Coral Sea vs Saunders Beach

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

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 71/100)
  • But Saunders Beach has more separate houses rather than flats (95% 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 $320/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 22%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 25%)

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 1382.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (780 min vs 945 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 7%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 71/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Saunders Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-5.9% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Saunders 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 Saunders 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 Saunders Beach
Walkability 0 / 0
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Saunders Beach — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 49 / 29
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Saunders Beach — Safety: 29/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Saunders Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Saunders Beach has more residents (385 vs 78); Saunders Beach rents higher ($320/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Population 78 385
+394% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% -5.9%
Median age 36 49
Median household income $71,448/yr $77,116/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $320/wk
+146% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
0-4 — / 3.9%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Saunders Beach — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 6.4% / 11.7%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Saunders Beach — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 — / 4.9%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Saunders Beach — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 — / 4.9%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Saunders Beach — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 37.2% / 6.2%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Saunders Beach — 25-34: 6.2%
35-44 21.8% / 10.4%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Saunders Beach — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 16.7% / 19.2%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Saunders Beach — 45-54: 19.2%
55-64 17.9% / 23.6%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Saunders Beach — 55-64: 23.6%
65-74 — / 10.1%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Saunders Beach — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 — / 5.7%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Saunders Beach — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ — / 1.8%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Saunders Beach — 85+: 1.8%

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%
Saunders Beach 48.3% lone person
Saunders Beach — Lone Person: 48.3% Saunders Beach — Couple Families: 26.3% Saunders Beach — One Parent Families: 18.6% Saunders Beach — Group Household: 6.8%
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%
Saunders Beach 25.2% renting
Saunders Beach — Owned Outright: 34.6% Saunders Beach — Mortgage: 40.3% Saunders Beach — Renting: 25.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 16.9%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Saunders Beach — Certificate III & IV: 16.9%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 7.8%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Saunders Beach — Bachelor Degree: 7.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 7.5%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Saunders Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 3.6%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Saunders Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.8%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Saunders Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

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 Saunders Beach
New Zealand 10.3% / 3.9%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Saunders Beach — New Zealand: 3.9%
China 6.4% / —
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Saunders Beach — China: not among its largest
England — / 6.0%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Saunders Beach — England: 6.0%
Scotland — / 1.3%
Coral Sea — Scotland: not among its largest Saunders Beach — Scotland: 1.3%
Germany — / 1.3%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Saunders Beach — Germany: 1.3%
Netherlands — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — Netherlands: not among its largest Saunders Beach — Netherlands: 1.0%

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%
Saunders Beach 0.0% flats / apartments
Saunders Beach — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Saunders Beach — Houses: 94.6% Saunders Beach — Townhouses: 6.6%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Median house price — $570,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

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

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 13% 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 52% of QLD

Liveability

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); Saunders Beach carries more crime risk (71 vs 51).

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
71/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 High
81/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Coral Sea Saunders 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 Saunders Beach
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 10 0
Beaches 3 0

Mobility

Saunders Beach sits further from the CBD (1382.7 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1382.7 km
+22% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 945 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.6%
postcode 4818
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 87
postcode 4818

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 Saunders Beach
Car (driver) 7.0% / 94.4%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Saunders Beach — Car (driver): 94.4%
Walked Only 83.7% / —
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Saunders Beach — Walked Only: not among its largest
Worked from Home 9.3% / 2.1%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Saunders Beach — Worked from Home: 2.1%
Car (passenger) — / 3.5%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Saunders Beach — Car (passenger): 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (94.4%).

Setting

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 746 m

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Connectivity score 15/100 30/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 0%
220 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

Coral Sea Saunders Beach
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,810/yr
Council Whitsunday Townsville

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Saunders 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

Saunders Beach

Acreage Affordable 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 Saunders Beach

Saunders Beach vs Bluewater Saunders Beach vs Yabulu
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Saunders Beach
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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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