Kawungan vs Scarness

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Scarness, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Kawungan: a median of $795,000, against $710,000 in Scarness, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Scarness 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

Kawungan

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (5 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (55% vs 40%)

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

  • Kawungan has cheaper land ($410,000 vs $594,000)
  • Scarness has cheaper houses ($710,000 vs $795,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Scarness

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $340/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Kawungan has a shorter drive in (206 min vs 211 min)
  • Scarness is more walkable (82/100 vs 47/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Scarness

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (34% vs 16%)
  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 47/100)
  • But Kawungan carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 77/100)

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

Investors

Kawungan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.4% vs 3.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kawungan Scarness
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.

Kawungan Scarness
Walkability 47 / 82
Kawungan — Walkability: 47/100 Scarness — Walkability: 82/100
Safety 42 / 23
Kawungan — Safety: 42/100 Scarness — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Kawungan — Low fire risk: 100/100 Scarness — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kawungan has more residents (5,460 vs 3,646); Kawungan has higher household incomes ($59,696 vs $48,516).

Kawungan Scarness
Population 5,460
+33% vs other
 3,646
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.4% +3.6%
Median age 50 51
Median household income $59,696/yr
+19% vs other
 $48,516/yr
Median weekly rent $340/wk
+12% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kawungan Scarness
0-4 4.0% / 3.5%
Kawungan — 0-4: 4.0% Scarness — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 11.7% / 10.1%
Kawungan — 5-14: 11.7% Scarness — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 5.5% / 4.9%
Kawungan — 15-19: 5.5% Scarness — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 3.9% / 4.3%
Kawungan — 20-24: 3.9% Scarness — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 8.5% / 9.9%
Kawungan — 25-34: 8.5% Scarness — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 10.1% / 10.0%
Kawungan — 35-44: 10.1% Scarness — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 10.8% / 11.4%
Kawungan — 45-54: 10.8% Scarness — 45-54: 11.4%
55-64 13.3% / 14.8%
Kawungan — 55-64: 13.3% Scarness — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 15.9% / 17.8%
Kawungan — 65-74: 15.9% Scarness — 65-74: 17.8%
75-84 10.6% / 10.1%
Kawungan — 75-84: 10.6% Scarness — 75-84: 10.1%
85+ 6.0% / 3.5%
Kawungan — 85+: 6.0% Scarness — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kawungan 40.4% lone person
Kawungan — Lone Person: 40.4% Kawungan — Couple Families: 35.1% Kawungan — One Parent Families: 19.6% Kawungan — Group Household: 4.1% Kawungan — Other Families: 0.7%
Scarness 52.1% lone person
Scarness — Lone Person: 52.1% Scarness — Couple Families: 19.5% Scarness — One Parent Families: 20.1% Scarness — Group Household: 6.7% Scarness — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kawungan 24.2% renting
Kawungan — Owned Outright: 46.1% Kawungan — Mortgage: 29.6% Kawungan — Renting: 24.2%
Scarness 42.8% renting
Scarness — Owned Outright: 35.4% Scarness — Mortgage: 21.8% Scarness — Renting: 42.8%
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.

Kawungan Scarness
England 4.6% / 4.9%
Kawungan — England: 4.6% Scarness — England: 4.9%
New Zealand 3.5% / 4.0%
Kawungan — New Zealand: 3.5% Scarness — New Zealand: 4.0%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.0%
Kawungan — Philippines: 0.9% Scarness — Philippines: 1.0%
South Africa 0.6% / 0.8%
Kawungan — South Africa: 0.6% Scarness — South Africa: 0.8%
Germany 0.6% / 0.7%
Kawungan — Germany: 0.6% Scarness — Germany: 0.7%

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

Qualifications

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

Kawungan Scarness
Certificate III & IV 18.4% / 18.2%
Kawungan — Certificate III & IV: 18.4% Scarness — Certificate III & IV: 18.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 7.2%
Kawungan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Scarness — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Bachelor Degree 6.8% / 8.0%
Kawungan — Bachelor Degree: 6.8% Scarness — Bachelor Degree: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 1.8%
Kawungan — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Scarness — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.6%
Kawungan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Scarness — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kawungan 84.0% houses
Kawungan — Houses: 84.0% Kawungan — Townhouses: 13.5% Kawungan — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Scarness 65.7% houses
Scarness — Houses: 65.7% Scarness — Townhouses: 26.5% Scarness — Flats / Apartments: 7.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kawungan Scarness
Median house price $795,000 $710,000
Median unit price — $555,000
Median land price $410,000 $594,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 79 sales
 36 days
from 58 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.

Kawungan Scarness
3 bed $765K / $695K
Kawungan — 3 bed: $765K (51 sales) Scarness — 3 bed: $695K (81 sales)

51 vs 81 sales

4 bed $810K / $760K
Kawungan — 4 bed: $810K (128 sales) Scarness — 4 bed: $760K (45 sales)

128 vs 45 sales

Development activity

Kawungan Scarness
New dwellings approved 1,578
across Fraser Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -8%
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.

Kawungan Scarness
Houses 4.0%
$680/wk on $880K
 3.8%
$550/wk on $760K
Units — 4.3%
$500/wk on $599K

Ranking within QLD

Kawungan Scarness
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 24% of QLD Higher than 11% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 60% of QLD Higher than 59% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 56% of QLD Higher than 38% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 45% of QLD

Liveability

Scarness is more walkable (82 vs 47); Kawungan scores higher overall (47 vs 40).

Kawungan Scarness
Grade C
same for both
Score 47/100 40/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Scarness carries more crime risk (77 vs 58).

Kawungan Scarness
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
58/100
 High
77/100
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 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kawungan Scarness
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Kawungan

  • Kawungan State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Hervey Bay Special School Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Scarness

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

Amenities in the suburb

Kawungan Scarness
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 9
Parks & reserves 2 4
Childcare 5 1
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Police stations 0 1
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 5 0

Mobility

Kawungan Scarness
Walkability score 47/100 82/100
Distance to Brisbane 285 km 286.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 206 min 211 min
Public transport score 17/100
Bus
 50/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 0.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 9.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait —
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 4655
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 81
postcode 4655
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.

Kawungan Scarness
Car (driver) 83.8% / 77.7%
Kawungan — Car (driver): 83.8% Scarness — Car (driver): 77.7%
Worked from Home 6.3% / 9.3%
Kawungan — Worked from Home: 6.3% Scarness — Worked from Home: 9.3%
Car (passenger) 7.6% / 6.2%
Kawungan — Car (passenger): 7.6% Scarness — Car (passenger): 6.2%
Walked Only 1.5% / 4.8%
Kawungan — Walked Only: 1.5% Scarness — Walked Only: 4.8%
Bicycle 0.4% / 1.4%
Kawungan — Bicycle: 0.4% Scarness — Bicycle: 1.4%
Bus 0.4% / 0.6%
Kawungan — Bus: 0.4% Scarness — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.8%).

Setting

Kawungan Scarness
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.7 km
3.1 km to a named beach
 524 m
1.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Kawungan Scarness
Connectivity score 78/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 54%
2,704 premises
 35%
2,252 premises

Climate

Kawungan Scarness
Annual rainfall 1,074 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Kawungan Scarness
Average residential rate $1,576/yr
same for both
Council Fraser Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Kawungan Scarness
Division Hinkler
same for both
Member David Batt
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kawungan Scarness
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kawungan

Coastal Retirees

Scarness

Coastal Parks Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kawungan

Kawungan vs Urraween Kawungan vs Torquay Kawungan vs Pialba Kawungan vs Wondunna Kawungan vs Nikenbah

Other comparisons with Scarness

Scarness vs Torquay Scarness vs Pialba
Full data on Kawungan Full data on Scarness
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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