Bucasia vs Shoal Point

Bucasia is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 42 in Shoal Point. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bucasia, about half of households are couple families. In Shoal Point, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Shoal Point: a median of $785,000, against $685,000 in Bucasia.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Bucasia

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($209,500 vs $610,000)
  • has cheaper land ($680,000 vs $850,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($685,000 vs $785,000)

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

Renters

Bucasia

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 20%)

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

Commuting to the city

Bucasia

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 6/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (979.2 km vs 981.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bucasia

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 6/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Bucasia returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.3% vs 4.2%)
  • Shoal Point is growing faster (13.0% vs 3.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bucasia Shoal Point
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.

Bucasia Shoal Point
Walkability 38 / 6
Bucasia — Walkability: 38/100 Shoal Point — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 47 / 47
Bucasia — Safety: 47/100 Shoal Point — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bucasia — Low fire risk: 100/100 Shoal Point — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bucasia has more residents (4,915 vs 1,104); Shoal Point has higher household incomes ($126,568 vs $104,260).

Bucasia Shoal Point
Population 4,915
+78% vs other
 1,104
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.0% +13.0%
Median age 35 42
Median household income $104,260/yr $126,568/yr
+21% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bucasia Shoal Point
0-4 6.6% / 4.3%
Bucasia — 0-4: 6.6% Shoal Point — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 16.8% / 15.9%
Bucasia — 5-14: 16.8% Shoal Point — 5-14: 15.9%
15-19 7.1% / 5.0%
Bucasia — 15-19: 7.1% Shoal Point — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 5.1% / 4.3%
Bucasia — 20-24: 5.1% Shoal Point — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 13.7% / 10.0%
Bucasia — 25-34: 13.7% Shoal Point — 25-34: 10.0%
35-44 14.8% / 13.4%
Bucasia — 35-44: 14.8% Shoal Point — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 13.6% / 14.9%
Bucasia — 45-54: 13.6% Shoal Point — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 12.5% / 18.3%
Bucasia — 55-64: 12.5% Shoal Point — 55-64: 18.3%
65-74 6.7% / 9.4%
Bucasia — 65-74: 6.7% Shoal Point — 65-74: 9.4%
75-84 2.7% / 2.7%
Bucasia — 75-84: 2.7% Shoal Point — 75-84: 2.7%
85+ 0.5% / 0.5%
Bucasia — 85+: 0.5% Shoal Point — 85+: 0.5%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bucasia 50.4% couple families
Bucasia — Couple Families: 50.4% Bucasia — Lone Person: 25.5% Bucasia — One Parent Families: 19.7% Bucasia — Group Household: 2.8% Bucasia — Other Families: 1.7%
Shoal Point 57.1% couple families
Shoal Point — Couple Families: 57.1% Shoal Point — Lone Person: 27.2% Shoal Point — One Parent Families: 11.0% Shoal Point — Group Household: 3.1% Shoal Point — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bucasia 32.6% renting
Bucasia — Owned Outright: 23.0% Bucasia — Mortgage: 44.4% Bucasia — Renting: 32.6%
Shoal Point 19.9% renting
Shoal Point — Owned Outright: 30.4% Shoal Point — Mortgage: 49.7% Shoal Point — Renting: 19.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bucasia Shoal Point
Certificate III & IV 21.1% / 20.6%
Bucasia — Certificate III & IV: 21.1% Shoal Point — Certificate III & IV: 20.6%
Bachelor Degree 6.8% / 10.2%
Bucasia — Bachelor Degree: 6.8% Shoal Point — Bachelor Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 7.0%
Bucasia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Shoal Point — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 2.0%
Bucasia — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Shoal Point — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.8%
Bucasia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Shoal Point — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

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.

Bucasia Shoal Point
New Zealand 4.3% / 5.1%
Bucasia — New Zealand: 4.3% Shoal Point — New Zealand: 5.1%
England 3.4% / 4.9%
Bucasia — England: 3.4% Shoal Point — England: 4.9%
South Africa 1.5% / 1.7%
Bucasia — South Africa: 1.5% Shoal Point — South Africa: 1.7%
Ireland — / 1.1%
Bucasia — Ireland: not among its largest Shoal Point — Ireland: 1.1%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.3%
Bucasia — Philippines: 0.7% Shoal Point — Philippines: 0.3%
Zimbabwe 0.3% / 0.5%
Bucasia — Zimbabwe: 0.3% Shoal Point — Zimbabwe: 0.5%
Scotland 0.3% / —
Bucasia — Scotland: 0.3% Shoal Point — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bucasia 90.9% houses
Bucasia — Houses: 90.9% Bucasia — Townhouses: 4.4% Bucasia — Flats / Apartments: 4.7%
Shoal Point 88.1% houses
Shoal Point — Houses: 88.1% Shoal Point — Townhouses: 7.0% Shoal Point — Flats / Apartments: 4.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bucasia Shoal Point
Median house price $685,000 $785,000
Median unit price $209,500 $610,000
Median land price $680,000 $850,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 62 sales
 24 days
from 12 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.

Bucasia Shoal Point
3 bed $675K / $703K
Bucasia — 3 bed: $675K (75 sales) Shoal Point — 3 bed: $703K (12 sales)

75 vs 12 sales

4 bed $700K / $840K
Bucasia — 4 bed: $700K (97 sales) Shoal Point — 4 bed: $840K (21 sales)

97 vs 21 sales

Development activity

Bucasia Shoal Point
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
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.

Bucasia Shoal Point
Houses 5.3%
$710/wk on $700K
 4.2%
$788/wk on $972K
Units 14.5%
$600/wk on $215K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Bucasia Shoal Point
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 77% of QLD Higher than 92% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 69% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 46% of QLD Higher than 47% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 95% of QLD Higher than 65% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 100% of QLD —

Liveability

Bucasia is more walkable (38 vs 6); Shoal Point scores higher overall (57 vs 51).

Bucasia Shoal Point
Grade B
same for both
Score 51/100 57/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Bucasia Shoal Point
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
53/100
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
93/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bucasia Shoal Point
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Bucasia

  • Bucasia State School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Shoal Point

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

Amenities in the suburb

Bucasia Shoal Point
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 7 6
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Beaches 1
same for both

Mobility

Shoal Point sits further from the CBD (981.9 km vs 979.2 km).

Bucasia Shoal Point
Walkability score 38/100 6/100
Distance to Brisbane 979.2 km 981.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 679 min 680 min
Public transport score 44/100
Bus
 24/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 15.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 1.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4750
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 67
postcode 4750
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.

Bucasia Shoal Point
Car (driver) 84.1% / 87.7%
Bucasia — Car (driver): 84.1% Shoal Point — Car (driver): 87.7%
Worked from Home 4.5% / 6.9%
Bucasia — Worked from Home: 4.5% Shoal Point — Worked from Home: 6.9%
Car (passenger) 6.8% / 3.6%
Bucasia — Car (passenger): 6.8% Shoal Point — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Bus 2.7% / 1.8%
Bucasia — Bus: 2.7% Shoal Point — Bus: 1.8%
Walked Only 1.6% / —
Bucasia — Walked Only: 1.6% Shoal Point — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (87.7%).

Setting

Bucasia Shoal Point
Elevation -1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.5 km
1.6 km to a named beach
 996 m
1.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bucasia Shoal Point
Connectivity score 72/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 49%
2,031 premises
 55%
573 premises

Climate

Bucasia Shoal Point
Annual rainfall 1,633 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 14.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bucasia Shoal Point
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Bucasia Shoal Point
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Bucasia Shoal Point
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bucasia Shoal Point
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bucasia

Acreage Coastal Family

Shoal Point

Acreage Coastal

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Shoal Point

Shoal Point vs Habana Shoal Point vs Coral Sea
Full data on Bucasia Full data on Shoal Point
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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