Balnagowan vs Walkerston

Walkerston is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 40 in Balnagowan. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Balnagowan, most households are couple families. In Walkerston, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Balnagowan: a median of $1.24 million, against $670,000 in Walkerston, though rent is higher in Walkerston. On these figures, Balnagowan tends to suit couples, while Walkerston suits buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Walkerston

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Balnagowan is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 69%)

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

First-home buyers

Walkerston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($670,000 vs $1,240,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Balnagowan

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 17%)
  • has cheaper rent ($275/wk vs $360/wk)
  • But Walkerston has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 8%)

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

Commuting to the city

Walkerston

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (666 min vs 674 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (971.6 km vs 980.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Walkerston

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

Weighs 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

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

Balnagowan Walkerston
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.

Balnagowan Walkerston
Walkability 0 / 68
Balnagowan — Walkability: 0/100 Walkerston — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 59 / 66
Balnagowan — Safety: 59/100 Walkerston — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Balnagowan — Low fire risk: 100/100 Walkerston — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Walkerston has more residents (3,615 vs 438); Walkerston rents higher ($360/wk vs $275/wk).

Balnagowan Walkerston
Population 438 3,615
+725% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.8% +6.2%
Median age 40 35
Median household income $143,000/yr
+22% vs other
 $111,384/yr
Median weekly rent $275/wk $360/wk
+31% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balnagowan Walkerston
0-4 5.0% / 8.1%
Balnagowan — 0-4: 5.0% Walkerston — 0-4: 8.1%
5-14 17.1% / 14.3%
Balnagowan — 5-14: 17.1% Walkerston — 5-14: 14.3%
15-19 11.2% / 6.1%
Balnagowan — 15-19: 11.2% Walkerston — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 3.7% / 6.3%
Balnagowan — 20-24: 3.7% Walkerston — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 8.7% / 14.4%
Balnagowan — 25-34: 8.7% Walkerston — 25-34: 14.4%
35-44 14.4% / 11.6%
Balnagowan — 35-44: 14.4% Walkerston — 35-44: 11.6%
45-54 17.8% / 13.2%
Balnagowan — 45-54: 17.8% Walkerston — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 11.6% / 12.9%
Balnagowan — 55-64: 11.6% Walkerston — 55-64: 12.9%
65-74 8.9% / 7.9%
Balnagowan — 65-74: 8.9% Walkerston — 65-74: 7.9%
75-84 2.3% / 3.8%
Balnagowan — 75-84: 2.3% Walkerston — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ — / 1.2%
Balnagowan — 85+: not among its largest Walkerston — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balnagowan 71.3% couple families
Balnagowan — Couple Families: 71.3% Balnagowan — Lone Person: 16.0% Balnagowan — One Parent Families: 12.8% Balnagowan — Group Household: 0.0%
Walkerston 54.4% couple families
Walkerston — Couple Families: 54.4% Walkerston — Lone Person: 26.0% Walkerston — One Parent Families: 14.7% Walkerston — Group Household: 5.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Balnagowan 7.8% renting
Balnagowan — Owned Outright: 37.2% Balnagowan — Mortgage: 55.0% Balnagowan — Renting: 7.8%
Walkerston 23.7% renting
Walkerston — Owned Outright: 30.7% Walkerston — Mortgage: 45.6% Walkerston — Renting: 23.7%
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.

Balnagowan Walkerston
New Zealand 2.7% / 2.1%
Balnagowan — New Zealand: 2.7% Walkerston — New Zealand: 2.1%
South Africa 2.1% / 0.7%
Balnagowan — South Africa: 2.1% Walkerston — South Africa: 0.7%
England 0.7% / 1.2%
Balnagowan — England: 0.7% Walkerston — England: 1.2%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Balnagowan — Philippines: not among its largest Walkerston — Philippines: 0.4%
Scotland — / 0.2%
Balnagowan — Scotland: not among its largest Walkerston — Scotland: 0.2%

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

Qualifications

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

Balnagowan Walkerston
Certificate III & IV 20.8% / 22.4%
Balnagowan — Certificate III & IV: 20.8% Walkerston — Certificate III & IV: 22.4%
Bachelor Degree 6.2% / 4.6%
Balnagowan — Bachelor Degree: 6.2% Walkerston — Bachelor Degree: 4.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 4.6%
Balnagowan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Walkerston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 0.6%
Balnagowan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Walkerston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.6%
Balnagowan — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Walkerston — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Balnagowan 100.0% houses
Balnagowan — Houses: 100.0% Balnagowan — Townhouses: 0.0% Balnagowan — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Walkerston 92.2% houses
Walkerston — Houses: 92.2% Walkerston — Townhouses: 7.1% Walkerston — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Balnagowan Walkerston
Median house price $1,240,500 $670,000
Median unit price — $580,000
Median land price — $462,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 36 days
from 36 sales

Development activity

Balnagowan Walkerston
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
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.

Balnagowan Walkerston
Houses — 4.8%
$660/wk on $709K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Balnagowan Walkerston
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 83% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 26% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 40% of QLD Higher than 2% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 87% of QLD

Liveability

Walkerston is more walkable (68 vs 0).

Balnagowan Walkerston
Grade — B
Score — 62/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Balnagowan Walkerston
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
41/100
 Low
34/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Balnagowan Walkerston
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Balnagowan

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

Schools in Walkerston

  • St John's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Walkerston State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Balnagowan Walkerston
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 7
Childcare 0 4
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 15 1

Mobility

Balnagowan sits further from the CBD (980.6 km vs 971.6 km).

Balnagowan Walkerston
Walkability score 0/100 68/100
Distance to Brisbane 980.6 km 971.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 674 min 666 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.1%
postcode 4751
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 65
postcode 4751

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.

Balnagowan Walkerston
Car (driver) 77.7% / 86.9%
Balnagowan — Car (driver): 77.7% Walkerston — Car (driver): 86.9%
Worked from Home 11.7% / 4.7%
Balnagowan — Worked from Home: 11.7% Walkerston — Worked from Home: 4.7%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 4.8%
Balnagowan — Car (passenger): 5.3% Walkerston — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Walked Only 2.9% / 1.6%
Balnagowan — Walked Only: 2.9% Walkerston — Walked Only: 1.6%
Bus 2.4% / 1.8%
Balnagowan — Bus: 2.4% Walkerston — Bus: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.9%).

Setting

Balnagowan Walkerston
Elevation 38 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.3 km 13.5 km

NBN connectivity

Balnagowan Walkerston
Connectivity score 30/100 69/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
152 premises
 45%
1,481 premises

Climate

Balnagowan Walkerston
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)

Balnagowan Walkerston
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Balnagowan Walkerston
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Balnagowan Walkerston
Division Dawson Capricornia
Member Andrew Willcox Michelle Landry
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Balnagowan Walkerston
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Balnagowan

Family River Rural

Walkerston

Acreage Family Parks Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balnagowan

Balnagowan vs Marian Balnagowan vs Farleigh Balnagowan vs The Leap Balnagowan vs Hampden Balnagowan vs Pleystowe Balnagowan vs Dumbleton

Other comparisons with Walkerston

Walkerston vs Greenmount Walkerston vs Pleystowe Walkerston vs Palmyra Walkerston vs Dumbleton Walkerston vs Alexandra
Full data on Balnagowan Full data on Walkerston
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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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