Alligator Creek vs Balberra

Alligator Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 47 in Balberra. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Alligator Creek, most households are couple families. In Balberra, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Alligator Creek: a median of $930,000, against $580,000 in Balberra, though rent is higher in Balberra. On these figures, Alligator Creek tends to suit families with children and couples, while Balberra suits buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Balberra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($580,000 vs $930,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Alligator Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Alligator Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (945 km vs 948.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Alligator Creek is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • Balberra has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 12%)

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

Investors

Alligator Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.4% vs -7.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Alligator Creek Balberra
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.

Alligator Creek Balberra
Walkability 13 / 0
Alligator Creek — Walkability: 13/100 Balberra — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 37 / 33
Alligator Creek — Safety: 37/100 Balberra — Safety: 33/100
Low fire risk 28 / 100
Alligator Creek — Low fire risk: 28/100 Balberra — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Alligator Creek has more residents (897 vs 425); Balberra skews older (47 vs 37).

Alligator Creek Balberra
Population 897
+53% vs other
 425
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.4% -7.0%
Median age 37 47
Median household income $120,692/yr
+20% vs other
 $96,824/yr
Median weekly rent $200/wk $250/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Alligator Creek Balberra
0-4 6.8% / 3.5%
Alligator Creek — 0-4: 6.8% Balberra — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 15.2% / 13.4%
Alligator Creek — 5-14: 15.2% Balberra — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 6.0% / 5.9%
Alligator Creek — 15-19: 6.0% Balberra — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 3.1% / 5.2%
Alligator Creek — 20-24: 3.1% Balberra — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 13.4% / 8.5%
Alligator Creek — 25-34: 13.4% Balberra — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 12.7% / 10.8%
Alligator Creek — 35-44: 12.7% Balberra — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 15.2% / 16.9%
Alligator Creek — 45-54: 15.2% Balberra — 45-54: 16.9%
55-64 14.9% / 20.9%
Alligator Creek — 55-64: 14.9% Balberra — 55-64: 20.9%
65-74 8.6% / 8.7%
Alligator Creek — 65-74: 8.6% Balberra — 65-74: 8.7%
75-84 2.9% / 6.4%
Alligator Creek — 75-84: 2.9% Balberra — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 0.3% / 2.1%
Alligator Creek — 85+: 0.3% Balberra — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Alligator Creek 67.7% couple families
Alligator Creek — Couple Families: 67.7% Alligator Creek — Lone Person: 21.2% Alligator Creek — One Parent Families: 7.6% Alligator Creek — Group Household: 3.5%
Balberra 53.2% couple families
Balberra — Couple Families: 53.2% Balberra — Lone Person: 28.7% Balberra — One Parent Families: 18.1% Balberra — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Alligator Creek 10.5% renting
Alligator Creek — Owned Outright: 35.9% Alligator Creek — Mortgage: 53.6% Alligator Creek — Renting: 10.5%
Balberra 13.2% renting
Balberra — Owned Outright: 47.1% Balberra — Mortgage: 39.7% Balberra — Renting: 13.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Alligator Creek Balberra
Certificate III & IV 24.6% / 21.9%
Alligator Creek — Certificate III & IV: 24.6% Balberra — Certificate III & IV: 21.9%
Bachelor Degree 6.8% / 1.9%
Alligator Creek — Bachelor Degree: 6.8% Balberra — Bachelor Degree: 1.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.2% / 4.2%
Alligator Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2% Balberra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.3% / 1.6%
Alligator Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.3% Balberra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%
Postgraduate Degree 0.3% / —
Alligator Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 0.3% Balberra — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.6%).

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.

Alligator Creek Balberra
England 1.1% / 1.4%
Alligator Creek — England: 1.1% Balberra — England: 1.4%
Germany 1.1% / 0.9%
Alligator Creek — Germany: 1.1% Balberra — Germany: 0.9%
New Zealand 1.0% / 0.9%
Alligator Creek — New Zealand: 1.0% Balberra — New Zealand: 0.9%
Taiwan — / 1.2%
Alligator Creek — Taiwan: not among its largest Balberra — Taiwan: 1.2%
Fiji — / 0.9%
Alligator Creek — Fiji: not among its largest Balberra — Fiji: 0.9%
Zimbabwe 0.6% / —
Alligator Creek — Zimbabwe: 0.6% Balberra — Zimbabwe: not among its largest
South Africa 0.3% / —
Alligator Creek — South Africa: 0.3% Balberra — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Alligator Creek 93.3% houses
Alligator Creek — Houses: 93.3% Alligator Creek — Flats / Apartments: 6.7%
Balberra 97.9% houses
Balberra — Houses: 97.9% Balberra — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Alligator Creek Balberra
Median house price $930,000 $580,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $830,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 5 sales
 —

Development activity

Alligator Creek Balberra
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Alligator Creek Balberra
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 90% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of QLD Higher than 15% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 40% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of QLD Higher than 52% of QLD

Liveability

Alligator Creek is more walkable (13 vs 0).

Alligator Creek Balberra
Grade D —
Score 29/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Alligator Creek carries more bushfire risk (72 vs 0).

Alligator Creek Balberra
Bushfire High
72/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
63/100
 Moderate
67/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
97/100
 High
84/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Alligator Creek Balberra
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Alligator Creek

  • Alligator Creek State School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Balberra

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

Amenities in the suburb

Alligator Creek Balberra
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 4 7

Mobility

Balberra sits further from the CBD (948.9 km vs 945 km).

Alligator Creek Balberra
Walkability score 13/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 945 km 948.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 644 min 648 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
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.

Alligator Creek Balberra
Car (driver) 83.4% / 80.8%
Alligator Creek — Car (driver): 83.4% Balberra — Car (driver): 80.8%
Worked from Home 8.3% / 11.5%
Alligator Creek — Worked from Home: 8.3% Balberra — Worked from Home: 11.5%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 4.9%
Alligator Creek — Car (passenger): 2.8% Balberra — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Walked Only 2.5% / 2.7%
Alligator Creek — Walked Only: 2.5% Balberra — Walked Only: 2.7%
Bus 3.0% / —
Alligator Creek — Bus: 3.0% Balberra — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.4%).

Setting

Alligator Creek Balberra
Elevation 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km 3.6 km

NBN connectivity

Alligator Creek Balberra
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
360 premises
 0%
188 premises

Climate

Alligator Creek Balberra
Annual rainfall 1,517 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Alligator Creek Balberra
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Alligator Creek Balberra
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Alligator Creek Balberra
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Alligator Creek Balberra
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Alligator Creek

Rural

Balberra

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Alligator Creek

Alligator Creek vs Sarina Alligator Creek vs Hay Point Alligator Creek vs Grasstree Beach Alligator Creek vs Munbura Alligator Creek vs Coral Sea

Other comparisons with Balberra

Balberra vs Oakenden Balberra vs Homebush Balberra vs Sandiford Balberra vs Sunnyside Balberra vs Chelona Balberra vs Munbura
Full data on Alligator Creek Full data on Balberra
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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