Malanda vs North Johnstone

Malanda is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 54 in North Johnstone. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In North Johnstone, most households are couple families. On these figures, Malanda tends to suit people living alone and families with children, while North Johnstone suits 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

Malanda

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But North Johnstone carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 67/100)

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

First-home buyers

North Johnstone

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (15% vs 27%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

North Johnstone

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($0/wk vs $250/wk)

Weighs rent.

Commuting to the city

Malanda

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (1160 min vs 1173 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1684.1 km vs 1696 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Malanda

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 22%)
  • But North Johnstone carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 67/100)

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

Investors

Malanda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (0.8% vs -13.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Malanda North Johnstone
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.

Malanda North Johnstone
Walkability 0 / 0
Malanda — Walkability: 0/100 North Johnstone — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 33 / 78
Malanda — Safety: 33/100 North Johnstone — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Malanda — Low fire risk: 100/100 North Johnstone — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Malanda rents higher ($250/wk vs $0/wk); Malanda has more residents (2,000 vs 67).

Malanda North Johnstone
Population 2,000
+97% vs other
 67
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.8% -13.0%
Median age 51 54
Median household income $58,240/yr $85,748/yr
+47% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk
(not reported on the other side)
 —

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Malanda North Johnstone
0-4 4.5% / —
Malanda — 0-4: 4.5% North Johnstone — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 13.6% / 13.4%
Malanda — 5-14: 13.6% North Johnstone — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 5.9% / 7.5%
Malanda — 15-19: 5.9% North Johnstone — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 2.5% / —
Malanda — 20-24: 2.5% North Johnstone — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 6.8% / 7.5%
Malanda — 25-34: 6.8% North Johnstone — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 9.6% / 17.9%
Malanda — 35-44: 9.6% North Johnstone — 35-44: 17.9%
45-54 12.1% / 14.9%
Malanda — 45-54: 12.1% North Johnstone — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 15.1% / 13.4%
Malanda — 55-64: 15.1% North Johnstone — 55-64: 13.4%
65-74 15.7% / 13.4%
Malanda — 65-74: 15.7% North Johnstone — 65-74: 13.4%
75-84 10.1% / 9.0%
Malanda — 75-84: 10.1% North Johnstone — 75-84: 9.0%
85+ 4.5% / —
Malanda — 85+: 4.5% North Johnstone — 85+: not among its largest

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Malanda 32.0% couple families
Malanda — Couple Families: 32.0% Malanda — Lone Person: 44.4% Malanda — One Parent Families: 19.7% Malanda — Group Household: 3.8%
North Johnstone 69.2% couple families
North Johnstone — Couple Families: 69.2% North Johnstone — Lone Person: 30.8% North Johnstone — One Parent Families: 0.0% North Johnstone — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Malanda 29.0% renting
Malanda — Owned Outright: 42.5% Malanda — Mortgage: 28.5% Malanda — Renting: 29.0%
North Johnstone 0.0% renting
North Johnstone — Owned Outright: 81.0% North Johnstone — Mortgage: 19.0% North Johnstone — Renting: 0.0%
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.

Malanda North Johnstone
New Zealand 3.1% / 4.5%
Malanda — New Zealand: 3.1% North Johnstone — New Zealand: 4.5%
England 2.6% / —
Malanda — England: 2.6% North Johnstone — England: not among its largest
Germany 1.1% / —
Malanda — Germany: 1.1% North Johnstone — Germany: not among its largest
Japan 0.5% / —
Malanda — Japan: 0.5% North Johnstone — Japan: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.4% / —
Malanda — Netherlands: 0.4% North Johnstone — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

Qualifications

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

Malanda North Johnstone
Certificate III & IV 18.4% / 14.9%
Malanda — Certificate III & IV: 18.4% North Johnstone — Certificate III & IV: 14.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.1% / 10.4%
Malanda — Bachelor Degree: 8.1% North Johnstone — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 10.4%
Malanda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% North Johnstone — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / —
Malanda — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% North Johnstone — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / —
Malanda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% North Johnstone — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Malanda 91.9% houses
Malanda — Houses: 91.9% Malanda — Flats / Apartments: 7.2% Malanda — Townhouses: 0.9%
North Johnstone 100.0% houses
North Johnstone — Houses: 100.0% North Johnstone — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% North Johnstone — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Malanda North Johnstone
Median house price $517,500 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $500,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 44 days
from 16 sales
 —

Development activity

Malanda North Johnstone
New dwellings approved 167
across Tablelands
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
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.

Malanda North Johnstone
Houses 4.9%
$500/wk on $529K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Malanda North Johnstone
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 20% of QLD Higher than 59% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 6% of QLD Higher than 37% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 50% of QLD Higher than 51% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of QLD Higher than 58% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 89% of QLD —

Liveability

Malanda North Johnstone
Grade D —
Score 30/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Malanda carries more crime risk (67 vs 22).

Malanda North Johnstone
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
67/100
 Low
22/100
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

Malanda North Johnstone
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Malanda

  • Malanda State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Malanda State School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in North Johnstone

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

Amenities in the suburb

Malanda North Johnstone
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 7 0
Childcare 3 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 4 7

Mobility

North Johnstone sits further from the CBD (1696 km vs 1684.1 km).

Malanda North Johnstone
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1684.1 km 1696 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1160 min 1173 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4885
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 4885
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.

Malanda North Johnstone
Car (driver) 73.4% / 52.2%
Malanda — Car (driver): 73.4% North Johnstone — Car (driver): 52.2%
Worked from Home 11.8% / 47.8%
Malanda — Worked from Home: 11.8% North Johnstone — Worked from Home: 47.8%
Walked Only 7.6% / —
Malanda — Walked Only: 7.6% North Johnstone — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 6.8% / —
Malanda — Car (passenger): 6.8% North Johnstone — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.5% / —
Malanda — Bus: 0.5% North Johnstone — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.4%).

Setting

Malanda North Johnstone
Elevation 741 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 749 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 41.4 km 32.0 km

NBN connectivity

Malanda North Johnstone
Connectivity score 49/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
1,089 premises
 0%
36 premises

Climate

Malanda North Johnstone
Annual rainfall 1,114 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.3°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 13.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Malanda North Johnstone
Average residential rate $1,609/yr
same for both
Council Tablelands
same for both

Federal electorate

Malanda North Johnstone
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Malanda North Johnstone
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Malanda

Acreage Affordable Retirees

North Johnstone

Professionals Rural

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Other comparisons with North Johnstone

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Full data on Malanda Full data on North Johnstone
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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