Cooktown vs Hope Vale

Hope Vale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 44 in Cooktown. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Cooktown, most households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. In Hope Vale, the large majority of households rent. On these figures, Cooktown tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Hope Vale suits renters and families with children.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Cooktown has more parks and reserves (24 vs 2)
  • Hope Vale is already more of a family suburb (64% vs 48%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Hope Vale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (88% vs 39%)
  • has cheaper rent ($120/wk vs $230/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Cooktown

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (1411 min vs 1490 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (2033.9 km vs 2090.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cooktown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 7%)

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

Investors

Cooktown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.4% vs -1.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cooktown Hope Vale
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.

Cooktown Hope Vale
Walkability 0 / 0
Cooktown — Walkability: 0/100 Hope Vale — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 13 / 7
Cooktown — Safety: 13/100 Hope Vale — Safety: 7/100
Low fire risk 14 / 17
Cooktown — Low fire risk: 14/100 Hope Vale — Low fire risk: 17/100

Demographics

Cooktown has more residents (2,746 vs 1,004); Cooktown rents higher ($230/wk vs $120/wk).

Cooktown Hope Vale
Population 2,746
+63% vs other
 1,004
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% -1.1%
Median age 44 29
Median household income $63,180/yr
+32% vs other
 $43,004/yr
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+48% vs other
 $120/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cooktown Hope Vale
0-4 5.5% / 10.3%
Cooktown — 0-4: 5.5% Hope Vale — 0-4: 10.3%
5-14 13.8% / 18.7%
Cooktown — 5-14: 13.8% Hope Vale — 5-14: 18.7%
15-19 5.5% / 6.8%
Cooktown — 15-19: 5.5% Hope Vale — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 3.9% / 7.7%
Cooktown — 20-24: 3.9% Hope Vale — 20-24: 7.7%
25-34 9.5% / 16.9%
Cooktown — 25-34: 9.5% Hope Vale — 25-34: 16.9%
35-44 12.1% / 11.7%
Cooktown — 35-44: 12.1% Hope Vale — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 13.7% / 12.2%
Cooktown — 45-54: 13.7% Hope Vale — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 16.0% / 8.4%
Cooktown — 55-64: 16.0% Hope Vale — 55-64: 8.4%
65-74 13.4% / 4.6%
Cooktown — 65-74: 13.4% Hope Vale — 65-74: 4.6%
75-84 6.3% / 1.4%
Cooktown — 75-84: 6.3% Hope Vale — 75-84: 1.4%
85+ 0.5% / 0.6%
Cooktown — 85+: 0.5% Hope Vale — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cooktown 45.8% lone person
Cooktown — Lone Person: 45.8% Cooktown — Couple Families: 31.0% Cooktown — One Parent Families: 16.9% Cooktown — Other Families: 1.2% Cooktown — Group Household: 5.1%
Hope Vale 28.3% lone person
Hope Vale — Lone Person: 28.3% Hope Vale — Couple Families: 30.1% Hope Vale — One Parent Families: 33.8% Hope Vale — Other Families: 6.6% Hope Vale — Group Household: 1.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cooktown 39.2% renting
Cooktown — Owned Outright: 37.5% Cooktown — Mortgage: 23.3% Cooktown — Renting: 39.2%
Hope Vale 88.1% renting
Hope Vale — Owned Outright: 8.1% Hope Vale — Mortgage: 3.7% Hope Vale — Renting: 88.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cooktown Hope Vale
Certificate III & IV 17.3% / 15.9%
Cooktown — Certificate III & IV: 17.3% Hope Vale — Certificate III & IV: 15.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.0% / 3.5%
Cooktown — Bachelor Degree: 8.0% Hope Vale — Bachelor Degree: 3.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 2.8%
Cooktown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Hope Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 0.6%
Cooktown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Hope Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / —
Cooktown — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Hope Vale — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

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.

Cooktown Hope Vale
England 2.4% / 0.7%
Cooktown — England: 2.4% Hope Vale — England: 0.7%
New Zealand 2.5% / —
Cooktown — New Zealand: 2.5% Hope Vale — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 0.7% / 0.4%
Cooktown — Philippines: 0.7% Hope Vale — Philippines: 0.4%
Germany 0.6% / —
Cooktown — Germany: 0.6% Hope Vale — Germany: not among its largest
South Africa 0.6% / —
Cooktown — South Africa: 0.6% Hope Vale — South Africa: not among its largest
Fiji — / 0.4%
Cooktown — Fiji: not among its largest Hope Vale — Fiji: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cooktown 85.4% houses
Cooktown — Houses: 85.4% Cooktown — Townhouses: 8.3% Cooktown — Flats / Apartments: 6.3%
Hope Vale 92.9% houses
Hope Vale — Houses: 92.9% Hope Vale — Townhouses: 3.4% Hope Vale — Flats / Apartments: 3.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cooktown Hope Vale
Median house price $444,500 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $180,000 —

Development activity

Cooktown Hope Vale
New dwellings approved 25
across Cook
 1
across Hope Vale
Approvals change year on year -50% —

Ranking within QLD

Cooktown Hope Vale
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 29% of QLD Higher than 6% of QLD
Schools Higher than 29% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 65% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 22% of QLD

Liveability

Cooktown scores higher overall (14 vs 3).

Cooktown Hope Vale
Grade D
same for both
Score 14/100 3/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Cooktown Hope Vale
Bushfire High
86/100
 High
83/100
Crime High
87/100
 High
93/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
80/100
 High
88/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Cooktown Hope Vale
Inside the suburb 3 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Cooktown

  • Cooktown State School Government · Combined at peers
  • Endeavour Christian College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Holy Spirit College Catholic · Secondary · Special school below peers

Schools in Hope Vale

  • Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy Government · Primary below peers
  • Hopevale Campus of CYAAA Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Cooktown Hope Vale
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 7 0
Parks & reserves 24 2
Childcare 2 1
GPs 2
same for both
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1
same for both
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 95 18

Mobility

Hope Vale sits further from the CBD (2090.5 km vs 2033.9 km).

Cooktown Hope Vale
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 2033.9 km 2090.5 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 1411 min 1490 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 4895
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 4895
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.

Cooktown Hope Vale
Car (driver) 70.3% / 70.7%
Cooktown — Car (driver): 70.3% Hope Vale — Car (driver): 70.7%
Walked Only 9.7% / 14.6%
Cooktown — Walked Only: 9.7% Hope Vale — Walked Only: 14.6%
Car (passenger) 9.6% / 10.2%
Cooktown — Car (passenger): 9.6% Hope Vale — Car (passenger): 10.2%
Worked from Home 9.6% / 4.4%
Cooktown — Worked from Home: 9.6% Hope Vale — Worked from Home: 4.4%
Bicycle 0.5% / —
Cooktown — Bicycle: 0.5% Hope Vale — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.7%).

Setting

Cooktown Hope Vale
Elevation 250 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 46 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 27.7 km 2.6 km

NBN connectivity

Cooktown Hope Vale
Connectivity score 54/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
1,318 premises
 0%
165 premises

Federal electorate

Cooktown Hope Vale
Division Leichhardt
same for both
Member Matt Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cooktown Hope Vale
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cooktown

Affordable Rural

Hope Vale

Coastal Family Multicultural Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cooktown

Cooktown vs Lakeland Cooktown vs Rossville Cooktown vs Laura Cooktown vs Coral Sea

Other comparisons with Hope Vale

Hope Vale vs Coral Sea
Full data on Cooktown Full data on Hope Vale
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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