Baringa vs Bells Creek

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Baringa, most households are couple families. On these figures, Baringa tends to suit families with children and couples, while Bells Creek suits young adults and people living alone.

Baringa is a significantly larger and more established community with 4604 residents compared to Bells Creek's 343, offering much better walkability (66 versus 10) and noticeably lower crime risk (63 versus 96). Bells Creek is slightly closer to the CBD and has higher weekly rents at $560 compared to Baringa's $485, suggesting a smaller, quieter setting. Baringa suits buyers seeking suburban amenities and accessibility, while Bells Creek appeals to those prioritising a more remote, rural environment—though its higher crime risk score warrants consideration.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Baringa

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 96/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 63%)
  • But Bells Creek has more separate houses rather than flats (94% vs 83%)

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

Baringa

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 13%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 29%)
  • has cheaper rent ($485/wk vs $560/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

  • Baringa is more walkable (66/100 vs 13/100)
  • Bells Creek sits closer to the CBD (78.5 km vs 81.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Baringa

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 13/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (17% vs 6%)
  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 96/100)
  • But Bells Creek has more residents already 65 and over (10% vs 5%)

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

Where they sit

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

Baringa Bells Creek
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.

Baringa Bells Creek
Walkability 66 / 13
Baringa — Walkability: 66/100 Bells Creek — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 37 / 4
Baringa — Safety: 37/100 Bells Creek — Safety: 4/100
Low fire risk 100 / 63
Baringa — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bells Creek — Low fire risk: 63/100

Demographics

Baringa has more residents (4,604 vs 343); Bells Creek rents higher ($560/wk vs $485/wk).

Baringa Bells Creek
Population 4,604
+93% vs other
 343
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4797.9% —
Median age 29 31
Median household income $106,600/yr
+5% vs other
 $100,984/yr
Median weekly rent $485/wk $560/wk
+15% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Baringa Bells Creek
0-4 10.6% / 5.0%
Baringa — 0-4: 10.6% Bells Creek — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 17.9% / 12.0%
Baringa — 5-14: 17.9% Bells Creek — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 5.0% / 2.6%
Baringa — 15-19: 5.0% Bells Creek — 15-19: 2.6%
20-24 5.9% / 13.7%
Baringa — 20-24: 5.9% Bells Creek — 20-24: 13.7%
25-34 21.7% / 26.5%
Baringa — 25-34: 21.7% Bells Creek — 25-34: 26.5%
35-44 18.1% / 10.8%
Baringa — 35-44: 18.1% Bells Creek — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 9.4% / 7.0%
Baringa — 45-54: 9.4% Bells Creek — 45-54: 7.0%
55-64 6.6% / 11.7%
Baringa — 55-64: 6.6% Bells Creek — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 3.5% / 6.1%
Baringa — 65-74: 3.5% Bells Creek — 65-74: 6.1%
75-84 1.1% / 2.6%
Baringa — 75-84: 1.1% Bells Creek — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ 0.2% / 1.2%
Baringa — 85+: 0.2% Bells Creek — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Baringa 57.3% couple families
Baringa — Couple Families: 57.3% Baringa — Lone Person: 16.1% Baringa — One Parent Families: 20.3% Baringa — Group Household: 4.6% Baringa — Other Families: 1.6%
Bells Creek 38.6% couple families
Bells Creek — Couple Families: 38.6% Bells Creek — Lone Person: 31.3% Bells Creek — One Parent Families: 24.1% Bells Creek — Group Household: 6.0% Bells Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Baringa 42.8% renting
Baringa — Owned Outright: 11.5% Baringa — Mortgage: 45.7% Baringa — Renting: 42.8%
Bells Creek 12.8% renting
Bells Creek — Owned Outright: 13.5% Bells Creek — Mortgage: 73.7% Bells Creek — Renting: 12.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Baringa Bells Creek
Certificate III & IV 17.8% / 21.6%
Baringa — Certificate III & IV: 17.8% Bells Creek — Certificate III & IV: 21.6%
Bachelor Degree 10.9% / 15.5%
Baringa — Bachelor Degree: 10.9% Bells Creek — Bachelor Degree: 15.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 11.1%
Baringa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Bells Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.1%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 3.2%
Baringa — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Bells Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.7%
Baringa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Bells Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.6%).

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.

Baringa Bells Creek
England 5.8% / 4.7%
Baringa — England: 5.8% Bells Creek — England: 4.7%
New Zealand 5.8% / 4.4%
Baringa — New Zealand: 5.8% Bells Creek — New Zealand: 4.4%
Philippines 0.8% / 4.1%
Baringa — Philippines: 0.8% Bells Creek — Philippines: 4.1%
India 3.8% / 0.9%
Baringa — India: 3.8% Bells Creek — India: 0.9%
South Africa 1.4% / 1.2%
Baringa — South Africa: 1.4% Bells Creek — South Africa: 1.2%
Nepal 1.0% / —
Baringa — Nepal: 1.0% Bells Creek — Nepal: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Baringa 83.0% houses
Baringa — Houses: 83.0% Baringa — Townhouses: 16.4% Baringa — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Bells Creek 94.2% houses
Bells Creek — Houses: 94.2% Bells Creek — Townhouses: 0.0% Bells Creek — Flats / Apartments: 5.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Baringa Bells Creek
Median house price $1,025,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Baringa Bells Creek
New dwellings approved 2,962
across Sunshine Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -41%
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.

Baringa Bells Creek
Houses 3.8%
$755/wk on $1.02M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Baringa Bells Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 79% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of QLD Higher than 74% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 82% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of QLD
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 43% of QLD —

Liveability

Baringa is more walkable (66 vs 13).

Baringa Bells Creek
Grade B —
Score 66/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Bells Creek carries more bushfire risk (37 vs 0); Bells Creek carries more crime risk (96 vs 63).

Baringa Bells Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
37/100
Crime Moderate
63/100
 High
96/100
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 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Baringa Bells Creek
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 2
Universities within 10 km 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast, 9.7 km
 None

Schools in Baringa

  • Baringa State Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Baringa State Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Bells Creek

  • Nirimba State Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Notre Dame College Catholic · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Baringa Bells Creek
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 2 4
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 1 16

Mobility

Baringa sits further from the CBD (81.8 km vs 78.5 km).

Baringa Bells Creek
Walkability score 66/100 13/100
Distance to Brisbane 81.8 km
+4% vs other
 78.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 70 min 66 min
Public transport score 61/100
Bus
 38/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 15.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 6.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 4551
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 72
postcode 4551
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.

Baringa Bells Creek
Car (driver) 77.7% / 76.3%
Baringa — Car (driver): 77.7% Bells Creek — Car (driver): 76.3%
Worked from Home 14.1% / 13.2%
Baringa — Worked from Home: 14.1% Bells Creek — Worked from Home: 13.2%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 6.3%
Baringa — Car (passenger): 4.8% Bells Creek — Car (passenger): 6.3%
Walked Only 1.0% / 4.2%
Baringa — Walked Only: 1.0% Bells Creek — Walked Only: 4.2%
Bus 1.4% / —
Baringa — Bus: 1.4% Bells Creek — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.7%).

Setting

Baringa Bells Creek
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.3 km
4.4 km to a named beach
 3.8 km
4.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Baringa Bells Creek
Connectivity score 99/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 98%
2,101 premises
 100%
2,505 premises

Climate

Baringa Bells Creek
Annual rainfall 1,052 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 14.7°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Baringa Bells Creek
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.31 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Baringa Bells Creek
Average residential rate $1,690/yr
same for both
Council Sunshine Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Baringa Bells Creek
Division Fisher
same for both
Member Andrew Wallace
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Baringa Bells Creek
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Baringa

Family River Young Families

Bells Creek

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Baringa

Baringa vs Little Mountain Baringa vs Caloundra West Baringa vs Nirimba

Other comparisons with Bells Creek

Bells Creek vs Pelican Waters Bells Creek vs Caloundra West Bells Creek vs Nirimba Bells Creek vs Coochin Creek
Full data on Baringa Full data on Bells Creek
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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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