Kirkwood vs O'connell

Kirkwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 28 against 43 in O'Connell. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. In Kirkwood, about half of households rent. In O'Connell, the large majority of households own their home. On these figures, Kirkwood tends to suit renters, young adults, and families with children.

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

Kirkwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

O'Connell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($372,500 vs $690,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kirkwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (48% vs 17%)

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

Commuting to the city

O'Connell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a shorter drive in (370 min vs 375 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

O'Connell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (10% vs 4%)

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

Investors

O'Connell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (25.9% vs 11.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kirkwood O'connell
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.

Kirkwood O'connell
Walkability 0 / 0
Kirkwood — Walkability: 0/100 O'connell — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 28 / 34
Kirkwood — Low fire risk: 28/100 O'connell — Low fire risk: 34/100

Demographics

Kirkwood has more residents (2,513 vs 399); O'Connell skews older (43 vs 28).

Kirkwood O'connell
Population 2,513
+84% vs other
 399
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.7% +25.9%
Median age 28 43
Median household income $120,276/yr $121,316/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+3% vs other
 $340/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kirkwood O'connell
0-4 10.7% / 7.3%
Kirkwood — 0-4: 10.7% O'connell — 0-4: 7.3%
5-14 20.0% / 16.5%
Kirkwood — 5-14: 20.0% O'connell — 5-14: 16.5%
15-19 7.1% / 6.0%
Kirkwood — 15-19: 7.1% O'connell — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 5.9% / 2.5%
Kirkwood — 20-24: 5.9% O'connell — 20-24: 2.5%
25-34 19.4% / 8.5%
Kirkwood — 25-34: 19.4% O'connell — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 16.6% / 11.0%
Kirkwood — 35-44: 16.6% O'connell — 35-44: 11.0%
45-54 10.1% / 18.8%
Kirkwood — 45-54: 10.1% O'connell — 45-54: 18.8%
55-64 6.6% / 16.8%
Kirkwood — 55-64: 6.6% O'connell — 55-64: 16.8%
65-74 2.7% / 8.0%
Kirkwood — 65-74: 2.7% O'connell — 65-74: 8.0%
75-84 0.7% / 1.8%
Kirkwood — 75-84: 0.7% O'connell — 75-84: 1.8%
85+ 0.2% / —
Kirkwood — 85+: 0.2% O'connell — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kirkwood 60.9% couple families
Kirkwood — Couple Families: 60.9% Kirkwood — One Parent Families: 18.8% Kirkwood — Lone Person: 16.1% Kirkwood — Group Household: 4.2%
O'connell 67.6% couple families
O'connell — Couple Families: 67.6% O'connell — One Parent Families: 14.1% O'connell — Lone Person: 14.1% O'connell — Group Household: 4.2%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kirkwood 48.2% renting
Kirkwood — Owned Outright: 8.9% Kirkwood — Mortgage: 42.9% Kirkwood — Renting: 48.2%
O'connell 17.4% renting
O'connell — Owned Outright: 31.2% O'connell — Mortgage: 51.4% O'connell — Renting: 17.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kirkwood O'connell
Certificate III & IV 19.2% / 19.3%
Kirkwood — Certificate III & IV: 19.2% O'connell — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 8.7% / 9.5%
Kirkwood — Bachelor Degree: 8.7% O'connell — Bachelor Degree: 9.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.5% / 4.0%
Kirkwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.5% O'connell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / —
Kirkwood — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% O'connell — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / —
Kirkwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% O'connell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

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.

Kirkwood O'connell
New Zealand 3.5% / 3.8%
Kirkwood — New Zealand: 3.5% O'connell — New Zealand: 3.8%
South Africa 3.6% / 0.8%
Kirkwood — South Africa: 3.6% O'connell — South Africa: 0.8%
Philippines 4.0% / —
Kirkwood — Philippines: 4.0% O'connell — Philippines: not among its largest
England 1.4% / 2.3%
Kirkwood — England: 1.4% O'connell — England: 2.3%
India 2.3% / —
Kirkwood — India: 2.3% O'connell — India: not among its largest
Germany 0.4% / 1.3%
Kirkwood — Germany: 0.4% O'connell — Germany: 1.3%
Scotland — / 0.8%
Kirkwood — Scotland: not among its largest O'connell — Scotland: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kirkwood 97.4% houses
Kirkwood — Houses: 97.4% Kirkwood — Townhouses: 2.5% Kirkwood — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
O'connell 97.3% houses
O'connell — Houses: 97.3% O'connell — Townhouses: 5.5% O'connell — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kirkwood O'connell
Median house price $654,500 $660,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $690,000 $372,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 38 days
from 48 sales
 —

Development activity

Kirkwood O'connell
New dwellings approved 274
across Gladstone
same for both
Approvals change year on year +132%
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.

Kirkwood O'connell
Houses 4.3%
$575/wk on $699K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Kirkwood O'connell
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 90% of QLD
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 36% of QLD Higher than 16% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 36% of QLD Higher than 35% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 94% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 68% of QLD —

Liveability

Kirkwood O'connell
Grade D —
Score 26/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Kirkwood O'connell
Bushfire High
72/100
 Moderate
66/100
Crime Moderate
52/100
 —
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Kirkwood O'connell
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Kirkwood O'connell
Supermarkets 1 0
Parks & reserves 4 0
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 3 9

Mobility

Kirkwood O'connell
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 528.5 km 526.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 375 min 370 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4680
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 59
postcode 4680
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.

Kirkwood O'connell
Car (driver) 86.0% / 82.4%
Kirkwood — Car (driver): 86.0% O'connell — Car (driver): 82.4%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 7.7%
Kirkwood — Car (passenger): 7.1% O'connell — Car (passenger): 7.7%
Worked from Home 5.1% / 7.0%
Kirkwood — Worked from Home: 5.1% O'connell — Worked from Home: 7.0%
Walked Only 0.7% / 2.8%
Kirkwood — Walked Only: 0.7% O'connell — Walked Only: 2.8%
Bus 0.9% / —
Kirkwood — Bus: 0.9% O'connell — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.0%).

Setting

Kirkwood O'connell
Elevation 58 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 103 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.1 km 2.9 km

NBN connectivity

Kirkwood O'connell
Connectivity score 86/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 71%
1,006 premises
 36%
121 premises

Climate

Kirkwood O'connell
Annual rainfall 851 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 14.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Kirkwood O'connell
PM2.5 5.5 µg/m³ 5.3 µg/m³
PM10 14.3 µg/m³ 16.0 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.46 pphm 0.49 pphm

Council rates

Kirkwood O'connell
Average residential rate $2,358/yr
same for both
Council Gladstone
same for both

Federal electorate

Kirkwood O'connell
Division Flynn
same for both
Member Colin Boyce
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kirkwood O'connell
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kirkwood

Acreage Affordable Family Young Families

O'connell

Acreage Affordable Coastal Family River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kirkwood

Kirkwood vs Clinton Kirkwood vs New Auckland Kirkwood vs Glen Eden Kirkwood vs Telina Kirkwood vs Beecher Kirkwood vs Burua

Other comparisons with O'connell

O'connell vs Boyne Island O'connell vs Glen Eden O'connell vs Burua O'connell vs Wurdong Heights
Full data on Kirkwood Full data on O'connell
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or