Carrara vs Highland Park

In both, most households own their home. In Highland Park, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families.

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

Highland Park

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 2)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (85% vs 52%)
  • carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 63/100)
  • But Carrara has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Carrara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 18%)

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

Commuting to the city

Highland Park

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 51/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Carrara has more GPs (4 vs 1)
  • Highland Park is more walkable (66/100 vs 51/100)

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

Investors

Carrara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.9% vs 0.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Carrara and Highland Park 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 Highland Park
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 Highland Park
Walkability 51 / 66
Carrara — Walkability: 51/100 Highland Park — Walkability: 66/100
Safety 37 / 47
Carrara — Safety: 37/100 Highland Park — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Carrara — Low fire risk: 100/100 Highland Park — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Carrara has more residents (13,138 vs 6,576).

Carrara Highland Park
Population 13,138
+50% vs other
 6,576
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.9% +0.0%
Median age 42
same for both
Median household income $81,224/yr $83,668/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+4% vs other
 $430/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Carrara Highland Park
0-4 5.0% / 5.5%
Carrara — 0-4: 5.0% Highland Park — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 11.6% / 12.6%
Carrara — 5-14: 11.6% Highland Park — 5-14: 12.6%
15-19 5.4% / 5.9%
Carrara — 15-19: 5.4% Highland Park — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 5.0% / 4.7%
Carrara — 20-24: 5.0% Highland Park — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 12.6% / 11.5%
Carrara — 25-34: 12.6% Highland Park — 25-34: 11.5%
35-44 13.1% / 13.0%
Carrara — 35-44: 13.1% Highland Park — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 13.6% / 13.2%
Carrara — 45-54: 13.6% Highland Park — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 12.9% / 13.1%
Carrara — 55-64: 12.9% Highland Park — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 12.0% / 10.6%
Carrara — 65-74: 12.0% Highland Park — 65-74: 10.6%
75-84 7.1% / 7.3%
Carrara — 75-84: 7.1% Highland Park — 75-84: 7.3%
85+ 1.7% / 2.5%
Carrara — 85+: 1.7% Highland Park — 85+: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.6%).

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%
Highland Park 49.1% couple families
Highland Park — Couple Families: 49.1% Highland Park — Lone Person: 27.1% Highland Park — One Parent Families: 18.4% Highland Park — Group Household: 4.4% Highland Park — 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%
Highland Park 17.8% renting
Highland Park — Owned Outright: 34.5% Highland Park — Mortgage: 47.6% Highland Park — Renting: 17.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Carrara Highland Park
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 18.0%
Carrara — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Highland Park — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 11.9% / 9.9%
Carrara — Bachelor Degree: 11.9% Highland Park — Bachelor Degree: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 9.8%
Carrara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Highland Park — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 2.5%
Carrara — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Highland Park — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 1.4%
Carrara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Highland Park — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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 Highland Park
New Zealand 7.2% / 8.3%
Carrara — New Zealand: 7.2% Highland Park — New Zealand: 8.3%
England 5.0% / 5.4%
Carrara — England: 5.0% Highland Park — England: 5.4%
South Africa 1.6% / 1.1%
Carrara — South Africa: 1.6% Highland Park — South Africa: 1.1%
Philippines 0.8% / 1.0%
Carrara — Philippines: 0.8% Highland Park — Philippines: 1.0%
Japan 0.8% / 1.0%
Carrara — Japan: 0.8% Highland Park — Japan: 1.0%
China 1.2% / —
Carrara — China: 1.2% Highland Park — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.3%).

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%
Highland Park 85.0% houses
Highland Park — Houses: 85.0% Highland Park — Townhouses: 4.7% Highland Park — Flats / Apartments: 10.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Carrara Highland Park
Median house price $1,237,500 $1,200,000
Median unit price $867,500 $790,000
Median land price $871,666 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 108 sales
 27 days
from 39 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 Highland Park
3 bed $1.12M / $1.12M
Carrara — 3 bed: $1.12M (95 sales) Highland Park — 3 bed: $1.12M (37 sales)

95 vs 37 sales

4 bed $1.3M / $1.26M
Carrara — 4 bed: $1.3M (79 sales) Highland Park — 4 bed: $1.26M (43 sales)

79 vs 43 sales

5 bed $1.66M / $1.38M
Carrara — 5 bed: $1.66M (22 sales) Highland Park — 5 bed: $1.38M (9 sales)

22 vs 9 sales

Development activity

Carrara Highland Park
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 Highland Park
Houses 4.2%
$950/wk on $1.18M
 4.5%
$950/wk on $1.09M
Units 5.6%
$950/wk on $874K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Carrara Highland Park
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 53% of QLD Higher than 55% of QLD
Schools Higher than 42% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 83% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of QLD Higher than 80% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 64% of QLD Higher than 78% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 84% of QLD —

Liveability

Highland Park is more walkable (66 vs 51); Highland Park scores higher overall (65 vs 51).

Carrara Highland Park
Grade B
same for both
Score 51/100 65/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Carrara carries more crime risk (63 vs 53).

Carrara Highland Park
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
63/100
 Moderate
53/100
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
same for both

Schools

Carrara Highland Park
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast campus, 6.2 km
 2
Gold Coast, 8.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7% 1.4%

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 Highland Park

  • William Duncan State School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Carrara Highland Park
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 8 1
Parks & reserves 2 8
Childcare 6 4
GPs 4 1
Pharmacies 2 1
Fuel stations 1 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 13 6

Mobility

Carrara Highland Park
Walkability score 51/100 66/100
Distance to Brisbane 74.8 km
+2% vs other
 73.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 58 min 56 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 60/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 50.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 17.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 4211
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4211
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.

Carrara Highland Park
Car (driver) 76.9% / 79.4%
Carrara — Car (driver): 76.9% Highland Park — Car (driver): 79.4%
Worked from Home 15.4% / 12.7%
Carrara — Worked from Home: 15.4% Highland Park — Worked from Home: 12.7%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 4.6%
Carrara — Car (passenger): 4.5% Highland Park — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Walked Only 1.3% / 1.3%
Carrara — Walked Only: 1.3% Highland Park — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 0.9% / 1.1%
Carrara — Bus: 0.9% Highland Park — Bus: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.4%).

Setting

Carrara Highland Park
Elevation -1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 63 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.6 km 9.7 km

NBN connectivity

Carrara Highland Park
Connectivity score 77/100 72/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 21%
5,398 premises
 33%
2,625 premises

Climate

Carrara Highland Park
Annual rainfall 1,556 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Carrara Highland Park
PM2.5 4.9 µg/m³ 5.4 µg/m³
PM10 14.3 µg/m³ 19.3 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.43 pphm 0.91 pphm

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Carrara Highland Park
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 Highland Park
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

Highland Park

Parks Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Carrara

Carrara vs Nerang Carrara vs Ashmore Carrara vs Benowa Carrara vs Broadbeach Waters Carrara vs Merrimac Carrara vs Worongary

Other comparisons with Highland Park

Highland Park vs Nerang Highland Park vs Worongary Highland Park vs Gilston
Full data on Carrara Full data on Highland Park
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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