Bells Creek vs Pelican Waters

Bells Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 55 in Pelican Waters. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Pelican Waters, most households are couple families. On these figures, Bells Creek tends to suit young adults, while Pelican Waters suits couples and older residents.

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

Pelican Waters

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 96/100)

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

First-home buyers

Bells Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 33%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Bells Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (29% vs 35%)

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

Commuting to the city

Bells Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (66 min vs 81 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (78.5 km vs 94 km)
  • But Pelican Waters is more walkable (68/100 vs 13/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Pelican Waters

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 13/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 96/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 10%)

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

Where they sit

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

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
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.

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Walkability 13 / 68
Bells Creek — Walkability: 13/100 Pelican Waters — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 4 / 73
Bells Creek — Safety: 4/100 Pelican Waters — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 63 / 100
Bells Creek — Low fire risk: 63/100 Pelican Waters — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Pelican Waters has more residents (7,393 vs 343); Pelican Waters skews older (55 vs 31).

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Population 343 7,393
+2055% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +17.8%
Median age 31 55
Median household income $100,984/yr
+20% vs other
 $80,704/yr
Median weekly rent $560/wk
+4% vs other
 $540/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
0-4 5.0% / 3.0%
Bells Creek — 0-4: 5.0% Pelican Waters — 0-4: 3.0%
5-14 12.0% / 10.8%
Bells Creek — 5-14: 12.0% Pelican Waters — 5-14: 10.8%
15-19 2.6% / 5.8%
Bells Creek — 15-19: 2.6% Pelican Waters — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 13.7% / 3.2%
Bells Creek — 20-24: 13.7% Pelican Waters — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 26.5% / 4.7%
Bells Creek — 25-34: 26.5% Pelican Waters — 25-34: 4.7%
35-44 10.8% / 7.2%
Bells Creek — 35-44: 10.8% Pelican Waters — 35-44: 7.2%
45-54 7.0% / 14.6%
Bells Creek — 45-54: 7.0% Pelican Waters — 45-54: 14.6%
55-64 11.7% / 17.1%
Bells Creek — 55-64: 11.7% Pelican Waters — 55-64: 17.1%
65-74 6.1% / 20.2%
Bells Creek — 65-74: 6.1% Pelican Waters — 65-74: 20.2%
75-84 2.6% / 11.1%
Bells Creek — 75-84: 2.6% Pelican Waters — 75-84: 11.1%
85+ 1.2% / 2.3%
Bells Creek — 85+: 1.2% Pelican Waters — 85+: 2.3%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Pelican Waters 55.1% couple families
Pelican Waters — Couple Families: 55.1% Pelican Waters — Lone Person: 27.2% Pelican Waters — One Parent Families: 14.3% Pelican Waters — Group Household: 2.3% Pelican Waters — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bells Creek 12.8% renting
Bells Creek — Owned Outright: 13.5% Bells Creek — Mortgage: 73.7% Bells Creek — Renting: 12.8%
Pelican Waters 12.9% renting
Pelican Waters — Owned Outright: 57.3% Pelican Waters — Mortgage: 29.8% Pelican Waters — Renting: 12.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Certificate III & IV 21.6% / 16.7%
Bells Creek — Certificate III & IV: 21.6% Pelican Waters — Certificate III & IV: 16.7%
Bachelor Degree 15.5% / 11.3%
Bells Creek — Bachelor Degree: 15.5% Pelican Waters — Bachelor Degree: 11.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.1% / 10.8%
Bells Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.1% Pelican Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 3.6%
Bells Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Pelican Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.9%
Bells Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Pelican Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

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.

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
England 4.7% / 9.1%
Bells Creek — England: 4.7% Pelican Waters — England: 9.1%
New Zealand 4.4% / 4.8%
Bells Creek — New Zealand: 4.4% Pelican Waters — New Zealand: 4.8%
Philippines 4.1% / —
Bells Creek — Philippines: 4.1% Pelican Waters — Philippines: not among its largest
South Africa 1.2% / 1.6%
Bells Creek — South Africa: 1.2% Pelican Waters — South Africa: 1.6%
Scotland 0.9% / 0.9%
Bells Creek — Scotland: 0.9% Pelican Waters — Scotland: 0.9%
India 0.9% / 0.4%
Bells Creek — India: 0.9% Pelican Waters — India: 0.4%
Germany — / 0.6%
Bells Creek — Germany: not among its largest Pelican Waters — Germany: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bells Creek 94.2% houses
Bells Creek — Houses: 94.2% Bells Creek — Flats / Apartments: 5.8% Bells Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Pelican Waters 88.0% houses
Pelican Waters — Houses: 88.0% Pelican Waters — Flats / Apartments: 5.5% Pelican Waters — Townhouses: 6.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Median house price — $1,530,000
Median unit price — $900,000
Median land price — $1,450,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 38 days
from 118 sales

Development activity

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
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.

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Houses — 3.5%
$1,035/wk on $1.55M
Units — 4.9%
$910/wk on $975K

Ranking within QLD

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 75% of QLD Higher than 51% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 82% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 24% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 69% of QLD

Liveability

Pelican Waters is more walkable (68 vs 13).

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Grade — A
Score — 78/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Bells Creek carries more bushfire risk (37 vs 0); Bells Creek carries more crime risk (96 vs 27).

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Bushfire Low
37/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
96/100
 Low
27/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Bells Creek

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

Schools in Pelican Waters

  • Caloundra City Private School Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Supermarkets 0 2
Parks & reserves 2 13
Childcare 4
same for both
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 16 8

Mobility

Pelican Waters sits further from the CBD (94 km vs 78.5 km).

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Walkability score 13/100 68/100
Distance to Brisbane 78.5 km 94 km
+20% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 66 min 81 min
Public transport score 38/100
Bus
 45/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 11.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
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.

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Car (driver) 76.3% / 68.2%
Bells Creek — Car (driver): 76.3% Pelican Waters — Car (driver): 68.2%
Worked from Home 13.2% / 24.0%
Bells Creek — Worked from Home: 13.2% Pelican Waters — Worked from Home: 24.0%
Car (passenger) 6.3% / 5.1%
Bells Creek — Car (passenger): 6.3% Pelican Waters — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only 4.2% / 0.9%
Bells Creek — Walked Only: 4.2% Pelican Waters — Walked Only: 0.9%
Bicycle — / 0.9%
Bells Creek — Bicycle: not among its largest Pelican Waters — Bicycle: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.3%).

Setting

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Elevation 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.8 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 1.5 km
2.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
Connectivity score 100/100 86/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
2,505 premises
 62%
3,598 premises

Climate

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
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)

Bells Creek Pelican Waters
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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Bells Creek

River Rural

Pelican Waters

Coastal Large Blocks Parks Premium Quiet Retirees River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bells Creek

Bells Creek vs Caloundra West Bells Creek vs Baringa Bells Creek vs Nirimba Bells Creek vs Coochin Creek

Other comparisons with Pelican Waters

Pelican Waters vs Caloundra West Pelican Waters vs Golden Beach Pelican Waters vs Coochin Creek
Full data on Bells Creek Full data on Pelican Waters
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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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