Coral Sea vs Port Douglas

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 44 in Port Douglas. 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 Port Douglas, 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

Port Douglas

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (36% vs 0%)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Coral Sea carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 69/100)

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 $350/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 26%)

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 1237 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1763 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 64%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 69/100)
  • But Port Douglas has more GPs (2 vs 0)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Port Douglas

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.2% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Port Douglas 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 Port Douglas
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 Port Douglas
Walkability 0 / 0
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Port Douglas — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 49 / 31
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Port Douglas — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Port Douglas — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Port Douglas has more residents (3,650 vs 78); Port Douglas rents higher ($350/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Population 78 3,650
+4579% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +4.2%
Median age 36 44
Median household income $71,448/yr $71,240/yr
Median weekly rent $130/wk $350/wk
+169% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Port Douglas
0-4 — / 2.7%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Port Douglas — 0-4: 2.7%
5-14 6.4% / 5.8%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Port Douglas — 5-14: 5.8%
15-19 — / 2.8%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Port Douglas — 15-19: 2.8%
20-24 — / 4.9%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Port Douglas — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 37.2% / 21.6%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Port Douglas — 25-34: 21.6%
35-44 21.8% / 12.3%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Port Douglas — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 16.7% / 12.6%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Port Douglas — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 17.9% / 16.4%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Port Douglas — 55-64: 16.4%
65-74 — / 13.9%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Port Douglas — 65-74: 13.9%
75-84 — / 5.6%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Port Douglas — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ — / 1.1%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Port Douglas — 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 — Group Household: 0.0% Coral Sea — One Parent Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — Other Families: 0.0%
Port Douglas 51.3% lone person
Port Douglas — Lone Person: 51.3% Port Douglas — Couple Families: 23.5% Port Douglas — Group Household: 13.6% Port Douglas — One Parent Families: 11.0% Port Douglas — Other Families: 0.7%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families 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%
Port Douglas 43.8% renting
Port Douglas — Owned Outright: 29.1% Port Douglas — Mortgage: 27.2% Port Douglas — Renting: 43.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 15.0%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Port Douglas — Certificate III & IV: 15.0%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 15.3%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Port Douglas — Bachelor Degree: 15.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 9.7%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Port Douglas — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 3.2%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Port Douglas — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.5%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Port Douglas — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

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 Port Douglas
New Zealand 10.3% / 4.1%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Port Douglas — New Zealand: 4.1%
England — / 6.7%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Port Douglas — England: 6.7%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Port Douglas — China: not among its largest
Italy — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — Italy: not among its largest Port Douglas — Italy: 1.0%
Germany — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Port Douglas — Germany: 1.0%
Philippines — / 0.8%
Coral Sea — Philippines: not among its largest Port Douglas — Philippines: 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%
Port Douglas 31.4% flats / apartments
Port Douglas — Flats / Apartments: 31.4% Port Douglas — Houses: 35.7% Port Douglas — Townhouses: 32.9%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Median house price — $935,000
Median unit price — $380,000
Median land price — $730,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 34 days
from 26 sales

Development activity

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

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 Port Douglas
Houses — 2.4%
$792/wk on $1.72M
Units — 6.9%
$600/wk on $449K

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Port Douglas
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 6% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 3% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 95% of QLD

Liveability

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Grade — C
Score — 37/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); Port Douglas carries more crime risk (69 vs 51).

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 Moderate
54/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

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

Schools in Coral Sea

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

Schools in Port Douglas

  • Port Douglas State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Newman Catholic College - Port Douglas Campus Catholic · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 2 48
Parks & reserves 10 9
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 3
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 0 2
EV chargers 0 1
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 0 7

Mobility

Port Douglas sits further from the CBD (1763 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1763 km
+55% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1237 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.9%
postcode 4877
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 53
postcode 4877

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 Port Douglas
Walked Only 83.7% / 13.6%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Port Douglas — Walked Only: 13.6%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 59.1%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Port Douglas — Car (driver): 59.1%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 13.3%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Port Douglas — Worked from Home: 13.3%
Bicycle — / 6.4%
Coral Sea — Bicycle: not among its largest Port Douglas — Bicycle: 6.4%
Car (passenger) — / 6.0%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Port Douglas — Car (passenger): 6.0%

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

Setting

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 119 m
511 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Connectivity score 15/100 52/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 13%
4,084 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Port Douglas
Annual rainfall — 2,155 mm
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Port Douglas
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

Port Douglas

Affordable Beach Coastal 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 Port Douglas

Port Douglas vs Craiglie Port Douglas vs Bonnie Doon Port Douglas vs Killaloe
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Port Douglas
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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