Airlie Beach vs Whitsundays

Whitsundays is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 41 in Airlie Beach. In both, most homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. In Airlie Beach, about half of households rent. In Whitsundays, most households rent. On these figures, Whitsundays tends to suit renters and young adults.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Whitsundays

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 95/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Whitsundays

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 28%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Whitsundays

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (66% vs 51%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 24%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Airlie Beach

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (764 min vs 830 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1112.7 km vs 1144.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Airlie Beach

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (13% vs 6%)
  • But Whitsundays carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 95/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Airlie Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.6% vs 0.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Airlie Beach and Whitsundays drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Walkability 34 / 0
Airlie Beach — Walkability: 34/100 Whitsundays — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 5 / 65
Airlie Beach — Safety: 5/100 Whitsundays — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 100 / 59
Airlie Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100 Whitsundays — Low fire risk: 59/100

Demographics

Whitsundays has more residents (2,281 vs 1,312); Airlie Beach skews older (41 vs 29).

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Population 1,312 2,281
+74% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.6% +0.5%
Median age 41 29
Median household income $81,224/yr $98,904/yr
+22% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+6% vs other
 $356/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
0-4 1.8% / 1.1%
Airlie Beach — 0-4: 1.8% Whitsundays — 0-4: 1.1%
5-14 4.0% / 2.9%
Airlie Beach — 5-14: 4.0% Whitsundays — 5-14: 2.9%
15-19 2.0% / 5.3%
Airlie Beach — 15-19: 2.0% Whitsundays — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 7.8% / 18.6%
Airlie Beach — 20-24: 7.8% Whitsundays — 20-24: 18.6%
25-34 26.4% / 35.8%
Airlie Beach — 25-34: 26.4% Whitsundays — 25-34: 35.8%
35-44 13.8% / 12.0%
Airlie Beach — 35-44: 13.8% Whitsundays — 35-44: 12.0%
45-54 13.9% / 9.5%
Airlie Beach — 45-54: 13.9% Whitsundays — 45-54: 9.5%
55-64 16.5% / 8.3%
Airlie Beach — 55-64: 16.5% Whitsundays — 55-64: 8.3%
65-74 9.7% / 4.7%
Airlie Beach — 65-74: 9.7% Whitsundays — 65-74: 4.7%
75-84 3.4% / 1.3%
Airlie Beach — 75-84: 3.4% Whitsundays — 75-84: 1.3%
85+ 0.2% / —
Airlie Beach — 85+: 0.2% Whitsundays — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (35.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Airlie Beach 60.3% lone person
Airlie Beach — Lone Person: 60.3% Airlie Beach — Couple Families: 15.4% Airlie Beach — Group Household: 15.4% Airlie Beach — One Parent Families: 7.2% Airlie Beach — Other Families: 1.7%
Whitsundays 57.6% lone person
Whitsundays — Lone Person: 57.6% Whitsundays — Couple Families: 23.5% Whitsundays — Group Household: 14.1% Whitsundays — One Parent Families: 4.7% Whitsundays — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Airlie Beach 50.7% renting
Airlie Beach — Owned Outright: 31.0% Airlie Beach — Mortgage: 18.2% Airlie Beach — Renting: 50.7%
Whitsundays 66.4% renting
Whitsundays — Owned Outright: 25.2% Whitsundays — Mortgage: 8.4% Whitsundays — Renting: 66.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Certificate III & IV 17.7% / 16.2%
Airlie Beach — Certificate III & IV: 17.7% Whitsundays — Certificate III & IV: 16.2%
Bachelor Degree 15.8% / 16.4%
Airlie Beach — Bachelor Degree: 15.8% Whitsundays — Bachelor Degree: 16.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.0% / 10.8%
Airlie Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.0% Whitsundays — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.6% / 3.1%
Airlie Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6% Whitsundays — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 0.8%
Airlie Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Whitsundays — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
England 6.9% / 3.2%
Airlie Beach — England: 6.9% Whitsundays — England: 3.2%
New Zealand 5.3% / 4.0%
Airlie Beach — New Zealand: 5.3% Whitsundays — New Zealand: 4.0%
Philippines 0.7% / 1.3%
Airlie Beach — Philippines: 0.7% Whitsundays — Philippines: 1.3%
Canada 0.9% / 0.6%
Airlie Beach — Canada: 0.9% Whitsundays — Canada: 0.6%
Netherlands 0.9% / —
Airlie Beach — Netherlands: 0.9% Whitsundays — Netherlands: not among its largest
China — / 0.9%
Airlie Beach — China: not among its largest Whitsundays — China: 0.9%
Germany 0.8% / —
Airlie Beach — Germany: 0.8% Whitsundays — Germany: not among its largest
Indonesia — / 0.7%
Airlie Beach — Indonesia: not among its largest Whitsundays — Indonesia: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Airlie Beach 57.4% flats / apartments
Airlie Beach — Flats / Apartments: 57.4% Airlie Beach — Houses: 30.0% Airlie Beach — Townhouses: 12.6%
Whitsundays 74.0% flats / apartments
Whitsundays — Flats / Apartments: 74.0% Whitsundays — Houses: 21.4% Whitsundays — Townhouses: 4.6%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Median house price $1,375,000 —
Median unit price $649,500 —
Median land price $454,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 10 sales
 —

Development activity

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
same for both
Approvals change year on year +70%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Houses —
same for both
Units 5.7%
$728/wk on $670K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 53% of QLD Higher than 73% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 83% of QLD Higher than 18% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 50% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 7% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 84% of QLD —

Liveability

Airlie Beach is more walkable (34 vs 0); Whitsundays scores higher overall (50 vs 38).

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Grade C B
Score 38/100 50/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Whitsundays carries more bushfire risk (41 vs 0); Airlie Beach carries more crime risk (95 vs 35).

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
41/100
Crime High
95/100
 Low
35/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
65/100
 High
87/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Airlie Beach

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Whitsundays

  • Hamilton Island State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Hayman Island State School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 33 14
Parks & reserves 1 3
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 1 9
Waterways 6 1

Mobility

Whitsundays sits further from the CBD (1144.5 km vs 1112.7 km).

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Walkability score 34/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 1112.7 km 1144.5 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 764 min 830 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4802
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4802
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Walked Only 24.8% / 69.5%
Airlie Beach — Walked Only: 24.8% Whitsundays — Walked Only: 69.5%
Car (driver) 53.7% / 11.1%
Airlie Beach — Car (driver): 53.7% Whitsundays — Car (driver): 11.1%
Worked from Home 14.6% / 3.0%
Airlie Beach — Worked from Home: 14.6% Whitsundays — Worked from Home: 3.0%
Bus 1.4% / 12.0%
Airlie Beach — Bus: 1.4% Whitsundays — Bus: 12.0%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / 3.6%
Airlie Beach — Car (passenger): 5.5% Whitsundays — Car (passenger): 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.5%).

Setting

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Elevation 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 517 m
981 m to a named beach
 1.5 km
4.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Connectivity score 53/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 15%
1,495 premises
 0%
26 premises

Climate

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Annual rainfall 1,708 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Average residential rate $1,412/yr
same for both
Council Whitsunday
same for both

Federal electorate

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Airlie Beach Whitsundays
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Airlie Beach

Apartments Beach Cafe Culture Coastal Nightlife River

Whitsundays

Coastal Multicultural Rural Students

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Whitsundays

Whitsundays vs Cannonvale Whitsundays vs Jubilee Pocket Whitsundays vs Woodwark Whitsundays vs Bloomsbury Whitsundays vs Mandalay Whitsundays vs Flametree
Full data on Airlie Beach Full data on Whitsundays
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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