Coral Sea vs Balgal Beach

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 58 in Balgal Beach. In both, most households own their home and most households are people living alone. In Coral Sea, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. In Balgal Beach, the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Coral Sea tends to suit young adults and 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

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Coral Sea has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)
  • Balgal Beach has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 0%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, and childcare.

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 29%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $273/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1407 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (780 min vs 959 min)
  • But Balgal Beach is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Coral Sea has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 2%)
  • Balgal Beach is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Balgal Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.3% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Balgal Beach drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
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.

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Walkability 0 / 14
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Balgal Beach — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 49 / 50
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Balgal Beach — Safety: 50/100
Low fire risk 64 / 48
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Balgal Beach — Low fire risk: 48/100

Demographics

Balgal Beach has more residents (998 vs 78); Balgal Beach rents higher ($273/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Population 78 998
+1179% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +3.3%
Median age 36 58
Median household income $71,448/yr
+32% vs other
 $48,672/yr
Median weekly rent $130/wk $273/wk
+110% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
0-4 — / 2.2%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Balgal Beach — 0-4: 2.2%
5-14 6.4% / 9.1%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Balgal Beach — 5-14: 9.1%
15-19 — / 3.0%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Balgal Beach — 15-19: 3.0%
20-24 — / 3.1%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Balgal Beach — 20-24: 3.1%
25-34 37.2% / 5.1%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Balgal Beach — 25-34: 5.1%
35-44 21.8% / 7.6%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Balgal Beach — 35-44: 7.6%
45-54 16.7% / 14.0%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Balgal Beach — 45-54: 14.0%
55-64 17.9% / 21.0%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Balgal Beach — 55-64: 21.0%
65-74 — / 23.5%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Balgal Beach — 65-74: 23.5%
75-84 — / 10.7%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Balgal Beach — 75-84: 10.7%
85+ — / 0.9%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Balgal Beach — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (37.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 100.0% lone person
Coral Sea — Lone Person: 100.0% Coral Sea — Couple Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — One Parent Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — Group Household: 0.0% Coral Sea — Other Families: 0.0%
Balgal Beach 57.0% lone person
Balgal Beach — Lone Person: 57.0% Balgal Beach — Couple Families: 18.9% Balgal Beach — One Parent Families: 12.7% Balgal Beach — Group Household: 9.0% Balgal Beach — Other Families: 2.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 42.9% renting
Coral Sea — Owned Outright: 57.1% Coral Sea — Mortgage: 0.0% Coral Sea — Renting: 42.9%
Balgal Beach 17.5% renting
Balgal Beach — Owned Outright: 50.6% Balgal Beach — Mortgage: 31.9% Balgal Beach — Renting: 17.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 19.3%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Balgal Beach — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 5.3%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Balgal Beach — Bachelor Degree: 5.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 6.0%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Balgal Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 1.4%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Balgal Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.8%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Balgal Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

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.

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
New Zealand 10.3% / 2.5%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Balgal Beach — New Zealand: 2.5%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Balgal Beach — China: not among its largest
England — / 4.4%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Balgal Beach — England: 4.4%
Scotland — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — Scotland: not among its largest Balgal Beach — Scotland: 1.0%
Germany — / 0.7%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Balgal Beach — Germany: 0.7%
Canada — / 0.6%
Coral Sea — Canada: not among its largest Balgal Beach — Canada: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 100.0% flats / apartments
Coral Sea — Flats / Apartments: 100.0% Coral Sea — Houses: 0.0%
Balgal Beach 1.6% flats / apartments
Balgal Beach — Flats / Apartments: 1.6% Balgal Beach — Houses: 98.4%
Flats / Apartments Houses

Property market

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Median house price — $532,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $240,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 46 days
from 19 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 1,096
across Townsville
Approvals change year on year +70% -22%

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.

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Houses — 5.4%
$680/wk on $650K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 11% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 76% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 58% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 96% of QLD

Liveability

Balgal Beach is more walkable (14 vs 0).

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Grade — D
Score — 16/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Balgal Beach carries more bushfire risk (52 vs 36).

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Moderate
52/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
50/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 Low
32/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 10 0
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Balgal Beach sits further from the CBD (1407 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Walkability score 0/100 14/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1407 km
+24% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 959 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.4%
postcode 4816
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 73
postcode 4816

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.

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Walked Only 83.7% / 2.6%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Balgal Beach — Walked Only: 2.6%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 79.3%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Balgal Beach — Car (driver): 79.3%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 6.3%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Balgal Beach — Worked from Home: 6.3%
Car (passenger) — / 9.6%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Balgal Beach — Car (passenger): 9.6%
Bus — / 2.2%
Coral Sea — Bus: not among its largest Balgal Beach — Bus: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.7%).

Setting

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 1.4 km
2.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Connectivity score 15/100 64/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 35%
659 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Annual rainfall — 1,304 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 31.8°C
Winter min (Jul) — 15.0°C

Council rates

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,810/yr
Council Whitsunday Townsville

Federal electorate

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Division Dawson Kennedy
Member Andrew Willcox Bob Katter
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland Katter's Australian Party (KAP)

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Balgal Beach
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Coral Sea

Coastal Rural

Balgal Beach

Acreage Affordable Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coral Sea

Coral Sea vs Bowen Coral Sea vs Bargara Coral Sea vs South Mackay Coral Sea vs Bushland Beach Coral Sea vs Trinity Beach Coral Sea vs Kewarra Beach

Other comparisons with Balgal Beach

Balgal Beach vs Rollingstone
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Balgal Beach
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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