Gold Coast city, QLD Crime Rate by Suburb: Is it safe?

According to Queensland Police Service (QPS), Gold Coast crime rate for the year ending June 2022 was 8171 incidents per 100,000 population. This represents a 7% increase from the previous year.

Gold Coast Crime Index

47

(100 is safest)

Safer than 47% of most Australia cities

Gold Coast Crime Map

Is Gold Coast Safe?

Gold Coast has moderate safety metrics. Crime rates in Gold Coast are near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in Australia. Gold Coast is safer than 47% of all Australian communities and than 34% of Queensland cities and towns. However, theft is a common offence in Gold Coast.

Gold Coast Crime Statistics at a Glance

Has Crime in Gold Coast increased or decreased in the past 5 years? The chart below shows the 60-month historical trend of the number of offences that occurred in Gold Coast.

• The number of criminal incidents recorded in the year 2022 was 49662, up 7% from 46457 incidents recorded in the same period last year.

• Gold Coast is in the 34th percentile for safety, meaning 66% of Queensland urban areas are safer than Gold Coast and 34% of urban areas are more dangerous than Gold Coast.

• Street safety to walk at night: moderate safety.

• Common crime: theft.

• Safest suburb in Gold Coast city: Bonogin suburb.

• Top areas to avoid in Gold Coast city (bad areas): Broadbeach suburb.

• The number of assault offences recorded in 2022 increased by 8% (326 Incidents) compared to the previous year..

• The number of murder offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 50% (2 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of unlawful entry offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 1% (58 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of theft offences (excl. Unlawful Entry) recorded in 2022 decreased by 4% (620 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of robbery offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 11% (27 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of unlawful use of motor vehicles (car theft) recorded in 2022 decreased by 8% (186 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of vandalism offences (other property damage) recorded in 2022 decreased by 5% (166 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

Crime in Gold Coast: An In-Depth Analysis

According to AU Crime Rate’s analysis of the latest crime statistics from the Queensland Police Service (QPS), Gold Coast city is ranked safer than 47% of the cities and towns across Australia, regardless of population size. That means that Gold Coast crime rate is near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in Australia.

In Queensland, only about 66% of communities have a lower crime rate than Gold Coast. As a result, Gold Coast has moderate scores in public safety metrics.

If you are a resident of Gold Coast, your chance of becoming a victim of crime is 1 in 17 (based on the total crime rate of crimes against the person and property combined) while the Queensland average is 1 in 16.

Let’s take a closer look at Gold Coast’s crime statistics and see how it fares in terms of crimes against person and property crimes. This information is crucial because it can shed light on whether violent or property crimes or both, are the primary factors driving Gold Coast’s overall crime rate. So, are you curious to learn more about Gold Coast’s crime data and what they reveal about the community’s safety and security? Let’s dive in!

AU Crime Rate’s analysis reveals that against the person crime rate in Gold Coast is 869 per one hundred thousand inhabitants while the Queensland average rate is 1097. So, one’s chances of becoming a victim of crimes against the person in Gold Coast is 1 in 114. The crimes against the person included in this analysis are homicide, assault, robbery, and other offences against the person.

From our analysis, we discovered that your odds of becoming a victim of a property crime if you live in Gold Coast is 1 in 20. This is equal to a rate of 4657 per one hundred thousand residents compared to a rate of 4773 per 100,000 residents for Queensland state. It’s worth mentioning that the property crimes tracked here include arson, fraud, handling stolen goods, unlawful entry, unlawful use of motor vehicles, other theft, and other property damage.

Gold Coast Crime Rates by Offences Division

Gold Coast Crimes Against the Person (Violent Crimes)

These are violent crimes against people whether these are family violence or non-family violence. Basically, if someone does something to hurt or scare another person, it’s considered a crime against the person. This includes:

• Other Homicide:  Other homicides are crimes that include attempted murder, murder conspiracy, and manslaughter. Attempted murder is when someone tries to kill another person but is unsuccessful. Murder conspiracy is when two or more people plan to kill someone. Manslaughter is when someone unintentionally causes the death of another person.
• Assault and related offences: There are different types of assault, like serious assault, which is when someone causes really serious injuries as a result of a physical attack, and assault on police, emergency services or other authorised officers, which is when someone attacks a cop or a paramedic or someone doing their job. There’s also common assault, which is like when someone threatens to punch you or makes you feel scared for your safety.
• Robbery: There are two types of robbery or mugging: aggravated and non-aggravated. Aggravated robbery is when someone uses a weapon like a knife or a firearm (armed robbery) or causes serious harm to the victim during the robbery, like hitting them with a bat or a gun. Non-aggravated robbery is when someone doesn’t use a weapon or cause serious harm during the robbery but still uses force or the threat of force to take something from the victim.
• Other offences against the person: These include going armed to cause fear, threatening violence, deprivation of liberty, stalking, and torture. Going Armed to Cause Fear is when someone carries a weapon with the intention of making others scared. Threatening Violence is when someone uses words or actions to scare or intimidate someone else. Deprivation of Liberty is when someone is held against their will, and Stalking is when someone repeatedly follows or harasses another person. Finally, Torture is when someone intentionally hurts someone else very badly, usually to make them suffer or to get information.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Crime Against the Person

Crimes Against the Person Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Crimes Against the Person: Gold Coast vs Queensland

It’s important to note that the crime rates for sexual offences are not included in the previously mentioned data for Gold Coast city. Here is South Eastern region data for these offences that can be used as a benchmark for comparison.

Gold Coast Offences Against Property

These are crimes related to stealing or damaging property or deceiving someone for personal gain. Property crimes include:

• Theft: It can be committed in various forms such as shoplifting, stealing from a person’s home, or taking a vehicle without permission. Other examples include stealing a bicycle, snatching a purse, or taking items from an unattended bag.
• Unlawful entry (burglary): Aggravated and non-aggravated burglaries are examples of burglary. Aggravated burglary involves the use of weapons, threats, or violence during the break-in, while non-aggravated burglary does not involve such factors.
• Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle: Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle is when someone uses/steals a car, a bicycle, or other vehicle without the owner’s permission or without legal authority. 
• Arson: Arson is a criminal act of intentionally setting fire to a property, building, or forest (bushfire) without lawful or justifiable reason. 
• Handling Stolen Goods: Handling Stolen Goods is a criminal offence that involves dealing with property that has been stolen. For instance, if someone buys a bike from a person they know stole it, they are committing the crime of Handling Stolen Goods. Similarly, if someone sells a stolen phone to someone else, they are also committing the crime. Even if someone receives a stolen item as a gift or in good faith, they can still be charged with the offence if they knew or ought to have known that the property was stolen.
• Fraud: Fraud is a type of criminal activity that involves deceiving or misleading someone for personal gain. Examples of fraud include things like pretending to be someone else to access their bank account, selling fake products or services, or making false insurance claims.
• Property damage: This refers to intentional or accidental harm caused to someone else’s property, such as vandalism, or graffiti.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of Offences Against Property

Offences Against Property Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Against Property offences: Gold Coast vs Queensland, Australia

Other Offences

Other Offences is a group of crimes that covers many areas, including drugs, prostitution, gambling, and traffic. This includes drug crimes, prostitution, selling alcohol without permission, gambling and racing offences, breaking domestic violence protection orders, trespassing and vagrancy, weapon crimes, disorderly conduct, stock-related crimes, traffic violations, and other miscellaneous crimes.

Other Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Other Offences: Gold Coast vs Queensland

Here is a breakdown of some of the other offences that we mentioned before.

Gold Coast Crimes per Square KM

How many murders were in Gold Coast city in 2022?

According to Queensland Police Service (QPS), there were 2 murders in Gold Coast city in 2022. The number of other homicides (which includes attempted murder, murder conspiracy, and manslaughter) was 1.

What’s the most common crime in Gold Coast city?

According to the latest available data from Queensland Police Service (QPS), the most common type of crime in Gold Coast city is theft.

What is the crime rate in Gold Coast city?

The overall crime rate in Gold Coast city, as measured by the number of reported offences per 100,000 population was 8171 in the year ending June 2022.

However, it’s important to note that this is an aggregate figure that includes all types of crime, and some types of offences are more prevalent than others. Additionally, crime rates can vary by location, with some areas experiencing higher rates of certain types of crime than others.

Is Gold Coast city a safe place to live in?

Gold Coast city is safer than 47% of cities and towns across Australia and the crime rates are near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in Australia. Compared to Queensland cities, Gold Coast city is safer than 34% other communities in the state which are considered moderate safety scores in Queensland.

Is Gold Coast city safe at night?

According to Queensland Government Statistician’s Office, 49% of crimes in Gold Coast city occur between 6 PM and 6 AM so, it’s moderate safety to walk alone in Gold Coast city at night.

What suburb has the highest crime rate in Gold Coast city?

Broadbeach is the suburb with the highest rate of reported criminal incidents in Gold Coast city with a rate of 32744 incidents per 100,000 population, according to QPS 2022 data. Broadbeach suburb is safer than only 5% of Queensland suburbs.

What is the safest suburb in Gold Coast city?

Bonogin is the safest suburb in Gold Coast city with a rate of 1181 incidents per 100,000 population as per the QPS report. Bonogin suburb is safer than 86% of Queensland suburbs.

However, it’s important to note that low crime rates do not necessarily guarantee safety, and that crime can occur anywhere. Hence, it’s essential always to stay vigilant and take appropriate safety measures.

Gold Coast Crime Rate by Suburb

Note: This article doesn’t have detailed data for family violence, victims, female offenders, reoffending, sexual offences, stalking, and youth crime. For more information about these topics, check our resources page.

References

• Queensland Government Statistician’s Office
• Queensland Police Service (QPS)