Armstrong Beach vs Freshwater Point

Armstrong Beach is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 48 in Freshwater Point. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Armstrong Beach, about half of households are couple families. In Freshwater Point, 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

Armstrong Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 32/100)

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

Freshwater Point

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $340/wk)
  • But Armstrong Beach has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 10%)

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

Commuting to the city

Armstrong Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (933 km vs 937.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Armstrong Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 32/100)

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

Investors

Freshwater Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (28.9% vs 4.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Armstrong Beach and Freshwater Point 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 Freshwater Point
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 Freshwater Point
Walkability 0 / 0
Armstrong Beach — Walkability: 0/100 Freshwater Point — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 80 / 68
Armstrong Beach — Safety: 80/100 Freshwater Point — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Armstrong Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100 Freshwater Point — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Armstrong Beach has more residents (903 vs 174); Armstrong Beach rents higher ($340/wk vs $270/wk).

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Population 903
+81% vs other
 174
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.6% +28.9%
Median age 41 48
Median household income $99,424/yr $117,000/yr
+18% vs other
Median weekly rent $340/wk
+21% vs other
 $270/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
0-4 5.8% / 4.6%
Armstrong Beach — 0-4: 5.8% Freshwater Point — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 14.1% / 11.5%
Armstrong Beach — 5-14: 14.1% Freshwater Point — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 6.0% / 2.9%
Armstrong Beach — 15-19: 6.0% Freshwater Point — 15-19: 2.9%
20-24 4.0% / 6.9%
Armstrong Beach — 20-24: 4.0% Freshwater Point — 20-24: 6.9%
25-34 11.5% / 7.5%
Armstrong Beach — 25-34: 11.5% Freshwater Point — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 14.2% / 14.4%
Armstrong Beach — 35-44: 14.2% Freshwater Point — 35-44: 14.4%
45-54 15.1% / 19.5%
Armstrong Beach — 45-54: 15.1% Freshwater Point — 45-54: 19.5%
55-64 12.5% / 23.6%
Armstrong Beach — 55-64: 12.5% Freshwater Point — 55-64: 23.6%
65-74 11.6% / 10.3%
Armstrong Beach — 65-74: 11.6% Freshwater Point — 65-74: 10.3%
75-84 5.2% / 4.6%
Armstrong Beach — 75-84: 5.2% Freshwater Point — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 0.6% / —
Armstrong Beach — 85+: 0.6% Freshwater Point — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Armstrong Beach 48.7% couple families
Armstrong Beach — Couple Families: 48.7% Armstrong Beach — Lone Person: 32.0% Armstrong Beach — One Parent Families: 13.2% Armstrong Beach — Group Household: 6.1%
Freshwater Point 56.2% couple families
Freshwater Point — Couple Families: 56.2% Freshwater Point — Lone Person: 31.2% Freshwater Point — One Parent Families: 12.5% Freshwater Point — 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.

Armstrong Beach 26.1% renting
Armstrong Beach — Owned Outright: 35.5% Armstrong Beach — Mortgage: 38.5% Armstrong Beach — Renting: 26.1%
Freshwater Point 10.2% renting
Freshwater Point — Owned Outright: 44.1% Freshwater Point — Mortgage: 45.8% Freshwater Point — Renting: 10.2%
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 Freshwater Point
New Zealand 1.0% / 3.4%
Armstrong Beach — New Zealand: 1.0% Freshwater Point — New Zealand: 3.4%
England 1.6% / 2.3%
Armstrong Beach — England: 1.6% Freshwater Point — England: 2.3%
South Africa 0.4% / 3.4%
Armstrong Beach — South Africa: 0.4% Freshwater Point — South Africa: 3.4%
Indonesia 0.4% / —
Armstrong Beach — Indonesia: 0.4% Freshwater Point — Indonesia: not among its largest
China 0.3% / —
Armstrong Beach — China: 0.3% Freshwater Point — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.4%).

Qualifications

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

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Certificate III & IV 21.5% / 23.0%
Armstrong Beach — Certificate III & IV: 21.5% Freshwater Point — Certificate III & IV: 23.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 8.6%
Armstrong Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% Freshwater Point — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Bachelor Degree 3.5% / 4.6%
Armstrong Beach — Bachelor Degree: 3.5% Freshwater Point — Bachelor Degree: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.7%
Armstrong Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Freshwater Point — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / —
Armstrong Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Freshwater Point — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Armstrong Beach 92.4% houses
Armstrong Beach — Houses: 92.4% Armstrong Beach — Flats / Apartments: 4.4% Armstrong Beach — Townhouses: 3.2%
Freshwater Point 100.0% houses
Freshwater Point — Houses: 100.0% Freshwater Point — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Freshwater Point — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
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 Freshwater Point
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
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.

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

Ranking within QLD

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 74% of QLD Higher than 87% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 51% of QLD Higher than 15% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 5% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 46% of QLD Higher than 52% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 69% of QLD —

Liveability

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Grade C —
Score 49/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Freshwater Point carries more crime risk (32 vs 20).

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
20/100
 Low
32/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
84/100
 High
81/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
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

Mobility

Freshwater Point sits further from the CBD (937.6 km vs 933 km).

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 933 km 937.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 634 min 638 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4737
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4737
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.

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Car (driver) 85.1% / 87.5%
Armstrong Beach — Car (driver): 85.1% Freshwater Point — Car (driver): 87.5%
Worked from Home 6.2% / 8.3%
Armstrong Beach — Worked from Home: 6.2% Freshwater Point — Worked from Home: 8.3%
Bus 2.4% / 4.2%
Armstrong Beach — Bus: 2.4% Freshwater Point — Bus: 4.2%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / —
Armstrong Beach — Car (passenger): 5.1% Freshwater Point — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 1.2% / —
Armstrong Beach — Walked Only: 1.2% Freshwater Point — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (87.5%).

Setting

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.5 km 32 m
2.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Connectivity score 29/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
357 premises
 0%
68 premises

Climate

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
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

Council rates

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Armstrong Beach Freshwater Point
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

Freshwater Point

Coastal Rural

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Freshwater Point

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Full data on Armstrong Beach Full data on Freshwater Point
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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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