QLD · Gold Coast Council

Gilston, 4211

Est. population · Jun 2025

2,770

Growth (1 yr)

+1.3%

Growth (5 yr)

+4.5%

Median age

35

Median income

$2,446/wk

Employment rate

72%

Languages at home

6.3%non-English

Most common: French, Russian, Japanese

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

34.2/100
Below average

1039th in QLD

Verified 74% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Excellent transport
  • Education hub
  • Heritage area
  • High desirability
What Gilston is known for: Excellent transport, Education hub, Heritage area, High desirability

Suburb profile

In Gold Coast Council, Gilston is a settled mid-sized suburb where everyday shopping leans on neighbouring suburbs. The metro area remains accessible without feeling caught up in the inner-city rush. Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with plenty of young families in the mix.

Dining is thinner on the ground than in busier metro pockets, so many residents head to neighbouring suburbs for a night out. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Homes cost more here than in most comparable suburbs.

Crime reports are up on the previous period. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.

Desirability lands below average here: softer parks and green space weighing on the result versus similar metro suburbs, even with community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Gilston snapshot

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

2,770

+1.3% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

2.4%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#178

among Metro Brisbane · Established

Safety

35th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

57th

percentile in QLD

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

58th

percentile among schools with ICSEA

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
34.2/100 — Below average
National rank
4844th in Australia
State rank
1039th in QLD
Peer rank
#178 among Metro Brisbane · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#374 among Metro Brisbane suburbs
Data confidence
74%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

2,770(June 2025)

+1.3% annual · +4.5% over 5 years · 57th percentile in QLD

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.3%
5-year growth
+4.5%
Change in 1 year
+36
Change in 5 years
+118
Growth rank in QLD
57th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~2,900), extrapolated at +1.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
2,669
Median age
35
Median household income / week
$2,446
Dwelling vacancy
2.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
20 of 819
Median monthly mortgage
$2,172
Employment rate
72%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
764 / 25 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Community & culture

No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2026 to Aug 2026)
98
Against the person
13
Against property
52
Rate per 1,000 residents
35.4
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 205 residents
State safety percentile
34.6th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate, partial year)
+16.9%

Most common offence types

  • Assault169
  • Drug Offences507
  • Other Property Damage185
  • Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)772
  • Traffic And Related Offences245

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

  • QPS Online Crime MapQueensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Aug 2026; Jan 2026 to Aug 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
1,026
Median ICSEA percentile
58th
School list
  • Gilston State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1026 · 58th percentile · LBOTE 9% · 484 students · Top SEA quarter 13% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

7 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Gilston Rd at Worley Drive
  • Gilston Rd at Worley Drive
  • Gilston Rd near Hinde Rd hail 'n' ride
  • Worongary Rd near Gilston Rd hail 'n' ride
  • Worongary Rd near Kookaburra Dr hail 'n' ride

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

10 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
11/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.75
Community(1)
  • Gilston State SchoolSchool

    588 Worongary Road

Sport & outdoors(1)
  • Park
Transport(5)

5 bus stops

Other(2)
  • Parking (2)
  • Public toilets

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Heaven Hiking TrailsPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
3
Parks (OSM)
2

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)

Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Nearest hospital
Robina Hospital (8.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
95
Participants per 1,000 residents
34.3

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
28° / 18°
Rainfall
493 mm · ~62 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
25° / 14°
Rainfall
343 mm · ~43 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
20° / 7°
Rainfall
144 mm · ~18 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
25° / 12°
Rainfall
249 mm · ~31 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Roadworks & transport

2 active roadworks / incidents

  • Minor reconstruction works 2km from Worongary RoadGilston Road09 Aug 2026 – 21 Aug 2026
  • Reconstruction worksGilston Road19 Jul 2026 – 21 Aug 2026

Data sources & freshness

  • Road incidents & closuresState road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • The H2 HINDE TREE (Macadamia integrifolia) on CollistonState heritage place

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage registerState heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Bushfire hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Wright
Member of Parliament
Scott BUCHHOLZ (Liberal National Party of Queensland)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
140,286
Turnout (2025)
88.8%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+2.9 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 58.0%Labor 42.0%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 11.8 km away).

Coalition 59.8%Labor 40.2%

1.8 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +5.0 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • GilstonLabor 39.7% · Coalition 60.3% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
  • Nerang West (Wright)Labor 40.8% · Coalition 59.2% TPP (2025)3.6 km away
  • Worongary SouthLabor 42.9% · Coalition 57.1% TPP (2025)6.0 km away
  • Tallai (Wright)Labor 42.8% · Coalition 57.2% TPP (2025)6.4 km away
  • Mudgeeraba (Wright)Labor 42.8% · Coalition 57.2% TPP (2025)7.4 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
9/10
IRSD decile (2021)
9/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Gold Coast Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.