Coral Sea vs Cooktown

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 44 in Cooktown. 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 Cooktown, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Coral Sea tends to suit young adults and people living alone, while Cooktown suits 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

Cooktown

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (85% vs 0%)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (24 vs 10)
  • But Coral Sea carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 87/100)

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

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $230/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

  • has a shorter drive in (780 min vs 1411 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 2033.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 15%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 87/100)
  • But Cooktown has more GPs (2 vs 0)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Cooktown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.4% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Cooktown 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 Cooktown
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 Cooktown
Walkability 0 / 0
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Cooktown — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 49 / 13
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Cooktown — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 64 / 14
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Cooktown — Low fire risk: 14/100

Demographics

Cooktown has more residents (2,746 vs 78); Cooktown rents higher ($230/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Cooktown
Population 78 2,746
+3421% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +4.4%
Median age 36 44
Median household income $71,448/yr
+12% vs other
 $63,180/yr
Median weekly rent $130/wk $230/wk
+77% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Cooktown
0-4 — / 5.5%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Cooktown — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 6.4% / 13.8%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Cooktown — 5-14: 13.8%
15-19 — / 5.5%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Cooktown — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 — / 3.9%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Cooktown — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 37.2% / 9.5%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Cooktown — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 21.8% / 12.1%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Cooktown — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 16.7% / 13.7%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Cooktown — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 17.9% / 16.0%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Cooktown — 55-64: 16.0%
65-74 — / 13.4%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Cooktown — 65-74: 13.4%
75-84 — / 6.3%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Cooktown — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ — / 0.5%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Cooktown — 85+: 0.5%

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%
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%
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%
Cooktown 39.2% renting
Cooktown — Owned Outright: 37.5% Cooktown — Mortgage: 23.3% Cooktown — Renting: 39.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Cooktown
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 17.3%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Cooktown — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 8.0%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Cooktown — Bachelor Degree: 8.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 5.7%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Cooktown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 1.9%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Cooktown — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.6%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Cooktown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

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 Cooktown
New Zealand 10.3% / 2.5%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Cooktown — New Zealand: 2.5%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Cooktown — China: not among its largest
England — / 2.4%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Cooktown — England: 2.4%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Coral Sea — Philippines: not among its largest Cooktown — Philippines: 0.7%
Germany — / 0.6%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Cooktown — Germany: 0.6%
South Africa — / 0.6%
Coral Sea — South Africa: not among its largest Cooktown — South Africa: 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% Coral Sea — Townhouses: 0.0%
Cooktown 6.3% flats / apartments
Cooktown — Flats / Apartments: 6.3% Cooktown — Houses: 85.4% Cooktown — Townhouses: 8.3%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

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

Development activity

Coral Sea Cooktown
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 25
across Cook
Approvals change year on year +70% -50%

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Cooktown
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 29% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 29% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 38% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD —
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD

Liveability

Coral Sea Cooktown
Grade — D
Score — 14/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Cooktown carries more bushfire risk (86 vs 36); Cooktown carries more crime risk (87 vs 51).

Coral Sea Cooktown
Bushfire Low
36/100
 High
86/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 High
80/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

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

Schools in Coral Sea

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

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

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Cooktown
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 7
Parks & reserves 10 24
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 0 95

Mobility

Cooktown sits further from the CBD (2033.9 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Cooktown
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 2033.9 km
+79% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1411 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.0%
postcode 4895
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 34
postcode 4895

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 Cooktown
Walked Only 83.7% / 9.7%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Cooktown — Walked Only: 9.7%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 70.3%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Cooktown — Car (driver): 70.3%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 9.6%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Cooktown — Worked from Home: 9.6%
Car (passenger) — / 9.6%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Cooktown — Car (passenger): 9.6%
Bicycle — / 0.5%
Coral Sea — Bicycle: not among its largest Cooktown — Bicycle: 0.5%

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

Setting

Coral Sea Cooktown
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 250 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 27.7 km

NBN connectivity

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

Council rates

Coral Sea Cooktown
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,277/yr
Council Whitsunday Cook

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Cooktown
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

Cooktown

Affordable Rural

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 Cooktown

Cooktown vs Hope Vale Cooktown vs Lakeland Cooktown vs Rossville Cooktown vs Laura
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Cooktown
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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