Mena Creek vs Utchee Creek

Mena Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 42 in Utchee Creek. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Utchee Creek, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Utchee Creek: a median of $776,000, against $528,000 in Mena Creek, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Mena Creek tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Utchee Creek 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

Utchee Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 57/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (86% vs 65%)
  • But Mena Creek has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Mena Creek has cheaper houses ($527,500 vs $775,500)
  • Utchee Creek leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 25%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Mena Creek has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $290/wk)
  • Utchee Creek has a bigger rental market to choose from (20% vs 8%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Utchee Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 57/100)

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

Investors

Utchee Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (0.4% vs -13.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
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.

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Walkability 0 / 0
Mena Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Utchee Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 43 / 80
Mena Creek — Safety: 43/100 Utchee Creek — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mena Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100 Utchee Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Utchee Creek has higher household incomes ($86,112 vs $65,728); Utchee Creek rents higher ($290/wk vs $250/wk).

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Population 210 256
+22% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -13.9% +0.4%
Median age 37 42
Median household income $65,728/yr $86,112/yr
+31% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $290/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
0-4 10.0% / 4.7%
Mena Creek — 0-4: 10.0% Utchee Creek — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 14.3% / 16.0%
Mena Creek — 5-14: 14.3% Utchee Creek — 5-14: 16.0%
15-19 9.0% / 6.2%
Mena Creek — 15-19: 9.0% Utchee Creek — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 3.8% / 1.6%
Mena Creek — 20-24: 3.8% Utchee Creek — 20-24: 1.6%
25-34 9.0% / 8.2%
Mena Creek — 25-34: 9.0% Utchee Creek — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 14.8% / 18.8%
Mena Creek — 35-44: 14.8% Utchee Creek — 35-44: 18.8%
45-54 11.9% / 14.5%
Mena Creek — 45-54: 11.9% Utchee Creek — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 14.8% / 16.8%
Mena Creek — 55-64: 14.8% Utchee Creek — 55-64: 16.8%
65-74 8.1% / 13.3%
Mena Creek — 65-74: 8.1% Utchee Creek — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 2.9% / 2.7%
Mena Creek — 75-84: 2.9% Utchee Creek — 75-84: 2.7%
85+ 2.4% / —
Mena Creek — 85+: 2.4% Utchee Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mena Creek 41.3% couple families
Mena Creek — Couple Families: 41.3% Mena Creek — One Parent Families: 23.8% Mena Creek — Lone Person: 28.6% Mena Creek — Group Household: 6.3%
Utchee Creek 63.3% couple families
Utchee Creek — Couple Families: 63.3% Utchee Creek — One Parent Families: 22.4% Utchee Creek — Lone Person: 14.3% Utchee Creek — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mena Creek 8.3% renting
Mena Creek — Owned Outright: 46.7% Mena Creek — Mortgage: 45.0% Mena Creek — Renting: 8.3%
Utchee Creek 19.7% renting
Utchee Creek — Owned Outright: 43.4% Utchee Creek — Mortgage: 36.8% Utchee Creek — Renting: 19.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Certificate III & IV 13.8% / 16.8%
Mena Creek — Certificate III & IV: 13.8% Utchee Creek — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Bachelor Degree 5.2% / 7.4%
Mena Creek — Bachelor Degree: 5.2% Utchee Creek — Bachelor Degree: 7.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.8% / 4.3%
Mena Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.8% Utchee Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 2.7%
Mena Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Utchee Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
India — / 3.9%
Mena Creek — India: not among its largest Utchee Creek — India: 3.9%
England 2.4% / —
Mena Creek — England: 2.4% Utchee Creek — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 2.4% / —
Mena Creek — New Zealand: 2.4% Utchee Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
Taiwan — / 2.3%
Mena Creek — Taiwan: not among its largest Utchee Creek — Taiwan: 2.3%
Philippines — / 2.0%
Mena Creek — Philippines: not among its largest Utchee Creek — Philippines: 2.0%
Germany 1.9% / —
Mena Creek — Germany: 1.9% Utchee Creek — Germany: not among its largest
Singapore 1.4% / —
Mena Creek — Singapore: 1.4% Utchee Creek — Singapore: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mena Creek 95.7% houses
Mena Creek — Houses: 95.7% Mena Creek — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Utchee Creek 93.8% houses
Utchee Creek — Houses: 93.8% Utchee Creek — Flats / Apartments: 6.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Median house price $527,500 $775,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
New dwellings approved 186
across Cassowary Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +68%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 31% of QLD Higher than 60% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 9% of QLD Higher than 54% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 25% of QLD Higher than 26% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 63% of QLD

Liveability

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Mena Creek carries more crime risk (57 vs 20).

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
57/100
 Low
20/100
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

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Mena Creek

  • Mena Creek State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Utchee Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Parks & reserves 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 2 6

Mobility

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1610.8 km 1611.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1112 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 4871
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 4871
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.

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Car (driver) 76.6% / 73.1%
Mena Creek — Car (driver): 76.6% Utchee Creek — Car (driver): 73.1%
Worked from Home 14.3% / 12.9%
Mena Creek — Worked from Home: 14.3% Utchee Creek — Worked from Home: 12.9%
Walked Only 5.2% / 10.8%
Mena Creek — Walked Only: 5.2% Utchee Creek — Walked Only: 10.8%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / —
Mena Creek — Car (passenger): 3.9% Utchee Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus — / 3.2%
Mena Creek — Bus: not among its largest Utchee Creek — Bus: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.6%).

Setting

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Elevation 72 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 20.5 km 19.8 km

NBN connectivity

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Connectivity score 29/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
99 premises
 0%
119 premises

Climate

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Annual rainfall 3,534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 16.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Average residential rate $1,829/yr
same for both
Council Cassowary Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mena Creek Utchee Creek
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mena Creek

Family Rural Young Families

Utchee Creek

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mena Creek

Mena Creek vs Bombeeta Mena Creek vs Germantown

Other comparisons with Utchee Creek

Utchee Creek vs Camp Creek Utchee Creek vs No 6 Branch Utchee Creek vs Germantown
Full data on Mena Creek Full data on Utchee Creek
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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