Barron vs Machans Beach

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Barron tends to suit share households, while Machans Beach 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Barron is already more of a family suburb (65% vs 53%)
  • Machans Beach has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)

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

Barron

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($295/wk vs $370/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Machans Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (42/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Machans Beach

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (42/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 13%)
  • carries lower crime risk (74/100 vs 96/100)

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

Investors

Barron

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (61.9% vs -10.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Barron Machans Beach
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.

Barron Machans Beach
Walkability 0 / 42
Barron — Walkability: 0/100 Machans Beach — Walkability: 42/100
Safety 4 / 26
Barron — Safety: 4/100 Machans Beach — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Barron — Low fire risk: 100/100 Machans Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Machans Beach has more residents (943 vs 68); Barron has higher household incomes ($106,184 vs $83,720).

Barron Machans Beach
Population 68 943
+1287% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +61.9% -10.3%
Median age 48 47
Median household income $106,184/yr
+21% vs other
 $83,720/yr
Median weekly rent $295/wk $370/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Barron Machans Beach
0-4 8.8% / 5.0%
Barron — 0-4: 8.8% Machans Beach — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 5.9% / 12.2%
Barron — 5-14: 5.9% Machans Beach — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 — / 4.3%
Barron — 15-19: not among its largest Machans Beach — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 7.4% / 3.2%
Barron — 20-24: 7.4% Machans Beach — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 13.2% / 9.0%
Barron — 25-34: 13.2% Machans Beach — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 11.8% / 12.6%
Barron — 35-44: 11.8% Machans Beach — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 20.6% / 15.8%
Barron — 45-54: 20.6% Machans Beach — 45-54: 15.8%
55-64 23.5% / 18.9%
Barron — 55-64: 23.5% Machans Beach — 55-64: 18.9%
65-74 13.2% / 13.3%
Barron — 65-74: 13.2% Machans Beach — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 — / 4.9%
Barron — 75-84: not among its largest Machans Beach — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ — / 1.1%
Barron — 85+: not among its largest Machans Beach — 85+: 1.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Barron 35.0% couple families
Barron — Couple Families: 35.0% Barron — Lone Person: 20.0% Barron — One Parent Families: 30.0% Barron — Group Household: 15.0% Barron — Other Families: 0.0%
Machans Beach 31.7% couple families
Machans Beach — Couple Families: 31.7% Machans Beach — Lone Person: 36.0% Machans Beach — One Parent Families: 21.6% Machans Beach — Group Household: 8.3% Machans Beach — Other Families: 2.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Barron 23.1% renting
Barron — Owned Outright: 42.3% Barron — Mortgage: 34.6% Barron — Renting: 23.1%
Machans Beach 28.2% renting
Machans Beach — Owned Outright: 31.8% Machans Beach — Mortgage: 40.1% Machans Beach — Renting: 28.2%
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.

Barron Machans Beach
New Zealand 4.4% / 3.6%
Barron — New Zealand: 4.4% Machans Beach — New Zealand: 3.6%
England — / 5.0%
Barron — England: not among its largest Machans Beach — England: 5.0%
Germany — / 0.8%
Barron — Germany: not among its largest Machans Beach — Germany: 0.8%
Italy — / 0.7%
Barron — Italy: not among its largest Machans Beach — Italy: 0.7%
China — / 0.6%
Barron — China: not among its largest Machans Beach — China: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.0%).

Qualifications

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

Barron Machans Beach
Certificate III & IV 20.6% / 16.9%
Barron — Certificate III & IV: 20.6% Machans Beach — Certificate III & IV: 16.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 12.6%
Barron — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Machans Beach — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Postgraduate Degree 8.8% / 5.3%
Barron — Postgraduate Degree: 8.8% Machans Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.4% / 9.4%
Barron — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4% Machans Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.9%
Barron — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Machans Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Barron 108.3% houses
Barron — Houses: 108.3% Barron — Townhouses: 0.0% Barron — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Machans Beach 90.4% houses
Machans Beach — Houses: 90.4% Machans Beach — Townhouses: 7.7% Machans Beach — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Barron Machans Beach
Median house price — $659,250
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $270,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 31 days
from 19 sales

Development activity

Barron Machans Beach
New dwellings approved 767
across Cairns
same for both
Approvals change year on year -81%
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.

Barron Machans Beach
Houses — 3.9%
$740/wk on $989K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Barron Machans Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 55% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 5% of QLD Higher than 85% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 75% of QLD Higher than 76% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 47% of QLD

Liveability

Machans Beach is more walkable (42 vs 0).

Barron Machans Beach
Grade — C
Score — 44/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Barron carries more crime risk (96 vs 74).

Barron Machans Beach
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
96/100
 High
74/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
83/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Barron Machans Beach
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
James Cook University - Cairns, 5.0 km
 1
James Cook University - Cairns, 7.2 km

Schools in Barron

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

Schools in Machans Beach

  • Machans Beach State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Barron Machans Beach
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 1 2

Mobility

Barron Machans Beach
Walkability score 0/100 42/100
Distance to Brisbane 1707.6 km 1709 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1187 min 1183 min
Public transport score 25/100
Bus
 49/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 2.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 9.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 23 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 4878
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 4878
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.

Barron Machans Beach
Car (driver) 52.0% / 68.6%
Barron — Car (driver): 52.0% Machans Beach — Car (driver): 68.6%
Worked from Home 32.0% / 20.0%
Barron — Worked from Home: 32.0% Machans Beach — Worked from Home: 20.0%
Walked Only 16.0% / 1.6%
Barron — Walked Only: 16.0% Machans Beach — Walked Only: 1.6%
Car (passenger) — / 5.4%
Barron — Car (passenger): not among its largest Machans Beach — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Bus — / 2.2%
Barron — Bus: not among its largest Machans Beach — Bus: 2.2%
Bicycle — / 2.2%
Barron — Bicycle: not among its largest Machans Beach — Bicycle: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.6%).

Setting

Barron Machans Beach
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 10 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km 345 m

NBN connectivity

Barron Machans Beach
Connectivity score 68/100 73/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
21 premises
 52%
500 premises

Climate

Barron Machans Beach
Annual rainfall 2,121 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 18.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Barron Machans Beach
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Barron Machans Beach
Average residential rate $1,354/yr
same for both
Council Cairns
same for both

Federal electorate

Barron Machans Beach
Division Leichhardt
same for both
Member Matt Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Barron

Rural Young Families

Machans Beach

Acreage Affordable Coastal Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Barron

Barron vs Smithfield Barron vs Yorkeys Knob Barron vs Holloways Beach Barron vs Caravonica Barron vs Freshwater Barron vs Stratford

Other comparisons with Machans Beach

Machans Beach vs Holloways Beach Machans Beach vs Stratford Machans Beach vs Aeroglen Machans Beach vs Coral Sea
Full data on Barron Full data on Machans Beach
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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