Fingal Head vs Kingscliff

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Fingal Head: a median of $2.05 million, against $1.76 million in Kingscliff, though rent is higher in Kingscliff. On these figures, Kingscliff tends to suit 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

Kingscliff

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • But Fingal Head has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Kingscliff

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,760,000 vs $2,052,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Fingal Head

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 31%)
  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $490/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Kingscliff

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 32/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kingscliff

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 32/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (38% vs 23%)

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

Investors

Kingscliff

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.9% vs 3.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Fingal Head Kingscliff
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.

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Walkability 32 / 77
Fingal Head — Walkability: 32/100 Kingscliff — Walkability: 77/100
Safety 36 / 41
Fingal Head — Safety: 36/100 Kingscliff — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 59 / 36
Fingal Head — Low fire risk: 59/100 Kingscliff — Low fire risk: 36/100

Demographics

Kingscliff has more residents (8,355 vs 615); Kingscliff rents higher ($490/wk vs $400/wk).

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Population 615 8,355
+1259% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.9% +11.9%
Median age 46 47
Median household income $83,928/yr
+2% vs other
 $81,900/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk $490/wk
+22% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fingal Head Kingscliff
0-4 3.3% / 4.6%
Fingal Head — 0-4: 3.3% Kingscliff — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 12.4% / 12.9%
Fingal Head — 5-14: 12.4% Kingscliff — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 6.0% / 5.4%
Fingal Head — 15-19: 6.0% Kingscliff — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 4.9% / 3.9%
Fingal Head — 20-24: 4.9% Kingscliff — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 8.0% / 7.6%
Fingal Head — 25-34: 8.0% Kingscliff — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 12.0% / 11.8%
Fingal Head — 35-44: 12.0% Kingscliff — 35-44: 11.8%
45-54 15.3% / 13.5%
Fingal Head — 45-54: 15.3% Kingscliff — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 18.9% / 14.8%
Fingal Head — 55-64: 18.9% Kingscliff — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 12.5% / 14.0%
Fingal Head — 65-74: 12.5% Kingscliff — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 4.1% / 7.9%
Fingal Head — 75-84: 4.1% Kingscliff — 75-84: 7.9%
85+ 2.1% / 3.6%
Fingal Head — 85+: 2.1% Kingscliff — 85+: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fingal Head 41.9% couple families
Fingal Head — Couple Families: 41.9% Fingal Head — Lone Person: 31.1% Fingal Head — One Parent Families: 19.2% Fingal Head — Group Household: 4.2% Fingal Head — Other Families: 3.6%
Kingscliff 39.7% couple families
Kingscliff — Couple Families: 39.7% Kingscliff — Lone Person: 39.4% Kingscliff — One Parent Families: 14.8% Kingscliff — Group Household: 5.4% Kingscliff — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fingal Head 32.3% renting
Fingal Head — Owned Outright: 43.8% Fingal Head — Mortgage: 24.0% Fingal Head — Renting: 32.3%
Kingscliff 29.1% renting
Kingscliff — Owned Outright: 43.4% Kingscliff — Mortgage: 27.5% Kingscliff — Renting: 29.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Bachelor Degree 18.9% / 14.4%
Fingal Head — Bachelor Degree: 18.9% Kingscliff — Bachelor Degree: 14.4%
Certificate III & IV 13.3% / 14.2%
Fingal Head — Certificate III & IV: 13.3% Kingscliff — Certificate III & IV: 14.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.6% / 9.4%
Fingal Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.6% Kingscliff — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 4.1%
Fingal Head — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Kingscliff — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.2%
Fingal Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Kingscliff — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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.

Fingal Head Kingscliff
England 6.3% / 5.1%
Fingal Head — England: 6.3% Kingscliff — England: 5.1%
New Zealand 3.4% / 2.8%
Fingal Head — New Zealand: 3.4% Kingscliff — New Zealand: 2.8%
China 0.5% / —
Fingal Head — China: 0.5% Kingscliff — China: not among its largest
Sri Lanka 0.5% / —
Fingal Head — Sri Lanka: 0.5% Kingscliff — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Zimbabwe 0.5% / —
Fingal Head — Zimbabwe: 0.5% Kingscliff — Zimbabwe: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.5%
Fingal Head — South Africa: not among its largest Kingscliff — South Africa: 0.5%
Scotland — / 0.5%
Fingal Head — Scotland: not among its largest Kingscliff — Scotland: 0.5%
Canada — / 0.5%
Fingal Head — Canada: not among its largest Kingscliff — Canada: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fingal Head 77.3% houses
Fingal Head — Houses: 77.3% Fingal Head — Flats / Apartments: 15.3% Fingal Head — Townhouses: 7.4%
Kingscliff 61.6% houses
Kingscliff — Houses: 61.6% Kingscliff — Flats / Apartments: 21.2% Kingscliff — Townhouses: 17.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Median house price $2,052,500 $1,760,000
Median unit price $1,000,000 $992,500
Median land price — $2,757,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 130 days
from 4 sales
 37 days
from 81 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.

Fingal Head Kingscliff
3 bed $1.59M / $1.59M
Fingal Head — 3 bed: $1.59M (6 sales) Kingscliff — 3 bed: $1.59M (58 sales)

6 vs 58 sales

4 bed $2.3M / $1.94M
Fingal Head — 4 bed: $2.3M (6 sales) Kingscliff — 4 bed: $1.94M (54 sales)

6 vs 54 sales

Zoning mix

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Other and special use 82% 23%
Residential 9% 47%
Parks and recreation 6% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 8%
Rural and farming 1% 5%
Environmental 2% 4%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Fingal Head Kingscliff
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
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.

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Houses — 3.3%
$1,100/wk on $1.75M
Units — 3.4%
$850/wk on $1.32M

Ranking within NSW

Fingal Head Kingscliff
House price Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Income Higher than 51% of NSW —
Schools — Higher than 32% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 17% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 91% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 33% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 9% of NSW

Liveability

Kingscliff is more walkable (77 vs 32).

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Grade C
same for both
Score 39/100 36/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Kingscliff carries more bushfire risk (64 vs 41).

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Bushfire Moderate
41/100
 Moderate
64/100
Crime Moderate
64/100
 Moderate
59/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
91/100
 Moderate
41/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Gold Coast Airport Development Park - Bilinga, 7.3 km
 None

Schools in Fingal Head

  • Fingal Head Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Kingscliff

  • Kingscliff High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Kingscliff Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Anthony's Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 33
Parks & reserves 3 12
Childcare 0 4
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 3
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 1

Mobility

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Walkability score 32/100 77/100
Distance to Sydney 806.9 km 805.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 515 min 513 min
Public transport score 20/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 3.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 122.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 3 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 2487
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 2487
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.

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Car (driver) 71.1% / 66.1%
Fingal Head — Car (driver): 71.1% Kingscliff — Car (driver): 66.1%
Worked from Home 23.6% / 24.0%
Fingal Head — Worked from Home: 23.6% Kingscliff — Worked from Home: 24.0%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 4.2%
Fingal Head — Car (passenger): 4.1% Kingscliff — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only — / 3.6%
Fingal Head — Walked Only: not among its largest Kingscliff — Walked Only: 3.6%
Bicycle 1.2% / 0.9%
Fingal Head — Bicycle: 1.2% Kingscliff — Bicycle: 0.9%
Bus — / 1.0%
Fingal Head — Bus: not among its largest Kingscliff — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.1%).

Setting

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 410 m
2.2 km to a named beach
 860 m
1.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Connectivity score 74/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 53%
314 premises
 33%
5,502 premises

Climate

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Annual rainfall 1,637 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Fingal Head Kingscliff
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Fingal Head

Coastal Premium Quiet

Kingscliff

Beach Coastal Parks Regional Centre Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Fingal Head

Fingal Head vs Banora Point Fingal Head vs Tweed Heads Fingal Head vs Tweed Heads South Fingal Head vs Chinderah

Other comparisons with Kingscliff

Kingscliff vs Casuarina Kingscliff vs Chinderah Kingscliff vs Cudgen
Full data on Fingal Head Full data on Kingscliff
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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