Cooktown vs Rossville

Cooktown is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 49 in Rossville. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Cooktown, about half of households are people living alone. In Rossville, most households are people living alone. On these figures, Cooktown tends to suit families with children, while Rossville suits people living alone.

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

Cooktown

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (24 vs 6)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (48% vs 32%)
  • But Rossville has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Cooktown has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 14%)
  • Rossville has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $230/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Rossville

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (1993.1 km vs 2033.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (1406 min vs 1411 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cooktown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Rossville

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (24.0% vs 4.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Cooktown and Rossville 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 Rossville
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 Rossville
Walkability 0 / 0
Cooktown — Walkability: 0/100 Rossville — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 13 / 11
Cooktown — Safety: 13/100 Rossville — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 14 / 28
Cooktown — Low fire risk: 14/100 Rossville — Low fire risk: 28/100

Demographics

Cooktown has more residents (2,746 vs 253); Cooktown has higher household incomes ($63,180 vs $39,624).

Cooktown Rossville
Population 2,746
+91% vs other
 253
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% +24.0%
Median age 44 49
Median household income $63,180/yr
+37% vs other
 $39,624/yr
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+35% vs other
 $150/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cooktown Rossville
0-4 5.5% / 3.6%
Cooktown — 0-4: 5.5% Rossville — 0-4: 3.6%
5-14 13.8% / 11.1%
Cooktown — 5-14: 13.8% Rossville — 5-14: 11.1%
15-19 5.5% / 3.6%
Cooktown — 15-19: 5.5% Rossville — 15-19: 3.6%
20-24 3.9% / 2.8%
Cooktown — 20-24: 3.9% Rossville — 20-24: 2.8%
25-34 9.5% / 11.5%
Cooktown — 25-34: 9.5% Rossville — 25-34: 11.5%
35-44 12.1% / 11.1%
Cooktown — 35-44: 12.1% Rossville — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 13.7% / 13.0%
Cooktown — 45-54: 13.7% Rossville — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 16.0% / 21.3%
Cooktown — 55-64: 16.0% Rossville — 55-64: 21.3%
65-74 13.4% / 16.2%
Cooktown — 65-74: 13.4% Rossville — 65-74: 16.2%
75-84 6.3% / 3.6%
Cooktown — 75-84: 6.3% Rossville — 75-84: 3.6%
85+ 0.5% / —
Cooktown — 85+: 0.5% Rossville — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

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 — Group Household: 5.1% Cooktown — Other Families: 1.2%
Rossville 63.3% lone person
Rossville — Lone Person: 63.3% Rossville — Couple Families: 14.4% Rossville — One Parent Families: 17.8% Rossville — Group Household: 4.4% Rossville — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

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%
Rossville 13.5% renting
Rossville — Owned Outright: 59.6% Rossville — Mortgage: 27.0% Rossville — Renting: 13.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cooktown Rossville
Certificate III & IV 17.3% / 15.0%
Cooktown — Certificate III & IV: 17.3% Rossville — Certificate III & IV: 15.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.0% / 5.9%
Cooktown — Bachelor Degree: 8.0% Rossville — Bachelor Degree: 5.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 4.7%
Cooktown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Rossville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 2.4%
Cooktown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Rossville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 1.6%
Cooktown — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Rossville — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%

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 Rossville
England 2.4% / 7.1%
Cooktown — England: 2.4% Rossville — England: 7.1%
New Zealand 2.5% / 3.2%
Cooktown — New Zealand: 2.5% Rossville — New Zealand: 3.2%
Singapore — / 3.6%
Cooktown — Singapore: not among its largest Rossville — Singapore: 3.6%
Germany 0.6% / 1.6%
Cooktown — Germany: 0.6% Rossville — Germany: 1.6%
Philippines 0.7% / 1.2%
Cooktown — Philippines: 0.7% Rossville — Philippines: 1.2%
South Africa 0.6% / —
Cooktown — South Africa: 0.6% Rossville — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cooktown 85.4% houses
Cooktown — Houses: 85.4% Cooktown — Flats / Apartments: 6.3% Cooktown — Townhouses: 8.3%
Rossville 88.3% houses
Rossville — Houses: 88.3% Rossville — Flats / Apartments: 11.7% Rossville — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

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

Development activity

Cooktown Rossville
New dwellings approved 25
across Cook
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Cooktown Rossville
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 29% of QLD Higher than 4% of QLD
Schools Higher than 29% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 45% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 16% of QLD

Liveability

Cooktown Rossville
Grade D —
Score 14/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Cooktown carries more bushfire risk (86 vs 72).

Cooktown Rossville
Bushfire High
86/100
 High
72/100
Crime High
87/100
 High
89/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
80/100
 High
76/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Cooktown Rossville
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1 0

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 Rossville

  • Rossville State School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cooktown Rossville
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 7 1
Parks & reserves 24 6
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 95 50

Mobility

Cooktown sits further from the CBD (2033.9 km vs 1993.1 km).

Cooktown Rossville
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 2033.9 km
+2% vs other
 1993.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1411 min 1406 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 Rossville
Car (driver) 70.3% / 77.4%
Cooktown — Car (driver): 70.3% Rossville — Car (driver): 77.4%
Walked Only 9.7% / 17.0%
Cooktown — Walked Only: 9.7% Rossville — Walked Only: 17.0%
Car (passenger) 9.6% / 5.7%
Cooktown — Car (passenger): 9.6% Rossville — Car (passenger): 5.7%
Worked from Home 9.6% / —
Cooktown — Worked from Home: 9.6% Rossville — Worked from Home: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.5% / —
Cooktown — Bicycle: 0.5% Rossville — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.4%).

Setting

Cooktown Rossville
Elevation 250 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 231 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 27.7 km 11.8 km

NBN connectivity

Cooktown Rossville
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%
119 premises

Council rates

Cooktown Rossville
Average residential rate $1,277/yr
same for both
Council Cook
same for both

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Cooktown

Affordable Rural

Rossville

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cooktown

Cooktown vs Hope Vale Cooktown vs Lakeland Cooktown vs Laura Cooktown vs Coral Sea

Other comparisons with Rossville

Rossville vs Lakeland Rossville vs Bloomfield Rossville vs Coral Sea
Full data on Cooktown Full data on Rossville
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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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