Balgal Beach vs Rollingstone

Rollingstone is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 58 in Balgal Beach. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Balgal Beach, most households are people living alone. In Rollingstone, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Balgal Beach tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Rollingstone suits 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

  • Balgal Beach carries lower crime risk (50/100 vs 95/100)
  • Rollingstone has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Balgal Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (29% vs 37%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Rollingstone

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $273/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 29%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Balgal Beach

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (50/100 vs 95/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (35% vs 20%)
  • But Rollingstone has more units and townhouses to downsize into (18% vs 2%)

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

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

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
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.

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Walkability 14 / 13
Balgal Beach — Walkability: 14/100 Rollingstone — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 50 / 5
Balgal Beach — Safety: 50/100 Rollingstone — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 48 / 26
Balgal Beach — Low fire risk: 48/100 Rollingstone — Low fire risk: 26/100

Demographics

Balgal Beach has more residents (998 vs 133); Balgal Beach rents higher ($273/wk vs $200/wk).

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Population 998
+87% vs other
 133
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.3% +6.4%
Median age 58 47
Median household income $48,672/yr
+1% vs other
 $48,048/yr
Median weekly rent $273/wk
+27% vs other
 $200/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
0-4 2.2% / —
Balgal Beach — 0-4: 2.2% Rollingstone — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 9.1% / 18.8%
Balgal Beach — 5-14: 9.1% Rollingstone — 5-14: 18.8%
15-19 3.0% / 3.0%
Balgal Beach — 15-19: 3.0% Rollingstone — 15-19: 3.0%
20-24 3.1% / 2.3%
Balgal Beach — 20-24: 3.1% Rollingstone — 20-24: 2.3%
25-34 5.1% / 12.8%
Balgal Beach — 25-34: 5.1% Rollingstone — 25-34: 12.8%
35-44 7.6% / 10.5%
Balgal Beach — 35-44: 7.6% Rollingstone — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 14.0% / 16.5%
Balgal Beach — 45-54: 14.0% Rollingstone — 45-54: 16.5%
55-64 21.0% / 9.8%
Balgal Beach — 55-64: 21.0% Rollingstone — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 23.5% / 15.8%
Balgal Beach — 65-74: 23.5% Rollingstone — 65-74: 15.8%
75-84 10.7% / 3.8%
Balgal Beach — 75-84: 10.7% Rollingstone — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 0.9% / —
Balgal Beach — 85+: 0.9% Rollingstone — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balgal Beach 57.0% lone person
Balgal Beach — Lone Person: 57.0% Balgal Beach — Couple Families: 18.9% Balgal Beach — One Parent Families: 12.7% Balgal Beach — Group Household: 9.0% Balgal Beach — Other Families: 2.5%
Rollingstone 47.7% lone person
Rollingstone — Lone Person: 47.7% Rollingstone — Couple Families: 29.5% Rollingstone — One Parent Families: 15.9% Rollingstone — Group Household: 6.8% Rollingstone — 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.

Balgal Beach 17.5% renting
Balgal Beach — Owned Outright: 50.6% Balgal Beach — Mortgage: 31.9% Balgal Beach — Renting: 17.5%
Rollingstone 20.4% renting
Rollingstone — Owned Outright: 37.0% Rollingstone — Mortgage: 42.6% Rollingstone — Renting: 20.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Certificate III & IV 19.3% / 15.8%
Balgal Beach — Certificate III & IV: 19.3% Rollingstone — Certificate III & IV: 15.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.0% / 8.3%
Balgal Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0% Rollingstone — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Bachelor Degree 5.3% / 6.8%
Balgal Beach — Bachelor Degree: 5.3% Rollingstone — Bachelor Degree: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 3.8%
Balgal Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Rollingstone — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / —
Balgal Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Rollingstone — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

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.

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
England 4.4% / 3.8%
Balgal Beach — England: 4.4% Rollingstone — England: 3.8%
New Zealand 2.5% / 2.3%
Balgal Beach — New Zealand: 2.5% Rollingstone — New Zealand: 2.3%
France — / 3.8%
Balgal Beach — France: not among its largest Rollingstone — France: 3.8%
Scotland 1.0% / —
Balgal Beach — Scotland: 1.0% Rollingstone — Scotland: not among its largest
Germany 0.7% / —
Balgal Beach — Germany: 0.7% Rollingstone — Germany: not among its largest
Canada 0.6% / —
Balgal Beach — Canada: 0.6% Rollingstone — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Balgal Beach 98.4% houses
Balgal Beach — Houses: 98.4% Balgal Beach — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Rollingstone 82.1% houses
Rollingstone — Houses: 82.1% Rollingstone — Flats / Apartments: 17.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Median house price $532,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $240,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 46 days
from 19 sales
 —

Development activity

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
New dwellings approved 1,096
across Townsville
same for both
Approvals change year on year -22%
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.

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Houses 5.4%
$680/wk on $650K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 11% of QLD
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 58% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of QLD Higher than 76% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 96% of QLD —

Liveability

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Grade D —
Score 16/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Rollingstone carries more crime risk (95 vs 50); Rollingstone carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 52).

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Bushfire Moderate
52/100
 High
74/100
Crime Moderate
50/100
 High
95/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
32/100
 High
79/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Balgal Beach

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

Schools in Rollingstone

  • Rollingstone State School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 1 5

Mobility

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Walkability score 14/100 13/100
Distance to Brisbane 1407 km 1406 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 959 min 956 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 4816
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 73
postcode 4816
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.

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Car (driver) 79.3% / 72.0%
Balgal Beach — Car (driver): 79.3% Rollingstone — Car (driver): 72.0%
Worked from Home 6.3% / 18.0%
Balgal Beach — Worked from Home: 6.3% Rollingstone — Worked from Home: 18.0%
Walked Only 2.6% / 10.0%
Balgal Beach — Walked Only: 2.6% Rollingstone — Walked Only: 10.0%
Car (passenger) 9.6% / —
Balgal Beach — Car (passenger): 9.6% Rollingstone — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 2.2% / —
Balgal Beach — Bus: 2.2% Rollingstone — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.3%).

Setting

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.4 km
2.6 km to a named beach
 4.0 km

NBN connectivity

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Connectivity score 64/100 65/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 35%
659 premises
 53%
32 premises

Climate

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Annual rainfall 1,304 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 15.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Average residential rate $1,810/yr
same for both
Council Townsville
same for both

Federal electorate

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Balgal Beach Rollingstone
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Balgal Beach

Acreage Affordable Coastal Retirees

Rollingstone

Rural

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Full data on Balgal Beach Full data on Rollingstone
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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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