Edge Hill vs Whitfield

Edge Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 45 in Whitfield. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses.

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

Edge Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 9)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Edge Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($340,000 vs $520,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Edge Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $340/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Edge Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 38/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Edge Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 38/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Edge Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.4% vs 3.9%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Edge Hill and Whitfield drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Edge Hill Whitfield
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.

Edge Hill Whitfield
Walkability 66 / 38
Edge Hill — Walkability: 66/100 Whitfield — Walkability: 38/100
Safety 27 / 22
Edge Hill — Safety: 27/100 Whitfield — Safety: 22/100
Low fire risk 62 / 46
Edge Hill — Low fire risk: 62/100 Whitfield — Low fire risk: 46/100

Demographics

Whitfield skews older (45 vs 42).

Edge Hill Whitfield
Population 4,088 4,262
+4% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% -0.3%
Median age 42 45
Median household income $87,048/yr $87,412/yr
Median weekly rent $310/wk $340/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Edge Hill Whitfield
0-4 4.4% / 3.6%
Edge Hill — 0-4: 4.4% Whitfield — 0-4: 3.6%
5-14 14.3% / 13.0%
Edge Hill — 5-14: 14.3% Whitfield — 5-14: 13.0%
15-19 5.8% / 5.7%
Edge Hill — 15-19: 5.8% Whitfield — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 4.0% / 3.3%
Edge Hill — 20-24: 4.0% Whitfield — 20-24: 3.3%
25-34 11.6% / 11.6%
Edge Hill — 25-34: 11.6% Whitfield — 25-34: 11.6%
35-44 13.8% / 12.1%
Edge Hill — 35-44: 13.8% Whitfield — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 15.3% / 16.3%
Edge Hill — 45-54: 15.3% Whitfield — 45-54: 16.3%
55-64 13.7% / 13.0%
Edge Hill — 55-64: 13.7% Whitfield — 55-64: 13.0%
65-74 11.1% / 10.4%
Edge Hill — 65-74: 11.1% Whitfield — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 4.6% / 6.7%
Edge Hill — 75-84: 4.6% Whitfield — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 1.4% / 4.1%
Edge Hill — 85+: 1.4% Whitfield — 85+: 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Edge Hill 41.9% lone person
Edge Hill — Lone Person: 41.9% Edge Hill — Couple Families: 31.3% Edge Hill — One Parent Families: 18.4% Edge Hill — Group Household: 6.8% Edge Hill — Other Families: 1.6%
Whitfield 42.0% lone person
Whitfield — Lone Person: 42.0% Whitfield — Couple Families: 34.2% Whitfield — One Parent Families: 16.9% Whitfield — Group Household: 6.1% Whitfield — Other Families: 0.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Edge Hill 36.8% renting
Edge Hill — Owned Outright: 32.4% Edge Hill — Mortgage: 30.8% Edge Hill — Renting: 36.8%
Whitfield 31.0% renting
Whitfield — Owned Outright: 33.9% Whitfield — Mortgage: 35.2% Whitfield — Renting: 31.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Edge Hill Whitfield
Bachelor Degree 15.9% / 16.3%
Edge Hill — Bachelor Degree: 15.9% Whitfield — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 13.9% / 14.6%
Edge Hill — Certificate III & IV: 13.9% Whitfield — Certificate III & IV: 14.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.5%
Edge Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Whitfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.3% / 5.5%
Edge Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 6.3% Whitfield — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 3.1%
Edge Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Whitfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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.

Edge Hill Whitfield
England 4.9% / 4.5%
Edge Hill — England: 4.9% Whitfield — England: 4.5%
New Zealand 3.3% / 2.6%
Edge Hill — New Zealand: 3.3% Whitfield — New Zealand: 2.6%
Japan 1.6% / 1.3%
Edge Hill — Japan: 1.6% Whitfield — Japan: 1.3%
Philippines 1.5% / 1.1%
Edge Hill — Philippines: 1.5% Whitfield — Philippines: 1.1%
India 0.8% / 1.0%
Edge Hill — India: 0.8% Whitfield — India: 1.0%
Germany 0.8% / 0.7%
Edge Hill — Germany: 0.8% Whitfield — Germany: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Edge Hill 69.8% houses
Edge Hill — Houses: 69.8% Edge Hill — Flats / Apartments: 24.0% Edge Hill — Townhouses: 6.3%
Whitfield 78.9% houses
Whitfield — Houses: 78.9% Whitfield — Flats / Apartments: 1.9% Whitfield — Townhouses: 19.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Edge Hill Whitfield
Median house price $880,000 $861,500
Median unit price $340,000 $520,000
Median land price — $517,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 38 sales
 23 days
from 29 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Edge Hill Whitfield
3 bed $782K / $800K
Edge Hill — 3 bed: $782K (32 sales) Whitfield — 3 bed: $800K (19 sales)

32 vs 19 sales

4 bed $890K / $940K
Edge Hill — 4 bed: $890K (18 sales) Whitfield — 4 bed: $940K (28 sales)

18 vs 28 sales

5 bed $1.13M / $1.36M
Edge Hill — 5 bed: $1.13M (8 sales) Whitfield — 5 bed: $1.36M (6 sales)

8 vs 6 sales

Development activity

Edge Hill Whitfield
New dwellings approved 767
across Cairns
same for both
Approvals change year on year -81%
same for both

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.

Edge Hill Whitfield
Houses 4.4%
$810/wk on $949K
 3.9%
$660/wk on $880K
Units 7.4%
$550/wk on $389K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Edge Hill Whitfield
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 61% of QLD
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 90% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 75% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 74% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 97% of QLD —

Liveability

Edge Hill is more walkable (66 vs 38); Edge Hill scores higher overall (41 vs 35).

Edge Hill Whitfield
Grade C
same for both
Score 41/100 35/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Whitfield carries more bushfire risk (54 vs 38).

Edge Hill Whitfield
Bushfire Low
38/100
 Moderate
54/100
Crime High
73/100
 High
78/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Edge Hill Whitfield
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1
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, 9.1 km

Schools in Edge Hill

  • Edge Hill State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Whitfield

  • Whitfield State School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Edge Hill Whitfield
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 10 1
Parks & reserves 13 9
Childcare 3 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 2
same for both

Mobility

Edge Hill Whitfield
Walkability score 66/100 38/100
Distance to Brisbane 1700 km 1701.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1173 min 1177 min
Public transport score 67/100
Bus
 57/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 19.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 4870
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 4870
same for both

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.

Edge Hill Whitfield
Car (driver) 69.2% / 70.6%
Edge Hill — Car (driver): 69.2% Whitfield — Car (driver): 70.6%
Worked from Home 18.1% / 18.7%
Edge Hill — Worked from Home: 18.1% Whitfield — Worked from Home: 18.7%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 5.8%
Edge Hill — Car (passenger): 5.3% Whitfield — Car (passenger): 5.8%
Bicycle 3.4% / 2.7%
Edge Hill — Bicycle: 3.4% Whitfield — Bicycle: 2.7%
Walked Only 2.7% / 1.2%
Edge Hill — Walked Only: 2.7% Whitfield — Walked Only: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.6%).

Setting

Edge Hill Whitfield
Elevation 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.2 km 3.1 km

NBN connectivity

Edge Hill Whitfield
Connectivity score 99/100 91/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 97%
2,043 premises
 82%
2,116 premises

Climate

Edge Hill Whitfield
Annual rainfall 2,121 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 18.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Edge Hill Whitfield
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Edge Hill Whitfield
Average residential rate $1,354/yr
same for both
Council Cairns
same for both

Federal electorate

Edge Hill Whitfield
Division Leichhardt
same for both
Member Matt Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Edge Hill Whitfield
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Edge Hill

Coastal Parks Professionals Village Feel

Whitfield

Parks Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Edge Hill

Edge Hill vs Manoora Edge Hill vs Cairns North Edge Hill vs Manunda

Other comparisons with Whitfield

Whitfield vs Manoora Whitfield vs Brinsmead Whitfield vs Cairns North Whitfield vs Kanimbla Whitfield vs Stratford Whitfield vs Aeroglen
Full data on Edge Hill Full data on Whitfield
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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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