Garbutt vs Heatley

In both, most homes are detached houses. In Garbutt, most households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In Heatley, most households own their home. On these figures, Garbutt tends to suit renters 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

Heatley

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (51% vs 36%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (84% vs 65%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Garbutt

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (57% vs 35%)
  • has cheaper rent ($220/wk vs $280/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Heatley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (71/100 vs 32/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Heatley

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (71/100 vs 32/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (87/100 vs 98/100)
  • But Garbutt has more units and townhouses to downsize into (35% vs 16%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Garbutt Heatley
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.

Garbutt Heatley
Walkability 32 / 71
Garbutt — Walkability: 32/100 Heatley — Walkability: 71/100
Safety 2 / 13
Garbutt — Safety: 2/100 Heatley — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 48 / 100
Garbutt — Low fire risk: 48/100 Heatley — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Heatley has more residents (3,907 vs 2,309); Heatley rents higher ($280/wk vs $220/wk).

Garbutt Heatley
Population 2,309 3,907
+69% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.6% -3.2%
Median age 42 40
Median household income $56,264/yr $65,832/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $220/wk $280/wk
+27% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Garbutt Heatley
0-4 5.1% / 4.7%
Garbutt — 0-4: 5.1% Heatley — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 9.4% / 12.8%
Garbutt — 5-14: 9.4% Heatley — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 5.6% / 7.6%
Garbutt — 15-19: 5.6% Heatley — 15-19: 7.6%
20-24 8.0% / 6.4%
Garbutt — 20-24: 8.0% Heatley — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 14.3% / 12.2%
Garbutt — 25-34: 14.3% Heatley — 25-34: 12.2%
35-44 10.9% / 12.3%
Garbutt — 35-44: 10.9% Heatley — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 13.1% / 12.6%
Garbutt — 45-54: 13.1% Heatley — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 14.1% / 10.6%
Garbutt — 55-64: 14.1% Heatley — 55-64: 10.6%
65-74 11.4% / 9.6%
Garbutt — 65-74: 11.4% Heatley — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 6.0% / 8.2%
Garbutt — 75-84: 6.0% Heatley — 75-84: 8.2%
85+ 1.6% / 2.7%
Garbutt — 85+: 1.6% Heatley — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Garbutt 54.7% lone person
Garbutt — Lone Person: 54.7% Garbutt — One Parent Families: 20.0% Garbutt — Couple Families: 15.9% Garbutt — Group Household: 7.3% Garbutt — Other Families: 2.1%
Heatley 41.0% lone person
Heatley — Lone Person: 41.0% Heatley — One Parent Families: 23.7% Heatley — Couple Families: 27.7% Heatley — Group Household: 4.7% Heatley — Other Families: 3.0%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Garbutt 57.1% renting
Garbutt — Owned Outright: 18.1% Garbutt — Mortgage: 24.8% Garbutt — Renting: 57.1%
Heatley 34.9% renting
Heatley — Owned Outright: 30.9% Heatley — Mortgage: 34.2% Heatley — Renting: 34.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Garbutt Heatley
Certificate III & IV 16.8% / 16.4%
Garbutt — Certificate III & IV: 16.8% Heatley — Certificate III & IV: 16.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.0% / 6.7%
Garbutt — Bachelor Degree: 7.0% Heatley — Bachelor Degree: 6.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 5.6%
Garbutt — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Heatley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6%
Postgraduate Degree 1.7% / 0.9%
Garbutt — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7% Heatley — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.1%
Garbutt — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Heatley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Garbutt Heatley
New Zealand 3.4% / 2.2%
Garbutt — New Zealand: 3.4% Heatley — New Zealand: 2.2%
Philippines 2.0% / 2.0%
Garbutt — Philippines: 2.0% Heatley — Philippines: 2.0%
England 1.8% / 1.9%
Garbutt — England: 1.8% Heatley — England: 1.9%
Malaysia 0.4% / 0.4%
Garbutt — Malaysia: 0.4% Heatley — Malaysia: 0.4%
Scotland 0.6% / —
Garbutt — Scotland: 0.6% Heatley — Scotland: not among its largest
India — / 0.4%
Garbutt — India: not among its largest Heatley — India: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Garbutt 65.3% houses
Garbutt — Houses: 65.3% Garbutt — Townhouses: 31.6% Garbutt — Flats / Apartments: 3.1%
Heatley 83.9% houses
Heatley — Houses: 83.9% Heatley — Townhouses: 16.0% Heatley — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Garbutt Heatley
Median house price $565,000 $557,000
Median unit price $395,000 —
Median land price $1,100,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 23 sales
 26 days
from 18 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.

Garbutt Heatley
3 bed $562K / $550K
Garbutt — 3 bed: $562K (52 sales) Heatley — 3 bed: $550K (49 sales)

52 vs 49 sales

4 bed $650K / $628K
Garbutt — 4 bed: $650K (9 sales) Heatley — 4 bed: $628K (12 sales)

9 vs 12 sales

Development activity

Garbutt Heatley
New dwellings approved 1,096
across Townsville
same for both
Approvals change year on year -22%
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.

Garbutt Heatley
Houses 4.8%
$550/wk on $599K
 4.8%
$570/wk on $612K
Units 6.1%
$530/wk on $449K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Garbutt Heatley
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 19% of QLD Higher than 31% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 25% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 82% of QLD Higher than 92% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 73% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of QLD Higher than 99% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 85% of QLD Higher than 88% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 91% of QLD —

Liveability

Heatley is more walkable (71 vs 32); Heatley scores higher overall (28 vs 15).

Garbutt Heatley
Grade D
same for both
Score 15/100 28/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Garbutt carries more bushfire risk (52 vs 0); Garbutt carries more crime risk (98 vs 87).

Garbutt Heatley
Bushfire Moderate
52/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
98/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
100/100
 High
70/100
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Garbutt Heatley
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
James Cook University - Townsville, 5.3 km
 1
James Cook University - Townsville, 7.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.1% 1.2%

Schools in Garbutt

  • Garbutt State School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Heatley

  • Heatley Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Heatley State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Townsville-Thuringowa Centre for Continuing Secondary Education Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Garbutt Heatley
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 9 1
Parks & reserves 4 3
Childcare 2 3
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 12 0

Mobility

Garbutt Heatley
Walkability score 32/100 71/100
Distance to Brisbane 1355.6 km 1354.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 930 min 926 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 75/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 63.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 29.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 4814
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 63
postcode 4814
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.

Garbutt Heatley
Car (driver) 80.6% / 81.4%
Garbutt — Car (driver): 80.6% Heatley — Car (driver): 81.4%
Car (passenger) 9.4% / 9.0%
Garbutt — Car (passenger): 9.4% Heatley — Car (passenger): 9.0%
Worked from Home 3.6% / 5.5%
Garbutt — Worked from Home: 3.6% Heatley — Worked from Home: 5.5%
Walked Only 3.5% / 1.8%
Garbutt — Walked Only: 3.5% Heatley — Walked Only: 1.8%
Bicycle 1.8% / 0.9%
Garbutt — Bicycle: 1.8% Heatley — Bicycle: 0.9%
Bus 1.2% / 1.4%
Garbutt — Bus: 1.2% Heatley — Bus: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.4%).

Setting

Garbutt Heatley
Elevation 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km
4.6 km to a named beach
 6.8 km

NBN connectivity

Garbutt Heatley
Connectivity score 97/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 91%
3,077 premises
 100%
1,816 premises

Climate

Garbutt Heatley
Annual rainfall 1,304 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 15.0°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Garbutt Heatley
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 15.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.25 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Garbutt Heatley
Average residential rate $1,810/yr
same for both
Council Townsville
same for both

Federal electorate

Garbutt Heatley
Division Herbert
same for both
Member Phillip Thompson
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Garbutt Heatley
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Garbutt

Affordable Townhouses

Heatley

Affordable Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Garbutt

Garbutt vs Mount Louisa Garbutt vs West End Garbutt vs Currajong Garbutt vs Vincent Garbutt vs Belgian Gardens Garbutt vs Rowes Bay

Other comparisons with Heatley

Heatley vs Kirwan Heatley vs Mount Louisa Heatley vs Cranbrook Heatley vs Aitkenvale Heatley vs Vincent
Full data on Garbutt Full data on Heatley
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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