Mareeba vs Koah

Mareeba is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 46 in Koah. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Koah, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Koah: a median of $835,000, against $566,000 in Mareeba. On these figures, Mareeba tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Koah 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Mareeba has more parks and reserves (24 vs 1)
  • Koah carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 89/100)

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

First-home buyers

Mareeba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($565,600 vs $835,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mareeba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 11%)

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

Commuting to the city

Koah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (1738.2 km vs 1747.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mareeba

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (11% vs 1%)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • But Koah carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 89/100)

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

Investors

Koah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.3% vs 6.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mareeba Koah
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.

Mareeba Koah
Walkability 0 / 0
Mareeba — Walkability: 0/100 Koah — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 11 / 58
Mareeba — Safety: 11/100 Koah — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 44 / 30
Mareeba — Low fire risk: 44/100 Koah — Low fire risk: 30/100

Demographics

Mareeba has more residents (11,825 vs 676); Koah has higher household incomes ($80,756 vs $66,664).

Mareeba Koah
Population 11,825
+94% vs other
 676
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.7% +12.3%
Median age 41 46
Median household income $66,664/yr $80,756/yr
+21% vs other
Median weekly rent $285/wk $288/wk
+1% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mareeba Koah
0-4 5.4% / 4.9%
Mareeba — 0-4: 5.4% Koah — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 12.9% / 12.4%
Mareeba — 5-14: 12.9% Koah — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 5.6% / 7.4%
Mareeba — 15-19: 5.6% Koah — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 5.1% / 2.4%
Mareeba — 20-24: 5.1% Koah — 20-24: 2.4%
25-34 13.4% / 6.1%
Mareeba — 25-34: 13.4% Koah — 25-34: 6.1%
35-44 10.6% / 13.3%
Mareeba — 35-44: 10.6% Koah — 35-44: 13.3%
45-54 12.5% / 16.6%
Mareeba — 45-54: 12.5% Koah — 45-54: 16.6%
55-64 12.3% / 16.1%
Mareeba — 55-64: 12.3% Koah — 55-64: 16.1%
65-74 11.3% / 13.9%
Mareeba — 65-74: 11.3% Koah — 65-74: 13.9%
75-84 8.1% / 5.2%
Mareeba — 75-84: 8.1% Koah — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 2.9% / 0.4%
Mareeba — 85+: 2.9% Koah — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mareeba 35.4% couple families
Mareeba — Couple Families: 35.4% Mareeba — Lone Person: 38.2% Mareeba — One Parent Families: 19.5% Mareeba — Group Household: 5.2% Mareeba — Other Families: 1.6%
Koah 48.7% couple families
Koah — Couple Families: 48.7% Koah — Lone Person: 23.0% Koah — One Parent Families: 19.7% Koah — Group Household: 5.9% Koah — Other Families: 2.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mareeba 32.1% renting
Mareeba — Owned Outright: 39.9% Mareeba — Mortgage: 28.0% Mareeba — Renting: 32.1%
Koah 10.6% renting
Koah — Owned Outright: 41.1% Koah — Mortgage: 48.3% Koah — Renting: 10.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mareeba Koah
Certificate III & IV 15.6% / 21.9%
Mareeba — Certificate III & IV: 15.6% Koah — Certificate III & IV: 21.9%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 8.9%
Mareeba — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Koah — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 7.5%
Mareeba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Koah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 1.6%
Mareeba — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Koah — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 0.4%
Mareeba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Koah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

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.

Mareeba Koah
England 1.8% / 3.8%
Mareeba — England: 1.8% Koah — England: 3.8%
New Zealand 1.6% / 3.8%
Mareeba — New Zealand: 1.6% Koah — New Zealand: 3.8%
Italy 3.1% / —
Mareeba — Italy: 3.1% Koah — Italy: not among its largest
Germany 0.7% / 1.2%
Mareeba — Germany: 0.7% Koah — Germany: 1.2%
Philippines 0.6% / 1.0%
Mareeba — Philippines: 0.6% Koah — Philippines: 1.0%
Japan — / 1.3%
Mareeba — Japan: not among its largest Koah — Japan: 1.3%
Taiwan 0.7% / —
Mareeba — Taiwan: 0.7% Koah — Taiwan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mareeba 88.6% houses
Mareeba — Houses: 88.6% Mareeba — Flats / Apartments: 10.4% Mareeba — Townhouses: 0.9%
Koah 99.1% houses
Koah — Houses: 99.1% Koah — Flats / Apartments: 0.9% Koah — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Mareeba Koah
Median house price $565,600 $835,000
Median unit price $377,000 —
Median land price $639,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 58 days
from 154 sales
 41 days
from 4 sales

Development activity

Mareeba Koah
New dwellings approved 76
across Mareeba
same for both
Approvals change year on year -23%
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.

Mareeba Koah
Houses 4.5%
$600/wk on $690K
 —
Units 5.1%
$375/wk on $385K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Mareeba Koah
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 32% of QLD Higher than 51% of QLD
Schools Higher than 82% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 37% of QLD Higher than 9% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 33% of QLD Higher than 71% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 34% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 78% of QLD —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 74% of QLD —

Liveability

Mareeba scores higher overall (28 vs 20).

Mareeba Koah
Grade D
same for both
Score 28/100 20/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Mareeba carries more crime risk (89 vs 42); Koah carries more bushfire risk (70 vs 56).

Mareeba Koah
Bushfire Moderate
56/100
 High
70/100
Crime High
89/100
 Moderate
42/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Mareeba Koah
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Mareeba

  • St Stephen's Catholic College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • St Thomas' School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Mareeba State High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Mareeba State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Two Rivers Community School Independent · Primary

Schools in Koah

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mareeba Koah
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 6 0
Parks & reserves 24 1
Childcare 6 0
GPs 6 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 3 1
Waterways 42 9

Mobility

Mareeba sits further from the CBD (1747.4 km vs 1738.2 km).

Mareeba Koah
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1747.4 km 1738.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1217 min 1214 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 4880
 0.6%
postcode 4881
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 4880
 58
postcode 4881

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.

Mareeba Koah
Car (driver) 74.2% / 68.2%
Mareeba — Car (driver): 74.2% Koah — Car (driver): 68.2%
Worked from Home 8.3% / 18.5%
Mareeba — Worked from Home: 8.3% Koah — Worked from Home: 18.5%
Car (passenger) 9.4% / 6.0%
Mareeba — Car (passenger): 9.4% Koah — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Walked Only 4.6% / 7.3%
Mareeba — Walked Only: 4.6% Koah — Walked Only: 7.3%
Bus 2.5% / —
Mareeba — Bus: 2.5% Koah — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.2%).

Setting

Mareeba Koah
Elevation 460 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 392 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 31.7 km 20.2 km

NBN connectivity

Mareeba Koah
Connectivity score 66/100 26/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
5,953 premises
 0%
287 premises

Climate

Mareeba Koah
Annual rainfall 1,114 mm 2,121 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.3°C 31.9°C
Winter min (Jul) 13.8°C 18.1°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Mareeba Koah
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Mareeba Koah
Average residential rate $1,628/yr
same for both
Council Mareeba
same for both

Federal electorate

Mareeba Koah
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mareeba Koah
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mareeba

Acreage Affordable

Koah

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mareeba

Mareeba vs Tolga Mareeba vs Biboohra Mareeba vs Walkamin Mareeba vs Paddys Green Mareeba vs Tinaroo Mareeba vs Chewko

Other comparisons with Koah

Koah vs Kuranda Koah vs Speewah Koah vs Biboohra
Full data on Mareeba Full data on Koah
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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