Chuwar vs Karana Downs

Chuwar is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 41 in Karana Downs. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Karana Downs is closer to the city centre: 28.2 km, against 41.4 km.

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

Karana Downs

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 68/100)

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

First-home buyers

Karana Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($1,149,896 vs $4,400,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Chuwar

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 12%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Karana Downs

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (28.2 km vs 41.4 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (38 min vs 45 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Karana Downs

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 68/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Karana Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.1% vs 2.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Chuwar Karana Downs
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.

Chuwar Karana Downs
Walkability 0 / 34
Chuwar — Walkability: 0/100 Karana Downs — Walkability: 34/100
Safety 32 / 78
Chuwar — Safety: 32/100 Karana Downs — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Chuwar — Low fire risk: 100/100 Karana Downs — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Karana Downs has more residents (3,800 vs 2,178); Karana Downs rents higher ($400/wk vs $350/wk).

Chuwar Karana Downs
Population 2,178 3,800
+74% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.9% -1.6%
Median age 37 41
Median household income $116,844/yr $117,260/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk $400/wk
+14% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chuwar Karana Downs
0-4 6.7% / 4.7%
Chuwar — 0-4: 6.7% Karana Downs — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 13.5% / 14.8%
Chuwar — 5-14: 13.5% Karana Downs — 5-14: 14.8%
15-19 7.9% / 7.7%
Chuwar — 15-19: 7.9% Karana Downs — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.7% / 3.8%
Chuwar — 20-24: 5.7% Karana Downs — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 12.8% / 10.0%
Chuwar — 25-34: 12.8% Karana Downs — 25-34: 10.0%
35-44 12.3% / 14.6%
Chuwar — 35-44: 12.3% Karana Downs — 35-44: 14.6%
45-54 14.0% / 15.8%
Chuwar — 45-54: 14.0% Karana Downs — 45-54: 15.8%
55-64 15.9% / 13.7%
Chuwar — 55-64: 15.9% Karana Downs — 55-64: 13.7%
65-74 7.7% / 9.7%
Chuwar — 65-74: 7.7% Karana Downs — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 2.8% / 4.2%
Chuwar — 75-84: 2.8% Karana Downs — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 0.6% / 0.6%
Chuwar — 85+: 0.6% Karana Downs — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Chuwar 59.3% couple families
Chuwar — Couple Families: 59.3% Chuwar — Lone Person: 20.0% Chuwar — One Parent Families: 17.1% Chuwar — Group Household: 2.5% Chuwar — Other Families: 1.1%
Karana Downs 61.5% couple families
Karana Downs — Couple Families: 61.5% Karana Downs — Lone Person: 19.8% Karana Downs — One Parent Families: 16.6% Karana Downs — Group Household: 1.4% Karana Downs — Other Families: 0.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Chuwar 22.3% renting
Chuwar — Owned Outright: 29.7% Chuwar — Mortgage: 48.0% Chuwar — Renting: 22.3%
Karana Downs 11.8% renting
Karana Downs — Owned Outright: 29.9% Karana Downs — Mortgage: 58.4% Karana Downs — Renting: 11.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Chuwar Karana Downs
Certificate III & IV 19.1% / 16.3%
Chuwar — Certificate III & IV: 19.1% Karana Downs — Certificate III & IV: 16.3%
Bachelor Degree 12.9% / 15.3%
Chuwar — Bachelor Degree: 12.9% Karana Downs — Bachelor Degree: 15.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.0% / 9.2%
Chuwar — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0% Karana Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 5.6%
Chuwar — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Karana Downs — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 3.4%
Chuwar — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Karana Downs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.1%).

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.

Chuwar Karana Downs
England 5.0% / 6.7%
Chuwar — England: 5.0% Karana Downs — England: 6.7%
New Zealand 2.6% / 4.1%
Chuwar — New Zealand: 2.6% Karana Downs — New Zealand: 4.1%
South Africa 1.3% / 2.8%
Chuwar — South Africa: 1.3% Karana Downs — South Africa: 2.8%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.6%
Chuwar — Scotland: 0.8% Karana Downs — Scotland: 0.6%
Germany 0.4% / 0.7%
Chuwar — Germany: 0.4% Karana Downs — Germany: 0.7%
India 0.5% / —
Chuwar — India: 0.5% Karana Downs — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chuwar 95.2% houses
Chuwar — Houses: 95.2% Chuwar — Townhouses: 3.5% Chuwar — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Karana Downs 94.1% houses
Karana Downs — Houses: 94.1% Karana Downs — Townhouses: 4.1% Karana Downs — Flats / Apartments: 1.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Chuwar Karana Downs
Median house price $946,000 $1,028,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $4,400,000 $1,149,896
Typical days to sell (houses) 70 days
from 7 sales
 30 days
from 30 sales

Development activity

Chuwar Karana Downs
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.

Chuwar Karana Downs
Houses 2.7%
$580/wk on $1.1M
 4.1%
$820/wk on $1.05M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Chuwar Karana Downs
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 89% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 28% of QLD Higher than 83% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 87% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 7% of QLD Higher than 58% of QLD

Liveability

Karana Downs is more walkable (34 vs 0); Karana Downs scores higher overall (80 vs 54).

Chuwar Karana Downs
Grade B A
Score 54/100 80/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Chuwar carries more crime risk (68 vs 22).

Chuwar Karana Downs
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
68/100
 Low
22/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Chuwar Karana Downs
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Chuwar

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

Schools in Karana Downs

  • Mount Crosby State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Chuwar Karana Downs
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 3 1
Parks & reserves 2 9
Childcare 1 3
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 0 1
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 12 3

Mobility

Chuwar sits further from the CBD (41.4 km vs 28.2 km).

Chuwar Karana Downs
Walkability score 0/100 34/100
Distance to Brisbane 41.4 km
+32% vs other
 28.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 45 min 38 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4306
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.

Chuwar Karana Downs
Car (driver) 75.9% / 69.3%
Chuwar — Car (driver): 75.9% Karana Downs — Car (driver): 69.3%
Worked from Home 18.9% / 23.8%
Chuwar — Worked from Home: 18.9% Karana Downs — Worked from Home: 23.8%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 3.6%
Chuwar — Car (passenger): 3.2% Karana Downs — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Train 1.3% / 1.4%
Chuwar — Train: 1.3% Karana Downs — Train: 1.4%
Walked Only 0.7% / 0.6%
Chuwar — Walked Only: 0.7% Karana Downs — Walked Only: 0.6%
Bus — / 1.1%
Chuwar — Bus: not among its largest Karana Downs — Bus: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.9%).

Setting

Chuwar Karana Downs
Elevation 65 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 36.8 km 32.2 km

NBN connectivity

Chuwar Karana Downs
Connectivity score 68/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
881 premises
 54%
1,460 premises

Climate

Chuwar Karana Downs
Annual rainfall —
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Chuwar Karana Downs
PM2.5 6.8 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Chuwar Karana Downs
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Chuwar Karana Downs
Division Blair
same for both
Member Shayne Neumann
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Chuwar Karana Downs
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Chuwar

Acreage Outer

Karana Downs

Large Blocks Outer Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chuwar

Chuwar vs Karalee Chuwar vs North Ipswich Chuwar vs Mount Crosby Chuwar vs Tivoli Chuwar vs Kholo Chuwar vs Muirlea

Other comparisons with Karana Downs

Karana Downs vs Karalee Karana Downs vs Mount Crosby
Full data on Chuwar Full data on Karana Downs
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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