Ball Bay vs Seaforth

Comparing Ball Bay and Seaforth, QLD: Seaforth carries more crime risk (74 vs 23); Seaforth has more residents (800 vs 384); and Ball Bay carries more bushfire risk (49 vs 35).

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

  • Ball Bay carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 74/100)
  • Seaforth 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

They split

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

  • Ball Bay leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 37%)
  • Seaforth has cheaper land ($262,500 vs $370,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Ball Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 27%)

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

Ball Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 74/100)

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

Investors

Ball Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (6.7% vs 1.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Ball Bay Seaforth
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.

Ball Bay Seaforth
Walkability 0 / 0
Ball Bay — Walkability: 0/100 Seaforth — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 77 / 26
Ball Bay — Safety: 77/100 Seaforth — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 51 / 65
Ball Bay — Low fire risk: 51/100 Seaforth — Low fire risk: 65/100

Demographics

Seaforth has more residents (800 vs 384); Ball Bay has higher household incomes ($69,992 vs $56,576).

Ball Bay Seaforth
Population 384 800
+108% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.7% +1.4%
Median age 56
same for both
Median household income $69,992/yr
+19% vs other
 $56,576/yr
Median weekly rent $290/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ball Bay Seaforth
0-4 3.4% / 4.0%
Ball Bay — 0-4: 3.4% Seaforth — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 8.6% / 9.8%
Ball Bay — 5-14: 8.6% Seaforth — 5-14: 9.8%
15-19 2.9% / 3.1%
Ball Bay — 15-19: 2.9% Seaforth — 15-19: 3.1%
20-24 2.9% / 3.5%
Ball Bay — 20-24: 2.9% Seaforth — 20-24: 3.5%
25-34 6.8% / 6.4%
Ball Bay — 25-34: 6.8% Seaforth — 25-34: 6.4%
35-44 8.3% / 11.1%
Ball Bay — 35-44: 8.3% Seaforth — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 13.3% / 11.8%
Ball Bay — 45-54: 13.3% Seaforth — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 28.4% / 21.5%
Ball Bay — 55-64: 28.4% Seaforth — 55-64: 21.5%
65-74 18.2% / 17.6%
Ball Bay — 65-74: 18.2% Seaforth — 65-74: 17.6%
75-84 8.1% / 10.6%
Ball Bay — 75-84: 8.1% Seaforth — 75-84: 10.6%
85+ — / 2.2%
Ball Bay — 85+: not among its largest Seaforth — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ball Bay 47.0% lone person
Ball Bay — Lone Person: 47.0% Ball Bay — Couple Families: 34.9% Ball Bay — Group Household: 9.6% Ball Bay — One Parent Families: 8.4%
Seaforth 53.6% lone person
Seaforth — Lone Person: 53.6% Seaforth — Couple Families: 32.2% Seaforth — Group Household: 6.6% Seaforth — One Parent Families: 7.7%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ball Bay 16.7% renting
Ball Bay — Owned Outright: 44.2% Ball Bay — Mortgage: 39.1% Ball Bay — Renting: 16.7%
Seaforth 12.9% renting
Seaforth — Owned Outright: 54.8% Seaforth — Mortgage: 32.3% Seaforth — Renting: 12.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Ball Bay Seaforth
Certificate III & IV 19.5% / 22.2%
Ball Bay — Certificate III & IV: 19.5% Seaforth — Certificate III & IV: 22.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.6% / 4.9%
Ball Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6% Seaforth — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Bachelor Degree 6.0% / 3.0%
Ball Bay — Bachelor Degree: 6.0% Seaforth — Bachelor Degree: 3.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.1%
Ball Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Seaforth — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / —
Ball Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Seaforth — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

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.

Ball Bay Seaforth
England 4.7% / 1.6%
Ball Bay — England: 4.7% Seaforth — England: 1.6%
New Zealand 2.1% / 1.8%
Ball Bay — New Zealand: 2.1% Seaforth — New Zealand: 1.8%
South Africa 2.1% / —
Ball Bay — South Africa: 2.1% Seaforth — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland 1.3% / 0.4%
Ball Bay — Scotland: 1.3% Seaforth — Scotland: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.6%
Ball Bay — Philippines: not among its largest Seaforth — Philippines: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.5%
Ball Bay — Germany: not among its largest Seaforth — Germany: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ball Bay 98.1% houses
Ball Bay — Houses: 98.1% Ball Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Ball Bay — Townhouses: 1.9%
Seaforth 97.2% houses
Seaforth — Houses: 97.2% Seaforth — Flats / Apartments: 2.8% Seaforth — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Ball Bay Seaforth
Median house price $645,000 $630,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $370,000 $262,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 78 days
from 6 sales
 43 days
from 11 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Ball Bay Seaforth
3 bed $635K / $630K
Ball Bay — 3 bed: $635K (7 sales) Seaforth — 3 bed: $630K (13 sales)

7 vs 13 sales

4 bed $706K / $528K
Ball Bay — 4 bed: $706K (8 sales) Seaforth — 4 bed: $528K (10 sales)

8 vs 10 sales

Development activity

Ball Bay Seaforth
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Ball Bay Seaforth
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 37% of QLD Higher than 19% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 43% of QLD Higher than 61% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 9% of QLD Higher than 10% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of QLD Higher than 77% of QLD

Liveability

Ball Bay Seaforth
Grade — D
Score — 17/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Seaforth carries more crime risk (74 vs 23); Ball Bay carries more bushfire risk (49 vs 35).

Ball Bay Seaforth
Bushfire Moderate
49/100
 Low
35/100
Crime Low
23/100
 High
74/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
74/100
 Moderate
67/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Ball Bay Seaforth
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 Ball Bay

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

Schools in Seaforth

  • Seaforth State School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Ball Bay Seaforth
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 3 18

Mobility

Ball Bay Seaforth
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1007.6 km 1009.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 691 min 695 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4741
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 4741
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.

Ball Bay Seaforth
Car (driver) 83.6% / 84.9%
Ball Bay — Car (driver): 83.6% Seaforth — Car (driver): 84.9%
Worked from Home 7.9% / 4.6%
Ball Bay — Worked from Home: 7.9% Seaforth — Worked from Home: 4.6%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 5.0%
Ball Bay — Car (passenger): 4.3% Seaforth — Car (passenger): 5.0%
Bus 2.1% / 4.1%
Ball Bay — Bus: 2.1% Seaforth — Bus: 4.1%
Walked Only 2.1% / 1.4%
Ball Bay — Walked Only: 2.1% Seaforth — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.9%).

Setting

Ball Bay Seaforth
Elevation 62 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.4 km
2.7 km to a named beach
 3.5 km

NBN connectivity

Ball Bay Seaforth
Connectivity score 30/100 66/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
232 premises
 42%
572 premises

Climate

Ball Bay Seaforth
Annual rainfall 1,633 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 14.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Ball Bay Seaforth
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Ball Bay Seaforth
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ball Bay Seaforth
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ball Bay

Acreage Coastal Quiet Retirees

Seaforth

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ball Bay

Ball Bay vs Mount Jukes Ball Bay vs Haliday Bay Ball Bay vs Coral Sea

Other comparisons with Seaforth

Seaforth vs Kuttabul Seaforth vs Mount Jukes Seaforth vs Mount Ossa Seaforth vs Haliday Bay Seaforth vs Coral Sea
Full data on Ball Bay Full data on Seaforth
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or