Coral Sea vs East Mackay

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 42 in East Mackay. 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 East Mackay, 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

East Mackay

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (71% vs 0%)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Coral Sea has more parks and reserves (10 vs 5)

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 $320/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 19%)

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

Commuting to the city

East Mackay

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (968 km vs 1135.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (665 min vs 780 min)

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 28%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 62/100)
  • But East Mackay is more walkable (74/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

East Mackay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.5% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and East Mackay 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 East Mackay
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 East Mackay
Walkability 0 / 74
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 East Mackay — Walkability: 74/100
Safety 49 / 38
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 East Mackay — Safety: 38/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 East Mackay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

East Mackay has more residents (3,725 vs 78); East Mackay rents higher ($320/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea East Mackay
Population 78 3,725
+4676% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +4.5%
Median age 36 42
Median household income $71,448/yr $89,336/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $320/wk
+146% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea East Mackay
0-4 — / 5.0%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest East Mackay — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 6.4% / 12.3%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% East Mackay — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 — / 6.0%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest East Mackay — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 — / 5.7%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest East Mackay — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 37.2% / 12.1%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% East Mackay — 25-34: 12.1%
35-44 21.8% / 11.2%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% East Mackay — 35-44: 11.2%
45-54 16.7% / 14.3%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% East Mackay — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 17.9% / 13.2%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% East Mackay — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 — / 9.9%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest East Mackay — 65-74: 9.9%
75-84 — / 5.7%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest East Mackay — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ — / 4.6%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest East Mackay — 85+: 4.6%

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%
East Mackay 44.1% lone person
East Mackay — Lone Person: 44.1% East Mackay — Couple Families: 33.0% East Mackay — One Parent Families: 15.3% East Mackay — Group Household: 6.0% East Mackay — Other Families: 1.6%
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%
East Mackay 38.5% renting
East Mackay — Owned Outright: 28.6% East Mackay — Mortgage: 32.9% East Mackay — Renting: 38.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea East Mackay
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 18.0%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% East Mackay — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 8.9%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% East Mackay — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 6.1%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% East Mackay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 2.1%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% East Mackay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.4%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest East Mackay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

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 East Mackay
New Zealand 10.3% / 2.1%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% East Mackay — New Zealand: 2.1%
China 6.4% / 0.3%
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% East Mackay — China: 0.3%
Philippines — / 1.8%
Coral Sea — Philippines: not among its largest East Mackay — Philippines: 1.8%
England — / 1.7%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest East Mackay — England: 1.7%
South Africa — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — South Africa: not among its largest East Mackay — South Africa: 1.0%
India — / 0.8%
Coral Sea — India: not among its largest East Mackay — India: 0.8%

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%
East Mackay 3.0% flats / apartments
East Mackay — Flats / Apartments: 3.0% East Mackay — Houses: 71.4% East Mackay — Townhouses: 25.5%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea East Mackay
Median house price — $700,000
Median unit price — $360,000
Median land price — $372,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 26 days
from 37 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea East Mackay
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 574
across Mackay
Approvals change year on year +70% -6%

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 East Mackay
Houses — 4.9%
$665/wk on $699K
Units — 5.1%
$445/wk on $450K

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea East Mackay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 63% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 100% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 90% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 76% of QLD

Liveability

East Mackay is more walkable (74 vs 0).

Coral Sea East Mackay
Grade — B
Score — 54/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); East Mackay carries more crime risk (62 vs 51).

Coral Sea East Mackay
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
62/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 High
97/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Coral Sea East Mackay
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
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 East Mackay

  • Victoria Park State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Autism Queensland Education & Therapy Centre - East Mackay Campus Independent · Primary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea East Mackay
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 10 5
Childcare 0 4
GPs 0 1
Beaches 3 2
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Coral Sea sits further from the CBD (1135.9 km vs 968 km).

Coral Sea East Mackay
Walkability score 0/100 74/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km
+15% vs other
 968 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 665 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
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.

Coral Sea East Mackay
Car (driver) 7.0% / 85.0%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% East Mackay — Car (driver): 85.0%
Walked Only 83.7% / 1.3%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% East Mackay — Walked Only: 1.3%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 4.9%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% East Mackay — Worked from Home: 4.9%
Car (passenger) — / 5.8%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest East Mackay — Car (passenger): 5.8%
Bus — / 1.8%
Coral Sea — Bus: not among its largest East Mackay — Bus: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.0%).

Setting

Coral Sea East Mackay
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 660 m
556 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea East Mackay
Connectivity score 15/100 100/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 100%
1,806 premises

Climate

Coral Sea East Mackay
Annual rainfall — 1,517 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 30.8°C
Winter min (Jul) — 12.4°C

Council rates

Coral Sea East Mackay
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,873/yr
Council Whitsunday Mackay

Federal electorate

Coral Sea East Mackay
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea East Mackay
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

East Mackay

Beach Coastal Parks Quiet Townhouses

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 East Mackay

East Mackay vs South Mackay East Mackay vs Mackay
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on East Mackay
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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