Moving to Palm Beach QLD 4221
What the official numbers say about living in Palm Beach — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $445 a week, against a median household income of $1,721 a week.
About 61% of homes are owner-occupied and 38% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Palm Beach grew 17% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (13,956 → 16,349 people).
Around 63% of households are families, averaging 2.3 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: New Zealand, England, Brazil; most spoken languages besides English: Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Palm Beach sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 8 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (77% of workers), while 18% work from home.
Nearest train station: Varsity Lakes, 6.9 km west.
Nearest railway halt: Kangaroo, 2.9 km south-east.
Nearest bus interchange: Airport Transit Centre, 7.2 km south-east.
Nearest airport: Gold Coast Airport, 7.2 km south-east.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 84 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 15 schools · 68 cafes & restaurants · 5 supermarkets · 42 parks · 9 beaches — see them all on the Palm Beach profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Palm Beach State School 650 m · Elanora State School 1.6 km · Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 2 km · Elanora State High School 2.4 km · CYC Burleigh 2.4 km · Currumbin State School 2.9 km · Massage Schools of Queensland 3 km · St Andrews Lutheran College 3.3 km
Groceries: Woolworths 1.4 km · Wholefood Pantry 1.4 km · Hanaromart 2.1 km · Aldi 2.1 km · Coles 2.2 km
Parks and reserves: Bromley Park 250 m · Rio Barramundi Park 250 m · Rio Swordfish Park 350 m · Tenth Avenue Park 400 m · Tahiti Park 450 m · Rio Dolphin Park 500 m · Rio Kingfish Park 600 m · Rio Barracuda Park 750 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Palm Beach, most often seen first: Australian White Ibis · Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Torresian Crow · Pied Currawong · Silver Gull.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Palm Beach, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach here | 16,349 | — | 8/10 | 11% |
| Elanora | 12,539 | — | 7/10 | 34% |
| Currumbin | 3,278 | — | 9/10 | 43% |
| Burleigh Heads | 10,572 | — | 8/10 | 32% |
| Currumbin Waters | 9,797 | — | 7/10 | 37% |
| Tugun | 7,175 | — | 7/10 | 24% |
| Burleigh Waters | 14,556 | — | 8/10 | 11% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Gold Coast — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of McPherson — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 4221 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Palm Beach profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $445 a week, and about 38% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 17% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 13,956 people to 16,349. It sits about 84 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and Varsity Lakes station is roughly 6.9 km away. Local government is Gold Coast council, and the federal seat is McPherson.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Palm Beach vs Elanora · Palm Beach vs Burleigh Heads.
Nearby guides: Elanora · Currumbin · Burleigh Heads · Currumbin Waters · Tugun · Burleigh Waters.
Keep an eye on Palm Beach
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