Kowanyama vs Pormpuraaw

Kowanyama is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 34 in Pormpuraaw. In both, the large majority of households rent and the large majority of homes are detached houses.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

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

Pormpuraaw

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (1902 min vs 2190 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (2312 km vs 2436.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kowanyama

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (3 vs 1)

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

Investors

Kowanyama

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.3% vs -18.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
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.

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Walkability 0 / 0
Kowanyama — Walkability: 0/100 Pormpuraaw — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 2 / 4
Kowanyama — Safety: 2/100 Pormpuraaw — Safety: 4/100
Low fire risk 59 / 100
Kowanyama — Low fire risk: 59/100 Pormpuraaw — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kowanyama has more residents (1,079 vs 611); Pormpuraaw skews older (34 vs 29).

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Population 1,079
+43% vs other
 611
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.3% -18.4%
Median age 29 34
Median household income $58,864/yr
+5% vs other
 $55,692/yr
Median weekly rent $115/wk $120/wk
+4% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
0-4 8.3% / 7.4%
Kowanyama — 0-4: 8.3% Pormpuraaw — 0-4: 7.4%
5-14 17.6% / 14.7%
Kowanyama — 5-14: 17.6% Pormpuraaw — 5-14: 14.7%
15-19 9.0% / 8.2%
Kowanyama — 15-19: 9.0% Pormpuraaw — 15-19: 8.2%
20-24 8.3% / 6.4%
Kowanyama — 20-24: 8.3% Pormpuraaw — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 17.1% / 13.3%
Kowanyama — 25-34: 17.1% Pormpuraaw — 25-34: 13.3%
35-44 9.5% / 16.0%
Kowanyama — 35-44: 9.5% Pormpuraaw — 35-44: 16.0%
45-54 15.7% / 17.0%
Kowanyama — 45-54: 15.7% Pormpuraaw — 45-54: 17.0%
55-64 7.9% / 9.7%
Kowanyama — 55-64: 7.9% Pormpuraaw — 55-64: 9.7%
65-74 4.5% / 5.2%
Kowanyama — 65-74: 4.5% Pormpuraaw — 65-74: 5.2%
75-84 1.1% / 1.5%
Kowanyama — 75-84: 1.1% Pormpuraaw — 75-84: 1.5%
85+ — / —
Kowanyama — 85+: not among its largest Pormpuraaw — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

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.

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
New Zealand 0.6% / 0.8%
Kowanyama — New Zealand: 0.6% Pormpuraaw — New Zealand: 0.8%
South Africa 0.5% / 0.7%
Kowanyama — South Africa: 0.5% Pormpuraaw — South Africa: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (0.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kowanyama 33.1% couple families
Kowanyama — Couple Families: 33.1% Kowanyama — One Parent Families: 40.8% Kowanyama — Lone Person: 16.3% Kowanyama — Other Families: 8.2% Kowanyama — Group Household: 1.6%
Pormpuraaw 39.7% couple families
Pormpuraaw — Couple Families: 39.7% Pormpuraaw — One Parent Families: 31.0% Pormpuraaw — Lone Person: 16.7% Pormpuraaw — Other Families: 12.7% Pormpuraaw — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Other Families Group Household

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kowanyama 76.9% houses
Kowanyama — Houses: 76.9% Kowanyama — Townhouses: 20.6% Kowanyama — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Pormpuraaw 85.6% houses
Pormpuraaw — Houses: 85.6% Pormpuraaw — Townhouses: 9.2% Pormpuraaw — Flats / Apartments: 5.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Certificate III & IV 7.7% / 12.3%
Kowanyama — Certificate III & IV: 7.7% Pormpuraaw — Certificate III & IV: 12.3%
Bachelor Degree 2.4% / 2.3%
Kowanyama — Bachelor Degree: 2.4% Pormpuraaw — Bachelor Degree: 2.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 1.0% / 2.0%
Kowanyama — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.0% Pormpuraaw — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.0%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 1.1%
Kowanyama — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Pormpuraaw — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.5%
Kowanyama — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Pormpuraaw — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.3%).

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kowanyama 94.2% renting
Kowanyama — Owned Outright: 5.8% Kowanyama — Mortgage: 0.0% Kowanyama — Renting: 94.2%
Pormpuraaw 93.2% renting
Pormpuraaw — Owned Outright: 6.8% Pormpuraaw — Mortgage: 0.0% Pormpuraaw — Renting: 93.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Ranking within QLD

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 24% of QLD Higher than 18% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 53% of QLD Higher than 57% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 18% of QLD Higher than 20% of QLD

Liveability

Pormpuraaw scores higher overall (8 vs 3).

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Grade D
same for both
Score 3/100 8/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Kowanyama carries more bushfire risk (41 vs 0).

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Bushfire Moderate
41/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
98/100
 High
96/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
97/100
 High
91/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Kowanyama

  • Kowanyama State School Government · Combined

Schools in Pormpuraaw

  • Pormpuraaw State School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Childcare 1 2
GPs 3 1
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 3 1

Mobility

Kowanyama sits further from the CBD (2436.5 km vs 2312 km).

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 2436.5 km
+5% vs other
 2312 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 2190 min 1902 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 4892
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 5
postcode 4892
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.

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Walked Only 50.6% / 65.4%
Kowanyama — Walked Only: 50.6% Pormpuraaw — Walked Only: 65.4%
Car (driver) 33.8% / 25.6%
Kowanyama — Car (driver): 33.8% Pormpuraaw — Car (driver): 25.6%
Car (passenger) 13.8% / 9.0%
Kowanyama — Car (passenger): 13.8% Pormpuraaw — Car (passenger): 9.0%
Bicycle 1.9% / —
Kowanyama — Bicycle: 1.9% Pormpuraaw — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.4%).

Setting

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Elevation 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.3 km 25.4 km

NBN connectivity

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Connectivity score 15/100
same for both
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
76 premises
 0%
38 premises

Federal electorate

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Division Leichhardt
same for both
Member Matt Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kowanyama Pormpuraaw
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kowanyama

Family Rural Townhouses

Pormpuraaw

Family Multicultural Rural
Full data on Kowanyama Full data on Pormpuraaw
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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