Coral Sea vs Palm Cove

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 53 in Palm Cove. 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 Palm Cove, most 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

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 4)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 75/100)
  • But Palm Cove has more separate houses rather than flats (66% vs 0%)

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

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $365/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 24%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 31%)

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 1196 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1723.2 km)
  • But Palm Cove is more walkable (33/100 vs 0/100)

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 34%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 75/100)
  • But Palm Cove is more walkable (33/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Palm Cove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.0% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Palm Cove 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 Palm Cove
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 Palm Cove
Walkability 0 / 33
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Palm Cove — Walkability: 33/100
Safety 49 / 25
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Palm Cove — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 64 / 61
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Palm Cove — Low fire risk: 61/100

Demographics

Palm Cove has more residents (2,450 vs 78); Palm Cove rents higher ($365/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Population 78 2,450
+3041% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +19.0%
Median age 36 53
Median household income $71,448/yr $79,404/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $365/wk
+181% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Palm Cove
0-4 — / 2.5%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Palm Cove — 0-4: 2.5%
5-14 6.4% / 8.6%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Palm Cove — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 — / 3.8%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Palm Cove — 15-19: 3.8%
20-24 — / 2.9%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Palm Cove — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 37.2% / 7.3%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Palm Cove — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 21.8% / 10.9%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Palm Cove — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 16.7% / 16.7%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Palm Cove — 45-54: 16.7%
55-64 17.9% / 20.2%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Palm Cove — 55-64: 20.2%
65-74 — / 19.3%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Palm Cove — 65-74: 19.3%
75-84 — / 7.5%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Palm Cove — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ — / 0.9%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Palm Cove — 85+: 0.9%

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%
Palm Cove 49.6% lone person
Palm Cove — Lone Person: 49.6% Palm Cove — Couple Families: 33.3% Palm Cove — One Parent Families: 11.3% Palm Cove — Group Household: 3.9% Palm Cove — Other Families: 1.9%
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%
Palm Cove 31.1% renting
Palm Cove — Owned Outright: 41.2% Palm Cove — Mortgage: 27.7% Palm Cove — Renting: 31.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 15.1%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Palm Cove — Certificate III & IV: 15.1%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 12.7%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Palm Cove — Bachelor Degree: 12.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 10.9%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Palm Cove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.9%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 5.8%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Palm Cove — Postgraduate Degree: 5.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.5%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Palm Cove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

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 Palm Cove
New Zealand 10.3% / 4.0%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Palm Cove — New Zealand: 4.0%
England — / 12.1%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Palm Cove — England: 12.1%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Palm Cove — China: not among its largest
Germany — / 1.5%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Palm Cove — Germany: 1.5%
Scotland — / 1.2%
Coral Sea — Scotland: not among its largest Palm Cove — Scotland: 1.2%
South Africa — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — South Africa: not among its largest Palm Cove — South Africa: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.1%).

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%
Palm Cove 22.3% flats / apartments
Palm Cove — Flats / Apartments: 22.3% Palm Cove — Houses: 65.8% Palm Cove — Townhouses: 11.8%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Median house price — $1,205,000
Median unit price — $455,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 40 days
from 34 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea Palm Cove
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 Palm Cove
Houses — 4.4%
$1,000/wk on $1.19M
Units — 6.3%
$600/wk on $495K

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Palm Cove
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 50% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 83% 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 72% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 71% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 93% of QLD

Liveability

Palm Cove is more walkable (33 vs 0).

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Grade — C
Score — 35/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Palm Cove carries more crime risk (75 vs 51).

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Low
39/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
75/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 Low
18/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Coral Sea Palm Cove
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, 9.0 km

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Cafes & restaurants 2 25
Parks & reserves 10 4
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Beaches 3 1
Waterways 0 7

Mobility

Palm Cove sits further from the CBD (1723.2 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Walkability score 0/100 33/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1723.2 km
+52% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1196 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 Palm Cove
Walked Only 83.7% / 6.8%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Palm Cove — Walked Only: 6.8%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 62.7%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Palm Cove — Car (driver): 62.7%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 22.9%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Palm Cove — Worked from Home: 22.9%
Car (passenger) — / 4.9%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Palm Cove — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Bus — / 2.1%
Coral Sea — Bus: not among its largest Palm Cove — Bus: 2.1%

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

Setting

Coral Sea Palm Cove
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 122 m
948 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Connectivity score 15/100 60/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 27%
2,092 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

Coral Sea Palm Cove
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,354/yr
Council Whitsunday Cairns

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Palm Cove
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

Palm Cove

Affordable Beach Cafe Culture Coastal Retirees 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 Palm Cove

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