Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Mermaid Beach

Mermaid Beach is a relaxed coastal suburb defined by its long sandy foreshore and everyday surf culture. The esplanade and nearby streets mix classic timber beach houses with low-rise apartments, creating a quieter, more residential alternative to busier tourist strips. Local life centres on a handful of cafés, boutique shops and a surf life saving club, and larger shopping and entertainment precincts are close by. The Gold Coast Highway, frequent bus services and a dedicated G:link stop provide straightforward public transport, while the suburb is also the site of Surf Life Saving Queensland’s Gold Coast operations base on Karen Avenue, which houses the State Operations and Communications Centre, a Thundercat workshop and regional office space.

About 7,329 people live in Mermaid Beach, with a median age of 35 and a median total household income of $1,895 a week. Families are led by couple families without children (55.3%), with couple families with children at 27.6% and one-parent families 15.4%. Owner-occupation is just over half (52.2%) while 47.8% of homes are rented. That mix of beachside amenity, frequent public transport and a blend of owners and renters means the suburb suits a range of households; whether it’s right for you comes down to what you value in a place to live.

On the figures, housing in Mermaid Beach sits well above what a typical local household earned at the last Census. A house rent of $1,200 a week would take about 63.4% of the median local household's weekly income at the last Census, and a unit rent of $850 a week would take about 44.9% — both are a large share of income. Buying is further removed: the median house price of $2,855,000 is about 29.0 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, while the median unit price of $1,095,000 is about 11.1 times. For renters the rent share is the figure that matters and for buyers the price multiple is the relevant measure; 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.

Over the past year in Mermaid Beach, unit values climbed a strong 20.2% while house values rose 13.1%. On the rental side, house rents jumped 20.0% and unit rents were up a solid 6.2%.

That means units delivered the larger capital gain this year, while houses produced the bigger lift in rental income. Whether that balance fits your needs depends on your own goals and circumstances.

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.