Coral Sea vs Mission Beach

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 49 in Mission 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 Mission Beach, 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.

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)
  • Mission Beach has more separate houses rather than flats (82% vs 0%)

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 26%)
  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $350/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 1592.3 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (780 min vs 1092 min)
  • But Mission Beach is more walkable (10/100 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 18%)
  • Mission Beach is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Mission Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (24.4% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Mission 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 Mission 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 Mission Beach
Walkability 0 / 10
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Mission Beach — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 49 / 52
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Mission Beach — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Mission Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Mission Beach has more residents (1,014 vs 78); Mission Beach rents higher ($350/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Population 78 1,014
+1200% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +24.4%
Median age 36 49
Median household income $71,448/yr
+3% vs other
 $68,952/yr
Median weekly rent $130/wk $350/wk
+169% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Mission Beach
0-4 — / 5.2%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Mission Beach — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 6.4% / 8.3%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Mission Beach — 5-14: 8.3%
15-19 — / 4.3%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Mission Beach — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 — / 3.2%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Mission Beach — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 37.2% / 13.9%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Mission Beach — 25-34: 13.9%
35-44 21.8% / 9.9%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Mission Beach — 35-44: 9.9%
45-54 16.7% / 14.8%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Mission Beach — 45-54: 14.8%
55-64 17.9% / 19.2%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Mission Beach — 55-64: 19.2%
65-74 — / 13.1%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Mission Beach — 65-74: 13.1%
75-84 — / 6.5%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Mission Beach — 75-84: 6.5%
85+ — / 1.1%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Mission 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%
Mission Beach 49.4% lone person
Mission Beach — Lone Person: 49.4% Mission Beach — Couple Families: 30.4% Mission Beach — One Parent Families: 12.3% Mission Beach — Group Household: 6.7% Mission Beach — 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%
Mission Beach 37.0% renting
Mission Beach — Owned Outright: 39.2% Mission Beach — Mortgage: 23.8% Mission Beach — Renting: 37.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 20.0%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Mission Beach — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 9.3%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Mission Beach — Bachelor Degree: 9.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 9.0%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Mission Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 3.1%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Mission Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.2%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Mission Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

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 Mission Beach
New Zealand 10.3% / 2.7%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Mission Beach — New Zealand: 2.7%
England — / 6.6%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Mission Beach — England: 6.6%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Mission Beach — China: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.9%
Coral Sea — Philippines: not among its largest Mission Beach — Philippines: 0.9%
Ireland — / 0.7%
Coral Sea — Ireland: not among its largest Mission Beach — Ireland: 0.7%
India — / 0.5%
Coral Sea — India: not among its largest Mission Beach — India: 0.5%

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%
Mission Beach 12.1% flats / apartments
Mission Beach — Flats / Apartments: 12.1% Mission Beach — Houses: 81.8% Mission Beach — Townhouses: 6.1%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Median house price — $690,000
Median unit price — $380,000
Median land price — $242,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 66 days
from 17 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea Mission Beach
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 186
across Cassowary Coast
Approvals change year on year +70% +68%

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 Mission Beach
Houses — 4.7%
$750/wk on $827K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Mission Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 36% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 71% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 69% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 83% of QLD

Liveability

Mission Beach is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Grade — C
Score — 47/100
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).

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
48/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 Low
31/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Coral Sea Mission 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 Mission Beach
Cafes & restaurants 2 9
Parks & reserves 10 4
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Beaches 3 1
Waterways 0 3

Mobility

Mission Beach sits further from the CBD (1592.3 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1592.3 km
+40% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1092 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.6%
postcode 4852
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 64
postcode 4852

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 Mission Beach
Walked Only 83.7% / 5.7%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Mission Beach — Walked Only: 5.7%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 75.6%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Mission Beach — Car (driver): 75.6%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 11.2%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Mission Beach — Worked from Home: 11.2%
Car (passenger) — / 6.0%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Mission Beach — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Bicycle — / 1.5%
Coral Sea — Bicycle: not among its largest Mission Beach — Bicycle: 1.5%

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

Setting

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 892 m
950 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Mission 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%
704 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Annual rainfall — 3,534 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 31.4°C
Winter min (Jul) — 16.5°C

Council rates

Coral Sea Mission Beach
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,829/yr
Council Whitsunday Cassowary Coast

Federal electorate

Coral Sea Mission 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 Mission 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

Mission Beach

Beach Coastal

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 Mission Beach

Mission Beach vs Wongaling Beach
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Mission 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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or