Coral Sea vs Cow Bay

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 52 in Cow Bay. 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 Cow Bay, 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 4)
  • Cow Bay 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

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 10%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $200/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 1300 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1815.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Coral Sea

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 2%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Cow Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.9% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Cow 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.

Coral Sea Cow 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.

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Walkability 0 / 0
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Cow Bay — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 49 / 57
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Cow Bay — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Cow Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Cow Bay has more residents (220 vs 78); Coral Sea has higher household incomes ($71,448 vs $39,104).

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Population 78 220
+182% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +8.9%
Median age 36 52
Median household income $71,448/yr
+45% vs other
 $39,104/yr
Median weekly rent $130/wk $200/wk
+54% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Cow Bay
0-4 — / —
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Cow Bay — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 6.4% / 6.4%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Cow Bay — 5-14: 6.4%
15-19 — / 5.9%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Cow Bay — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 — / —
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Cow Bay — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 37.2% / 7.3%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Cow Bay — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 21.8% / 12.3%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Cow Bay — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 16.7% / 22.7%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Cow Bay — 45-54: 22.7%
55-64 17.9% / 25.9%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Cow Bay — 55-64: 25.9%
65-74 — / 14.1%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Cow Bay — 65-74: 14.1%
75-84 — / 4.5%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Cow Bay — 75-84: 4.5%
85+ — / —
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Cow Bay — 85+: not among its largest

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%
Cow Bay 66.7% lone person
Cow Bay — Lone Person: 66.7% Cow Bay — Couple Families: 11.1% Cow Bay — One Parent Families: 11.1% Cow Bay — Group Household: 11.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

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%
Cow Bay 9.7% renting
Cow Bay — Owned Outright: 65.6% Cow Bay — Mortgage: 24.7% Cow Bay — Renting: 9.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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 Cow Bay
New Zealand 10.3% / 3.2%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Cow Bay — New Zealand: 3.2%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Cow Bay — China: not among its largest
England — / 5.0%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Cow Bay — England: 5.0%
Germany — / 2.3%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Cow Bay — Germany: 2.3%
Thailand — / 1.8%
Coral Sea — Thailand: not among its largest Cow Bay — Thailand: 1.8%

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

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 20.9%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Cow Bay — Certificate III & IV: 20.9%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 7.7%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Cow Bay — Bachelor Degree: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 5.5%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Cow Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.5%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 2.3%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Cow Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.7%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Cow Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

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

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%
Cow Bay 2.0% flats / apartments
Cow Bay — Flats / Apartments: 2.0% Cow Bay — Houses: 98.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses

Property market

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Median house price — $610,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Coral Sea Cow Bay
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 48
across Douglas
Approvals change year on year +70% -18%

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Cow Bay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 4% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 37% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 47% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 12% of QLD

Liveability

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

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

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
43/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 Low
36/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Coral Sea Cow Bay
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 Cow Bay
Cafes & restaurants 2
same for both
Parks & reserves 10 4
Beaches 3 1
Waterways 0 14

Mobility

Cow Bay sits further from the CBD (1815.4 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1815.4 km
+60% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1300 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.3%
postcode 4873
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 63
postcode 4873

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 Cow Bay
Walked Only 83.7% / —
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Cow Bay — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (driver) 7.0% / 76.3%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Cow Bay — Car (driver): 76.3%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 18.6%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Cow Bay — Worked from Home: 18.6%
Car (passenger) — / 5.1%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Cow Bay — Car (passenger): 5.1%

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

Setting

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 2.0 km
3.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Connectivity score 15/100
same for both
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 0%
156 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Annual rainfall — 2,186 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 32.2°C
Winter min (Jul) — 21.3°C

Council rates

Coral Sea Cow Bay
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,417/yr
Council Whitsunday Douglas

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Cow Bay
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

Cow Bay

Coastal Quiet 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 Cow Bay

Cow Bay vs Diwan Cow Bay vs Forest Creek
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Cow 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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