.1 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,127
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
5.8%
England
4.7%
China
1.8%
Brazil
1.6%
Japan
0.9%
South Africa
0.8%
Italy
0.7%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
2.2%
Portuguese
1.7%
Japanese
1.3%
Spanish
1.2%
Cantonese
1.0%
Italian
0.8%
Greek
0.5%

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

Ancestry

English
39.2%
Australian
30.3%
Irish
11.3%
Scottish
10.1%
Italian
4.9%
German
4.4%
Chinese
4.4%
New Zealander
1.8%
Dutch
1.6%
Greek
1.4%
Australian Aboriginal
1.2%

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
43.4%
Catholic
22.5%
Anglican
12.1%
Not stated
6.6%
Uniting Church
2.6%
Christian (other)
2.4%
Buddhism
1.8%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.3%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
43.7% 4,722
Separated
3.0% 324
Divorced
10.8% 1,169
Widowed
5.4% 580
Never married
37.2% 4,022

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
40.8%
Couple: no children
29.2%
Couple: no children under 15
15.5%
One parent: children under 15
7.4%
One parent: no children under 15
7.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
24.2%
2 persons
35.9%
3 persons
15.3%
4 persons
16.6%
5 persons
5.8%
6+ persons
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Mermaid Waters

Housing Tenure

Of the 4,965 occupied private dwellings in Mermaid Waters at the 2021 Census, 28.8% were rented, 34.5% owned outright and 34.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.4% 70 dwellings
Owned outright
34.5% 1,712 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
34.1% 1,691 dwellings
Rented
28.8% 1,431 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 62 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
65.0%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
28.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.7%
2 bedrooms
26.8%
3 bedrooms
31.8%
4 bedrooms
29.9%
5 bedrooms
7.5%
6+ bedrooms
1.3%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.1%
$300-$449/mo
2.3%
$450-$599/mo
1.1%
$600-$799/mo
2.3%
$800-$999/mo
3.8%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
14.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
18.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.1%
1 vehicle
35.6%
2 vehicles
40.1%
3 vehicles
12.8%
4+ vehicles
6.3%

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

Work, income and education in Mermaid Waters

Employment

Employed full-time
36.4% 3,459 people
Employed part-time
24.7% 2,349 people
Unemployed
3.2% 307 people
Not in labour force
35.7% 3,395 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
30.2%
Managers
16.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
15.0%
Community & Personal Service
11.9%
Clerical & Administrative
11.2%
Sales Workers
7.4%
Labourers
5.1%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.9%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.8%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
2.3%
$400-$499/wk
5.9%
$500-$649/wk
4.5%
$650-$799/wk
6.4%
$800-$999/wk
6.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.7%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.3%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.9%
$4,000+/wk
14.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.2%
$1-$149/wk
4.5%
$150-$299/wk
4.7%
$300-$399/wk
3.7%
$400-$499/wk
3.6%
$500-$649/wk
4.1%
$650-$799/wk
10.3%
$800-$999/wk
11.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
8.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.4%
$3,500+/wk
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
73.3%
Did not go to work
14.2%
Car (passenger)
5.0%
Walked only
2.2%
Bicycle
1.3%
Bus
1.0%
Other
0.8%
Truck
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Train
0.4%
Tram/Light Rail
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
70.5%
Year 10 or equivalent
18.7%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.7%

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

Bachelor Degree
32.1%
Certificate III/IV
31.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.4%
Postgraduate Degree
10.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.3%
Certificate I/II
2.3%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
26.3%
Health
14.1%
Society & Culture
12.6%
Engineering
11.6%
Architecture & Building
8.9%
Education
8.4%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
8.0%
Creative Arts
4.7%
Information Technology
2.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.0%
Agriculture & Environment
1.2%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
24.2%
Secondary: Government
18.1%
Vocational Education
13.6%
Pre-school
11.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
9.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
8.7%
Primary: Catholic
8.1%
Secondary: Catholic
6.1%

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
90.5%
Has need for assistance
4.5%
Need for assistance not stated
5.0%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
885
Arthritis
380
Asthma
359
Heart disease
273
Diabetes
228
Lung condition
204
Cancer
195
Stroke
126
Kidney disease
92
Dementia
21

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
11.0% 1,125
Did not provide
89.0% 9,065

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
12.3% 1,262
Not a volunteer
87.7% 8,969

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 10
Current ADF: Reserves
0.0% 5
Previously served
2.2% 226
Never served
97.7% 10,034

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
36.7%
1 child
13.8%
2 children
30.5%
3 children
14.0%
4 children
4.2%
5+ children
0.8%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
42
1951: 1960
163
1961: 1970
286
1971: 1980
313
1981: 1990
499
1991: 2000
501
2001: 2010
736
2011: 2015
444
2016
103
2017
148
2018
140
2019
162
2020
75
2021
17

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

Population Mobility

18.0%
moved in the last year
48.0%
moved in the last 5 years
4.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
63.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
10,108
Moved from QLD
1,367
Moved: same area (SA2)
262
Moved from NSW
216
Moved from VIC
141
Moved from overseas
135
Moved from SA
13
Moved from WA
11
Moved from ACT
11
Moved from TAS
6
Moved from NT
5

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.5%
5: 14 hours
29.2%
15: 29 hours
12.7%
30+ hours
8.1%
Did not do domestic work
26.5%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
89.0%
Step family: no other children
7.5%
Blended family: no other children
2.4%
Other couple: children only
0.5%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%
Step family: other children present
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Mermaid Waters

The closest suburb to Mermaid Waters is Mermaid Beach, 1.5 km away.

Mermaid Beach
1.5 km away · income $1,021/wk · rent $460/wk
Miami
2.3 km away · income $919/wk · rent $470/wk
Clear Island Waters
2.6 km away · income $732/wk · rent $540/wk
Broadbeach
2.8 km away · income $871/wk · rent $420/wk
Broadbeach Waters
3.0 km away · income $889/wk · rent $600/wk
Robina
3.7 km away · income $772/wk · rent $540/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Mermaid Waters

What is the population of Mermaid Waters QLD?

The population of Mermaid Waters QLD is 13,088 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,851 people per km². Mermaid Waters is ranked #369 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Mermaid Waters?

The median personal income in Mermaid Waters QLD is $816 per week, or $42,432 per year. The median household income is $1,766 per week. Family income is $2,127 per week. Mermaid Waters is ranked #3,318 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Mermaid Waters?

Median rent in Mermaid Waters QLD is $450 per week ($1,950 per month). Rent represents 25.5% of household income, which is considered moderate. Mermaid Waters ranks #1,049 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Mermaid Waters?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mermaid Waters QLD is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Mermaid Waters?

The median age in Mermaid Waters QLD is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Mermaid Waters a good suburb to live in?

Mermaid Waters is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 13,088. The median income is $816/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (25.5% 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: 31812. All dollar figures in AUD.