Centenary Heights vs Middle Ridge

Centenary Heights is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 43 in Middle Ridge. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Middle Ridge, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Middle Ridge: a median of $1.09 million, against $780,000 in Centenary Heights, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Centenary Heights tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Middle Ridge 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

Middle Ridge

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (22 vs 12)
  • carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 43/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 50%)
  • But Centenary Heights has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Centenary Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($780,000 vs $1,087,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Centenary Heights

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (38% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Centenary Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 68/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Centenary Heights

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (23% vs 7%)
  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 68/100)
  • But Middle Ridge carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 43/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
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.

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Walkability 81 / 68
Centenary Heights — Walkability: 81/100 Middle Ridge — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 57 / 71
Centenary Heights — Safety: 57/100 Middle Ridge — Safety: 71/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Centenary Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Middle Ridge — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Middle Ridge has higher household incomes ($113,204 vs $74,464); Middle Ridge rents higher ($420/wk vs $320/wk).

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Population 6,152 7,595
+23% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.5% +6.4%
Median age 37 43
Median household income $74,464/yr $113,204/yr
+52% vs other
Median weekly rent $320/wk $420/wk
+31% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
0-4 5.6% / 4.9%
Centenary Heights — 0-4: 5.6% Middle Ridge — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 12.6% / 15.4%
Centenary Heights — 5-14: 12.6% Middle Ridge — 5-14: 15.4%
15-19 6.5% / 6.6%
Centenary Heights — 15-19: 6.5% Middle Ridge — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 6.9% / 3.8%
Centenary Heights — 20-24: 6.9% Middle Ridge — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 14.2% / 8.0%
Centenary Heights — 25-34: 14.2% Middle Ridge — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 12.4% / 13.1%
Centenary Heights — 35-44: 12.4% Middle Ridge — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 12.1% / 12.9%
Centenary Heights — 45-54: 12.1% Middle Ridge — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 10.2% / 12.8%
Centenary Heights — 55-64: 10.2% Middle Ridge — 55-64: 12.8%
65-74 10.7% / 11.5%
Centenary Heights — 65-74: 10.7% Middle Ridge — 65-74: 11.5%
75-84 6.6% / 7.5%
Centenary Heights — 75-84: 6.6% Middle Ridge — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 2.2% / 3.5%
Centenary Heights — 85+: 2.2% Middle Ridge — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Centenary Heights 31.7% couple families
Centenary Heights — Couple Families: 31.7% Centenary Heights — Lone Person: 43.6% Centenary Heights — One Parent Families: 18.6% Centenary Heights — Group Household: 4.4% Centenary Heights — Other Families: 1.7%
Middle Ridge 57.6% couple families
Middle Ridge — Couple Families: 57.6% Middle Ridge — Lone Person: 26.6% Middle Ridge — One Parent Families: 11.9% Middle Ridge — Group Household: 2.9% Middle Ridge — 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.

Centenary Heights 38.1% renting
Centenary Heights — Owned Outright: 30.9% Centenary Heights — Mortgage: 31.0% Centenary Heights — Renting: 38.1%
Middle Ridge 20.3% renting
Middle Ridge — Owned Outright: 44.8% Middle Ridge — Mortgage: 34.8% Middle Ridge — Renting: 20.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Bachelor Degree 13.3% / 16.3%
Centenary Heights — Bachelor Degree: 13.3% Middle Ridge — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 11.9%
Centenary Heights — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Middle Ridge — Certificate III & IV: 11.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 7.7%
Centenary Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Middle Ridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.6% / 6.5%
Centenary Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6% Middle Ridge — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 2.5%
Centenary Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Middle Ridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

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.

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
England 1.7% / 2.4%
Centenary Heights — England: 1.7% Middle Ridge — England: 2.4%
India 1.3% / 2.8%
Centenary Heights — India: 1.3% Middle Ridge — India: 2.8%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.4%
Centenary Heights — New Zealand: 1.6% Middle Ridge — New Zealand: 1.4%
South Africa 0.7% / 1.5%
Centenary Heights — South Africa: 0.7% Middle Ridge — South Africa: 1.5%
China 0.9% / 1.2%
Centenary Heights — China: 0.9% Middle Ridge — China: 1.2%
Philippines 1.1% / —
Centenary Heights — Philippines: 1.1% Middle Ridge — Philippines: not among its largest
Iraq 1.0% / —
Centenary Heights — Iraq: 1.0% Middle Ridge — Iraq: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Centenary Heights 77.3% houses
Centenary Heights — Houses: 77.3% Centenary Heights — Townhouses: 20.2% Centenary Heights — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Middle Ridge 93.2% houses
Middle Ridge — Houses: 93.2% Middle Ridge — Townhouses: 3.5% Middle Ridge — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Median house price $780,000 $1,087,500
Median unit price $672,500 $692,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 61 sales
 27 days
from 71 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.

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
3 bed $756K / $908K
Centenary Heights — 3 bed: $756K (80 sales) Middle Ridge — 3 bed: $908K (6 sales)

80 vs 6 sales

4 bed $845K / $1.03M
Centenary Heights — 4 bed: $845K (60 sales) Middle Ridge — 4 bed: $1.03M (102 sales)

60 vs 102 sales

Development activity

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
New dwellings approved 1,513
across Toowoomba
same for both
Approvals change year on year -25%
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.

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Houses 3.8%
$620/wk on $842K
 3.6%
$755/wk on $1.09M
Units 3.3%
$480/wk on $749K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Schools Higher than 97% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 70% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of QLD Higher than 97% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 43% of QLD Higher than 29% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 9% of QLD —

Liveability

Centenary Heights is more walkable (81 vs 68); Middle Ridge scores higher overall (79 vs 74).

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Grade A
same for both
Score 74/100 79/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Centenary Heights carries more crime risk (43 vs 29).

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
43/100
 Low
29/100
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 4
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Inside the suburb 4 2
Rated above peers 3 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
USQ (Toowoomba), 3.2 km
 1
USQ (Toowoomba), 5.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.2% 1.3%

Schools in Centenary Heights

  • Centenary Heights State High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Gabbinbar State School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Thomas More's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Concordia Lutheran College - Martin Luther Primary Campus Independent · Primary

Schools in Middle Ridge

  • Middle Ridge State School Government · Primary above peers
  • OneSchool Global QLD - Toowoomba Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 12 22
Childcare 5 4
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 9 4

Mobility

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Walkability score 81/100 68/100
Distance to Brisbane 125.7 km 127.6 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 99 min 103 min
Public transport score 70/100
Bus
 53/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 26.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 13.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 4350
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 4350
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.

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Car (driver) 81.8% / 80.1%
Centenary Heights — Car (driver): 81.8% Middle Ridge — Car (driver): 80.1%
Worked from Home 7.2% / 10.6%
Centenary Heights — Worked from Home: 7.2% Middle Ridge — Worked from Home: 10.6%
Car (passenger) 7.5% / 7.1%
Centenary Heights — Car (passenger): 7.5% Middle Ridge — Car (passenger): 7.1%
Walked Only 2.0% / 1.1%
Centenary Heights — Walked Only: 2.0% Middle Ridge — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bicycle 0.7% / 0.7%
Centenary Heights — Bicycle: 0.7% Middle Ridge — Bicycle: 0.7%
Bus 0.7% / 0.4%
Centenary Heights — Bus: 0.7% Middle Ridge — Bus: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.8%).

Setting

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Elevation 667 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 690 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Connectivity score 100/100 96/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
2,974 premises
 88%
3,383 premises

Climate

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Annual rainfall 643 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
PM2.5 2.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 3.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Average residential rate $1,618/yr
same for both
Council Toowoomba
same for both

Federal electorate

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Division Groom
same for both
Member Garth Hamilton
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Centenary Heights Middle Ridge
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Centenary Heights

Parks Townhouses

Middle Ridge

Large Blocks Parks Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Centenary Heights

Centenary Heights vs Kearneys Spring Centenary Heights vs Rangeville Centenary Heights vs South Toowoomba

Other comparisons with Middle Ridge

Middle Ridge vs Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge vs Rangeville Middle Ridge vs Preston Middle Ridge vs Upper Flagstone Middle Ridge vs Silver Ridge
Full data on Centenary Heights Full data on Middle Ridge
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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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