Balberra vs Chelona

Chelona is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 47 in Balberra. In both, the large majority of households own their home. In Balberra, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. In Chelona, the large majority of households are couple families. On these figures, Chelona tends to suit 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

Chelona

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 67/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (86% vs 71%)
  • But Balberra has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 24%)

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

Balberra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $346/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Balberra sits closer to the CBD (948.9 km vs 951.5 km)
  • Chelona is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Chelona

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (79% vs 2%)
  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 67/100)

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

Investors

Chelona

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (20.0% vs -7.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Balberra Chelona
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.

Balberra Chelona
Walkability 0 / 23
Balberra — Walkability: 0/100 Chelona — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 33 / 76
Balberra — Safety: 33/100 Chelona — Safety: 76/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Balberra — Low fire risk: 100/100 Chelona — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Balberra has more residents (425 vs 120); Chelona rents higher ($346/wk vs $250/wk).

Balberra Chelona
Population 425
+72% vs other
 120
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -7.0% +20.0%
Median age 47 37
Median household income $96,824/yr $101,816/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $346/wk
+38% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balberra Chelona
0-4 3.5% / 7.5%
Balberra — 0-4: 3.5% Chelona — 0-4: 7.5%
5-14 13.4% / 19.2%
Balberra — 5-14: 13.4% Chelona — 5-14: 19.2%
15-19 5.9% / —
Balberra — 15-19: 5.9% Chelona — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 5.2% / 5.0%
Balberra — 20-24: 5.2% Chelona — 20-24: 5.0%
25-34 8.5% / 14.2%
Balberra — 25-34: 8.5% Chelona — 25-34: 14.2%
35-44 10.8% / 15.8%
Balberra — 35-44: 10.8% Chelona — 35-44: 15.8%
45-54 16.9% / 15.0%
Balberra — 45-54: 16.9% Chelona — 45-54: 15.0%
55-64 20.9% / 10.0%
Balberra — 55-64: 20.9% Chelona — 55-64: 10.0%
65-74 8.7% / 12.5%
Balberra — 65-74: 8.7% Chelona — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 6.4% / 4.2%
Balberra — 75-84: 6.4% Chelona — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 2.1% / —
Balberra — 85+: 2.1% Chelona — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balberra 53.2% couple families
Balberra — Couple Families: 53.2% Balberra — Lone Person: 28.7% Balberra — One Parent Families: 18.1%
Chelona 85.7% couple families
Chelona — Couple Families: 85.7% Chelona — Lone Person: 14.3% Chelona — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Balberra 13.2% renting
Balberra — Owned Outright: 47.1% Balberra — Mortgage: 39.7% Balberra — Renting: 13.2%
Chelona 11.4% renting
Chelona — Owned Outright: 42.9% Chelona — Mortgage: 45.7% Chelona — Renting: 11.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Balberra Chelona
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 22.5%
Balberra — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Chelona — Certificate III & IV: 22.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.2% / 5.8%
Balberra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2% Chelona — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8%
Bachelor Degree 1.9% / 5.0%
Balberra — Bachelor Degree: 1.9% Chelona — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / —
Balberra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Chelona — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.5%).

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.

Balberra Chelona
England 1.4% / 2.5%
Balberra — England: 1.4% Chelona — England: 2.5%
Zimbabwe — / 3.3%
Balberra — Zimbabwe: not among its largest Chelona — Zimbabwe: 3.3%
Taiwan 1.2% / —
Balberra — Taiwan: 1.2% Chelona — Taiwan: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.9% / —
Balberra — New Zealand: 0.9% Chelona — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 0.9% / —
Balberra — Germany: 0.9% Chelona — Germany: not among its largest
Fiji 0.9% / —
Balberra — Fiji: 0.9% Chelona — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Balberra 97.9% houses
Balberra — Houses: 97.9% Balberra — Townhouses: 0.0% Balberra — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Chelona 24.2% houses
Chelona — Houses: 24.2% Chelona — Townhouses: 78.8% Chelona — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Balberra Chelona
Median house price $580,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Balberra Chelona
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Balberra Chelona
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 15% of QLD Higher than 80% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 40% of QLD Higher than 41% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 52% of QLD Higher than 59% of QLD

Liveability

Chelona is more walkable (23 vs 0).

Balberra Chelona
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Balberra carries more crime risk (67 vs 24).

Balberra Chelona
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
67/100
 Low
24/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
84/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Balberra Chelona
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Balberra

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

Schools in Chelona

  • Chelona State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Balberra Chelona
Waterways 7 4

Mobility

Chelona sits further from the CBD (951.5 km vs 948.9 km).

Balberra Chelona
Walkability score 0/100 23/100
Distance to Brisbane 948.9 km 951.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 648 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
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.

Balberra Chelona
Car (driver) 80.8% / 76.6%
Balberra — Car (driver): 80.8% Chelona — Car (driver): 76.6%
Worked from Home 11.5% / 14.9%
Balberra — Worked from Home: 11.5% Chelona — Worked from Home: 14.9%
Walked Only 2.7% / 8.5%
Balberra — Walked Only: 2.7% Chelona — Walked Only: 8.5%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / —
Balberra — Car (passenger): 4.9% Chelona — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.8%).

Setting

Balberra Chelona
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.6 km 4.4 km

NBN connectivity

Balberra Chelona
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
188 premises
 0%
39 premises

Climate

Balberra Chelona
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

Air quality (annual mean)

Balberra Chelona
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Balberra Chelona
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Balberra Chelona
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Balberra Chelona
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Balberra

Rural

Chelona

Family River Rural Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balberra

Balberra vs Alligator Creek Balberra vs Oakenden Balberra vs Homebush Balberra vs Sandiford Balberra vs Sunnyside Balberra vs Munbura

Other comparisons with Chelona

Chelona vs Sandiford Chelona vs McEwens Beach Chelona vs Rosella Chelona vs Dunnrock
Full data on Balberra Full data on Chelona
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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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