Aitkenvale vs Heatley

Aitkenvale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 40 in Heatley. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Aitkenvale, about half of households rent. In Heatley, most households own their home. On these figures, Aitkenvale tends to suit renters.

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

Aitkenvale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 3)
  • has more childcare (6 vs 3)
  • But Heatley carries lower crime risk (87/100 vs 98/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Aitkenvale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (46% vs 35%)

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

Commuting to the city

Aitkenvale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 71/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Aitkenvale

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 71/100)
  • But Heatley carries lower crime risk (87/100 vs 98/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Aitkenvale Heatley
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.

Aitkenvale Heatley
Walkability 81 / 71
Aitkenvale — Walkability: 81/100 Heatley — Walkability: 71/100
Safety 2 / 13
Aitkenvale — Safety: 2/100 Heatley — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Aitkenvale — Low fire risk: 100/100 Heatley — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Heatley skews older (40 vs 36).

Aitkenvale Heatley
Population 4,797
+19% vs other
 3,907
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.1% -3.2%
Median age 36 40
Median household income $71,656/yr
+8% vs other
 $65,832/yr
Median weekly rent $270/wk $280/wk
+4% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Aitkenvale Heatley
0-4 5.9% / 4.7%
Aitkenvale — 0-4: 5.9% Heatley — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 13.5% / 12.8%
Aitkenvale — 5-14: 13.5% Heatley — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 6.7% / 7.6%
Aitkenvale — 15-19: 6.7% Heatley — 15-19: 7.6%
20-24 7.0% / 6.4%
Aitkenvale — 20-24: 7.0% Heatley — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 13.9% / 12.2%
Aitkenvale — 25-34: 13.9% Heatley — 25-34: 12.2%
35-44 12.2% / 12.3%
Aitkenvale — 35-44: 12.2% Heatley — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 12.6% / 12.6%
Aitkenvale — 45-54: 12.6% Heatley — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 12.3% / 10.6%
Aitkenvale — 55-64: 12.3% Heatley — 55-64: 10.6%
65-74 8.3% / 9.6%
Aitkenvale — 65-74: 8.3% Heatley — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 6.0% / 8.2%
Aitkenvale — 75-84: 6.0% Heatley — 75-84: 8.2%
85+ 1.7% / 2.7%
Aitkenvale — 85+: 1.7% Heatley — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Aitkenvale 40.7% lone person
Aitkenvale — Lone Person: 40.7% Aitkenvale — Couple Families: 30.0% Aitkenvale — One Parent Families: 20.0% Aitkenvale — Group Household: 6.1% Aitkenvale — Other Families: 3.1%
Heatley 41.0% lone person
Heatley — Lone Person: 41.0% Heatley — Couple Families: 27.7% Heatley — One Parent Families: 23.7% Heatley — Group Household: 4.7% Heatley — Other Families: 3.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Aitkenvale 46.2% renting
Aitkenvale — Owned Outright: 26.8% Aitkenvale — Mortgage: 27.0% Aitkenvale — Renting: 46.2%
Heatley 34.9% renting
Heatley — Owned Outright: 30.9% Heatley — Mortgage: 34.2% Heatley — Renting: 34.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Aitkenvale Heatley
Certificate III & IV 15.6% / 16.4%
Aitkenvale — Certificate III & IV: 15.6% Heatley — Certificate III & IV: 16.4%
Bachelor Degree 10.8% / 6.7%
Aitkenvale — Bachelor Degree: 10.8% Heatley — Bachelor Degree: 6.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 5.6%
Aitkenvale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Heatley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 0.9%
Aitkenvale — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Heatley — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.1%
Aitkenvale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Heatley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.4%).

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.

Aitkenvale Heatley
New Zealand 1.8% / 2.2%
Aitkenvale — New Zealand: 1.8% Heatley — New Zealand: 2.2%
England 1.5% / 1.9%
Aitkenvale — England: 1.5% Heatley — England: 1.9%
Philippines 1.4% / 2.0%
Aitkenvale — Philippines: 1.4% Heatley — Philippines: 2.0%
India 1.9% / 0.4%
Aitkenvale — India: 1.9% Heatley — India: 0.4%
China 0.5% / —
Aitkenvale — China: 0.5% Heatley — China: not among its largest
Malaysia — / 0.4%
Aitkenvale — Malaysia: not among its largest Heatley — Malaysia: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Aitkenvale 74.5% houses
Aitkenvale — Houses: 74.5% Aitkenvale — Townhouses: 23.2% Aitkenvale — Flats / Apartments: 2.3%
Heatley 83.9% houses
Heatley — Houses: 83.9% Heatley — Townhouses: 16.0% Heatley — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Aitkenvale Heatley
Median house price $575,000 $557,000
Median unit price $427,500 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 34 sales
 26 days
from 18 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Aitkenvale Heatley
3 bed $560K / $550K
Aitkenvale — 3 bed: $560K (58 sales) Heatley — 3 bed: $550K (49 sales)

58 vs 49 sales

4 bed $670K / $628K
Aitkenvale — 4 bed: $670K (21 sales) Heatley — 4 bed: $628K (12 sales)

21 vs 12 sales

Development activity

Aitkenvale Heatley
New dwellings approved 1,096
across Townsville
same for both
Approvals change year on year -22%
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.

Aitkenvale Heatley
Houses 4.6%
$570/wk on $649K
 4.8%
$570/wk on $612K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Aitkenvale Heatley
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 31% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 25% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 92% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 73% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 100% of QLD Higher than 99% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 79% of QLD Higher than 88% of QLD

Liveability

Aitkenvale is more walkable (81 vs 71).

Aitkenvale Heatley
Grade D
same for both
Score 32/100 28/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Aitkenvale carries more crime risk (98 vs 87).

Aitkenvale Heatley
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
98/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 High
70/100
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Aitkenvale Heatley
Inside the suburb 2 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 2 1
Universities within 10 km 1
James Cook University - Townsville, 6.7 km
 1
James Cook University - Townsville, 7.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.0% 1.2%

Schools in Aitkenvale

  • Aitkenvale State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Riverside Adventist School Independent · Primary below peers

Schools in Heatley

  • Heatley Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Heatley State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Townsville-Thuringowa Centre for Continuing Secondary Education Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Aitkenvale Heatley
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 1
Parks & reserves 7 3
Childcare 6 3
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 5 0
Banks & Bank@Post 6 0
Fuel stations 3 0

Mobility

Aitkenvale Heatley
Walkability score 81/100 71/100
Distance to Brisbane 1353.2 km 1354.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 924 min 926 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 75/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 94.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 29.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 4814
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 63
postcode 4814
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.

Aitkenvale Heatley
Car (driver) 78.0% / 81.4%
Aitkenvale — Car (driver): 78.0% Heatley — Car (driver): 81.4%
Car (passenger) 8.6% / 9.0%
Aitkenvale — Car (passenger): 8.6% Heatley — Car (passenger): 9.0%
Worked from Home 5.9% / 5.5%
Aitkenvale — Worked from Home: 5.9% Heatley — Worked from Home: 5.5%
Walked Only 3.3% / 1.8%
Aitkenvale — Walked Only: 3.3% Heatley — Walked Only: 1.8%
Bus 2.5% / 1.4%
Aitkenvale — Bus: 2.5% Heatley — Bus: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.4%).

Setting

Aitkenvale Heatley
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.8 km
same for both

NBN connectivity

Aitkenvale Heatley
Connectivity score 100/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
2,926 premises
 100%
1,816 premises

Climate

Aitkenvale Heatley
Annual rainfall 1,304 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 15.0°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Aitkenvale Heatley
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 15.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.25 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Aitkenvale Heatley
Average residential rate $1,810/yr
same for both
Council Townsville
same for both

Federal electorate

Aitkenvale Heatley
Division Herbert
same for both
Member Phillip Thompson
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Aitkenvale Heatley
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Aitkenvale

Affordable Parks Townhouses

Heatley

Affordable Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Aitkenvale

Aitkenvale vs Annandale Aitkenvale vs Douglas Aitkenvale vs Cranbrook Aitkenvale vs Mundingburra Aitkenvale vs Gulliver Aitkenvale vs Vincent

Other comparisons with Heatley

Heatley vs Kirwan Heatley vs Mount Louisa Heatley vs Cranbrook Heatley vs Garbutt Heatley vs Vincent
Full data on Aitkenvale Full data on Heatley
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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