Kearneys Spring vs Middle Ridge

Kearneys Spring is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 43 in Middle Ridge. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Kearneys Spring, about half of households rent. In Middle Ridge, the large majority of households own their home and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Middle Ridge: a median of $1.09 million, against $832,000 in Kearneys Spring, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Kearneys Spring tends to suit renters, people living alone, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Middle Ridge suits couples.

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

Middle Ridge

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 71/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (93% vs 59%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 49%)

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

First-home buyers

Kearneys Spring

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($832,500 vs $1,087,500)
  • has cheaper units ($600,500 vs $692,500)
  • But Middle Ridge leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 26%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kearneys Spring

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (45% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Middle Ridge

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (127.6 km vs 130 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kearneys Spring

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (41% vs 7%)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 1)
  • But Middle Ridge carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 71/100)

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

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

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
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.

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Walkability 69 / 68
Kearneys Spring — Walkability: 69/100 Middle Ridge — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 29 / 71
Kearneys Spring — Safety: 29/100 Middle Ridge — Safety: 71/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Kearneys Spring — Low fire risk: 100/100 Middle Ridge — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Middle Ridge has higher household incomes ($113,204 vs $69,420); Middle Ridge rents higher ($420/wk vs $310/wk).

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Population 9,419
+19% vs other
 7,595
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.1% +6.4%
Median age 35 43
Median household income $69,420/yr $113,204/yr
+63% vs other
Median weekly rent $310/wk $420/wk
+35% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
0-4 7.1% / 4.9%
Kearneys Spring — 0-4: 7.1% Middle Ridge — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 12.7% / 15.4%
Kearneys Spring — 5-14: 12.7% Middle Ridge — 5-14: 15.4%
15-19 5.3% / 6.6%
Kearneys Spring — 15-19: 5.3% Middle Ridge — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 6.5% / 3.8%
Kearneys Spring — 20-24: 6.5% Middle Ridge — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 17.0% / 8.0%
Kearneys Spring — 25-34: 17.0% Middle Ridge — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 13.4% / 13.1%
Kearneys Spring — 35-44: 13.4% Middle Ridge — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 9.2% / 12.9%
Kearneys Spring — 45-54: 9.2% Middle Ridge — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 8.3% / 12.8%
Kearneys Spring — 55-64: 8.3% Middle Ridge — 55-64: 12.8%
65-74 9.5% / 11.5%
Kearneys Spring — 65-74: 9.5% Middle Ridge — 65-74: 11.5%
75-84 7.0% / 7.5%
Kearneys Spring — 75-84: 7.0% Middle Ridge — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 4.2% / 3.5%
Kearneys Spring — 85+: 4.2% Middle Ridge — 85+: 3.5%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kearneys Spring 32.3% couple families
Kearneys Spring — Couple Families: 32.3% Kearneys Spring — Lone Person: 44.1% Kearneys Spring — One Parent Families: 16.9% Kearneys Spring — Group Household: 5.1% Kearneys Spring — Other Families: 1.6%
Middle Ridge 57.6% couple families
Middle Ridge — Couple Families: 57.6% Middle Ridge — Lone Person: 26.6% Middle Ridge — One Parent Families: 11.9% Middle Ridge — Group Household: 2.9% Middle Ridge — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kearneys Spring 45.3% renting
Kearneys Spring — Owned Outright: 28.4% Kearneys Spring — Mortgage: 26.2% Kearneys Spring — Renting: 45.3%
Middle Ridge 20.3% renting
Middle Ridge — Owned Outright: 44.8% Middle Ridge — Mortgage: 34.8% Middle Ridge — Renting: 20.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Bachelor Degree 12.8% / 16.3%
Kearneys Spring — Bachelor Degree: 12.8% Middle Ridge — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 11.9%
Kearneys Spring — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% Middle Ridge — Certificate III & IV: 11.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.8% / 7.7%
Kearneys Spring — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8% Middle Ridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Postgraduate Degree 5.1% / 6.5%
Kearneys Spring — Postgraduate Degree: 5.1% Middle Ridge — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.5%
Kearneys Spring — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Middle Ridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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.

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
India 5.6% / 2.8%
Kearneys Spring — India: 5.6% Middle Ridge — India: 2.8%
England 1.6% / 2.4%
Kearneys Spring — England: 1.6% Middle Ridge — England: 2.4%
Nepal 2.8% / 0.6%
Kearneys Spring — Nepal: 2.8% Middle Ridge — Nepal: 0.6%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.4%
Kearneys Spring — New Zealand: 1.4% Middle Ridge — New Zealand: 1.4%
South Africa 0.7% / 1.5%
Kearneys Spring — South Africa: 0.7% Middle Ridge — South Africa: 1.5%
China 0.9% / 1.2%
Kearneys Spring — China: 0.9% Middle Ridge — China: 1.2%
Iraq 2.0% / —
Kearneys Spring — Iraq: 2.0% Middle Ridge — Iraq: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kearneys Spring 59.4% houses
Kearneys Spring — Houses: 59.4% Kearneys Spring — Townhouses: 34.1% Kearneys Spring — Flats / Apartments: 6.6%
Middle Ridge 93.2% houses
Middle Ridge — Houses: 93.2% Middle Ridge — Townhouses: 3.5% Middle Ridge — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Median house price $832,500 $1,087,500
Median unit price $600,500 $692,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 84 sales
 27 days
from 71 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.

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
3 bed $720K / $908K
Kearneys Spring — 3 bed: $720K (66 sales) Middle Ridge — 3 bed: $908K (6 sales)

66 vs 6 sales

4 bed $931K / $1.03M
Kearneys Spring — 4 bed: $931K (92 sales) Middle Ridge — 4 bed: $1.03M (102 sales)

92 vs 102 sales

5 bed $900K / $1.5M
Kearneys Spring — 5 bed: $900K (13 sales) Middle Ridge — 5 bed: $1.5M (26 sales)

13 vs 26 sales

Development activity

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
New dwellings approved 1,513
across Toowoomba
same for both
Approvals change year on year -25%
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.

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Houses 3.4%
$625/wk on $949K
 3.6%
$755/wk on $1.09M
Units 4.1%
$470/wk on $599K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 36% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of QLD
same for both
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 71% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 97% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 22% of QLD Higher than 29% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 34% of QLD —

Liveability

Middle Ridge scores higher overall (79 vs 50).

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Grade B A
Score 50/100 79/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Kearneys Spring carries more crime risk (71 vs 29).

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
71/100
 Low
29/100
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 4
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
USQ (Toowoomba), 5.0 km
 1
USQ (Toowoomba), 5.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.5% 1.3%

Schools in Kearneys Spring

  • Highlands Christian College Independent · Combined above peers

Schools in Middle Ridge

  • Middle Ridge State School Government · Primary above peers
  • OneSchool Global QLD - Toowoomba Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Supermarkets 3 1
Cafes & restaurants 6 0
Parks & reserves 24 22
Childcare 5 4
GPs 3 1
Pharmacies 5 1
Banks & Bank@Post 4 0
Fuel stations 4 0
Waterways 5 4

Mobility

Kearneys Spring sits further from the CBD (130 km vs 127.6 km).

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Walkability score 69/100 68/100
Distance to Brisbane 130 km
+2% vs other
 127.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 106 min 103 min
Public transport score 74/100
Bus
 53/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 67.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 13.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 4350
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 4350
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.

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Car (driver) 82.7% / 80.1%
Kearneys Spring — Car (driver): 82.7% Middle Ridge — Car (driver): 80.1%
Worked from Home 6.2% / 10.6%
Kearneys Spring — Worked from Home: 6.2% Middle Ridge — Worked from Home: 10.6%
Car (passenger) 7.8% / 7.1%
Kearneys Spring — Car (passenger): 7.8% Middle Ridge — Car (passenger): 7.1%
Walked Only 1.7% / 1.1%
Kearneys Spring — Walked Only: 1.7% Middle Ridge — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 1.0% / 0.4%
Kearneys Spring — Bus: 1.0% Middle Ridge — Bus: 0.4%
Bicycle 0.7% / 0.7%
Kearneys Spring — Bicycle: 0.7% Middle Ridge — Bicycle: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.7%).

Setting

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Elevation 669 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 690 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Connectivity score 91/100 96/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 82%
4,642 premises
 88%
3,383 premises

Climate

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Annual rainfall 643 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
PM2.5 2.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 3.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Average residential rate $1,618/yr
same for both
Council Toowoomba
same for both

Federal electorate

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Division Groom
same for both
Member Garth Hamilton
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kearneys Spring

Parks Regional Centre Townhouses

Middle Ridge

Large Blocks Parks Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kearneys Spring

Kearneys Spring vs Harristown Kearneys Spring vs Centenary Heights Kearneys Spring vs South Toowoomba Kearneys Spring vs Darling Heights Kearneys Spring vs Top Camp Kearneys Spring vs Preston

Other comparisons with Middle Ridge

Middle Ridge vs Rangeville Middle Ridge vs Centenary Heights Middle Ridge vs Preston Middle Ridge vs Upper Flagstone Middle Ridge vs Silver Ridge
Full data on Kearneys Spring Full data on Middle Ridge
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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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