Coombabah vs Runaway Bay

Coombabah is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 54 in Runaway Bay. In both, most households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Runaway Bay: a median of $1.84 million, against $1 million in Coombabah. On these figures, Coombabah tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Coombabah

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (40/100 vs 66/100)
  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 10)
  • But Runaway Bay 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

Coombabah

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,000,000 vs $1,840,000)
  • has cheaper units ($700,000 vs $995,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Runaway Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (32% vs 38%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Coombabah sits closer to the CBD (68.5 km vs 71.3 km)
  • Runaway Bay is more walkable (74/100 vs 10/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Runaway Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 10/100)
  • has more GPs (7 vs 3)
  • But Coombabah carries lower crime risk (40/100 vs 66/100)

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

Investors

Coombabah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.2% vs 4.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Coombabah Runaway Bay
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.

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Walkability 10 / 74
Coombabah — Walkability: 10/100 Runaway Bay — Walkability: 74/100
Safety 60 / 34
Coombabah — Safety: 60/100 Runaway Bay — Safety: 34/100
Low fire risk 100 / 52
Coombabah — Low fire risk: 100/100 Runaway Bay — Low fire risk: 52/100

Demographics

Runaway Bay has higher household incomes ($71,864 vs $56,784); Runaway Bay skews older (54 vs 51).

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Population 10,298
+10% vs other
 9,308
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.9% +2.6%
Median age 51 54
Median household income $56,784/yr $71,864/yr
+27% vs other
Median weekly rent $415/wk $435/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coombabah Runaway Bay
0-4 3.8% / 3.2%
Coombabah — 0-4: 3.8% Runaway Bay — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 10.0% / 8.5%
Coombabah — 5-14: 10.0% Runaway Bay — 5-14: 8.5%
15-19 4.1% / 4.6%
Coombabah — 15-19: 4.1% Runaway Bay — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 4.0% / 4.1%
Coombabah — 20-24: 4.0% Runaway Bay — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 9.7% / 7.0%
Coombabah — 25-34: 9.7% Runaway Bay — 25-34: 7.0%
35-44 11.0% / 9.3%
Coombabah — 35-44: 11.0% Runaway Bay — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 11.4% / 14.2%
Coombabah — 45-54: 11.4% Runaway Bay — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 12.7% / 15.3%
Coombabah — 55-64: 12.7% Runaway Bay — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 16.5% / 16.6%
Coombabah — 65-74: 16.5% Runaway Bay — 65-74: 16.6%
75-84 12.6% / 12.7%
Coombabah — 75-84: 12.6% Runaway Bay — 75-84: 12.7%
85+ 4.3% / 4.5%
Coombabah — 85+: 4.3% Runaway Bay — 85+: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coombabah 49.3% lone person
Coombabah — Lone Person: 49.3% Coombabah — Couple Families: 26.1% Coombabah — One Parent Families: 17.8% Coombabah — Group Household: 5.4% Coombabah — Other Families: 1.4%
Runaway Bay 45.8% lone person
Runaway Bay — Lone Person: 45.8% Runaway Bay — Couple Families: 32.0% Runaway Bay — One Parent Families: 15.0% Runaway Bay — Group Household: 5.7% Runaway Bay — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coombabah 28.9% renting
Coombabah — Owned Outright: 43.0% Coombabah — Mortgage: 28.1% Coombabah — Renting: 28.9%
Runaway Bay 25.5% renting
Runaway Bay — Owned Outright: 45.3% Runaway Bay — Mortgage: 29.2% Runaway Bay — Renting: 25.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 16.3%
Coombabah — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Runaway Bay — Certificate III & IV: 16.3%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 11.6%
Coombabah — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Runaway Bay — Bachelor Degree: 11.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 10.2%
Coombabah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Runaway Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 3.5%
Coombabah — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Runaway Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.7%
Coombabah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Runaway Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

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.

Coombabah Runaway Bay
New Zealand 9.1% / 7.0%
Coombabah — New Zealand: 9.1% Runaway Bay — New Zealand: 7.0%
England 7.3% / 6.7%
Coombabah — England: 7.3% Runaway Bay — England: 6.7%
South Africa 1.2% / 1.3%
Coombabah — South Africa: 1.2% Runaway Bay — South Africa: 1.3%
China 1.1% / 1.3%
Coombabah — China: 1.1% Runaway Bay — China: 1.3%
Philippines 1.2% / 1.0%
Coombabah — Philippines: 1.2% Runaway Bay — Philippines: 1.0%
Scotland 1.1% / 0.8%
Coombabah — Scotland: 1.1% Runaway Bay — Scotland: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coombabah 49.3% houses
Coombabah — Houses: 49.3% Coombabah — Townhouses: 41.6% Coombabah — Flats / Apartments: 9.1%
Runaway Bay 45.3% houses
Runaway Bay — Houses: 45.3% Runaway Bay — Townhouses: 26.4% Runaway Bay — Flats / Apartments: 28.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Median house price $1,000,000 $1,840,000
Median unit price $700,000 $995,000
Median land price — $1,220,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 91 sales
 29 days
from 91 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Coombabah Runaway Bay
2 bed $635K / $930K
Coombabah — 2 bed: $635K (20 sales) Runaway Bay — 2 bed: $930K (58 sales)

20 vs 58 sales

3 bed $765K / $1.15M
Coombabah — 3 bed: $765K (17 sales) Runaway Bay — 3 bed: $1.15M (33 sales)

17 vs 33 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.

Coombabah Runaway Bay
3 bed $1M / $1.2M
Coombabah — 3 bed: $1M (111 sales) Runaway Bay — 3 bed: $1.2M (49 sales)

111 vs 49 sales

4 bed $1.24M / $1.93M
Coombabah — 4 bed: $1.24M (50 sales) Runaway Bay — 4 bed: $1.93M (52 sales)

50 vs 52 sales

5 bed $1.08M / $2.5M
Coombabah — 5 bed: $1.08M (5 sales) Runaway Bay — 5 bed: $2.5M (31 sales)

5 vs 31 sales

Development activity

Coombabah Runaway Bay
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.

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Houses 5.2%
$850/wk on $854K
 4.1%
$1,228/wk on $1.55M
Units — 3.6%
$750/wk on $1.09M

Ranking within QLD

Coombabah Runaway Bay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 19% of QLD Higher than 41% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 71% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 89% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of QLD Higher than 87% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 93% of QLD Higher than 61% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 13% of QLD

Liveability

Runaway Bay is more walkable (74 vs 10).

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Grade B C
Score 53/100 49/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Runaway Bay carries more bushfire risk (48 vs 0); Runaway Bay carries more crime risk (66 vs 40).

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
48/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Moderate
66/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
87/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Gold Coast, 7.7 km
 1
Gold Coast, 6.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.0% 1.4%

Schools in Coombabah

  • Coombabah State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Coombabah State School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Runaway Bay

  • St Francis Xavier School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 15 10
Childcare 4 5
GPs 3 7
Pharmacies 1 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 0 5
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Runaway Bay sits further from the CBD (71.3 km vs 68.5 km).

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Walkability score 10/100 74/100
Distance to Brisbane 68.5 km 71.3 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 60 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 126.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
same for both
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 4216
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 4216
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.

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Car (driver) 78.7% / 71.2%
Coombabah — Car (driver): 78.7% Runaway Bay — Car (driver): 71.2%
Worked from Home 12.1% / 20.4%
Coombabah — Worked from Home: 12.1% Runaway Bay — Worked from Home: 20.4%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 4.3%
Coombabah — Car (passenger): 5.1% Runaway Bay — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Walked Only 1.4% / 1.9%
Coombabah — Walked Only: 1.4% Runaway Bay — Walked Only: 1.9%
Bus 1.3% / 0.9%
Coombabah — Bus: 1.3% Runaway Bay — Bus: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.7%).

Setting

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Elevation 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.4 km 474 m
3.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Connectivity score 81/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
5,177 premises
 17%
5,073 premises

Climate

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Annual rainfall 1,351 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Coombabah Runaway Bay
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³ 4.9 µg/m³
PM10 19.3 µg/m³ 14.3 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.91 pphm 0.43 pphm

Council rates

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Division Fadden
same for both
Member Cameron Caldwell
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coombabah Runaway Bay
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Coombabah

Regional Centre Retirees Townhouses

Runaway Bay

Coastal Parks Premium Regional Centre Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coombabah

Coombabah vs Helensvale Coombabah vs Arundel Coombabah vs Biggera Waters Coombabah vs Paradise Point Coombabah vs Hollywell

Other comparisons with Runaway Bay

Runaway Bay vs Biggera Waters Runaway Bay vs Hollywell Runaway Bay vs South Stradbroke
Full data on Coombabah Full data on Runaway Bay
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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