Armstrong Beach vs Coral Sea

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 41 in Armstrong Beach. In both, most households own their home. In Armstrong Beach, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. In Coral Sea, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments and the large majority of households are people living alone. On these figures, Armstrong Beach tends to suit families with children, while Coral Sea suits young adults and people living alone.

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

Armstrong Beach

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (92% vs 0%)
  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 51/100)
  • But Coral Sea has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, and childcare.

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $340/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 18%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Armstrong Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (634 min vs 780 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (933 km vs 1135.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Armstrong Beach carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 51/100)
  • Coral Sea has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 8%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Armstrong Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.6% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
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.

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Walkability 0 / 0
Armstrong Beach — Walkability: 0/100 Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 80 / 49
Armstrong Beach — Safety: 80/100 Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100
Low fire risk 100 / 64
Armstrong Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100 Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100

Demographics

Armstrong Beach has more residents (903 vs 78); Armstrong Beach rents higher ($340/wk vs $130/wk).

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Population 903
+91% vs other
 78
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.6% -29.7%
Median age 41 36
Median household income $99,424/yr
+28% vs other
 $71,448/yr
Median weekly rent $340/wk
+62% vs other
 $130/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
0-4 5.8% / —
Armstrong Beach — 0-4: 5.8% Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 14.1% / 6.4%
Armstrong Beach — 5-14: 14.1% Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4%
15-19 6.0% / —
Armstrong Beach — 15-19: 6.0% Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 4.0% / —
Armstrong Beach — 20-24: 4.0% Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 11.5% / 37.2%
Armstrong Beach — 25-34: 11.5% Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2%
35-44 14.2% / 21.8%
Armstrong Beach — 35-44: 14.2% Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8%
45-54 15.1% / 16.7%
Armstrong Beach — 45-54: 15.1% Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7%
55-64 12.5% / 17.9%
Armstrong Beach — 55-64: 12.5% Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9%
65-74 11.6% / —
Armstrong Beach — 65-74: 11.6% Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest
75-84 5.2% / —
Armstrong Beach — 75-84: 5.2% Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.6% / —
Armstrong Beach — 85+: 0.6% Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (37.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Armstrong Beach 32.0% lone person
Armstrong Beach — Lone Person: 32.0% Armstrong Beach — Couple Families: 48.7% Armstrong Beach — One Parent Families: 13.2% Armstrong Beach — Group Household: 6.1%
Coral Sea 100.0% lone person
Coral Sea — Lone Person: 100.0% Coral Sea — Couple Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — One Parent Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Armstrong Beach 26.1% renting
Armstrong Beach — Owned Outright: 35.5% Armstrong Beach — Mortgage: 38.5% Armstrong Beach — Renting: 26.1%
Coral Sea 42.9% renting
Coral Sea — Owned Outright: 57.1% Coral Sea — Mortgage: 0.0% Coral Sea — Renting: 42.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
New Zealand 1.0% / 10.3%
Armstrong Beach — New Zealand: 1.0% Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3%
China 0.3% / 6.4%
Armstrong Beach — China: 0.3% Coral Sea — China: 6.4%
England 1.6% / —
Armstrong Beach — England: 1.6% Coral Sea — England: not among its largest
South Africa 0.4% / —
Armstrong Beach — South Africa: 0.4% Coral Sea — South Africa: not among its largest
Indonesia 0.4% / —
Armstrong Beach — Indonesia: 0.4% Coral Sea — Indonesia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.3%).

Qualifications

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

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Certificate III & IV 21.5% / 25.6%
Armstrong Beach — Certificate III & IV: 21.5% Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6%
Bachelor Degree 3.5% / 23.1%
Armstrong Beach — Bachelor Degree: 3.5% Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 10.3%
Armstrong Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 9.0%
Armstrong Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / —
Armstrong Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Armstrong Beach 4.4% flats / apartments
Armstrong Beach — Flats / Apartments: 4.4% Armstrong Beach — Houses: 92.4% Armstrong Beach — Townhouses: 3.2%
Coral Sea 100.0% flats / apartments
Coral Sea — Flats / Apartments: 100.0% Coral Sea — Houses: 0.0% Coral Sea — Townhouses: 0.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Median house price $585,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $644,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 67 days
from 5 sales
 —

Development activity

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
 190
across Whitsunday
Approvals change year on year -6% +70%

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.

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Houses 4.3%
$620/wk on $750K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 74% of QLD Higher than 38% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 51% of QLD Higher than 45% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 5% of QLD Higher than 41% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 46% of QLD Higher than 16% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 69% of QLD —

Liveability

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Grade C —
Score 49/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); Coral Sea carries more crime risk (51 vs 20).

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
36/100
Crime Low
20/100
 Moderate
51/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
84/100
 High
98/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
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

Amenities in the suburb

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 10
Beaches 0 3

Mobility

Coral Sea sits further from the CBD (1135.9 km vs 933 km).

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 933 km 1135.9 km
+22% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 634 min 780 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4737
 0.3%
postcode 4740
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4737
 56
postcode 4740

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.

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Car (driver) 85.1% / 7.0%
Armstrong Beach — Car (driver): 85.1% Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0%
Walked Only 1.2% / 83.7%
Armstrong Beach — Walked Only: 1.2% Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7%
Worked from Home 6.2% / 9.3%
Armstrong Beach — Worked from Home: 6.2% Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / —
Armstrong Beach — Car (passenger): 5.1% Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 2.4% / —
Armstrong Beach — Bus: 2.4% Coral Sea — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.1%).

Setting

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.5 km 1.7 km

NBN connectivity

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Connectivity score 29/100 15/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
357 premises
 0%
102 premises

Climate

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Annual rainfall 1,517 mm —
Summer max (Jan) 30.8°C —
Winter min (Jul) 12.4°C —

Council rates

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Average residential rate $1,873/yr $1,412/yr
Council Mackay Whitsunday

Federal electorate

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Division Capricornia Dawson
Member Michelle Landry Andrew Willcox
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Armstrong Beach Coral Sea
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Armstrong Beach

Acreage Affordable Coastal

Coral Sea

Coastal Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Armstrong Beach

Armstrong Beach vs Sarina Armstrong Beach vs Freshwater Point

Other comparisons with Coral Sea

Coral Sea vs Bowen Coral Sea vs Bargara Coral Sea vs South Mackay Coral Sea vs Bushland Beach Coral Sea vs Trinity Beach Coral Sea vs Kewarra Beach
Full data on Armstrong Beach Full data on Coral Sea
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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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