Barlows Hill vs Meikleville Hill

Barlows Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 52 in Meikleville Hill. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Barlows Hill, about half of households are couple families. In Meikleville Hill, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Barlows Hill tends to suit couples, while Meikleville Hill suits people living alone.

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

Barlows Hill

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 68%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (64% vs 47%)

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

First-home buyers

Meikleville Hill

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($612,500 vs $900,000)
  • has cheaper land ($440,000 vs $522,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Meikleville Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Meikleville Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 28/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Meikleville Hill

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (32% vs 3%)
  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 28/100)

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

Investors

Barlows Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.3% vs -3.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
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.

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Walkability 28 / 40
Barlows Hill — Walkability: 28/100 Meikleville Hill — Walkability: 40/100
Safety 75 / 80
Barlows Hill — Safety: 75/100 Meikleville Hill — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Barlows Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100 Meikleville Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Barlows Hill has more residents (834 vs 450); Barlows Hill rents higher ($400/wk vs $300/wk).

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Population 834
+46% vs other
 450
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.3% -3.0%
Median age 45 52
Median household income $106,444/yr
+22% vs other
 $82,628/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+25% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
0-4 4.4% / 2.2%
Barlows Hill — 0-4: 4.4% Meikleville Hill — 0-4: 2.2%
5-14 13.3% / 11.1%
Barlows Hill — 5-14: 13.3% Meikleville Hill — 5-14: 11.1%
15-19 4.4% / 4.2%
Barlows Hill — 15-19: 4.4% Meikleville Hill — 15-19: 4.2%
20-24 4.7% / 5.8%
Barlows Hill — 20-24: 4.7% Meikleville Hill — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 9.4% / 10.4%
Barlows Hill — 25-34: 9.4% Meikleville Hill — 25-34: 10.4%
35-44 13.2% / 10.4%
Barlows Hill — 35-44: 13.2% Meikleville Hill — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 12.5% / 9.8%
Barlows Hill — 45-54: 12.5% Meikleville Hill — 45-54: 9.8%
55-64 13.9% / 21.6%
Barlows Hill — 55-64: 13.9% Meikleville Hill — 55-64: 21.6%
65-74 15.0% / 17.1%
Barlows Hill — 65-74: 15.0% Meikleville Hill — 65-74: 17.1%
75-84 6.1% / 7.1%
Barlows Hill — 75-84: 6.1% Meikleville Hill — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 2.3% / 2.0%
Barlows Hill — 85+: 2.3% Meikleville Hill — 85+: 2.0%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Barlows Hill 45.8% couple families
Barlows Hill — Couple Families: 45.8% Barlows Hill — Lone Person: 28.4% Barlows Hill — One Parent Families: 17.9% Barlows Hill — Group Household: 7.9%
Meikleville Hill 34.9% couple families
Meikleville Hill — Couple Families: 34.9% Meikleville Hill — Lone Person: 46.8% Meikleville Hill — One Parent Families: 11.9% Meikleville Hill — Group Household: 6.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Barlows Hill 18.6% renting
Barlows Hill — Owned Outright: 40.2% Barlows Hill — Mortgage: 41.2% Barlows Hill — Renting: 18.6%
Meikleville Hill 27.0% renting
Meikleville Hill — Owned Outright: 46.1% Meikleville Hill — Mortgage: 27.0% Meikleville Hill — Renting: 27.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Certificate III & IV 18.6% / 16.7%
Barlows Hill — Certificate III & IV: 18.6% Meikleville Hill — Certificate III & IV: 16.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.0% / 13.8%
Barlows Hill — Bachelor Degree: 9.0% Meikleville Hill — Bachelor Degree: 13.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 7.1%
Barlows Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Meikleville Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 3.6%
Barlows Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Meikleville Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 3.1%
Barlows Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Meikleville Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

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.

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
England 3.1% / 4.4%
Barlows Hill — England: 3.1% Meikleville Hill — England: 4.4%
New Zealand 2.6% / 1.8%
Barlows Hill — New Zealand: 2.6% Meikleville Hill — New Zealand: 1.8%
Philippines 1.2% / 1.1%
Barlows Hill — Philippines: 1.2% Meikleville Hill — Philippines: 1.1%
South Africa 0.4% / 1.8%
Barlows Hill — South Africa: 0.4% Meikleville Hill — South Africa: 1.8%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.9%
Barlows Hill — Scotland: 0.8% Meikleville Hill — Scotland: 0.9%
Vietnam — / 1.1%
Barlows Hill — Vietnam: not among its largest Meikleville Hill — Vietnam: 1.1%
Italy 0.6% / —
Barlows Hill — Italy: 0.6% Meikleville Hill — Italy: 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.

Barlows Hill 96.9% houses
Barlows Hill — Houses: 96.9% Barlows Hill — Townhouses: 3.1% Barlows Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Meikleville Hill 67.6% houses
Meikleville Hill — Houses: 67.6% Meikleville Hill — Townhouses: 15.4% Meikleville Hill — Flats / Apartments: 17.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Median house price $868,000 $872,500
Median unit price $900,000 $612,500
Median land price $522,500 $440,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 9 sales
 276 days
from 4 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.

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
3 bed $785K / $770K
Barlows Hill — 3 bed: $785K (17 sales) Meikleville Hill — 3 bed: $770K (5 sales)

17 vs 5 sales

4 bed $1.1M / $903K
Barlows Hill — 4 bed: $1.1M (14 sales) Meikleville Hill — 4 bed: $903K (12 sales)

14 vs 12 sales

Development activity

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
New dwellings approved 317
across Livingstone
same for both
Approvals change year on year +97%
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.

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Houses 4.4%
$750/wk on $895K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 54% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 53% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 77% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 71% of QLD —

Liveability

Meikleville Hill is more walkable (40 vs 28).

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Grade B —
Score 64/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
25/100
 Low
20/100
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

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Cafes & restaurants 0 1

Mobility

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Walkability score 28/100 40/100
Distance to Brisbane 685.6 km 685 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 482 min 481 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4703
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 68
postcode 4703
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.

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Car (driver) 79.0% / 72.4%
Barlows Hill — Car (driver): 79.0% Meikleville Hill — Car (driver): 72.4%
Worked from Home 9.0% / 13.8%
Barlows Hill — Worked from Home: 9.0% Meikleville Hill — Worked from Home: 13.8%
Car (passenger) 9.0% / 7.2%
Barlows Hill — Car (passenger): 9.0% Meikleville Hill — Car (passenger): 7.2%
Walked Only — / 5.0%
Barlows Hill — Walked Only: not among its largest Meikleville Hill — Walked Only: 5.0%
Bus 1.6% / 1.7%
Barlows Hill — Bus: 1.6% Meikleville Hill — Bus: 1.7%
Bicycle 1.3% / —
Barlows Hill — Bicycle: 1.3% Meikleville Hill — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.0%).

Setting

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 50 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.1 km
1.0 km to a named beach
 564 m
670 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Connectivity score 68/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 43%
364 premises
 40%
275 premises

Climate

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Annual rainfall 1,330 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Average residential rate $2,445/yr
same for both
Council Livingstone
same for both

Federal electorate

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Barlows Hill Meikleville Hill
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Barlows Hill

Beach Coastal Large Blocks

Meikleville Hill

Beach Coastal Quiet Retirees

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Full data on Barlows Hill Full data on Meikleville Hill
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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