Coral Sea vs Rowes Bay

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 69 in Rowes Bay. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of households are people living alone. In Coral Sea, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. 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 0)
  • Rowes Bay has more separate houses rather than flats (36% 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 31%)
  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $265/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 945 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1358 km)
  • But Rowes Bay is more walkable (25/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 98/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 64%)
  • But Rowes Bay is more walkable (25/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Rowes Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-5.6% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Rowes 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 Rowes 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 Rowes Bay
Walkability 0 / 25
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Rowes Bay — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 49 / 2
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Rowes Bay — Safety: 2/100
Low fire risk 64 / 57
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Rowes Bay — Low fire risk: 57/100

Demographics

Rowes Bay has more residents (541 vs 78); Rowes Bay rents higher ($265/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Population 78 541
+594% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% -5.6%
Median age 36 69
Median household income $71,448/yr
+38% vs other
 $44,356/yr
Median weekly rent $130/wk $265/wk
+104% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
0-4 — / 0.9%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Rowes Bay — 0-4: 0.9%
5-14 6.4% / 7.4%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Rowes Bay — 5-14: 7.4%
15-19 — / 5.5%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Rowes Bay — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 — / 1.7%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Rowes Bay — 20-24: 1.7%
25-34 37.2% / 4.4%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Rowes Bay — 25-34: 4.4%
35-44 21.8% / 7.9%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Rowes Bay — 35-44: 7.9%
45-54 16.7% / 7.2%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Rowes Bay — 45-54: 7.2%
55-64 17.9% / 7.0%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Rowes Bay — 55-64: 7.0%
65-74 — / 17.4%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Rowes Bay — 65-74: 17.4%
75-84 — / 19.6%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Rowes Bay — 75-84: 19.6%
85+ — / 19.6%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Rowes Bay — 85+: 19.6%

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%
Rowes Bay 76.8% lone person
Rowes Bay — Lone Person: 76.8% Rowes Bay — Couple Families: 15.8% Rowes Bay — One Parent Families: 4.5% Rowes Bay — Group Household: 2.8%
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%
Rowes Bay 34.8% renting
Rowes Bay — Owned Outright: 39.8% Rowes Bay — Mortgage: 25.5% Rowes Bay — Renting: 34.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 10.0%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Rowes Bay — Certificate III & IV: 10.0%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 11.3%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Rowes Bay — Bachelor Degree: 11.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 5.5%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Rowes Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.5%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 3.5%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Rowes Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5%

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 Rowes Bay
New Zealand 10.3% / 1.7%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Rowes Bay — New Zealand: 1.7%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Rowes Bay — China: not among its largest
England — / 5.7%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Rowes Bay — England: 5.7%
Germany — / 1.5%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Rowes Bay — Germany: 1.5%
India — / 0.7%
Coral Sea — India: not among its largest Rowes Bay — India: 0.7%
South Africa — / 0.7%
Coral Sea — South Africa: not among its largest Rowes Bay — South Africa: 0.7%

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 — Townhouses: 0.0% Coral Sea — Houses: 0.0%
Rowes Bay 4.3% flats / apartments
Rowes Bay — Flats / Apartments: 4.3% Rowes Bay — Townhouses: 59.6% Rowes Bay — Houses: 36.1%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Median house price — $965,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 94 days
from 3 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 1,096
across Townsville
Approvals change year on year +70% -22%

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 7% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD

Liveability

Rowes Bay is more walkable (25 vs 0).

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Grade — C
Score — 36/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Rowes Bay carries more crime risk (98 vs 51).

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Moderate
43/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
98/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 High
73/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 High
100/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km None 1
James Cook University - Townsville, 4.0 km

Schools in Coral Sea

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

Schools in Rowes Bay

  • Cleveland Education and Training Centre Government · Combined · Special school above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 10 0
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Rowes Bay sits further from the CBD (1358 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Walkability score 0/100 25/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1358 km
+20% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 945 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 1.2%
postcode 4810
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 34
postcode 4810

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 Rowes Bay
Car (driver) 7.0% / 85.7%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Rowes Bay — Car (driver): 85.7%
Walked Only 83.7% / —
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Rowes Bay — Walked Only: not among its largest
Worked from Home 9.3% / 10.1%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Rowes Bay — Worked from Home: 10.1%
Car (passenger) — / 4.2%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Rowes Bay — Car (passenger): 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.7%).

Setting

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 832 m
2.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Connectivity score 15/100 85/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 57%
444 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Annual rainfall — 1,304 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 31.8°C
Winter min (Jul) — 15.0°C

Council rates

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,810/yr
Council Whitsunday Townsville

Federal electorate

Coral Sea Rowes Bay
Division Dawson Herbert
Member Andrew Willcox Phillip Thompson
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Rowes 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

Rowes Bay

Coastal Professionals Retirees River 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 Rowes Bay

Rowes Bay vs Garbutt Rowes Bay vs Belgian Gardens
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Rowes Bay
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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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