Brighton vs Sandgate

Brighton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 49 in Sandgate. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Brighton, about half of households are couple families. Sandgate is closer to the city centre: 20.8 km, against 29.8 km. On these figures, Brighton tends to suit families with children, while Sandgate suits people living alone 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

Brighton

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 5)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 75/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Brighton has cheaper units ($726,250 vs $1,023,750)
  • Sandgate has cheaper land ($675,000 vs $1,025,500)

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

Renters

Sandgate

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($294/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sandgate

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (20.8 km vs 29.8 km)
  • is more walkable (80/100 vs 68/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sandgate

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (28% vs 10%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 16%)
  • is more walkable (80/100 vs 68/100)
  • But Brighton carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 75/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Brighton Sandgate
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.

Brighton Sandgate
Walkability 68 / 80
Brighton — Walkability: 68/100 Sandgate — Walkability: 80/100
Safety 57 / 25
Brighton — Safety: 57/100 Sandgate — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Brighton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Sandgate — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Brighton has more residents (9,664 vs 4,926); Brighton rents higher ($400/wk vs $294/wk).

Brighton Sandgate
Population 9,664
+49% vs other
 4,926
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.0% +0.3%
Median age 42 49
Median household income $103,012/yr
+9% vs other
 $93,808/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+26% vs other
 $294/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Brighton Sandgate
0-4 5.8% / 4.1%
Brighton — 0-4: 5.8% Sandgate — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 14.1% / 11.7%
Brighton — 5-14: 14.1% Sandgate — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 5.7% / 6.4%
Brighton — 15-19: 5.7% Sandgate — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 4.1% / 4.0%
Brighton — 20-24: 4.1% Sandgate — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 9.1% / 6.1%
Brighton — 25-34: 9.1% Sandgate — 25-34: 6.1%
35-44 14.8% / 10.9%
Brighton — 35-44: 14.8% Sandgate — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 16.4% / 17.7%
Brighton — 45-54: 16.4% Sandgate — 45-54: 17.7%
55-64 13.7% / 13.6%
Brighton — 55-64: 13.7% Sandgate — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 9.7% / 10.8%
Brighton — 65-74: 9.7% Sandgate — 65-74: 10.8%
75-84 5.0% / 8.7%
Brighton — 75-84: 5.0% Sandgate — 75-84: 8.7%
85+ 1.7% / 5.9%
Brighton — 85+: 1.7% Sandgate — 85+: 5.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Brighton 46.3% couple families
Brighton — Couple Families: 46.3% Brighton — Lone Person: 32.8% Brighton — One Parent Families: 16.7% Brighton — Group Household: 2.8% Brighton — Other Families: 1.4%
Sandgate 39.9% couple families
Sandgate — Couple Families: 39.9% Sandgate — Lone Person: 43.8% Sandgate — One Parent Families: 11.8% Sandgate — Group Household: 3.6% Sandgate — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Brighton 20.7% renting
Brighton — Owned Outright: 33.2% Brighton — Mortgage: 46.1% Brighton — Renting: 20.7%
Sandgate 32.7% renting
Sandgate — Owned Outright: 32.1% Sandgate — Mortgage: 35.1% Sandgate — Renting: 32.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Brighton Sandgate
Bachelor Degree 14.1% / 16.3%
Brighton — Bachelor Degree: 14.1% Sandgate — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 16.1% / 12.4%
Brighton — Certificate III & IV: 16.1% Sandgate — Certificate III & IV: 12.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 8.2%
Brighton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Sandgate — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 5.5%
Brighton — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% Sandgate — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 3.3%
Brighton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Sandgate — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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.

Brighton Sandgate
England 5.7% / 5.5%
Brighton — England: 5.7% Sandgate — England: 5.5%
New Zealand 3.8% / 3.7%
Brighton — New Zealand: 3.8% Sandgate — New Zealand: 3.7%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.8%
Brighton — Scotland: 0.8% Sandgate — Scotland: 0.8%
South Africa 0.6% / 0.5%
Brighton — South Africa: 0.6% Sandgate — South Africa: 0.5%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.6%
Brighton — Philippines: 0.5% Sandgate — Philippines: 0.6%
Germany 0.5% / 0.6%
Brighton — Germany: 0.5% Sandgate — Germany: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Brighton 90.0% houses
Brighton — Houses: 90.0% Brighton — Flats / Apartments: 4.3% Brighton — Townhouses: 5.7%
Sandgate 72.1% houses
Sandgate — Houses: 72.1% Sandgate — Flats / Apartments: 25.7% Sandgate — Townhouses: 2.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Brighton Sandgate
Median house price $1,250,000 $1,300,000
Median unit price $726,250 $1,023,750
Median land price $1,025,500 $675,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 125 sales
 32 days
from 34 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.

Brighton Sandgate
2 bed $932K / $1.23M
Brighton — 2 bed: $932K (16 sales) Sandgate — 2 bed: $1.23M (10 sales)

16 vs 10 sales

3 bed $1.17M / $1.25M
Brighton — 3 bed: $1.17M (130 sales) Sandgate — 3 bed: $1.25M (27 sales)

130 vs 27 sales

4 bed $1.35M / $1.62M
Brighton — 4 bed: $1.35M (59 sales) Sandgate — 4 bed: $1.62M (14 sales)

59 vs 14 sales

5 bed $1.7M / $1.85M
Brighton — 5 bed: $1.7M (22 sales) Sandgate — 5 bed: $1.85M (7 sales)

22 vs 7 sales

Development activity

Brighton Sandgate
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
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.

Brighton Sandgate
Houses 2.9%
$750/wk on $1.35M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Brighton Sandgate
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD
Schools Higher than 60% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 91% of QLD Higher than 95% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 85% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 9% of QLD —

Liveability

Sandgate is more walkable (80 vs 68).

Brighton Sandgate
Grade A
same for both
Score 72/100 70/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sandgate carries more crime risk (75 vs 43).

Brighton Sandgate
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
43/100
 High
75/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion High
79/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Brighton Sandgate
Inside the suburb 4 2
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 2
UniSC Moreton Bay, 8.8 km
 1
Australian Catholic University-Brisbane Campus, 7.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.6% 2.3%

Schools in Brighton

  • St Kieran's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Brighton State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Nashville State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Autism Queensland Education & Therapy Centre - Brighton Campus Independent · Combined · Special school

Schools in Sandgate

  • Sandgate State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Sacred Heart Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Brighton Sandgate
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 6 11
Parks & reserves 14 5
Childcare 6 8
GPs 2 1
Pharmacies 2 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 2
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 3 2

Mobility

Brighton sits further from the CBD (29.8 km vs 20.8 km).

Brighton Sandgate
Walkability score 68/100 80/100
Distance to Brisbane 29.8 km
+30% vs other
 20.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 32 min 30 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 87/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 111.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 104.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4017
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 4017
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.

Brighton Sandgate
Car (driver) 65.5% / 57.2%
Brighton — Car (driver): 65.5% Sandgate — Car (driver): 57.2%
Worked from Home 22.8% / 26.9%
Brighton — Worked from Home: 22.8% Sandgate — Worked from Home: 26.9%
Train 5.1% / 7.5%
Brighton — Train: 5.1% Sandgate — Train: 7.5%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 3.9%
Brighton — Car (passenger): 3.8% Sandgate — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Walked Only 1.0% / 2.7%
Brighton — Walked Only: 1.0% Sandgate — Walked Only: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.5%).

Setting

Brighton Sandgate
Elevation 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 745 m
4.8 km to a named beach
 654 m

NBN connectivity

Brighton Sandgate
Connectivity score 75/100 74/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
4,055 premises
 3%
2,754 premises

Climate

Brighton Sandgate
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Brighton Sandgate
PM2.5 4.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.74 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Brighton Sandgate
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Brighton Sandgate
Division Lilley
same for both
Member Anika Wells
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Brighton Sandgate
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Brighton

Coastal Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Quiet

Sandgate

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Retirees River Village Feel

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Brighton

Brighton vs Bracken Ridge Brighton vs Griffin Brighton vs Bald Hills

Other comparisons with Sandgate

Sandgate vs Bracken Ridge Sandgate vs Boondall Sandgate vs Deagon Sandgate vs Shorncliffe
Full data on Brighton Full data on Sandgate
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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