Babinda vs Bellenden Ker

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Babinda, about half of households are people living alone. In Bellenden Ker, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Bellenden Ker: a median of $1 million, against $480,000 in Babinda. On these figures, Babinda tends to suit older residents and buyers on a tighter budget, while Bellenden Ker suits 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Babinda has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • Bellenden Ker carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 68/100)

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

First-home buyers

Babinda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($480,000 vs $1,000,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bellenden Ker

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 22%)

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

Commuting to the city

Babinda

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 13/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1640.5 km vs 1649.3 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (1124 min vs 1130 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Babinda

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 13/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 18%)
  • But Bellenden Ker carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 68/100)

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

Investors

Babinda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.7% vs -9.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Babinda Bellenden Ker
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.

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Walkability 55 / 13
Babinda — Walkability: 55/100 Bellenden Ker — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 32 / 44
Babinda — Safety: 32/100 Bellenden Ker — Safety: 44/100
Low fire risk 100 / 79
Babinda — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bellenden Ker — Low fire risk: 79/100

Demographics

Babinda has more residents (1,287 vs 229); Bellenden Ker has higher household incomes ($78,884 vs $54,496).

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Population 1,287
+82% vs other
 229
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.7% -9.1%
Median age 48 47
Median household income $54,496/yr $78,884/yr
+45% vs other
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+2% vs other
 $225/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Babinda Bellenden Ker
0-4 4.1% / 3.5%
Babinda — 0-4: 4.1% Bellenden Ker — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 12.7% / 13.5%
Babinda — 5-14: 12.7% Bellenden Ker — 5-14: 13.5%
15-19 5.7% / 6.1%
Babinda — 15-19: 5.7% Bellenden Ker — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 3.9% / 6.6%
Babinda — 20-24: 3.9% Bellenden Ker — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 9.4% / 6.1%
Babinda — 25-34: 9.4% Bellenden Ker — 25-34: 6.1%
35-44 11.3% / 7.9%
Babinda — 35-44: 11.3% Bellenden Ker — 35-44: 7.9%
45-54 11.0% / 18.3%
Babinda — 45-54: 11.0% Bellenden Ker — 45-54: 18.3%
55-64 15.5% / 18.8%
Babinda — 55-64: 15.5% Bellenden Ker — 55-64: 18.8%
65-74 15.2% / 11.4%
Babinda — 65-74: 15.2% Bellenden Ker — 65-74: 11.4%
75-84 8.6% / 4.8%
Babinda — 75-84: 8.6% Bellenden Ker — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 2.8% / 2.2%
Babinda — 85+: 2.8% Bellenden Ker — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Babinda 45.5% lone person
Babinda — Lone Person: 45.5% Babinda — Couple Families: 32.6% Babinda — One Parent Families: 17.4% Babinda — Group Household: 2.8% Babinda — Other Families: 1.7%
Bellenden Ker 39.6% lone person
Bellenden Ker — Lone Person: 39.6% Bellenden Ker — Couple Families: 47.9% Bellenden Ker — One Parent Families: 12.5% Bellenden Ker — Group Household: 0.0% Bellenden Ker — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Babinda 31.2% renting
Babinda — Owned Outright: 37.3% Babinda — Mortgage: 31.4% Babinda — Renting: 31.2%
Bellenden Ker 21.9% renting
Bellenden Ker — Owned Outright: 56.2% Bellenden Ker — Mortgage: 21.9% Bellenden Ker — Renting: 21.9%
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.

Babinda Bellenden Ker
England 2.7% / 2.2%
Babinda — England: 2.7% Bellenden Ker — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 2.3% / 2.6%
Babinda — New Zealand: 2.3% Bellenden Ker — New Zealand: 2.6%
Philippines 1.3% / —
Babinda — Philippines: 1.3% Bellenden Ker — Philippines: not among its largest
Italy 0.9% / —
Babinda — Italy: 0.9% Bellenden Ker — Italy: not among its largest
Scotland 0.9% / —
Babinda — Scotland: 0.9% Bellenden Ker — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.7%).

Qualifications

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

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Certificate III & IV 20.1% / 23.6%
Babinda — Certificate III & IV: 20.1% Bellenden Ker — Certificate III & IV: 23.6%
Bachelor Degree 6.4% / 6.6%
Babinda — Bachelor Degree: 6.4% Bellenden Ker — Bachelor Degree: 6.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 6.6%
Babinda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Bellenden Ker — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.5% / 2.2%
Babinda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5% Bellenden Ker — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 1.3%
Babinda — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Bellenden Ker — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Babinda 94.0% houses
Babinda — Houses: 94.0% Babinda — Townhouses: 4.2% Babinda — Flats / Apartments: 1.8%
Bellenden Ker 98.8% houses
Bellenden Ker — Houses: 98.8% Bellenden Ker — Townhouses: 0.0% Bellenden Ker — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Median house price $480,000 $1,000,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $200,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 102 days
from 16 sales
 —

Development activity

Babinda Bellenden Ker
New dwellings approved 767
across Cairns
same for both
Approvals change year on year -81%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Babinda Bellenden Ker
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 17% of QLD Higher than 49% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 88% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 26% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of QLD Higher than 61% of QLD

Liveability

Babinda is more walkable (55 vs 13).

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Grade C —
Score 37/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Bellenden Ker carries more bushfire risk (21 vs 0); Babinda carries more crime risk (68 vs 56).

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
21/100
Crime Moderate
68/100
 Moderate
56/100
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 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Babinda

  • Babinda State School Government · Combined above peers
  • St Rita's School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Bellenden Ker

  • Bellenden Ker State School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Supermarkets 1 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 2 0
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Waterways 16 10

Mobility

Bellenden Ker sits further from the CBD (1649.3 km vs 1640.5 km).

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Walkability score 55/100 13/100
Distance to Brisbane 1640.5 km 1649.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1124 min 1130 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 4861
 0.2%
postcode 4871
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 4861
 51
postcode 4871

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.

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Car (driver) 73.1% / 79.2%
Babinda — Car (driver): 73.1% Bellenden Ker — Car (driver): 79.2%
Worked from Home 9.8% / 17.8%
Babinda — Worked from Home: 9.8% Bellenden Ker — Worked from Home: 17.8%
Walked Only 8.4% / —
Babinda — Walked Only: 8.4% Bellenden Ker — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.0%
Babinda — Car (passenger): 3.9% Bellenden Ker — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Bus 2.5% / —
Babinda — Bus: 2.5% Bellenden Ker — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.2%).

Setting

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 8.8 km 5.3 km

NBN connectivity

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Connectivity score 63/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
694 premises
 0%
107 premises

Climate

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Annual rainfall 3,531 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 17.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Average residential rate $1,354/yr
same for both
Council Cairns
same for both

Federal electorate

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Babinda Bellenden Ker
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Babinda

Acreage Affordable Quiet Retirees River

Bellenden Ker

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Babinda

Babinda vs Mirriwinni Babinda vs East Russell

Other comparisons with Bellenden Ker

Bellenden Ker vs Deeral Bellenden Ker vs East Russell
Full data on Babinda Full data on Bellenden Ker
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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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