Little Mountain vs Meridan Plains

Meridan Plains is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 44 in Little Mountain. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Little Mountain, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Meridan Plains, about half of households rent. Houses cost more in Little Mountain: a median of $1.19 million, against $970,000 in Meridan Plains. On these figures, Little Mountain tends to suit couples, while Meridan Plains suits renters and buyers on a tighter budget.

Little Mountain is a larger, more established community of 11,068 people with a median age of 44 years, while Meridan Plains is smaller and younger at 4,589 people with a median age of 36. Little Mountain has notably higher walkability (52 versus 6) and liveability scores (67 versus 54), plus lower crime risk at 31 compared to 45. House prices are considerably higher in Little Mountain at $1,175,000 versus $965,000, though median household income is modestly higher too at $85,072 annually. Meridan Plains may appeal to buyers seeking a newer, quieter area with lower entry costs, while Little Mountain suits those prioritising established amenities and walkable neighbourhoods.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Little Mountain

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (20 vs 10)
  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 45/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (85% vs 72%)
  • But Meridan Plains has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Meridan Plains

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($970,000 vs $1,192,500)
  • has cheaper land ($1,055,000 vs $1,230,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Meridan Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (45% vs 19%)

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

Commuting to the city

Little Mountain

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (51/100 vs 6/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Little Mountain

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (51/100 vs 6/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 45/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 19%)
  • But Meridan Plains has more units and townhouses to downsize into (28% vs 15%)

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

Investors

Meridan Plains

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (24.9% vs 8.4%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.2% vs 3.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
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.

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Walkability 51 / 6
Little Mountain — Walkability: 51/100 Meridan Plains — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 69 / 55
Little Mountain — Safety: 69/100 Meridan Plains — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 100 / 42
Little Mountain — Low fire risk: 100/100 Meridan Plains — Low fire risk: 42/100

Demographics

Little Mountain has more residents (11,068 vs 4,589); Little Mountain skews older (44 vs 36).

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Population 11,068
+59% vs other
 4,589
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.4% +24.9%
Median age 44 36
Median household income $85,072/yr
+7% vs other
 $79,508/yr
Median weekly rent $461/wk $460/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
0-4 4.4% / 6.1%
Little Mountain — 0-4: 4.4% Meridan Plains — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 13.9% / 14.7%
Little Mountain — 5-14: 13.9% Meridan Plains — 5-14: 14.7%
15-19 7.3% / 7.5%
Little Mountain — 15-19: 7.3% Meridan Plains — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 4.8% / 5.8%
Little Mountain — 20-24: 4.8% Meridan Plains — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 8.2% / 14.1%
Little Mountain — 25-34: 8.2% Meridan Plains — 25-34: 14.1%
35-44 11.9% / 13.1%
Little Mountain — 35-44: 11.9% Meridan Plains — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 14.0% / 12.7%
Little Mountain — 45-54: 14.0% Meridan Plains — 45-54: 12.7%
55-64 11.0% / 7.1%
Little Mountain — 55-64: 11.0% Meridan Plains — 55-64: 7.1%
65-74 11.5% / 7.1%
Little Mountain — 65-74: 11.5% Meridan Plains — 65-74: 7.1%
75-84 9.0% / 9.0%
Little Mountain — 75-84: 9.0% Meridan Plains — 75-84: 9.0%
85+ 4.0% / 2.9%
Little Mountain — 85+: 4.0% Meridan Plains — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Little Mountain 51.3% couple families
Little Mountain — Couple Families: 51.3% Little Mountain — Lone Person: 30.0% Little Mountain — One Parent Families: 15.2% Little Mountain — Group Household: 2.5% Little Mountain — Other Families: 1.1%
Meridan Plains 40.7% couple families
Meridan Plains — Couple Families: 40.7% Meridan Plains — Lone Person: 31.6% Meridan Plains — One Parent Families: 22.2% Meridan Plains — Group Household: 4.8% Meridan Plains — Other Families: 0.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Little Mountain 19.0% renting
Little Mountain — Owned Outright: 39.7% Little Mountain — Mortgage: 41.3% Little Mountain — Renting: 19.0%
Meridan Plains 45.1% renting
Meridan Plains — Owned Outright: 22.3% Meridan Plains — Mortgage: 32.6% Meridan Plains — Renting: 45.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Certificate III & IV 18.7% / 17.1%
Little Mountain — Certificate III & IV: 18.7% Meridan Plains — Certificate III & IV: 17.1%
Bachelor Degree 9.3% / 10.7%
Little Mountain — Bachelor Degree: 9.3% Meridan Plains — Bachelor Degree: 10.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 8.5%
Little Mountain — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Meridan Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 2.6%
Little Mountain — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Meridan Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.4%
Little Mountain — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Meridan Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

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.

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
England 7.2% / 6.1%
Little Mountain — England: 7.2% Meridan Plains — England: 6.1%
New Zealand 4.6% / 4.3%
Little Mountain — New Zealand: 4.6% Meridan Plains — New Zealand: 4.3%
India 0.5% / 2.0%
Little Mountain — India: 0.5% Meridan Plains — India: 2.0%
South Africa 1.2% / 1.1%
Little Mountain — South Africa: 1.2% Meridan Plains — South Africa: 1.1%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.6%
Little Mountain — Scotland: 0.7% Meridan Plains — Scotland: 0.6%
Philippines 0.3% / 0.6%
Little Mountain — Philippines: 0.3% Meridan Plains — Philippines: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Little Mountain 84.8% houses
Little Mountain — Houses: 84.8% Little Mountain — Townhouses: 11.0% Little Mountain — Flats / Apartments: 4.2%
Meridan Plains 71.5% houses
Meridan Plains — Houses: 71.5% Meridan Plains — Townhouses: 24.1% Meridan Plains — Flats / Apartments: 4.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Median house price $1,192,500 $970,000
Median unit price — $745,500
Median land price $1,230,000 $1,055,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 94 sales
 24 days
from 19 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.

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
3 bed $980K / $909K
Little Mountain — 3 bed: $980K (45 sales) Meridan Plains — 3 bed: $909K (21 sales)

45 vs 21 sales

4 bed $1.2M / $1.11M
Little Mountain — 4 bed: $1.2M (116 sales) Meridan Plains — 4 bed: $1.11M (24 sales)

116 vs 24 sales

5 bed $1.39M / $1.45M
Little Mountain — 5 bed: $1.39M (28 sales) Meridan Plains — 5 bed: $1.45M (6 sales)

28 vs 6 sales

Development activity

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
New dwellings approved 2,962
across Sunshine Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -41%
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.

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Houses 3.6%
$892/wk on $1.3M
 4.2%
$750/wk on $934K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 50% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 69% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 82% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 27% of QLD Higher than 63% of QLD

Liveability

Little Mountain is more walkable (51 vs 6); Little Mountain scores higher overall (69 vs 35).

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Grade A C
Score 69/100 35/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Meridan Plains carries more bushfire risk (58 vs 0); Meridan Plains carries more crime risk (45 vs 31).

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
58/100
Crime Low
31/100
 Moderate
45/100
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 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast, 7.0 km
 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast, 4.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.3% 1.4%

Schools in Little Mountain

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Meridan Plains

  • Pacific Lutheran College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Meridan State College Government · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 20 10
Childcare 3 4
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 3 1
Waterways 3 11

Mobility

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Walkability score 51/100 6/100
Distance to Brisbane 88 km
+2% vs other
 86.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 75 min 71 min
Public transport score 72/100
Bus
 38/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 25.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 6.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 7 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 4551
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 72
postcode 4551
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.

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Car (driver) 77.4% / 78.6%
Little Mountain — Car (driver): 77.4% Meridan Plains — Car (driver): 78.6%
Worked from Home 14.0% / 11.6%
Little Mountain — Worked from Home: 14.0% Meridan Plains — Worked from Home: 11.6%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 6.0%
Little Mountain — Car (passenger): 5.9% Meridan Plains — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Bicycle 0.8% / 1.9%
Little Mountain — Bicycle: 0.8% Meridan Plains — Bicycle: 1.9%
Walked Only 0.9% / 1.2%
Little Mountain — Walked Only: 0.9% Meridan Plains — Walked Only: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.6%).

Setting

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Elevation 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km
4.5 km to a named beach
 5.6 km

NBN connectivity

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Connectivity score 74/100 85/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 47%
4,346 premises
 66%
1,936 premises

Climate

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Annual rainfall 1,052 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 14.7°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.31 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Average residential rate $1,690/yr
same for both
Council Sunshine Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Division Fisher
same for both
Member Andrew Wallace
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Little Mountain Meridan Plains
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Little Mountain

Parks Regional Centre

Meridan Plains

Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Little Mountain

Little Mountain vs Caloundra West Little Mountain vs Currimundi Little Mountain vs Baringa Little Mountain vs Aroona

Other comparisons with Meridan Plains

Meridan Plains vs Currimundi Meridan Plains vs Palmview Meridan Plains vs Birtinya Meridan Plains vs Aroona Meridan Plains vs Glenview
Full data on Little Mountain Full data on Meridan Plains
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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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