Gaven vs Molendinar

Molendinar is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 45 in Gaven. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Gaven, most households are couple families. In Molendinar, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Gaven: a median of $1.59 million, against $1.2 million in Molendinar. On these figures, Molendinar tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Gaven

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 80/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 84%)
  • But Molendinar has more parks and reserves (14 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Gaven has cheaper land ($1,350,000 vs $1,575,000)
  • Molendinar has cheaper houses ($1,200,000 vs $1,587,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Molendinar

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 12%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Gaven sits closer to the CBD (67.2 km vs 69.8 km)
  • Molendinar is more walkable (43/100 vs 25/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Gaven carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 80/100)
  • Molendinar has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 1%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gaven Molendinar
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.

Gaven Molendinar
Walkability 25 / 43
Gaven — Walkability: 25/100 Molendinar — Walkability: 43/100
Safety 47 / 20
Gaven — Safety: 47/100 Molendinar — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 39 / 100
Gaven — Low fire risk: 39/100 Molendinar — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Molendinar has more residents (6,450 vs 1,638); Gaven skews older (45 vs 37).

Gaven Molendinar
Population 1,638 6,450
+294% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.1% +1.2%
Median age 45 37
Median household income $104,780/yr
+12% vs other
 $91,884/yr
Median weekly rent $455/wk
+1% vs other
 $450/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gaven Molendinar
0-4 4.1% / 5.5%
Gaven — 0-4: 4.1% Molendinar — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 10.3% / 13.3%
Gaven — 5-14: 10.3% Molendinar — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 7.4% / 7.5%
Gaven — 15-19: 7.4% Molendinar — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 6.3% / 7.3%
Gaven — 20-24: 6.3% Molendinar — 20-24: 7.3%
25-34 9.3% / 12.5%
Gaven — 25-34: 9.3% Molendinar — 25-34: 12.5%
35-44 11.1% / 14.1%
Gaven — 35-44: 11.1% Molendinar — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 16.1% / 15.3%
Gaven — 45-54: 16.1% Molendinar — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 17.0% / 11.8%
Gaven — 55-64: 17.0% Molendinar — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 12.3% / 8.2%
Gaven — 65-74: 12.3% Molendinar — 65-74: 8.2%
75-84 5.2% / 3.8%
Gaven — 75-84: 5.2% Molendinar — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 0.9% / 0.9%
Gaven — 85+: 0.9% Molendinar — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gaven 57.5% couple families
Gaven — Couple Families: 57.5% Gaven — One Parent Families: 19.9% Gaven — Lone Person: 16.3% Gaven — Group Household: 5.5% Gaven — Other Families: 0.8%
Molendinar 50.6% couple families
Molendinar — Couple Families: 50.6% Molendinar — One Parent Families: 21.0% Molendinar — Lone Person: 19.1% Molendinar — Group Household: 8.3% Molendinar — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gaven 12.3% renting
Gaven — Owned Outright: 33.1% Gaven — Mortgage: 54.6% Gaven — Renting: 12.3%
Molendinar 35.5% renting
Molendinar — Owned Outright: 23.1% Molendinar — Mortgage: 41.4% Molendinar — Renting: 35.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Gaven Molendinar
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 14.8%
Gaven — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% Molendinar — Certificate III & IV: 14.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.3% / 12.5%
Gaven — Bachelor Degree: 8.3% Molendinar — Bachelor Degree: 12.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.6% / 8.4%
Gaven — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6% Molendinar — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 4.0%
Gaven — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Molendinar — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.6%
Gaven — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Molendinar — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

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.

Gaven Molendinar
New Zealand 10.0% / 6.8%
Gaven — New Zealand: 10.0% Molendinar — New Zealand: 6.8%
England 5.2% / 3.2%
Gaven — England: 5.2% Molendinar — England: 3.2%
China — / 4.6%
Gaven — China: not among its largest Molendinar — China: 4.6%
India 0.4% / 2.0%
Gaven — India: 0.4% Molendinar — India: 2.0%
Philippines 0.5% / 1.8%
Gaven — Philippines: 0.5% Molendinar — Philippines: 1.8%
South Africa 0.8% / 1.0%
Gaven — South Africa: 0.8% Molendinar — South Africa: 1.0%
Malaysia 0.7% / —
Gaven — Malaysia: 0.7% Molendinar — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gaven 99.4% houses
Gaven — Houses: 99.4% Gaven — Townhouses: 0.0% Gaven — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Molendinar 84.3% houses
Molendinar — Houses: 84.3% Molendinar — Townhouses: 15.4% Molendinar — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Gaven Molendinar
Median house price $1,587,500 $1,200,000
Median unit price — $830,000
Median land price $1,350,000 $1,575,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 41 days
from 4 sales
 38 days
from 25 sales

Development activity

Gaven Molendinar
New dwellings approved 7,196
across Gold Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Gaven Molendinar
Houses — 4.2%
$1,050/wk on $1.3M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Gaven Molendinar
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 77% of QLD Higher than 65% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of QLD Higher than 85% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 85% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 64% of QLD

Liveability

Molendinar is more walkable (43 vs 25); Molendinar scores higher overall (51 vs 40).

Gaven Molendinar
Grade C B
Score 40/100 51/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Gaven carries more bushfire risk (61 vs 0); Molendinar carries more crime risk (80 vs 53).

Gaven Molendinar
Bushfire Moderate
61/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
53/100
 High
80/100
Flood —
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
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Gaven Molendinar
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Gold Coast, 6.8 km
 1
Gold Coast, 4.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.6% 2.9%

Schools in Gaven

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

Schools in Molendinar

  • Trinity Lutheran College Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Gaven Molendinar
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 14
Childcare 2
same for both
GPs 0 1
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 4 3

Mobility

Molendinar sits further from the CBD (69.8 km vs 67.2 km).

Gaven Molendinar
Walkability score 25/100 43/100
Distance to Brisbane 67.2 km 69.8 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 51 min 54 min
Public transport score 32/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 43.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 19 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 4211
 1.5%
postcode 4214
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4211
 69
postcode 4214

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.

Gaven Molendinar
Car (driver) 72.4% / 77.2%
Gaven — Car (driver): 72.4% Molendinar — Car (driver): 77.2%
Worked from Home 17.7% / 11.4%
Gaven — Worked from Home: 17.7% Molendinar — Worked from Home: 11.4%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 7.7%
Gaven — Car (passenger): 5.9% Molendinar — Car (passenger): 7.7%
Walked Only 3.0% / 1.0%
Gaven — Walked Only: 3.0% Molendinar — Walked Only: 1.0%
Train 0.4% / 0.9%
Gaven — Train: 0.4% Molendinar — Train: 0.9%
Tram / Light Rail 0.6% / 0.3%
Gaven — Tram / Light Rail: 0.6% Molendinar — Tram / Light Rail: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.2%).

Setting

Gaven Molendinar
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.3 km 5.3 km

NBN connectivity

Gaven Molendinar
Connectivity score 51/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
619 premises
 24%
3,613 premises

Climate

Gaven Molendinar
Annual rainfall 1,351 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Gaven Molendinar
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.91 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Gaven Molendinar
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Gaven Molendinar
Division Fadden Moncrieff
Member Cameron Caldwell Angie Bell
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gaven Molendinar
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gaven

Acreage Premium

Molendinar

Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gaven

Gaven vs Helensvale Gaven vs Nerang Gaven vs Pacific Pines Gaven vs Oxenford Gaven vs Arundel

Other comparisons with Molendinar

Molendinar vs Southport Molendinar vs Nerang Molendinar vs Ashmore Molendinar vs Arundel Molendinar vs Parkwood
Full data on Gaven Full data on Molendinar
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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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