Lota vs Manly

Lota is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 46 in Manly. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Lota, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Manly: a median of $1.77 million, against $1.31 million in Lota. On these figures, Lota tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Manly suits people living alone.

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

Lota

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 76/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (95% vs 71%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 57%)
  • But Manly has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Lota

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,308,000 vs $1,775,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

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

Manly

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 57/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Manly

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (29% vs 5%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 57/100)
  • But Lota carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 76/100)

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

Investors

Lota

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.5% vs 2.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lota Manly
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.

Lota Manly
Walkability 57 / 74
Lota — Walkability: 57/100 Manly — Walkability: 74/100
Safety 55 / 24
Lota — Safety: 55/100 Manly — Safety: 24/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Lota — Low fire risk: 100/100 Manly — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Manly skews older (46 vs 42).

Lota Manly
Population 3,518 4,273
+21% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.0% +5.1%
Median age 42 46
Median household income $116,272/yr
+7% vs other
 $108,108/yr
Median weekly rent $415/wk
+3% vs other
 $403/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lota Manly
0-4 5.4% / 4.2%
Lota — 0-4: 5.4% Manly — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 14.3% / 13.3%
Lota — 5-14: 14.3% Manly — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 5.5% / 5.5%
Lota — 15-19: 5.5% Manly — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 5.2% / 5.0%
Lota — 20-24: 5.2% Manly — 20-24: 5.0%
25-34 8.7% / 7.8%
Lota — 25-34: 8.7% Manly — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 15.3% / 12.0%
Lota — 35-44: 15.3% Manly — 35-44: 12.0%
45-54 14.9% / 17.9%
Lota — 45-54: 14.9% Manly — 45-54: 17.9%
55-64 13.5% / 16.3%
Lota — 55-64: 13.5% Manly — 55-64: 16.3%
65-74 9.2% / 11.4%
Lota — 65-74: 9.2% Manly — 65-74: 11.4%
75-84 5.4% / 5.1%
Lota — 75-84: 5.4% Manly — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 2.6% / 1.4%
Lota — 85+: 2.6% Manly — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lota 51.9% couple families
Lota — Couple Families: 51.9% Lota — Lone Person: 27.7% Lota — One Parent Families: 15.8% Lota — Group Household: 3.3% Lota — Other Families: 1.3%
Manly 42.0% couple families
Manly — Couple Families: 42.0% Manly — Lone Person: 38.3% Manly — One Parent Families: 15.1% Manly — Group Household: 3.2% Manly — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lota 23.0% renting
Lota — Owned Outright: 31.2% Lota — Mortgage: 45.8% Lota — Renting: 23.0%
Manly 30.6% renting
Manly — Owned Outright: 36.8% Manly — Mortgage: 32.6% Manly — Renting: 30.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Lota Manly
England 7.0% / 8.0%
Lota — England: 7.0% Manly — England: 8.0%
New Zealand 4.8% / 4.9%
Lota — New Zealand: 4.8% Manly — New Zealand: 4.9%
South Africa 1.4% / 0.9%
Lota — South Africa: 1.4% Manly — South Africa: 0.9%
Scotland 0.9% / 0.8%
Lota — Scotland: 0.9% Manly — Scotland: 0.8%
Ireland 0.7% / 0.8%
Lota — Ireland: 0.7% Manly — Ireland: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.0%).

Qualifications

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

Lota Manly
Bachelor Degree 15.2% / 17.6%
Lota — Bachelor Degree: 15.2% Manly — Bachelor Degree: 17.6%
Certificate III & IV 14.7% / 13.4%
Lota — Certificate III & IV: 14.7% Manly — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 9.9%
Lota — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Manly — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.9%
Postgraduate Degree 4.7% / 6.0%
Lota — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7% Manly — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 2.8%
Lota — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Manly — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lota 95.3% houses
Lota — Houses: 95.3% Lota — Flats / Apartments: 1.0% Lota — Townhouses: 3.7%
Manly 70.6% houses
Manly — Houses: 70.6% Manly — Flats / Apartments: 22.9% Manly — Townhouses: 6.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Lota Manly
Median house price $1,308,000 $1,775,000
Median unit price — $916,125
Median land price — $1,700,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 38 sales
 21 days
from 70 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.

Lota Manly
2 bed $981K / $1.49M
Lota — 2 bed: $981K (6 sales) Manly — 2 bed: $1.49M (12 sales)

6 vs 12 sales

3 bed $1.13M / $1.43M
Lota — 3 bed: $1.13M (43 sales) Manly — 3 bed: $1.43M (36 sales)

43 vs 36 sales

4 bed $1.42M / $1.95M
Lota — 4 bed: $1.42M (29 sales) Manly — 4 bed: $1.95M (46 sales)

29 vs 46 sales

5 bed $1.51M / $2.26M
Lota — 5 bed: $1.51M (9 sales) Manly — 5 bed: $2.26M (22 sales)

9 vs 22 sales

Development activity

Lota Manly
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
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.

Lota Manly
Houses 3.5%
$780/wk on $1.18M
 2.3%
$800/wk on $1.79M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Lota Manly
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 80% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 73% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 88% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 89% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 23% of QLD Higher than 3% of QLD

Liveability

Manly is more walkable (74 vs 57); Lota scores higher overall (78 vs 71).

Lota Manly
Grade A
same for both
Score 78/100 71/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Manly carries more crime risk (76 vs 45).

Lota Manly
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
45/100
 High
76/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
22/100
 Moderate
57/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Lota Manly
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Lota

  • Lota State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Manly

  • Manly State School Government · Primary above peers
  • St John Vianney's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Darling Point Special School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Lota Manly
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 6
Parks & reserves 9 7
Childcare 2 6
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Lota Manly
Walkability score 57/100 74/100
Distance to Brisbane 22.9 km 23 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 33 min 35 min
Public transport score 71/100
Rail · Bus
 80/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 23.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 32.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 4179
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 65
postcode 4179
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.

Lota Manly
Car (driver) 62.1% / 58.8%
Lota — Car (driver): 62.1% Manly — Car (driver): 58.8%
Worked from Home 25.7% / 28.0%
Lota — Worked from Home: 25.7% Manly — Worked from Home: 28.0%
Train 6.7% / 6.2%
Lota — Train: 6.7% Manly — Train: 6.2%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 3.3%
Lota — Car (passenger): 4.0% Manly — Car (passenger): 3.3%
Walked Only 0.4% / 2.6%
Lota — Walked Only: 0.4% Manly — Walked Only: 2.6%
Bicycle 0.6% / 0.8%
Lota — Bicycle: 0.6% Manly — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.1%).

Setting

Lota Manly
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 286 m
1.2 km to a named beach
 241 m
251 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Lota Manly
Connectivity score 75/100 80/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
1,444 premises
 22%
1,993 premises

Climate

Lota Manly
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Lota Manly
PM2.5 3.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Lota Manly
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Lota Manly
Division Bonner
same for both
Member Kara Cook
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lota Manly
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lota

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Quiet Trains

Manly

Beach Beachfront Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Premium Trains Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lota

Lota vs Manly West Lota vs Wakerley Lota vs Thorneside Lota vs Ransome

Other comparisons with Manly

Manly vs Wynnum Manly vs Manly West
Full data on Lota Full data on Manly
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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