Gold Coast City
Migration by age and location
Between 2016 and 2021, the LGA with the highest net migration to Gold Coast City (+1,713) was from Northern Beaches, whilst the highest net loss (-2,489) was to Logan.
The age structure of people who move into and out of Gold Coast City is strongly influenced by the residential role and function of the area and can influence demand for particular services. For instance, inner city areas near employment, education and entertainment tend to attract many young people in their late teens and early twenties, who move out in their late twenties and thirties to start families in suburban areas. Rural areas tend to lose young people and gain older families and retirees.
Understanding Gold Coast City's attraction to different age groups helps to plan services for the community as well as advocating with other levels of government and private enterprise to provide infrastructure, employment opportunities and facilities which may help to retain age groups which are otherwise leaving the area.
To see annual migration patterns (outside the Census), please refer to the Annual migration by location page. Note - please use this with caution as currently the annual migration numbers are based on pre-Census change-of-address records and may not match the numbers on this page from the 2021 Census
Derived from the Census questions:
'Where does the person usually live?' and 'Where did the person usually live five years ago (at 10 August 2016)?'.
| Net gains and losses by LGA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast City - between 2016 and 2021 | ||||
| LGA | In migration | Out migration | Net migration | |
| Northern Beaches | 15990 | 1,955 | 242 | +1,713 |
| Sutherland Shire | 17150 | 1,260 | 214 | +1,046 |
| Central Coast (NSW) | 11650 | 1,398 | 386 | +1,012 |
| Blacktown | 10750 | 1,050 | 225 | +825 |
| Tweed | 17550 | 4,877 | 4,146 | +731 |
| Penrith | 16350 | 880 | 173 | +707 |
| The Hills Shire | 17420 | 838 | 135 | +703 |
| Unincorporated ACT | 89399 | 1,485 | 833 | +652 |
| Randwick | 16550 | 778 | 210 | +568 |
| Bayside (NSW) | 10500 | 714 | 180 | +534 |
| Sydney | 17200 | 942 | 492 | +450 |
| Waverley | 18050 | 534 | 90 | +444 |
| Cairns | 32080 | 1,156 | 718 | +438 |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | 11570 | 549 | 112 | +437 |
| Campbelltown (NSW) | 11500 | 514 | 101 | +413 |
| Greater Geelong | 22750 | 645 | 232 | +413 |
| Wollongong | 18450 | 546 | 135 | +411 |
| Coffs Harbour | 11800 | 855 | 464 | +391 |
| Parramatta | 16260 | 597 | 214 | +383 |
| Townsville | 37010 | 1,129 | 757 | +372 |
| Inner West | 14170 | 542 | 176 | +366 |
| Ballina | 10250 | 717 | 352 | +365 |
| Brisbane | 31000 | 11,731 | 11,373 | +358 |
| Hornsby | 14000 | 430 | 75 | +355 |
| Casey | 21610 | 582 | 233 | +349 |
| Byron | 11350 | 595 | 247 | +348 |
| Kingston (Vic.) | 23430 | 455 | 122 | +333 |
| Lismore | 14850 | 583 | 260 | +323 |
| Wyndham | 27260 | 559 | 240 | +319 |
| Darwin | 71000 | 583 | 271 | +312 |
| Fairfield | 12850 | 322 | 22 | +300 |
| Liverpool | 14900 | 437 | 138 | +299 |
| Cumberland | 12380 | 343 | 62 | +281 |
| Georges River | 12930 | 351 | 74 | +277 |
| Frankston | 22170 | 373 | 96 | +277 |
| Yarra Ranges | 27450 | 318 | 54 | +264 |
| Bayside (Vic.) | 20910 | 351 | 90 | +261 |
| Mackay | 34770 | 757 | 509 | +248 |
| Hawkesbury | 13800 | 276 | 29 | +247 |
| Canada Bay | 11520 | 325 | 84 | +241 |
| Port Phillip | 25900 | 446 | 208 | +238 |
| Mornington Peninsula | 25340 | 448 | 217 | +231 |
| Redland | 36250 | 1,738 | 1,516 | +222 |
| Camden | 11450 | 314 | 94 | +220 |
| Newcastle | 15900 | 428 | 213 | +215 |
| Palmerston | 72800 | 302 | 95 | +207 |
| Ku-ring-gai | 14500 | 308 | 103 | +205 |
| Shoalhaven | 16950 | 342 | 142 | +200 |
| Knox | 23670 | 269 | 73 | +196 |
| North Sydney | 15950 | 324 | 128 | +196 |
| Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional | 16490 | 252 | 66 | +186 |
| Port Macquarie-Hastings | 16380 | 475 | 292 | +183 |
| Blue Mountains | 10900 | 221 | 40 | +181 |
| Hume | 23270 | 309 | 135 | +174 |
| Onkaparinga | 45340 | 253 | 80 | +173 |
| Lake Macquarie | 14650 | 440 | 268 | +172 |
| Boroondara | 21110 | 323 | 159 | +164 |
| Ryde | 16700 | 292 | 130 | +162 |
| Melton | 24650 | 253 | 94 | +159 |
| Brimbank | 21180 | 203 | 45 | +158 |
| Greater Bendigo | 22620 | 208 | 51 | +157 |
| Maroondah | 24410 | 228 | 79 | +149 |
| Woollahra | 18500 | 262 | 114 | +148 |
| Willoughby | 18250 | 218 | 72 | +146 |
| Whittlesea | 27070 | 283 | 140 | +143 |
| Manningham | 24210 | 227 | 88 | +139 |
| Wingecarribee | 18350 | 185 | 47 | +138 |
| Orange | 16150 | 191 | 54 | +137 |
| Mid-Coast | 15240 | 350 | 214 | +136 |
| Monash | 24970 | 261 | 126 | +135 |
| Moonee Valley | 25060 | 262 | 129 | +133 |
| Stonnington | 26350 | 364 | 232 | +132 |
| Joondalup | 54170 | 215 | 86 | +129 |
| Wollondilly | 18400 | 171 | 44 | +127 |
| Wagga Wagga | 17750 | 221 | 95 | +126 |
| Port Stephens | 16400 | 259 | 133 | +126 |
| Banyule | 20660 | 206 | 84 | +122 |
| Greater Dandenong | 22670 | 174 | 53 | +121 |
| Shellharbour | 16900 | 183 | 62 | +121 |
| Whitehorse | 26980 | 230 | 116 | +114 |
| Hobsons Bay | 23110 | 212 | 101 | +111 |
| Marion | 44060 | 180 | 70 | +110 |
| Nillumbik | 25710 | 121 | 16 | +105 |
| Ballarat | 20570 | 201 | 99 | +102 |
| Cardinia | 21450 | 203 | 101 | +102 |
| Richmond Valley | 16610 | 250 | 150 | +100 |
| Glenorchy | 62610 | 184 | 84 | +100 |
| Armidale Regional | 10180 | 182 | 84 | +98 |
| Mosman | 15350 | 125 | 28 | +97 |
| Glen Eira | 22310 | 265 | 168 | +97 |
| Darebin | 21890 | 230 | 136 | +94 |
| Ipswich | 33960 | 1,490 | 1,396 | +94 |
| Surf Coast | 26490 | 120 | 27 | +93 |
| Tea Tree Gully | 47700 | 137 | 44 | +93 |
| Tamworth Regional | 17310 | 228 | 135 | +93 |
| Toowoomba | 36910 | 1,130 | 1,038 | +92 |
| Kingborough | 63610 | 164 | 75 | +89 |
| Bega Valley | 10550 | 123 | 37 | +86 |
| Hunters Hill | 14100 | 85 | 0 | +85 |
| Melville | 55320 | 125 | 40 | +85 |
| Lane Cove | 14700 | 131 | 47 | +84 |
| Charles Sturt | 41060 | 188 | 106 | +82 |
| Moreland | 25250 | 286 | 205 | +81 |
| Salisbury | 47140 | 160 | 81 | +79 |
| Campbelltown (SA) | 40910 | 103 | 25 | +78 |
| Albury | 10050 | 140 | 63 | +77 |
| Inverell | 14220 | 117 | 41 | +76 |
| Clarence | 61410 | 187 | 113 | +74 |
| Kempsey | 14350 | 157 | 87 | +70 |
| Goulburn Mulwaree | 13310 | 105 | 35 | +70 |
| Noosa | 35740 | 320 | 253 | +67 |
| Hobart | 62810 | 202 | 135 | +67 |
| Moree Plains | 15300 | 90 | 24 | +66 |
| Baw Baw | 20830 | 113 | 48 | +65 |
| Holdfast Bay | 42600 | 120 | 56 | +64 |
| Dubbo Regional | 12390 | 142 | 79 | +63 |
| Wanneroo | 58760 | 171 | 111 | +60 |
| Burnside | 40700 | 103 | 47 | +56 |
| Kiama | 14400 | 76 | 21 | +55 |
| Alice Springs | 70200 | 101 | 47 | +54 |
| Cessnock | 11720 | 111 | 59 | +52 |
| Wellington | 26810 | 87 | 36 | +51 |
| Gladstone | 33360 | 443 | 392 | +51 |
| Maribyrnong | 24330 | 162 | 112 | +50 |
| Greater Shepparton | 22830 | 118 | 68 | +50 |
| Bathurst Regional | 10470 | 104 | 55 | +49 |
| Bellingen | 10600 | 81 | 32 | +49 |
| Latrobe (Vic.) | 23810 | 92 | 44 | +48 |
| Bass Coast | 20740 | 74 | 26 | +48 |
| Goondiwindi | 33610 | 92 | 44 | +48 |
| Mitcham | 44340 | 84 | 36 | +48 |
| Rockhampton | 36370 | 289 | 242 | +47 |
| Clarence Valley | 11730 | 506 | 459 | +47 |
| Griffith | 13450 | 67 | 21 | +46 |
| Campaspe | 21370 | 60 | 14 | +46 |
| Gosnells | 53780 | 75 | 29 | +46 |
| West Torrens | 48410 | 91 | 48 | +43 |
| Stirling | 57910 | 221 | 179 | +42 |
| Kyogle | 14550 | 104 | 63 | +41 |
| Macedon Ranges | 24130 | 79 | 40 | +39 |
| Mount Gambier | 44620 | 44 | 5 | +39 |
| Canning | 51330 | 72 | 34 | +38 |
| Moorabool | 25150 | 48 | 10 | +38 |
| Eurobodalla | 12750 | 117 | 81 | +36 |
| Burwood | 11300 | 60 | 25 | +35 |
| Narrabri | 15750 | 55 | 20 | +35 |
| Maitland | 15050 | 113 | 81 | +32 |
| Maranoa | 34860 | 95 | 65 | +30 |
| Richmond | 36300 | 30 | 0 | +30 |
| Swan | 58050 | 94 | 64 | +30 |
| Port Adelaide Enfield | 45890 | 114 | 85 | +29 |
| Golden Plains | 22490 | 42 | 13 | +29 |
| Mitchell | 24850 | 69 | 41 | +28 |
| Gawler | 42030 | 31 | 3 | +28 |
| Unincorporated NT | 79399 | 60 | 32 | +28 |
| Muswellbrook | 15650 | 44 | 17 | +27 |
| Snowy Monaro Regional | 17040 | 100 | 73 | +27 |
| Lithgow | 14870 | 39 | 13 | +26 |
| Unley | 47980 | 61 | 35 | +26 |
| Moira | 24900 | 45 | 19 | +26 |
| Port Hedland | 57280 | 67 | 41 | +26 |
| Douglas | 32810 | 95 | 70 | +25 |
| Corangamite | 21830 | 25 | 0 | +25 |
| Mid-Western Regional | 15270 | 77 | 53 | +24 |
| Hilltops | 13910 | 49 | 25 | +24 |
| Glen Innes Severn | 13010 | 43 | 19 | +24 |
| Gwydir | 13660 | 28 | 5 | +23 |
| Mildura | 24780 | 65 | 42 | +23 |
| Norwood Payneham and St Peters | 45290 | 59 | 36 | +23 |
| Hinchinbrook | 33800 | 37 | 15 | +22 |
| Leeton | 14750 | 32 | 10 | +22 |
| East Gippsland | 22110 | 70 | 48 | +22 |
| Strathfield | 17100 | 70 | 48 | +22 |
| South Perth | 57840 | 52 | 30 | +22 |
| Cabonne | 11400 | 24 | 3 | +21 |
| Burdekin | 31900 | 38 | 17 | +21 |
| Broome | 50980 | 33 | 12 | +21 |
| Grant | 42250 | 21 | 0 | +21 |
| Walkerville | 48260 | 20 | 0 | +20 |
| Yarra | 27350 | 202 | 182 | +20 |
| Copper Coast | 41560 | 19 | 0 | +19 |
| Greater Hume Shire | 13340 | 25 | 6 | +19 |
| Parkes | 16200 | 39 | 20 | +19 |
| Upper Lachlan Shire | 17640 | 18 | 0 | +18 |
| Adelaide | 40070 | 61 | 43 | +18 |
| Tablelands | 36820 | 90 | 72 | +18 |
| Warrnambool | 26730 | 37 | 19 | +18 |
| Horsham | 23190 | 38 | 21 | +17 |
| Nambucca Valley | 15700 | 102 | 85 | +17 |
| Waratah-Wynyard | 65410 | 38 | 21 | +17 |
| Wyndham-East Kimberley | 59340 | 21 | 5 | +16 |
| Nedlands | 56580 | 34 | 18 | +16 |
| Northam | 56730 | 16 | 0 | +16 |
| Cowra | 12350 | 19 | 3 | +16 |
| Unincorporated Vic | 29399 | 16 | 0 | +16 |
| Belmont | 50490 | 38 | 22 | +16 |
| Capel | 51400 | 22 | 6 | +16 |
| Bayswater | 50420 | 62 | 47 | +15 |
| Albany | 50080 | 15 | 0 | +15 |
| Mundaring | 56090 | 22 | 7 | +15 |
| Litchfield | 72300 | 67 | 53 | +14 |
| Kalamunda | 54200 | 28 | 15 | +13 |
| Victoria Park | 58510 | 49 | 36 | +13 |
| Prospect | 46510 | 28 | 15 | +13 |
| Playford | 45680 | 68 | 55 | +13 |
| Northern Peninsula Area | 35780 | 16 | 3 | +13 |
| South Gippsland | 26170 | 31 | 18 | +13 |
| Swan Hill | 26610 | 13 | 0 | +13 |
| Indigo | 23350 | 30 | 17 | +13 |
| Wentworth | 18200 | 13 | 0 | +13 |
| Upper Hunter Shire | 17620 | 18 | 6 | +12 |
| Glenelg | 22410 | 25 | 13 | +12 |
| Warrumbungle Shire | 18020 | 21 | 9 | +12 |
| Mount Alexander | 25430 | 16 | 4 | +12 |
| Moyne | 25490 | 15 | 3 | +12 |
| Yarriambiack | 27630 | 12 | 0 | +12 |
| Dardanup | 52660 | 12 | 0 | +12 |
| Katherine | 72200 | 26 | 14 | +12 |
| Serpentine-Jarrahdale | 57700 | 25 | 14 | +11 |
| Karratha | 54310 | 66 | 55 | +11 |
| Barossa | 40310 | 16 | 5 | +11 |
| Murray River | 15520 | 26 | 15 | +11 |
| Lachlan | 14600 | 11 | 0 | +11 |
| Bourke | 11150 | 10 | 0 | +10 |
| Walgett | 17900 | 16 | 6 | +10 |
| Banana | 30370 | 50 | 40 | +10 |
| Wodonga | 27170 | 94 | 84 | +10 |
| Western Downs | 37310 | 196 | 187 | +9 |
| Murweh | 35600 | 34 | 25 | +9 |
| Cambridge | 51310 | 20 | 11 | +9 |
| Forbes | 12900 | 18 | 9 | +9 |
| Berrigan | 10650 | 19 | 11 | +8 |
| Federation | 12870 | 18 | 10 | +8 |
| Bogan | 10950 | 11 | 4 | +7 |
| Augusta Margaret River | 50280 | 10 | 3 | +7 |
| Kwinana | 54830 | 34 | 27 | +7 |
| Circular Head | 61210 | 13 | 6 | +7 |
| Greater Geraldton | 53800 | 27 | 21 | +6 |
| Alexandrina | 40220 | 27 | 21 | +6 |
| Northern Grampians | 25810 | 12 | 6 | +6 |
| Broken Hill | 11250 | 15 | 9 | +6 |
| Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional | 12160 | 14 | 8 | +6 |
| Mansfield | 24250 | 11 | 6 | +5 |
| Devonport | 61610 | 64 | 59 | +5 |
| Kalgoorlie-Boulder | 54280 | 39 | 34 | +5 |
| Fremantle | 53430 | 30 | 25 | +5 |
| Brighton | 60410 | 22 | 18 | +4 |
| Adelaide Hills | 40120 | 42 | 38 | +4 |
| Cottesloe | 52170 | 12 | 8 | +4 |
| Alpine | 20110 | 17 | 13 | +4 |
| Colac Otway | 21750 | 17 | 13 | +4 |
| Ararat | 20260 | 12 | 9 | +3 |
| Oberon | 16100 | 11 | 8 | +3 |
| Gunnedah | 13550 | 35 | 32 | +3 |
| Whyalla | 48540 | 21 | 18 | +3 |
| Murrindindi | 25620 | 14 | 11 | +3 |
| Longreach | 34710 | 25 | 23 | +2 |
| Berri Barmera | 40520 | 12 | 10 | +2 |
| Yass Valley | 18710 | 37 | 35 | +2 |
| Renmark Paringa | 46670 | 11 | 10 | +1 |
| Cassowary Coast | 32260 | 112 | 111 | +1 |
| Barcaldine | 30410 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Bunbury | 51190 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| Tenterfield | 17400 | 59 | 59 | 0 |
| George Town | 62210 | 15 | 16 | -1 |
| Huon Valley | 63010 | 45 | 46 | -1 |
| Rockingham | 57490 | 165 | 166 | -1 |
| Northern Midlands | 64610 | 36 | 37 | -1 |
| Sorell | 64810 | 45 | 46 | -1 |
| Launceston | 64010 | 180 | 182 | -2 |
| Hepburn | 22910 | 9 | 11 | -2 |
| Murray Bridge | 45040 | 19 | 21 | -2 |
| Mareeba | 34880 | 31 | 34 | -3 |
| Dorset | 61810 | 7 | 10 | -3 |
| Blackall Tambo | 30760 | 7 | 11 | -4 |
| Wangaratta | 26700 | 35 | 39 | -4 |
| Southern Grampians | 26260 | 17 | 21 | -4 |
| Busselton | 51260 | 21 | 25 | -4 |
| Uralla | 17650 | 11 | 15 | -4 |
| Burnie | 60610 | 44 | 49 | -5 |
| West Tamar | 65810 | 61 | 67 | -6 |
| Bland | 10800 | 4 | 10 | -6 |
| Cockburn | 51820 | 89 | 96 | -7 |
| Victor Harbor | 48050 | 23 | 30 | -7 |
| North Burnett | 35760 | 15 | 22 | -7 |
| Cloncurry | 32450 | 12 | 19 | -7 |
| Derwent Valley | 61510 | 6 | 13 | -7 |
| Kentish | 63210 | 9 | 16 | -7 |
| Vincent | 58570 | 27 | 36 | -9 |
| Carpentaria | 32250 | 6 | 15 | -9 |
| Armadale | 50210 | 36 | 45 | -9 |
| Singleton | 17000 | 31 | 40 | -9 |
| Port Augusta | 46090 | 0 | 10 | -10 |
| Meander Valley | 64210 | 48 | 58 | -10 |
| Tasman | 65210 | 0 | 11 | -11 |
| Glamorgan-Spring Bay | 62410 | 16 | 27 | -11 |
| Weipa | 37300 | 22 | 33 | -11 |
| Central Goldfields | 21670 | 3 | 14 | -11 |
| Naracoorte Lucindale | 45090 | 0 | 12 | -12 |
| Port Lincoln | 46300 | 20 | 33 | -13 |
| Charters Towers | 32310 | 19 | 33 | -14 |
| East Pilbara | 53220 | 20 | 35 | -15 |
| Whitsunday | 37340 | 370 | 388 | -18 |
| Balonne | 30300 | 16 | 34 | -18 |
| Cook | 32500 | 8 | 26 | -18 |
| West Coast | 65610 | 0 | 18 | -18 |
| Subiaco | 57980 | 3 | 23 | -20 |
| Torres | 36950 | 3 | 23 | -20 |
| Junee | 14300 | 0 | 20 | -20 |
| Melbourne | 24600 | 424 | 445 | -21 |
| Central Coast (Tas.) | 60810 | 33 | 54 | -21 |
| Central Highlands (Qld) | 32270 | 119 | 141 | -22 |
| Latrobe (Tas.) | 63810 | 15 | 38 | -23 |
| Break O'Day | 60210 | 10 | 35 | -25 |
| Mount Barker | 44550 | 32 | 57 | -25 |
| Mandurah | 55110 | 81 | 107 | -26 |
| Mount Isa | 35300 | 139 | 167 | -28 |
| Snowy Valleys | 17080 | 10 | 38 | -28 |
| Perth | 57080 | 30 | 62 | -32 |
| Unincorp. Other Territories | 99399 | 17 | 59 | -42 |
| Livingstone | 34530 | 184 | 239 | -55 |
| Somerset | 36580 | 140 | 204 | -64 |
| South Burnett | 36630 | 133 | 201 | -68 |
| Isaac | 33980 | 87 | 165 | -78 |
| Southern Downs | 36660 | 294 | 378 | -84 |
| Moreton Bay | 35010 | 1,934 | 2,043 | -109 |
| Lockyer Valley | 34580 | 254 | 364 | -110 |
| Gympie | 33620 | 188 | 324 | -136 |
| Bundaberg | 31820 | 429 | 639 | -210 |
| Sunshine Coast | 36720 | 1,399 | 2,034 | -635 |
| Fraser Coast | 33220 | 599 | 1,283 | -684 |
| Scenic Rim | 36510 | 1,655 | 2,696 | -1,041 |
| Logan | 34590 | 5,757 | 8,246 | -2,489 |
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Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window), 2021 (Usual Residence Data). Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
NOTE: Data shown in the table and map excludes any Local Government Areas which have a population movement of fewer than 10 persons into and out of Gold Coast City.