Bridges vs North Arm

Bridges is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 44 in North Arm. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Bridges: a median of $1.4 million, against $1.28 million in North Arm, and rent is higher there too.

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

North Arm

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 49/100)
  • But Bridges is already more of a family suburb (77% vs 68%)

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

First-home buyers

Bridges

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 25%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

North Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bridges

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (113.8 km vs 116.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

North Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 49/100)

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

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

Bridges North Arm
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.

Bridges North Arm
Walkability 0 / 7
Bridges — Walkability: 0/100 North Arm — Walkability: 7/100
Safety 51 / 63
Bridges — Safety: 51/100 North Arm — Safety: 63/100
Low fire risk 35 / 100
Bridges — Low fire risk: 35/100 North Arm — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

North Arm has more residents (734 vs 295); Bridges rents higher ($400/wk vs $350/wk).

Bridges North Arm
Population 295 734
+149% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.9% +11.7%
Median age 41 44
Median household income $97,500/yr
+3% vs other
 $94,432/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+12% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bridges North Arm
0-4 4.7% / 3.3%
Bridges — 0-4: 4.7% North Arm — 0-4: 3.3%
5-14 13.2% / 13.1%
Bridges — 5-14: 13.2% North Arm — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 5.1% / 7.5%
Bridges — 15-19: 5.1% North Arm — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 7.8% / 5.7%
Bridges — 20-24: 7.8% North Arm — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 8.8% / 9.1%
Bridges — 25-34: 8.8% North Arm — 25-34: 9.1%
35-44 12.2% / 11.4%
Bridges — 35-44: 12.2% North Arm — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 13.9% / 17.4%
Bridges — 45-54: 13.9% North Arm — 45-54: 17.4%
55-64 18.3% / 13.6%
Bridges — 55-64: 18.3% North Arm — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 9.8% / 12.5%
Bridges — 65-74: 9.8% North Arm — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 5.1% / 5.6%
Bridges — 75-84: 5.1% North Arm — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 1.0% / 0.7%
Bridges — 85+: 1.0% North Arm — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bridges 53.2% couple families
Bridges — Couple Families: 53.2% Bridges — Lone Person: 16.1% Bridges — One Parent Families: 24.2% Bridges — Other Families: 6.5% Bridges — Group Household: 0.0%
North Arm 52.3% couple families
North Arm — Couple Families: 52.3% North Arm — Lone Person: 25.6% North Arm — One Parent Families: 15.9% North Arm — Other Families: 0.0% North Arm — Group Household: 6.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bridges 20.0% renting
Bridges — Owned Outright: 37.6% Bridges — Mortgage: 42.4% Bridges — Renting: 20.0%
North Arm 19.5% renting
North Arm — Owned Outright: 38.0% North Arm — Mortgage: 42.5% North Arm — Renting: 19.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bridges North Arm
Certificate III & IV 20.3% / 19.5%
Bridges — Certificate III & IV: 20.3% North Arm — Certificate III & IV: 19.5%
Bachelor Degree 8.1% / 11.7%
Bridges — Bachelor Degree: 8.1% North Arm — Bachelor Degree: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 7.9%
Bridges — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% North Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.7% / 2.3%
Bridges — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7% North Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 0.7%
Bridges — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% North Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

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.

Bridges North Arm
England 4.4% / 3.7%
Bridges — England: 4.4% North Arm — England: 3.7%
New Zealand 1.7% / 3.8%
Bridges — New Zealand: 1.7% North Arm — New Zealand: 3.8%
Thailand 1.0% / 1.2%
Bridges — Thailand: 1.0% North Arm — Thailand: 1.2%
Germany 1.7% / —
Bridges — Germany: 1.7% North Arm — Germany: not among its largest
Netherlands 1.7% / —
Bridges — Netherlands: 1.7% North Arm — Netherlands: not among its largest
Scotland 1.4% / —
Bridges — Scotland: 1.4% North Arm — Scotland: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.8%
Bridges — Philippines: not among its largest North Arm — Philippines: 0.8%
Brazil — / 0.7%
Bridges — Brazil: not among its largest North Arm — Brazil: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bridges 102.2% houses
Bridges — Houses: 102.2% Bridges — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Bridges — Townhouses: 0.0%
North Arm 92.9% houses
North Arm — Houses: 92.9% North Arm — Flats / Apartments: 5.9% North Arm — Townhouses: 1.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bridges North Arm
Median house price $1,400,000 $1,280,750
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 51 days
from 3 sales

Development activity

Bridges North Arm
New dwellings approved 2,962
across Sunshine Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -41%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Bridges North Arm
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 72% of QLD Higher than 68% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 57% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 80% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 64% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD

Liveability

Bridges North Arm
Grade — B
Score — 56/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Bridges carries more bushfire risk (65 vs 0); Bridges carries more crime risk (49 vs 37).

Bridges North Arm
Bushfire Moderate
65/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
49/100
 Low
37/100
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

Bridges North Arm
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bridges

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

Schools in North Arm

  • North Arm State School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bridges North Arm
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 5 23

Mobility

North Arm sits further from the CBD (116.8 km vs 113.8 km).

Bridges North Arm
Walkability score 0/100 7/100
Distance to Brisbane 113.8 km 116.8 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 90 min 93 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 4561
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 99
postcode 4561
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.

Bridges North Arm
Car (driver) 74.1% / 79.5%
Bridges — Car (driver): 74.1% North Arm — Car (driver): 79.5%
Worked from Home 20.5% / 13.1%
Bridges — Worked from Home: 20.5% North Arm — Worked from Home: 13.1%
Car (passenger) 2.7% / 4.5%
Bridges — Car (passenger): 2.7% North Arm — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only 2.7% / 2.9%
Bridges — Walked Only: 2.7% North Arm — Walked Only: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.5%).

Setting

Bridges North Arm
Elevation 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.3 km 13.5 km

NBN connectivity

Bridges North Arm
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
120 premises
 0%
311 premises

Climate

Bridges North Arm
Annual rainfall 1,045 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.7°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bridges North Arm
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 12.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Bridges North Arm
Average residential rate $1,690/yr
same for both
Council Sunshine Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Bridges North Arm
Division Fairfax
same for both
Member Ted O'Brien
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bridges North Arm
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bridges

Rural

North Arm

Acreage River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bridges

Bridges vs Yandina Bridges vs Ninderry Bridges vs Eerwah Vale Bridges vs Cooloolabin

Other comparisons with North Arm

North Arm vs Eumundi North Arm vs Ninderry North Arm vs Yandina Creek North Arm vs Verrierdale North Arm vs Valdora North Arm vs Eerwah Vale
Full data on Bridges Full data on North Arm
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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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