Lakeland vs Cooktown

Lakeland is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 44 in Cooktown. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Lakeland, about half of households rent. In Cooktown, most households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Lakeland tends to suit renters, young adults, and share households, while Cooktown suits 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

Cooktown

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (24 vs 6)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (85% vs 66%)
  • But Lakeland carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 87/100)

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

First-home buyers

Lakeland

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 25%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Lakeland has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 39%)
  • Cooktown has cheaper rent ($230/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Lakeland

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (1911.5 km vs 2033.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (1335 min vs 1411 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Lakeland has more units and townhouses to downsize into (34% vs 15%)
  • Cooktown has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Lakeland

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.4% vs 4.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lakeland Cooktown
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.

Lakeland Cooktown
Walkability 0 / 0
Lakeland — Walkability: 0/100 Cooktown — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 41 / 13
Lakeland — Safety: 41/100 Cooktown — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 33 / 14
Lakeland — Low fire risk: 33/100 Cooktown — Low fire risk: 14/100

Demographics

Cooktown has more residents (2,746 vs 333); Lakeland has higher household incomes ($85,280 vs $63,180).

Lakeland Cooktown
Population 333 2,746
+725% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.4% +4.4%
Median age 34 44
Median household income $85,280/yr
+26% vs other
 $63,180/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk
+8% vs other
 $230/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lakeland Cooktown
0-4 4.2% / 5.5%
Lakeland — 0-4: 4.2% Cooktown — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 9.6% / 13.8%
Lakeland — 5-14: 9.6% Cooktown — 5-14: 13.8%
15-19 0.9% / 5.5%
Lakeland — 15-19: 0.9% Cooktown — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 5.4% / 3.9%
Lakeland — 20-24: 5.4% Cooktown — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 29.7% / 9.5%
Lakeland — 25-34: 29.7% Cooktown — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 18.9% / 12.1%
Lakeland — 35-44: 18.9% Cooktown — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 11.4% / 13.7%
Lakeland — 45-54: 11.4% Cooktown — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 5.4% / 16.0%
Lakeland — 55-64: 5.4% Cooktown — 55-64: 16.0%
65-74 9.3% / 13.4%
Lakeland — 65-74: 9.3% Cooktown — 65-74: 13.4%
75-84 3.0% / 6.3%
Lakeland — 75-84: 3.0% Cooktown — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ — / 0.5%
Lakeland — 85+: not among its largest Cooktown — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lakeland 39.3% lone person
Lakeland — Lone Person: 39.3% Lakeland — Couple Families: 42.6% Lakeland — One Parent Families: 4.9% Lakeland — Group Household: 13.1% Lakeland — Other Families: 0.0%
Cooktown 45.8% lone person
Cooktown — Lone Person: 45.8% Cooktown — Couple Families: 31.0% Cooktown — One Parent Families: 16.9% Cooktown — Group Household: 5.1% Cooktown — Other Families: 1.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lakeland 52.3% renting
Lakeland — Owned Outright: 30.8% Lakeland — Mortgage: 16.9% Lakeland — Renting: 52.3%
Cooktown 39.2% renting
Cooktown — Owned Outright: 37.5% Cooktown — Mortgage: 23.3% Cooktown — Renting: 39.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lakeland Cooktown
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 17.3%
Lakeland — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Cooktown — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 5.7%
Lakeland — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Cooktown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Bachelor Degree 5.7% / 8.0%
Lakeland — Bachelor Degree: 5.7% Cooktown — Bachelor Degree: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 1.9%
Lakeland — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Cooktown — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 1.6%
Lakeland — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Cooktown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

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.

Lakeland Cooktown
South Africa 5.7% / 0.6%
Lakeland — South Africa: 5.7% Cooktown — South Africa: 0.6%
New Zealand 1.8% / 2.5%
Lakeland — New Zealand: 1.8% Cooktown — New Zealand: 2.5%
Vietnam 3.6% / —
Lakeland — Vietnam: 3.6% Cooktown — Vietnam: not among its largest
England 0.9% / 2.4%
Lakeland — England: 0.9% Cooktown — England: 2.4%
Japan 2.1% / —
Lakeland — Japan: 2.1% Cooktown — Japan: not among its largest
Brazil 1.8% / —
Lakeland — Brazil: 1.8% Cooktown — Brazil: not among its largest
Philippines 0.9% / 0.7%
Lakeland — Philippines: 0.9% Cooktown — Philippines: 0.7%
Germany — / 0.6%
Lakeland — Germany: not among its largest Cooktown — Germany: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lakeland 66.3% houses
Lakeland — Houses: 66.3% Lakeland — Flats / Apartments: 33.7% Lakeland — Townhouses: 0.0%
Cooktown 85.4% houses
Cooktown — Houses: 85.4% Cooktown — Flats / Apartments: 6.3% Cooktown — Townhouses: 8.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Lakeland Cooktown
Median house price — $444,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $180,000

Development activity

Lakeland Cooktown
New dwellings approved 25
across Cook
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Lakeland Cooktown
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 59% of QLD Higher than 29% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 29% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 10% of QLD Higher than 38% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 25% of QLD —
NBN connectivity Higher than 3% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD

Liveability

Lakeland Cooktown
Grade — D
Score — 14/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Cooktown carries more crime risk (87 vs 59); Cooktown carries more bushfire risk (86 vs 67).

Lakeland Cooktown
Bushfire Moderate
67/100
 High
86/100
Crime Moderate
59/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
80/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Lakeland Cooktown
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Lakeland

  • Lakeland State School Government · Primary

Schools in Cooktown

  • Cooktown State School Government · Combined at peers
  • Endeavour Christian College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Holy Spirit College Catholic · Secondary · Special school below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Lakeland Cooktown
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 7
Parks & reserves 6 24
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 25 95

Mobility

Cooktown sits further from the CBD (2033.9 km vs 1911.5 km).

Lakeland Cooktown
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1911.5 km 2033.9 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 1335 min 1411 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 4871
 0.0%
postcode 4895
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 4871
 34
postcode 4895

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.

Lakeland Cooktown
Car (driver) 37.4% / 70.3%
Lakeland — Car (driver): 37.4% Cooktown — Car (driver): 70.3%
Bus 32.2% / 0.3%
Lakeland — Bus: 32.2% Cooktown — Bus: 0.3%
Worked from Home 11.7% / 9.6%
Lakeland — Worked from Home: 11.7% Cooktown — Worked from Home: 9.6%
Walked Only 7.6% / 9.7%
Lakeland — Walked Only: 7.6% Cooktown — Walked Only: 9.7%
Car (passenger) 7.6% / 9.6%
Lakeland — Car (passenger): 7.6% Cooktown — Car (passenger): 9.6%
Bicycle 3.5% / 0.5%
Lakeland — Bicycle: 3.5% Cooktown — Bicycle: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.3%).

Setting

Lakeland Cooktown
Elevation 491 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 250 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Lakeland Cooktown
Connectivity score 15/100 54/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
75 premises
 29%
1,318 premises

Council rates

Lakeland Cooktown
Average residential rate $1,277/yr
same for both
Council Cook
same for both

Federal electorate

Lakeland Cooktown
Division Leichhardt
same for both
Member Matt Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lakeland Cooktown
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lakeland

Multicultural Rural

Cooktown

Affordable Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lakeland

Lakeland vs Rossville Lakeland vs Bloomfield Lakeland vs Laura Lakeland vs Mount Carbine

Other comparisons with Cooktown

Cooktown vs Hope Vale Cooktown vs Rossville Cooktown vs Laura Cooktown vs Coral Sea
Full data on Lakeland Full data on Cooktown
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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