Coral Sea vs Clifton Beach

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 48 in Clifton Beach. In both, most households own their home. In Coral Sea, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments and the large majority of households are people living alone. In Clifton Beach, most 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 4)
  • Clifton Beach has more separate houses rather than flats (67% vs 0%)

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

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $365/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 25%)

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

  • has a shorter drive in (780 min vs 1191 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1719.5 km)
  • But Clifton Beach is more walkable (46/100 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 33%)
  • Clifton Beach is more walkable (46/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Clifton Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1.5% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Clifton 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 Clifton 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 Clifton Beach
Walkability 0 / 46
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Clifton Beach — Walkability: 46/100
Safety 49 / 41
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Clifton Beach — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Clifton Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Clifton Beach has more residents (3,192 vs 78); Clifton Beach rents higher ($365/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Population 78 3,192
+3992% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +1.5%
Median age 36 48
Median household income $71,448/yr $76,960/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $365/wk
+181% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
0-4 — / 3.5%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Clifton Beach — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 6.4% / 11.7%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Clifton Beach — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 — / 5.8%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Clifton Beach — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 — / 4.0%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Clifton Beach — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 37.2% / 8.6%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Clifton Beach — 25-34: 8.6%
35-44 21.8% / 11.3%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Clifton Beach — 35-44: 11.3%
45-54 16.7% / 16.2%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Clifton Beach — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 17.9% / 17.5%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Clifton Beach — 55-64: 17.5%
65-74 — / 14.0%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Clifton Beach — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 — / 6.6%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Clifton Beach — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ — / 1.1%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Clifton Beach — 85+: 1.1%

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%
Clifton Beach 39.3% lone person
Clifton Beach — Lone Person: 39.3% Clifton Beach — Couple Families: 36.0% Clifton Beach — One Parent Families: 18.9% Clifton Beach — Group Household: 4.9% Clifton Beach — Other Families: 0.9%
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%
Clifton Beach 35.5% renting
Clifton Beach — Owned Outright: 35.0% Clifton Beach — Mortgage: 29.4% Clifton Beach — Renting: 35.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 16.1%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Clifton Beach — Certificate III & IV: 16.1%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 12.3%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Clifton Beach — Bachelor Degree: 12.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 9.3%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Clifton Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 6.0%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Clifton Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.8%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Clifton Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

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 Clifton Beach
New Zealand 10.3% / 3.7%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Clifton Beach — New Zealand: 3.7%
England — / 8.3%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Clifton Beach — England: 8.3%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Clifton Beach — China: not among its largest
Germany — / 1.9%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Clifton Beach — Germany: 1.9%
South Africa — / 1.2%
Coral Sea — South Africa: not among its largest Clifton Beach — South Africa: 1.2%
Scotland — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — Scotland: not among its largest Clifton Beach — Scotland: 1.0%

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% Coral Sea — Townhouses: 0.0%
Clifton Beach 29.1% flats / apartments
Clifton Beach — Flats / Apartments: 29.1% Clifton Beach — Houses: 66.8% Clifton Beach — Townhouses: 4.1%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Median house price — $965,000
Median unit price — $500,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 35 days
from 56 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 767
across Cairns
Approvals change year on year +70% -81%

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 Clifton Beach
Houses — 4.8%
$890/wk on $960K
Units — 6.0%
$630/wk on $547K

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 87% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 89% of QLD

Liveability

Clifton Beach is more walkable (46 vs 0).

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Grade — B
Score — 56/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0).

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
59/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 Moderate
57/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Coral Sea Clifton 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
Universities within 10 km None 1
James Cook University - Cairns, 6.6 km

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 4
Parks & reserves 10 4
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 2
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 0 11

Mobility

Clifton Beach sits further from the CBD (1719.5 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Walkability score 0/100 46/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1719.5 km
+51% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1191 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 1.0%
postcode 4879
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 66
postcode 4879

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 Clifton Beach
Walked Only 83.7% / 2.1%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Clifton Beach — Walked Only: 2.1%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 71.1%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Clifton Beach — Car (driver): 71.1%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 18.8%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Clifton Beach — Worked from Home: 18.8%
Car (passenger) — / 4.7%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Clifton Beach — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Bus — / 1.9%
Coral Sea — Bus: not among its largest Clifton Beach — Bus: 1.9%

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

Setting

Coral Sea Clifton 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 731 m
1.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Connectivity score 15/100 69/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 45%
1,813 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Annual rainfall — 2,121 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 31.9°C
Winter min (Jul) — 18.1°C

Council rates

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,354/yr
Council Whitsunday Cairns

Federal electorate

Coral Sea Clifton Beach
Division Dawson Leichhardt
Member Andrew Willcox Matt Smith
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Clifton 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

Clifton Beach

Coastal Parks River

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 Clifton Beach

Clifton Beach vs Kewarra Beach Clifton Beach vs Palm Cove
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Clifton 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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