Carrara vs Benowa

In both, most households own their home. In Benowa, most homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Benowa: a median of $1.67 million, against $1.24 million in Carrara, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Carrara tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Benowa suits couples.

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

Benowa

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (19 vs 2)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (9 vs 6)

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

First-home buyers

Carrara

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($871,666 vs $1,345,444)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,237,500 vs $1,665,000)
  • has cheaper units ($867,500 vs $1,050,000)

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

Renters

Carrara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $580/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Benowa

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (75/100 vs 51/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Benowa

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 4)
  • is more walkable (75/100 vs 51/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 63/100)

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

Investors

Carrara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.6% vs 4.1%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Carrara Benowa
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.

Carrara Benowa
Walkability 51 / 75
Carrara — Walkability: 51/100 Benowa — Walkability: 75/100
Safety 37 / 54
Carrara — Safety: 37/100 Benowa — Safety: 54/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Carrara — Low fire risk: 100/100 Benowa — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Carrara has more residents (13,138 vs 9,889); Benowa rents higher ($580/wk vs $450/wk).

Carrara Benowa
Population 13,138
+25% vs other
 9,889
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.9% +13.1%
Median age 42 44
Median household income $81,224/yr $99,736/yr
+23% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $580/wk
+29% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Carrara Benowa
0-4 5.0% / 4.3%
Carrara — 0-4: 5.0% Benowa — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 11.6% / 14.2%
Carrara — 5-14: 11.6% Benowa — 5-14: 14.2%
15-19 5.4% / 7.2%
Carrara — 15-19: 5.4% Benowa — 15-19: 7.2%
20-24 5.0% / 4.7%
Carrara — 20-24: 5.0% Benowa — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 12.6% / 7.8%
Carrara — 25-34: 12.6% Benowa — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 13.1% / 13.0%
Carrara — 35-44: 13.1% Benowa — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 13.6% / 14.7%
Carrara — 45-54: 13.6% Benowa — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 12.9% / 13.1%
Carrara — 55-64: 12.9% Benowa — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 12.0% / 11.9%
Carrara — 65-74: 12.0% Benowa — 65-74: 11.9%
75-84 7.1% / 7.1%
Carrara — 75-84: 7.1% Benowa — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 1.7% / 2.1%
Carrara — 85+: 1.7% Benowa — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Carrara 39.8% couple families
Carrara — Couple Families: 39.8% Carrara — Lone Person: 34.6% Carrara — One Parent Families: 18.0% Carrara — Group Household: 6.0% Carrara — Other Families: 1.6%
Benowa 52.5% couple families
Benowa — Couple Families: 52.5% Benowa — Lone Person: 25.8% Benowa — One Parent Families: 16.5% Benowa — Group Household: 4.4% Benowa — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Carrara 28.2% renting
Carrara — Owned Outright: 32.4% Carrara — Mortgage: 39.5% Carrara — Renting: 28.2%
Benowa 21.9% renting
Benowa — Owned Outright: 41.0% Benowa — Mortgage: 37.1% Benowa — Renting: 21.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Carrara Benowa
Bachelor Degree 11.9% / 16.2%
Carrara — Bachelor Degree: 11.9% Benowa — Bachelor Degree: 16.2%
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 10.9%
Carrara — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Benowa — Certificate III & IV: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 9.7%
Carrara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Benowa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 5.8%
Carrara — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Benowa — Postgraduate Degree: 5.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.0%
Carrara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Benowa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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.

Carrara Benowa
New Zealand 7.2% / 5.9%
Carrara — New Zealand: 7.2% Benowa — New Zealand: 5.9%
England 5.0% / 4.6%
Carrara — England: 5.0% Benowa — England: 4.6%
China 1.2% / 4.2%
Carrara — China: 1.2% Benowa — China: 4.2%
South Africa 1.6% / 1.4%
Carrara — South Africa: 1.6% Benowa — South Africa: 1.4%
Japan 0.8% / 1.6%
Carrara — Japan: 0.8% Benowa — Japan: 1.6%
Philippines 0.8% / 0.7%
Carrara — Philippines: 0.8% Benowa — Philippines: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Carrara 52.1% houses
Carrara — Houses: 52.1% Carrara — Townhouses: 33.7% Carrara — Flats / Apartments: 14.2%
Benowa 60.9% houses
Benowa — Houses: 60.9% Benowa — Townhouses: 28.2% Benowa — Flats / Apartments: 11.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Carrara Benowa
Median house price $1,237,500 $1,665,000
Median unit price $867,500 $1,050,000
Median land price $871,666 $1,345,444
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 108 sales
 28 days
from 72 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Carrara Benowa
2 bed $820K / $1M
Carrara — 2 bed: $820K (26 sales) Benowa — 2 bed: $1M (45 sales)

26 vs 45 sales

3 bed $1.06M / $1.3M
Carrara — 3 bed: $1.06M (20 sales) Benowa — 3 bed: $1.3M (17 sales)

20 vs 17 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.

Carrara Benowa
3 bed $1.12M / $1.39M
Carrara — 3 bed: $1.12M (95 sales) Benowa — 3 bed: $1.39M (38 sales)

95 vs 38 sales

4 bed $1.3M / $1.73M
Carrara — 4 bed: $1.3M (79 sales) Benowa — 4 bed: $1.73M (59 sales)

79 vs 59 sales

5 bed $1.66M / $1.75M
Carrara — 5 bed: $1.66M (22 sales) Benowa — 5 bed: $1.75M (13 sales)

22 vs 13 sales

Development activity

Carrara Benowa
New dwellings approved 7,196
across Gold Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Carrara Benowa
Houses 4.2%
$950/wk on $1.18M
 4.2%
$1,300/wk on $1.6M
Units 5.6%
$950/wk on $874K
 4.1%
$950/wk on $1.2M

Ranking within QLD

Carrara Benowa
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 53% of QLD Higher than 74% of QLD
Schools Higher than 42% of QLD Higher than 100% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of QLD Higher than 85% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 64% of QLD Higher than 65% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 36% of QLD

Liveability

Benowa scores higher overall (83 vs 51); Benowa is more walkable (75 vs 51).

Carrara Benowa
Grade B A+
Score 51/100 83/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Carrara carries more crime risk (63 vs 46).

Carrara Benowa
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
63/100
 Moderate
46/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Carrara Benowa
Inside the suburb 3
same for both
Rated above peers 0 3
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast campus, 6.2 km
 2
Gold Coast, 4.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7% 2.5%

Schools in Carrara

  • Josiah College Independent · Combined · Special school at peers
  • Emmanuel College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Australian International Islamic College - Carrara Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in Benowa

  • Benowa State High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Benowa State School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Kevin's School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Carrara Benowa
Supermarkets 2
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 8 3
Parks & reserves 2 19
Childcare 6 9
GPs 4 6
Pharmacies 2
same for both
Hospitals 0 1
Fuel stations 1 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 13 0

Mobility

Carrara Benowa
Walkability score 51/100 75/100
Distance to Brisbane 74.8 km 75.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 58 min 61 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 50.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 40.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 4211
 2.1%
postcode 4217
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4211
 19
postcode 4217

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.

Carrara Benowa
Car (driver) 76.9% / 71.2%
Carrara — Car (driver): 76.9% Benowa — Car (driver): 71.2%
Worked from Home 15.4% / 20.0%
Carrara — Worked from Home: 15.4% Benowa — Worked from Home: 20.0%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 5.0%
Carrara — Car (passenger): 4.5% Benowa — Car (passenger): 5.0%
Walked Only 1.3% / 1.5%
Carrara — Walked Only: 1.3% Benowa — Walked Only: 1.5%
Bus 0.9% / 0.8%
Carrara — Bus: 0.9% Benowa — Bus: 0.8%
Bicycle 0.3% / 0.9%
Carrara — Bicycle: 0.3% Benowa — Bicycle: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.9%).

Setting

Carrara Benowa
Elevation -1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.6 km 4.6 km
4.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Carrara Benowa
Connectivity score 77/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 21%
5,398 premises
 13%
4,178 premises

Climate

Carrara Benowa
Annual rainfall 1,556 mm 1,351 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C 28.9°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.8°C 12.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Carrara Benowa
PM2.5 4.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.43 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Carrara Benowa
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Carrara Benowa
Division Moncrieff
same for both
Member Angie Bell
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Carrara Benowa
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Carrara

Regional Centre Townhouses

Benowa

Parks Premium Quiet Regional Centre Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Carrara

Carrara vs Nerang Carrara vs Ashmore Carrara vs Broadbeach Waters Carrara vs Merrimac Carrara vs Highland Park Carrara vs Worongary

Other comparisons with Benowa

Benowa vs Ashmore Benowa vs Broadbeach Waters Benowa vs Bundall
Full data on Carrara Full data on Benowa
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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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