Karragarra Island vs Macleay Island

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Macleay Island: a median of $570,000, against $472,000 in Karragarra Island. On these figures, Karragarra Island tends to suit people living alone 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Karragarra Island carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 67/100)
  • Macleay Island has more parks and reserves (7 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

  • Karragarra Island has cheaper houses ($472,500 vs $570,000)
  • Macleay Island has cheaper land ($115,000 vs $217,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Karragarra Island

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (82 min vs 88 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (48.2 km vs 50.8 km)
  • But Macleay Island is more walkable (30/100 vs 8/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Macleay Island

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (30/100 vs 8/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • But Karragarra Island carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 67/100)

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

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

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
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.

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Walkability 8 / 30
Karragarra Island — Walkability: 8/100 Macleay Island — Walkability: 30/100
Safety 71 / 33
Karragarra Island — Safety: 71/100 Macleay Island — Safety: 33/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Karragarra Island — Low fire risk: 100/100 Macleay Island — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Macleay Island has more residents (3,193 vs 240); Karragarra Island has higher household incomes ($45,344 vs $39,260).

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Population 240 3,193
+1230% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +17.6% +19.1%
Median age 63 62
Median household income $45,344/yr
+13% vs other
 $39,260/yr
Median weekly rent $268/wk
+3% vs other
 $260/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
0-4 1.7% / 1.9%
Karragarra Island — 0-4: 1.7% Macleay Island — 0-4: 1.9%
5-14 4.2% / 5.9%
Karragarra Island — 5-14: 4.2% Macleay Island — 5-14: 5.9%
15-19 4.2% / 3.3%
Karragarra Island — 15-19: 4.2% Macleay Island — 15-19: 3.3%
20-24 — / 1.5%
Karragarra Island — 20-24: not among its largest Macleay Island — 20-24: 1.5%
25-34 3.8% / 4.5%
Karragarra Island — 25-34: 3.8% Macleay Island — 25-34: 4.5%
35-44 5.8% / 6.6%
Karragarra Island — 35-44: 5.8% Macleay Island — 35-44: 6.6%
45-54 9.2% / 11.6%
Karragarra Island — 45-54: 9.2% Macleay Island — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 28.3% / 21.6%
Karragarra Island — 55-64: 28.3% Macleay Island — 55-64: 21.6%
65-74 30.8% / 27.8%
Karragarra Island — 65-74: 30.8% Macleay Island — 65-74: 27.8%
75-84 10.8% / 12.6%
Karragarra Island — 75-84: 10.8% Macleay Island — 75-84: 12.6%
85+ — / 2.6%
Karragarra Island — 85+: not among its largest Macleay Island — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Karragarra Island 70.6% lone person
Karragarra Island — Lone Person: 70.6% Karragarra Island — One Parent Families: 16.2% Karragarra Island — Couple Families: 8.8% Karragarra Island — Group Household: 4.4% Karragarra Island — Other Families: 0.0%
Macleay Island 62.1% lone person
Macleay Island — Lone Person: 62.1% Macleay Island — One Parent Families: 13.7% Macleay Island — Couple Families: 13.4% Macleay Island — Group Household: 9.1% Macleay Island — Other Families: 1.6%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Karragarra Island 13.3% renting
Karragarra Island — Owned Outright: 63.7% Karragarra Island — Mortgage: 23.0% Karragarra Island — Renting: 13.3%
Macleay Island 22.9% renting
Macleay Island — Owned Outright: 53.3% Macleay Island — Mortgage: 23.9% Macleay Island — Renting: 22.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
England 7.5% / 7.2%
Karragarra Island — England: 7.5% Macleay Island — England: 7.2%
New Zealand 5.0% / 6.6%
Karragarra Island — New Zealand: 5.0% Macleay Island — New Zealand: 6.6%
Scotland 2.5% / 1.1%
Karragarra Island — Scotland: 2.5% Macleay Island — Scotland: 1.1%
Germany 2.1% / 1.1%
Karragarra Island — Germany: 2.1% Macleay Island — Germany: 1.1%
Netherlands 1.7% / 0.8%
Karragarra Island — Netherlands: 1.7% Macleay Island — Netherlands: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

Qualifications

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

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Certificate III & IV 18.8% / 19.6%
Karragarra Island — Certificate III & IV: 18.8% Macleay Island — Certificate III & IV: 19.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 13.8% / 9.2%
Karragarra Island — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.8% Macleay Island — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Bachelor Degree 12.5% / 7.3%
Karragarra Island — Bachelor Degree: 12.5% Macleay Island — Bachelor Degree: 7.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.2% / 1.4%
Karragarra Island — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2% Macleay Island — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.5% / 2.1%
Karragarra Island — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5% Macleay Island — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Karragarra Island 94.1% houses
Karragarra Island — Houses: 94.1% Karragarra Island — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Macleay Island 99.6% houses
Macleay Island — Houses: 99.6% Macleay Island — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Median house price $472,500 $570,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $217,500 $115,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 56 days
from 4 sales
 74 days
from 76 sales

Development activity

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
New dwellings approved 1,598
across Redland
same for both
Approvals change year on year -26%
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.

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Houses — 4.3%
$548/wk on $668K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 7% of QLD Higher than 4% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 34% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 94% of QLD Higher than 92% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 66% of QLD

Liveability

Macleay Island is more walkable (30 vs 8).

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Grade — C
Score — 39/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Macleay Island carries more crime risk (67 vs 29).

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
29/100
 Moderate
67/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
40/100
 Moderate
63/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Karragarra Island

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

Schools in Macleay Island

  • MacLeay Island State School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 1 7
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 1

Mobility

Macleay Island sits further from the CBD (50.8 km vs 48.2 km).

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Walkability score 8/100 30/100
Distance to Brisbane 48.2 km 50.8 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 82 min 88 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 4184
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 4184
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.

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Car (driver) 34.6% / 50.2%
Karragarra Island — Car (driver): 34.6% Macleay Island — Car (driver): 50.2%
Worked from Home 46.2% / 33.4%
Karragarra Island — Worked from Home: 46.2% Macleay Island — Worked from Home: 33.4%
Walked Only 19.2% / 3.1%
Karragarra Island — Walked Only: 19.2% Macleay Island — Walked Only: 3.1%
Car (passenger) — / 6.6%
Karragarra Island — Car (passenger): not among its largest Macleay Island — Car (passenger): 6.6%
Bus — / 4.8%
Karragarra Island — Bus: not among its largest Macleay Island — Bus: 4.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (50.2%).

Setting

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Elevation -2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 226 m
4.7 km to a named beach
 213 m
1.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Connectivity score 87/100 82/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 72%
191 premises
 55%
2,231 premises

Climate

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Annual rainfall 1,351 mm 1,032 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C 30.5°C
Winter min (Jul) 12.5°C 8.9°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
PM2.5 5.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.48 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Average residential rate $1,879/yr
same for both
Council Redland
same for both

Federal electorate

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Division Bowman
same for both
Member Henry Pike
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Karragarra Island Macleay Island
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Karragarra Island

Acreage Coastal Outer Retirees

Macleay Island

Acreage Affordable Beach Coastal Outer Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Karragarra Island

Karragarra Island vs Russell Island Karragarra Island vs Lamb Island

Other comparisons with Macleay Island

Macleay Island vs Lamb Island
Full data on Karragarra Island Full data on Macleay Island
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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