Varsity Lakes, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Varsity Lakes QLD is 16,493 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Varsity Lakes is $789 per week ($41,028 per year). Median rent in Varsity Lakes is $490 per week ($2,123 per month). Varsity Lakes has a median age of 36 years, younger than the national median of 38. Varsity Lakes has a population density of 2,790 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Varsity Lakes is New Zealand. The most common religion is No religion (46.9% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Varsity Lakes is $1,842.

Population
16,493
Census 2021
Median income
$789/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$490/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
36years
Census 2021

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

Varsity Lakes vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Varsity Lakes is $789 a week, 6% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 621st of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $490 a week, $170 more than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 29.8% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 36, 6 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.
MeasureVarsity LakesTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$789/wk$747/wk +6%$766/wk
Household income$1,646/wk$1,593/wk +3%$1,637/wk
Rent$490/wk$320/wk +53%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,842/mo$1,625/mo +13%$1,733/mo
Median age3642 −6 yrs42
Rent share of household income29.8%20.4% +9.3 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 Varsity Lakes, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Varsity Lakes Population

16,493 residents at the 2021 Census.

Varsity Lakes Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$789/wk
$41,028 per year
Ranked 3,765 of 14,663
Median Rent
$490/wk
$2,123 per month
Ranked 714 of 14,663
Median Age
36years
2 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,842/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Varsity Lakes Rent Prices & Affordability

30% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,646/wk
Median rent $490/wk
Rent to income 29.8%

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

Median rent in Varsity Lakes against your income

About $7,133 a month
Median rent $490/wk
Left after rent $1,156/wk
Rent share 29.8%

Varsity Lakes Schools

15
schools nearby
5
government
1063
avg ICSEA score
17,502
total students
Hillcrest Christian College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 2,055 students
1104
ICSEA
Marymount Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 1,020 students
1085
ICSEA
King's Christian College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 5,166 students
1074
ICSEA
Marymount College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,262 students
1073
ICSEA
Gold Coast Christian College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 237 students
1066
ICSEA
Varsity College Government
Combined · Prep-12 · 3,304 students
1065
ICSEA
Robina State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 698 students
1055
ICSEA
Miami State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 835 students
1053
ICSEA
Caningeraba State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 1,068 students
1042
ICSEA
The Industry School - Gold Coast Independent
Secondary · 10-12 · 315 students
1040
ICSEA
Miami State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,542 students
1032
ICSEA
Silkwood School - Robina Campus Independent
Combined
Mastery Schools Australia - Varsity Lakes Secondary Temporary Facility Independent
Secondary
Arcadia College - Varsity Lakes 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 Varsity Lakes, with a map

Varsity Lakes Map

Varsity Lakes, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Varsity Lakes

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.0% (7,755) Female 53.0% (8,736)

Population Density

2,790
people per km²
16,493 people · 5.9 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$1,941
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
6.2%
England
4.2%
China
3.1%
Brazil
1.9%
South Africa
1.5%
Japan
1.4%
Philippines
1.2%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
4.0%
Portuguese
2.3%
Japanese
2.0%
Cantonese
1.5%
Spanish
1.1%
Korean
0.8%
Tagalog
0.5%

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

Ancestry

English
36.8%
Australian
28.5%
Irish
9.3%
Scottish
9.1%
Chinese
7.0%
German
4.2%
Italian
3.7%
Australian Aboriginal
2.0%
Filipino
1.8%
New Zealander
1.8%
Indian
1.7%

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
46.9%
Catholic
18.0%
Anglican
8.6%
Not stated
7.0%
Christian (other)
3.7%
Uniting Church
2.3%
Buddhism
2.0%
Pentecostal
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.1%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
39.3% 5,289
Separated
3.8% 518
Divorced
10.6% 1,430
Widowed
4.3% 574
Never married
42.0% 5,658

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
42.2%
Couple: no children
25.5%
Couple: no children under 15
13.6%
One parent: children under 15
9.9%
One parent: no children under 15
8.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
24.0%
2 persons
34.1%
3 persons
19.2%
4 persons
15.5%
5 persons
5.5%
6+ persons
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Varsity Lakes

Housing Tenure

Of the 6,215 occupied private dwellings in Varsity Lakes at the 2021 Census, 43.3% were rented, 20.9% owned outright and 33.5% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 54 dwellings
Owned outright
20.9% 1,299 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
33.5% 2,085 dwellings
Rented
43.3% 2,691 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.3% 80 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
56.3%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
34.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
9.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
6.6%
2 bedrooms
21.5%
3 bedrooms
46.4%
4 bedrooms
22.3%
5 bedrooms
2.7%
6+ bedrooms
0.5%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.0%
$300-$449/mo
1.6%
$450-$599/mo
1.3%
$600-$799/mo
1.9%
$800-$999/mo
4.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
22.4%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
29.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
7.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.1%
1 vehicle
40.8%
2 vehicles
40.5%
3 vehicles
10.4%
4+ vehicles
4.2%

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

Work, income and education in Varsity Lakes

Employment

Employed full-time
38.8% 4,561 people
Employed part-time
25.9% 3,052 people
Unemployed
3.8% 442 people
Not in labour force
31.5% 3,712 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
30.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
14.5%
Community & Personal Service
14.3%
Managers
12.8%
Clerical & Administrative
11.7%
Sales Workers
7.5%
Labourers
5.9%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.8%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.4%
$300-$399/wk
2.1%
$400-$499/wk
5.2%
$500-$649/wk
3.9%
$650-$799/wk
5.7%
$800-$999/wk
7.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.4%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.5%
$4,000+/wk
7.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.5%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
6.1%
$300-$399/wk
3.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.2%
$500-$649/wk
3.3%
$650-$799/wk
9.9%
$800-$999/wk
12.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
7.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.3%
$3,500+/wk
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
74.0%
Did not go to work
13.7%
Car (passenger)
5.2%
Walked only
2.4%
Bus
1.2%
Bicycle
1.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Train
0.6%
Other
0.5%
Truck
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%
Tram/Light Rail
0.1%
Ferry
0.0%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
72.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
18.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.8%

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
33.0%
Certificate III/IV
30.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.0%
Postgraduate Degree
10.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.7%
Certificate I/II
2.1%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
24.6%
Society & Culture
15.1%
Health
14.2%
Engineering
10.9%
Education
8.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.8%
Architecture & Building
7.5%
Creative Arts
5.4%
Information Technology
3.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.9%
Agriculture & Environment
1.4%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
33.5%
Secondary: Government
25.4%
Vocational Education
13.2%
Pre-school
10.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.6%
Secondary: Catholic
3.1%
Primary: Catholic
3.0%

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
89.4%
Has need for assistance
5.6%
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
1,440
Asthma
527
Arthritis
381
Diabetes
315
Heart disease
276
Lung condition
217
Cancer
183
Stroke
142
Kidney disease
134
Dementia
75

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
9.8% 1,219
Did not provide
90.2% 11,283

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
11.6% 1,449
Not a volunteer
88.4% 11,090

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 7
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 20
Previously served
2.2% 281
Never served
97.6% 12,328

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
38.3%
1 child
15.5%
2 children
28.6%
3 children
12.5%
4 children
4.1%
5+ children
1.0%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
35
1951: 1960
129
1961: 1970
269
1971: 1980
334
1981: 1990
534
1991: 2000
676
2001: 2010
1,509
2011: 2015
863
2016
235
2017
209
2018
257
2019
262
2020
119
2021
44

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

Population Mobility

21.6%
moved in the last year
56.8%
moved in the last 5 years
4.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
66.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
12,211
Moved from QLD
1,911
Moved: same area (SA2)
558
Moved from NSW
384
Moved from overseas
179
Moved from VIC
172
Moved from ACT
25
Moved from TAS
24
Moved from SA
18
Moved from WA
8
Moved from NT
7

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.0%
5: 14 hours
29.3%
15: 29 hours
11.6%
30+ hours
6.9%
Did not do domestic work
28.2%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
83.1%
Step family: no other children
12.0%
Blended family: no other children
3.9%
Intact family: other children present
0.6%
Other couple: children only
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 Varsity Lakes

The closest suburb to Varsity Lakes is Burleigh Waters, 2.3 km away.

Burleigh Waters
2.3 km away · income $803/wk · rent $500/wk
Robina
2.6 km away · income $772/wk · rent $540/wk
Burleigh Heads
2.6 km away · income $889/wk · rent $480/wk
Reedy Creek (Qld)
2.9 km away · income $865/wk · rent $450/wk
Miami
3.4 km away · income $919/wk · rent $470/wk
Mermaid Waters
4.2 km away · income $816/wk · rent $450/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Varsity Lakes

What is the population of Varsity Lakes QLD?

The population of Varsity Lakes QLD is 16,493 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,790 people per km². Varsity Lakes is ranked #227 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Varsity Lakes?

The median personal income in Varsity Lakes QLD is $789 per week, or $41,028 per year. The median household income is $1,646 per week. Family income is $1,941 per week. Varsity Lakes is ranked #3,765 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Varsity Lakes?

Median rent in Varsity Lakes QLD is $490 per week ($2,123 per month). Rent represents 29.8% of household income, which is considered moderate. Varsity Lakes ranks #714 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Varsity Lakes?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Varsity Lakes QLD is $1,842. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Varsity Lakes?

The median age in Varsity Lakes QLD is 36 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Varsity Lakes a good suburb to live in?

Varsity Lakes is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 16,493. The median income is $789/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (29.8% 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: 32931. All dollar figures in AUD.