Is it expensive to live in Burleigh Heads?

For Burleigh Heads, a typical local household earned about $1,701 a week at the most recent Census. On the figures, a house rent of $1,200 a week would take about 71% of that weekly household income and a unit rent of $900 a week would take about 53%, so renting here represents a large share of a typical local household's income. Buying looks more stretched against those incomes: the median house price of $2,000,000 is about 22.6 times a typical local annual household income, and the median unit price of $1,104,000 is about 12.5 times annual income. Whether that feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances. Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Is Burleigh Heads a good place to invest?

Over the past 12 months, Burleigh Heads saw house values jump 26.6% while unit values rose a strong 13.5%. House rents increased a solid 9.1% and unit rents rose 5.9%. For both houses and units the rise in values outpaced the rise in rents, and the gap between value growth and rent growth was particularly large for houses. This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

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Burleigh Heads suburb profile

Burleigh Heads is a coastal Gold Coast suburb with a relaxed village feel, tree-lined streets and a mix of low-rise apartments and older timber beach houses. The suburb is anchored by the headland and Burleigh Head National Park, whose coastal tracks and lookout provide green space and views over the Pacific Ocean.

James Street forms a compact café and retail strip, and the point is a well-known surf break that shapes beach activity. The Gold Coast Highway runs through the area with regular bus services, and paths link the park, beachfront and nearby Tallebudgera Creek for walking and cycling.

Burleigh Heads property market performance

Current median dwelling price$1,552,000Past 3 months

Property growth+20.0%Past 12 months

Burleigh Heads' median house price is $2.00 million, up 26.6% over 12 months, a sharp rise, and the median unit price is $1.104 million, up 13.5% over 12 months, a strong rise. House values rose more sharply than units, and both property types recorded firm turnover, with 30 houses and 36 units sold in the past 3 months.

In Burleigh Heads house rents rose 9.1% over 12 months, a solid rise, but house values rose faster.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$2M	$1.10M
Change in value Past 12 months	26.6%	13.5%
Sold Past 3 months	30	36
Median days on market Past 12 months	40	36
Average rent Past 12 months	$1200	$900
Change in rent Past 12 months	9.1%	5.9%

5 year median price trend for houses and units

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Burleigh Heads demographics

Burleigh Heads is an older community.

Couples without children are the largest family group, at 49.9% of families. Owner-occupied homes (owned outright or with a mortgage) make up 65.3% of dwellings. There were 10,572 people living in Burleigh Heads at the 2021 Census.

Burleigh Heads and Queensland

	Suburb	QLD
Median age years	42	38
Median household income weekly	$1,701	$1,675
Couples with children share of families	33.6%	41.2%
Couples without children share of families	49.9%	40.3%
One-parent families share of families	15.1%	16.8%
Homes owned outright share of homes	34.9%	30.1%
Homes with a mortgage share of homes	30.4%	35.6%
Homes rented share of homes	34.7%	34.3%

Source: ABS 2021 Census. Shares of homes exclude other and not-stated tenure.

Burleigh Heads infrastructure, key developments and investment opportunities

Burleigh Heads saw the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 extension from Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads open on 9 August 2026, a 6.7-kilometre extension with eight new stations. The City of Gold Coast ran the Burleigh Heads Foreshore Revitalisation consultation between 3 February and 3 March 2026 and is now refining concept designs, including a proposed rebuild of the seawall between Justins Park and Mowbray Park.

Recent completed works include the Burleigh Oceanway upgrade finished in 2024, which widened a 1.8 km section to five metres; the Tallebudgera Creek Park upgrade completed in February 2024, which delivered a 100-metre boardwalk and viewing platform; the Wonga Park upgrade delivered in 2026, which added a new basketball court and pump track; and two viewing platforms with stairs at Second and Sixth Avenues, completed in August 2026.

Suburbs near Burleigh Heads

Some popular suburbs near Burleigh Heads include:

How does Burleigh Heads compare to nearby suburbs?

Median house prices: Burleigh Heads’s median house price is 21.2% higher than Burleigh Waters’s.
Median unit prices: Burleigh Heads’s median unit price is 22.0% higher than Varsity Lakes’s.
House price growth: Over the past 12 months, house prices in Burleigh Heads have grown 18.5% higher than in Burleigh Waters.
Unit price growth: Over the past 12 months, unit prices in Burleigh Heads have grown 2.9% higher than in Burleigh Waters.
Selling speed for houses: Properties in nearby Burleigh Waters are selling 30.0% faster than in Burleigh Heads.
Selling speed for units: Properties in nearby Burleigh Waters are selling 50.0% faster than in Burleigh Heads.

Common questions about Burleigh Heads

Is Burleigh Heads a nice place to live?
Burleigh Heads is a coastal Gold Coast suburb centred on its headland and Burleigh Head National Park, with James Street's compact café and retail strip, a well-known surf break and a mix of low-rise apartments and older timber beach houses.

It is an older community where couples without children are the largest family group, at 49.9% of families, and owner-occupied dwellings are common. Everyday amenity includes regular bus services along the Gold Coast Highway, paths linking the park, beachfront and nearby Tallebudgera Creek for walking and cycling, and the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 extension to Burleigh Heads has opened.
Is it expensive to live in Burleigh Heads?
For Burleigh Heads, a typical local household earned about $1,701 a week at the most recent Census. On the figures, a house rent of $1,200 a week would take about 71% of that weekly household income and a unit rent of $900 a week would take about 53%, so renting here represents a large share of a typical local household's income.

Buying looks more stretched against those incomes: the median house price of $2,000,000 is about 22.6 times a typical local annual household income, and the median unit price of $1,104,000 is about 12.5 times annual income. Whether that feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.
Is Burleigh Heads a good place to invest?
Over the past 12 months, Burleigh Heads saw house values jump 26.6% while unit values rose a strong 13.5%.

House rents increased a solid 9.1% and unit rents rose 5.9%. For both houses and units the rise in values outpaced the rise in rents, and the gap between value growth and rent growth was particularly large for houses.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

Choose the right real estate agents in Burleigh Heads

In Burleigh Heads ,122 agents are actively selling property, but a small number do the heavy lifting. Just 5 agents handled 33.2% of all sales in the past year, giving them a strong presence and deep experience in the local market.

Commission rates usually sit between 2% and 2.94%. Comparing agents and understanding what’s included in their fee structure can help you find the right mix of service, value, and motivation—without compromising on outcomes.

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