Atherton vs Wongabel

Wongabel is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 46 in Atherton. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Atherton, about half of households are people living alone. In Wongabel, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Atherton tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Wongabel suits families with children and couples.

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

Atherton

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • But Wongabel carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 90/100)

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

Atherton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (38% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($280/wk vs $315/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Atherton

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (1180 min vs 1187 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1705.9 km vs 1709.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Atherton

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 18%)
  • But Wongabel carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 90/100)

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

Investors

Wongabel

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.6% vs 5.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Atherton Wongabel
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.

Atherton Wongabel
Walkability 88 / 0
Atherton — Walkability: 88/100 Wongabel — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 10 / 62
Atherton — Safety: 10/100 Wongabel — Safety: 62/100
Low fire risk 26 / 25
Atherton — Low fire risk: 26/100 Wongabel — Low fire risk: 25/100

Demographics

Atherton has more residents (7,724 vs 251); Wongabel has higher household incomes ($76,856 vs $57,148).

Atherton Wongabel
Population 7,724
+97% vs other
 251
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.4% +13.6%
Median age 46 43
Median household income $57,148/yr $76,856/yr
+34% vs other
Median weekly rent $280/wk $315/wk
+12% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Atherton Wongabel
0-4 4.5% / 5.6%
Atherton — 0-4: 4.5% Wongabel — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 12.4% / 17.1%
Atherton — 5-14: 12.4% Wongabel — 5-14: 17.1%
15-19 6.1% / 7.2%
Atherton — 15-19: 6.1% Wongabel — 15-19: 7.2%
20-24 4.6% / 4.0%
Atherton — 20-24: 4.6% Wongabel — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 11.6% / 6.0%
Atherton — 25-34: 11.6% Wongabel — 25-34: 6.0%
35-44 9.5% / 14.3%
Atherton — 35-44: 9.5% Wongabel — 35-44: 14.3%
45-54 11.9% / 10.4%
Atherton — 45-54: 11.9% Wongabel — 45-54: 10.4%
55-64 12.3% / 15.5%
Atherton — 55-64: 12.3% Wongabel — 55-64: 15.5%
65-74 13.8% / 10.0%
Atherton — 65-74: 13.8% Wongabel — 65-74: 10.0%
75-84 9.0% / 6.4%
Atherton — 75-84: 9.0% Wongabel — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 4.3% / 2.0%
Atherton — 85+: 4.3% Wongabel — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Atherton 26.4% couple families
Atherton — Couple Families: 26.4% Atherton — Lone Person: 47.8% Atherton — One Parent Families: 18.9% Atherton — Group Household: 4.9% Atherton — Other Families: 2.0%
Wongabel 54.3% couple families
Wongabel — Couple Families: 54.3% Wongabel — Lone Person: 26.1% Wongabel — One Parent Families: 19.6% Wongabel — Group Household: 0.0% Wongabel — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Atherton 38.5% renting
Atherton — Owned Outright: 38.5% Atherton — Mortgage: 23.0% Atherton — Renting: 38.5%
Wongabel 19.1% renting
Wongabel — Owned Outright: 39.7% Wongabel — Mortgage: 41.2% Wongabel — Renting: 19.1%
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.

Atherton Wongabel
England 2.8% / 1.2%
Atherton — England: 2.8% Wongabel — England: 1.2%
New Zealand 1.9% / —
Atherton — New Zealand: 1.9% Wongabel — New Zealand: not among its largest
Italy 0.8% / —
Atherton — Italy: 0.8% Wongabel — Italy: not among its largest
Philippines 0.8% / —
Atherton — Philippines: 0.8% Wongabel — Philippines: not among its largest
Germany 0.7% / —
Atherton — Germany: 0.7% Wongabel — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.8%).

Qualifications

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

Atherton Wongabel
Certificate III & IV 16.8% / 19.1%
Atherton — Certificate III & IV: 16.8% Wongabel — Certificate III & IV: 19.1%
Bachelor Degree 8.0% / 5.6%
Atherton — Bachelor Degree: 8.0% Wongabel — Bachelor Degree: 5.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 3.6%
Atherton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Wongabel — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.6%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 1.6%
Atherton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Wongabel — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 1.2%
Atherton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Wongabel — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Atherton 81.7% houses
Atherton — Houses: 81.7% Atherton — Flats / Apartments: 8.7% Atherton — Townhouses: 9.6%
Wongabel 86.5% houses
Wongabel — Houses: 86.5% Wongabel — Flats / Apartments: 13.5% Wongabel — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Atherton Wongabel
Median house price $574,000 —
Median unit price $384,000 —
Median land price $687,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 40 days
from 94 sales
 —

Development activity

Atherton Wongabel
New dwellings approved 167
across Tablelands
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
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.

Atherton Wongabel
Houses 3.7%
$510/wk on $722K
 —
Units 4.8%
$385/wk on $415K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Atherton Wongabel
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 19% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Schools Higher than 65% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 98% of QLD Higher than 65% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 51% of QLD Higher than 52% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 47% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 33% of QLD —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 66% of QLD —

Liveability

Atherton is more walkable (88 vs 0).

Atherton Wongabel
Grade C —
Score 36/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Atherton carries more crime risk (90 vs 38).

Atherton Wongabel
Bushfire High
74/100
 High
75/100
Crime High
90/100
 Low
38/100
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

Atherton Wongabel
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 3 0

Schools in Atherton

  • St Joseph's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Atherton State High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Atherton State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Jubilee Christian College Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Wongabel

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

Amenities in the suburb

Atherton Wongabel
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 12 0
Parks & reserves 15 0
Childcare 5 0
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 7 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 12 5

Mobility

Wongabel sits further from the CBD (1709.3 km vs 1705.9 km).

Atherton Wongabel
Walkability score 88/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 1705.9 km 1709.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1180 min 1187 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4883
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 4883
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.

Atherton Wongabel
Car (driver) 75.2% / 78.4%
Atherton — Car (driver): 75.2% Wongabel — Car (driver): 78.4%
Worked from Home 8.6% / 12.5%
Atherton — Worked from Home: 8.6% Wongabel — Worked from Home: 12.5%
Car (passenger) 8.2% / 5.7%
Atherton — Car (passenger): 8.2% Wongabel — Car (passenger): 5.7%
Walked Only 6.0% / 3.4%
Atherton — Walked Only: 6.0% Wongabel — Walked Only: 3.4%
Bus 1.3% / —
Atherton — Bus: 1.3% Wongabel — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.4%).

Setting

Atherton Wongabel
Elevation 785 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 810 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Atherton Wongabel
Connectivity score 70/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 47%
4,376 premises
 0%
89 premises

Climate

Atherton Wongabel
Annual rainfall 1,114 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.3°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 13.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Atherton Wongabel
Average residential rate $1,609/yr
same for both
Council Tablelands
same for both

Federal electorate

Atherton Wongabel
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Atherton Wongabel
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Atherton

Affordable Parks Retirees River

Wongabel

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Atherton

Atherton vs Tolga Atherton vs Kairi Atherton vs East Barron Atherton vs Carrington Atherton vs Watsonville

Other comparisons with Wongabel

Wongabel vs Upper Barron Wongabel vs East Barron Wongabel vs Moomin Wongabel vs Carrington Wongabel vs Watsonville
Full data on Atherton Full data on Wongabel
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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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