Mcdowall vs Bunya

McDowall is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 43 in Bunya. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Bunya: a median of $1.9 million, against $1.31 million in McDowall, and rent is higher there too. McDowall is closer to the city centre: 13.9 km, against 18.6 km. On these figures, McDowall tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Bunya 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

Bunya

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 30/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (90% vs 76%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 88%)
  • But McDowall has more childcare (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

McDowall

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,310,000 vs $1,900,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

McDowall

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (23% vs 3%)
  • has cheaper rent ($470/wk vs $650/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

McDowall

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (69/100 vs 10/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (13.9 km vs 18.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (24 min vs 29 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

McDowall

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (12% vs 1%)
  • is more walkable (69/100 vs 10/100)
  • But Bunya carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 30/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mcdowall Bunya
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.

Mcdowall Bunya
Walkability 69 / 10
Mcdowall — Walkability: 69/100 Bunya — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 70 / 80
Mcdowall — Safety: 70/100 Bunya — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 100 / 65
Mcdowall — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bunya — Low fire risk: 65/100

Demographics

McDowall has more residents (7,612 vs 1,968); Bunya rents higher ($650/wk vs $470/wk).

Mcdowall Bunya
Population 7,612
+74% vs other
 1,968
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.2% +2.7%
Median age 38 43
Median household income $129,272/yr $176,904/yr
+37% vs other
Median weekly rent $470/wk $650/wk
+38% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mcdowall Bunya
0-4 6.4% / 4.0%
Mcdowall — 0-4: 6.4% Bunya — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 14.2% / 14.9%
Mcdowall — 5-14: 14.2% Bunya — 5-14: 14.9%
15-19 6.4% / 9.7%
Mcdowall — 15-19: 6.4% Bunya — 15-19: 9.7%
20-24 6.4% / 6.2%
Mcdowall — 20-24: 6.4% Bunya — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 10.6% / 5.6%
Mcdowall — 25-34: 10.6% Bunya — 25-34: 5.6%
35-44 15.2% / 10.5%
Mcdowall — 35-44: 15.2% Bunya — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 14.2% / 20.3%
Mcdowall — 45-54: 14.2% Bunya — 45-54: 20.3%
55-64 11.8% / 17.0%
Mcdowall — 55-64: 11.8% Bunya — 55-64: 17.0%
65-74 9.2% / 8.4%
Mcdowall — 65-74: 9.2% Bunya — 65-74: 8.4%
75-84 4.5% / 2.6%
Mcdowall — 75-84: 4.5% Bunya — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ 1.1% / 0.6%
Mcdowall — 85+: 1.1% Bunya — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mcdowall 63.1% couple families
Mcdowall — Couple Families: 63.1% Mcdowall — Lone Person: 19.9% Mcdowall — One Parent Families: 12.7% Mcdowall — Group Household: 3.3% Mcdowall — Other Families: 1.0%
Bunya 81.9% couple families
Bunya — Couple Families: 81.9% Bunya — Lone Person: 8.2% Bunya — One Parent Families: 8.2% Bunya — Group Household: 1.7% Bunya — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mcdowall 22.7% renting
Mcdowall — Owned Outright: 36.7% Mcdowall — Mortgage: 40.6% Mcdowall — Renting: 22.7%
Bunya 3.2% renting
Bunya — Owned Outright: 40.4% Bunya — Mortgage: 56.4% Bunya — Renting: 3.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mcdowall Bunya
Bachelor Degree 18.0% / 19.3%
Mcdowall — Bachelor Degree: 18.0% Bunya — Bachelor Degree: 19.3%
Certificate III & IV 11.8% / 13.6%
Mcdowall — Certificate III & IV: 11.8% Bunya — Certificate III & IV: 13.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 9.1%
Mcdowall — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Bunya — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 7.0% / 5.7%
Mcdowall — Postgraduate Degree: 7.0% Bunya — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 3.4%
Mcdowall — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Bunya — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

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.

Mcdowall Bunya
England 3.8% / 4.4%
Mcdowall — England: 3.8% Bunya — England: 4.4%
New Zealand 2.5% / 2.4%
Mcdowall — New Zealand: 2.5% Bunya — New Zealand: 2.4%
India 2.6% / 0.8%
Mcdowall — India: 2.6% Bunya — India: 0.8%
South Africa 1.6% / 1.2%
Mcdowall — South Africa: 1.6% Bunya — South Africa: 1.2%
China 1.5% / —
Mcdowall — China: 1.5% Bunya — China: not among its largest
Canada — / 0.5%
Mcdowall — Canada: not among its largest Bunya — Canada: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mcdowall 87.7% houses
Mcdowall — Houses: 87.7% Mcdowall — Townhouses: 10.0% Mcdowall — Flats / Apartments: 2.3%
Bunya 99.0% houses
Bunya — Houses: 99.0% Bunya — Townhouses: 0.0% Bunya — Flats / Apartments: 1.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mcdowall Bunya
Median house price $1,310,000 $1,900,000
Median unit price $695,000 —
Median land price $1,200,000 $1,237,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 79 sales
 16 days
from 12 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.

Mcdowall Bunya
4 bed $1.33M / $1.88M
Mcdowall — 4 bed: $1.33M (56 sales) Bunya — 4 bed: $1.88M (16 sales)

56 vs 16 sales

5 bed $1.68M / $1.93M
Mcdowall — 5 bed: $1.68M (21 sales) Bunya — 5 bed: $1.93M (12 sales)

21 vs 12 sales

Development activity

Mcdowall Bunya
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
 6,996
across Moreton Bay
Approvals change year on year +9% +49%

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.

Mcdowall Bunya
Houses 3.3%
$835/wk on $1.3M
 —
Units 4.5%
$700/wk on $810K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Mcdowall Bunya
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 93% of QLD Higher than 99% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of QLD Higher than 71% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 92% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 19% of QLD —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 52% of QLD —

Liveability

McDowall is more walkable (69 vs 10); McDowall scores higher overall (88 vs 73).

Mcdowall Bunya
Grade A+ A
Score 88/100 73/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Bunya carries more bushfire risk (35 vs 0); McDowall carries more crime risk (30 vs 20).

Mcdowall Bunya
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
35/100
Crime Low
30/100
 Low
20/100
Flood — Not mapped
no mapped data here
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Mcdowall Bunya
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Kelvin Grove, 7.8 km
 None

Schools in Mcdowall

  • McDowall State School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Bunya

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mcdowall Bunya
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 16 10
Childcare 4 0
GPs 1 0
Waterways 6 21

Mobility

Bunya sits further from the CBD (18.6 km vs 13.9 km).

Mcdowall Bunya
Walkability score 69/100 10/100
Distance to Brisbane 13.9 km 18.6 km
+34% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 29 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 37/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 77.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 8.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 4053
 2.1%
postcode 4055
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 46
postcode 4053
 78
postcode 4055

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.

Mcdowall Bunya
Car (driver) 63.3% / 62.3%
Mcdowall — Car (driver): 63.3% Bunya — Car (driver): 62.3%
Worked from Home 25.5% / 29.4%
Mcdowall — Worked from Home: 25.5% Bunya — Worked from Home: 29.4%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 3.7%
Mcdowall — Car (passenger): 4.6% Bunya — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Train 2.7% / 3.4%
Mcdowall — Train: 2.7% Bunya — Train: 3.4%
Bus 2.8% / 0.3%
Mcdowall — Bus: 2.8% Bunya — Bus: 0.3%
Walked Only 0.5% / 0.9%
Mcdowall — Walked Only: 0.5% Bunya — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.3%).

Setting

Mcdowall Bunya
Elevation 63 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 10.6 km 12.4 km

NBN connectivity

Mcdowall Bunya
Connectivity score 78/100 72/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 22%
3,119 premises
 23%
551 premises

Climate

Mcdowall Bunya
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)

Mcdowall Bunya
PM2.5 4.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.74 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Mcdowall Bunya
Average residential rate $1,519/yr $1,577/yr
Council Brisbane Moreton Bay

Federal electorate

Mcdowall Bunya
Division Lilley Dickson
Member Anika Wells Ali France
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mcdowall Bunya
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mcdowall

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Quiet

Bunya

Acreage Middle-Ring Premium Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mcdowall

Mcdowall vs Albany Creek Mcdowall vs Aspley Mcdowall vs Bridgeman Downs Mcdowall vs Everton Park Mcdowall vs Stafford Heights Mcdowall vs Chermside West

Other comparisons with Bunya

Bunya vs Albany Creek Bunya vs Ferny Hills Bunya vs Eatons Hill Bunya vs Arana Hills Bunya vs Everton Hills Bunya vs Draper
Full data on Mcdowall Full data on Bunya
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or