Balberra vs Homebush

Homebush is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 47 in Balberra. In both, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Balberra, the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Homebush tends to suit families with children.

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

  • Balberra has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 54%)
  • Homebush carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 67/100)

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

Balberra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $365/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Balberra

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (948.9 km vs 959.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (648 min vs 654 min)
  • But Homebush is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Homebush

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (53% vs 2%)
  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 67/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Balberra and Homebush 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 Homebush
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 Homebush
Walkability 0 / 20
Balberra — Walkability: 0/100 Homebush — Walkability: 20/100
Safety 33 / 65
Balberra — Safety: 33/100 Homebush — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Balberra — Low fire risk: 100/100 Homebush — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Balberra has more residents (425 vs 262); Homebush rents higher ($365/wk vs $250/wk).

Balberra Homebush
Population 425
+38% vs other
 262
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -7.0% -3.3%
Median age 47 39
Median household income $96,824/yr $109,876/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $365/wk
+46% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balberra Homebush
0-4 3.5% / 10.3%
Balberra — 0-4: 3.5% Homebush — 0-4: 10.3%
5-14 13.4% / 13.4%
Balberra — 5-14: 13.4% Homebush — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 5.9% / 8.8%
Balberra — 15-19: 5.9% Homebush — 15-19: 8.8%
20-24 5.2% / 5.0%
Balberra — 20-24: 5.2% Homebush — 20-24: 5.0%
25-34 8.5% / 8.8%
Balberra — 25-34: 8.5% Homebush — 25-34: 8.8%
35-44 10.8% / 16.4%
Balberra — 35-44: 10.8% Homebush — 35-44: 16.4%
45-54 16.9% / 13.0%
Balberra — 45-54: 16.9% Homebush — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 20.9% / 14.5%
Balberra — 55-64: 20.9% Homebush — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 8.7% / 9.9%
Balberra — 65-74: 8.7% Homebush — 65-74: 9.9%
75-84 6.4% / 3.8%
Balberra — 75-84: 6.4% Homebush — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 2.1% / 1.9%
Balberra — 85+: 2.1% Homebush — 85+: 1.9%

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% Balberra — Group Household: 0.0%
Homebush 53.2% couple families
Homebush — Couple Families: 53.2% Homebush — Lone Person: 29.0% Homebush — One Parent Families: 12.9% Homebush — Group Household: 4.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

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%
Homebush 12.2% renting
Homebush — Owned Outright: 52.4% Homebush — Mortgage: 35.4% Homebush — Renting: 12.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Balberra Homebush
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 23.3%
Balberra — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Homebush — Certificate III & IV: 23.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.2% / 5.0%
Balberra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2% Homebush — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0%
Bachelor Degree 1.9% / 4.2%
Balberra — Bachelor Degree: 1.9% Homebush — Bachelor Degree: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / —
Balberra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Homebush — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree — / 1.1%
Balberra — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Homebush — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

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 Homebush
New Zealand 0.9% / 2.3%
Balberra — New Zealand: 0.9% Homebush — New Zealand: 2.3%
Philippines — / 2.7%
Balberra — Philippines: not among its largest Homebush — Philippines: 2.7%
England 1.4% / —
Balberra — England: 1.4% Homebush — England: not among its largest
Taiwan 1.2% / —
Balberra — Taiwan: 1.2% Homebush — Taiwan: not among its largest
Germany 0.9% / —
Balberra — Germany: 0.9% Homebush — Germany: not among its largest
Fiji 0.9% / —
Balberra — Fiji: 0.9% Homebush — Fiji: not among its largest

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

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%
Homebush 53.9% houses
Homebush — Houses: 53.9% Homebush — Townhouses: 52.6% Homebush — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

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

Development activity

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

Ranking within QLD

Balberra Homebush
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 15% of QLD Higher than 79% 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 65% of QLD

Liveability

Homebush is more walkable (20 vs 0).

Balberra Homebush
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Balberra carries more crime risk (67 vs 35).

Balberra Homebush
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
67/100
 Low
35/100
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 Homebush
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Balberra

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

Schools in Homebush

  • Homebush State School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Balberra Homebush
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 7
same for both

Mobility

Homebush sits further from the CBD (959.6 km vs 948.9 km).

Balberra Homebush
Walkability score 0/100 20/100
Distance to Brisbane 948.9 km 959.6 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 648 min 654 min
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 Homebush
Car (driver) 80.8% / 70.8%
Balberra — Car (driver): 80.8% Homebush — Car (driver): 70.8%
Worked from Home 11.5% / 16.2%
Balberra — Worked from Home: 11.5% Homebush — Worked from Home: 16.2%
Walked Only 2.7% / 7.7%
Balberra — Walked Only: 2.7% Homebush — Walked Only: 7.7%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 5.4%
Balberra — Car (passenger): 4.9% Homebush — Car (passenger): 5.4%

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

Setting

Balberra Homebush
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.6 km 12.7 km

NBN connectivity

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

Climate

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

Tags

Balberra

Rural

Homebush

Family Rural Townhouses Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balberra

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

Other comparisons with Homebush

Homebush vs Eton Homebush vs Oakenden Homebush vs Victoria Plains Homebush vs Palmyra Homebush vs Sandiford
Full data on Balberra Full data on Homebush
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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