Kogan vs Macalister
Macalister is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 49 in Kogan. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Kogan, the large majority of households own their home. In Macalister, about half of households rent and about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Kogan tends to suit older residents, while Macalister suits renters, families with children, and 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
Macalister
ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here
- is already more of a family suburb (69% vs 52%)
- has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 80%)
- But Kogan has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.
Renters
Macalister
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- has a bigger rental market to choose from (51% vs 14%)
- leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 24%)
Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.
Commuting to the city
Macalister
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- has a shorter drive in (173 min vs 195 min)
- sits closer to the CBD (236 km vs 259.2 km)
Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.
Downsizers and retirees
Kogan
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 10%)
Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.
Investors
Kogan
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- is growing faster (11.1% vs 2.0%)
Weighs population growth.
Where they sit
Kogan and Macalister drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.
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.
Demographics
Macalister has higher household incomes ($75,816 vs $53,092); Kogan has more residents (211 vs 156).
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 211 +26% vs other | 156 |
| Population trend (2016 → 2021) | +11.1% | +2.0% |
| Median age | 49 | 40 |
| Median household income | $53,092/yr | $75,816/yr +43% vs other |
| Median weekly rent | $240/wk | $250/wk +4% vs other |
Age profile
Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).
Who lives together
Household composition, 2021 Census.
Who owns and who rents
Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.
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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).
Qualifications
Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).
What people live in
Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.
Property market
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $266,500 | — |
| Median unit price | — same for both | |
| Median land price | — same for both | |
Development activity
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings approved | 53 across Western Downs same for both | |
| Approvals change year on year | -40% same for both | |
Ranking within QLD
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| House price | — same for both | |
| Income | Higher than 15% of QLD | Higher than 46% of QLD |
| Schools | — same for both | |
| Walkability | Higher than 35% of QLD | Higher than 15% of QLD |
| Affordability | — same for both | |
| EV adoption | — same for both | |
| NBN connectivity | Higher than 12% of QLD | Higher than 38% of QLD |
Liveability
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | — same for both | |
| Score | — same for both | |
| Socio-economic band | high-need area decile 1/10 | mid-range socio-economic decile 6/10 |
Risk profile
Kogan carries more bushfire risk (32 vs 0).
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushfire | Low 32/100 | None 0/100 |
| Crime | High 95/100 | High 93/100 |
| 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 | 1 within 5 km | 0 within 5 km |
Schools
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the suburb | 1 | 0 |
| Rated above peers | 1 | 0 |
| Rated at peers | 0 same for both | |
| Rated below peers | 0 same for both | |
Schools in Kogan
- Kogan State School Government · Primary above peers
Schools in Macalister
No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.
Amenities in the suburb
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Parks & reserves | 1 | 0 |
| Childcare | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel stations | 1 | 0 |
| Waterways | 5 | 1 |
Mobility
Kogan sits further from the CBD (259.2 km vs 236 km).
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability score | 0/100 same for both | |
| Distance to Brisbane | 259.2 km +9% vs other | 236 km |
| Drive time (normal traffic) | 195 min | 173 min |
| Electric vehicle share | 0.0% postcode 4406 same for both | |
| Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings | 42 postcode 4406 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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.2%).
Setting
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 367 m above sea level, at the suburb centre | 330 m above sea level, at the suburb centre |
NBN connectivity
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity score | 15/100 | 28/100 |
| Most common technology | Satellite (Sky Muster) | Fixed wireless |
| Full-fibre (FTTP) share | 0% 64 premises | 0% 65 premises |
Council rates
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | $1,238/yr same for both | |
| Council | Western Downs same for both | |
Federal electorate
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Maranoa same for both | |
| Member | David Littleproud same for both | |
| Party | Liberal National Party of Queensland same for both | |
First Home Owner Grant
| Kogan | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant amount | $30,000 same for both | |
| Property price cap | $750,000 same for both | |
| Eligibility | New same for both | |
Tags
Macalister
More comparisons
Other comparisons with Kogan
Other comparisons with Macalister
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.