According to the 2016 Australian Census, the urban area of the Gold Coast had a population of 540,559, while including surrounding rural areas, the total population reached 569,997. The city has a median age of 39 years, slightly higher than the national median, and a gender distribution of approximately 48.6% male and 51.4% female. The Gold Coast population is largely of European descent, with English ancestry representing 29.3%, Australian 22.5%, Irish 8.2%, Scottish 7.5%, and German 3.6%. Indigenous Australians make up 1.7% of the population.

A significant proportion of residents, around 64%, were born in Australia, while other prominent countries of origin include New Zealand (7.9%), England (5.2%), China and South Africa (1.2% each), and Japan (0.7%). Language diversity reflects the city’s multicultural character, with Mandarin spoken by 1.6% of residents, Japanese by 1.0%, and Korean, Spanish, and Cantonese spoken by smaller portions of the population.

Religious affiliation in the Gold Coast demonstrates a trend toward secularism, with the 2021 census reporting 43.4% of residents identifying as having no religion. Christianity remains prevalent, with Catholicism at 18.2%, Anglicanism at 11.9%, Uniting Church at 2.9%, Non-denominational Christian 3.1%, and Presbyterian and Reformed 1.9%. Other religions include Buddhism (1.4%), Pentecostalism (1.3%), Baptist (1.1%), Hinduism (1.1%), and Islam (1.0%).

These figures highlight the Gold Coast as a growing, multicultural city with a mix of ancestries, languages, and religions, reflecting its position as a popular destination for both domestic and international residents and visitors.