Alton Downs vs Ridgelands

Alton Downs is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 44 in Ridgelands. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families.

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

Ridgelands

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 37/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Ridgelands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $330/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Alton Downs

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (451 min vs 462 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (649.6 km vs 664.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Ridgelands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 37/100)

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

Investors

Ridgelands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (17.5% vs 3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Alton Downs Ridgelands
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.

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Walkability 0 / 0
Alton Downs — Walkability: 0/100 Ridgelands — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 63 / 75
Alton Downs — Safety: 63/100 Ridgelands — Safety: 75/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Alton Downs — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ridgelands — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Alton Downs has more residents (1,324 vs 195); Alton Downs rents higher ($330/wk vs $250/wk).

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Population 1,324
+85% vs other
 195
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.6% +17.5%
Median age 41 44
Median household income $108,004/yr
+13% vs other
 $94,224/yr
Median weekly rent $330/wk
+24% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Alton Downs Ridgelands
0-4 5.7% / 6.7%
Alton Downs — 0-4: 5.7% Ridgelands — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 13.4% / 10.8%
Alton Downs — 5-14: 13.4% Ridgelands — 5-14: 10.8%
15-19 6.9% / 9.2%
Alton Downs — 15-19: 6.9% Ridgelands — 15-19: 9.2%
20-24 4.5% / 6.7%
Alton Downs — 20-24: 4.5% Ridgelands — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 11.6% / 8.2%
Alton Downs — 25-34: 11.6% Ridgelands — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 12.4% / 12.3%
Alton Downs — 35-44: 12.4% Ridgelands — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 13.7% / 16.9%
Alton Downs — 45-54: 13.7% Ridgelands — 45-54: 16.9%
55-64 16.8% / 14.4%
Alton Downs — 55-64: 16.8% Ridgelands — 55-64: 14.4%
65-74 10.3% / 9.2%
Alton Downs — 65-74: 10.3% Ridgelands — 65-74: 9.2%
75-84 3.5% / 6.7%
Alton Downs — 75-84: 3.5% Ridgelands — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 1.2% / —
Alton Downs — 85+: 1.2% Ridgelands — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Alton Downs 57.6% couple families
Alton Downs — Couple Families: 57.6% Alton Downs — Lone Person: 23.9% Alton Downs — One Parent Families: 15.5% Alton Downs — Other Families: 1.7% Alton Downs — Group Household: 1.3%
Ridgelands 61.0% couple families
Ridgelands — Couple Families: 61.0% Ridgelands — Lone Person: 26.8% Ridgelands — One Parent Families: 12.2% Ridgelands — Other Families: 0.0% Ridgelands — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Alton Downs 5.6% renting
Alton Downs — Owned Outright: 39.2% Alton Downs — Mortgage: 55.2% Alton Downs — Renting: 5.6%
Ridgelands 5.9% renting
Ridgelands — Owned Outright: 52.9% Ridgelands — Mortgage: 41.2% Ridgelands — Renting: 5.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Alton Downs 99.3% houses
Alton Downs — Houses: 99.3% Alton Downs — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Ridgelands 100.0% houses
Ridgelands — Houses: 100.0% Ridgelands — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Certificate III & IV 22.9% / 17.9%
Alton Downs — Certificate III & IV: 22.9% Ridgelands — Certificate III & IV: 17.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.1% / 1.5%
Alton Downs — Bachelor Degree: 8.1% Ridgelands — Bachelor Degree: 1.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 2.6%
Alton Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% Ridgelands — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 2.1%
Alton Downs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Ridgelands — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / —
Alton Downs — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Ridgelands — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

Property market

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Median house price $1,130,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,130,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 88 days
from 9 sales
 —

Development activity

Alton Downs Ridgelands
New dwellings approved 390
across Rockhampton
same for both
Approvals change year on year +133%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Alton Downs Ridgelands
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 47% of QLD Higher than 31% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 20% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 36% of QLD

Liveability

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Grade B —
Score 52/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Alton Downs carries more crime risk (37 vs 25).

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
37/100
 Low
25/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Alton Downs

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

Schools in Ridgelands

  • Ridgelands State School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Parks & reserves 3 2
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Ridgelands sits further from the CBD (664.4 km vs 649.6 km).

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 649.6 km 664.4 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 451 min 462 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 4702
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 58
postcode 4702
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.

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Car (driver) 82.8% / 86.6%
Alton Downs — Car (driver): 82.8% Ridgelands — Car (driver): 86.6%
Worked from Home 8.5% / 13.4%
Alton Downs — Worked from Home: 8.5% Ridgelands — Worked from Home: 13.4%
Car (passenger) 5.4% / —
Alton Downs — Car (passenger): 5.4% Ridgelands — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 2.6% / —
Alton Downs — Walked Only: 2.6% Ridgelands — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.7% / —
Alton Downs — Bus: 0.7% Ridgelands — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.6%).

Setting

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Elevation 29 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 54 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 30.2 km 41.6 km

NBN connectivity

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Connectivity score 29/100 27/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
486 premises
 0%
65 premises

Climate

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Annual rainfall 811 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 11.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Alton Downs Ridgelands
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 8.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Average residential rate $1,313/yr
same for both
Council Rockhampton
same for both

Federal electorate

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Division Flynn
same for both
Member Colin Boyce
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Alton Downs Ridgelands
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Alton Downs

Rural

Ridgelands

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Alton Downs

Alton Downs vs Glenlee Alton Downs vs Etna Creek Alton Downs vs Glendale Alton Downs vs Pink Lily Alton Downs vs Dalma Alton Downs vs Nine Mile

Other comparisons with Ridgelands

Ridgelands vs Dalma Ridgelands vs Garnant Ridgelands vs South Yaamba Ridgelands vs Morinish
Full data on Alton Downs Full data on Ridgelands
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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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