Menzies vs Pioneer

Pioneer is the younger of the two, with a median age of 27 against 32 in Menzies. In both, most households rent. In Menzies, about half of households are people living alone. In Pioneer, the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Menzies tends to suit people living alone, while Pioneer suits families with children.

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

Pioneer

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (79% vs 46%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 40%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Pioneer

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($210/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Menzies

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (54% vs 21%)

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

Investors

Pioneer

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.8% vs -16.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Menzies Pioneer
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.

Menzies Pioneer
Walkability 69 / 66
Menzies — Walkability: 69/100 Pioneer — Walkability: 66/100
Safety 4 / 3
Menzies — Safety: 4/100 Pioneer — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Menzies — Low fire risk: 100/100 Pioneer — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Pioneer has more residents (2,346 vs 824); Menzies rents higher ($250/wk vs $210/wk).

Menzies Pioneer
Population 824 2,346
+185% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -16.3% +7.8%
Median age 32 27
Median household income $96,824/yr
+11% vs other
 $86,528/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk
+16% vs other
 $210/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Menzies Pioneer
0-4 7.6% / 10.5%
Menzies — 0-4: 7.6% Pioneer — 0-4: 10.5%
5-14 10.9% / 18.8%
Menzies — 5-14: 10.9% Pioneer — 5-14: 18.8%
15-19 3.9% / 9.1%
Menzies — 15-19: 3.9% Pioneer — 15-19: 9.1%
20-24 10.3% / 7.2%
Menzies — 20-24: 10.3% Pioneer — 20-24: 7.2%
25-34 20.3% / 16.0%
Menzies — 25-34: 20.3% Pioneer — 25-34: 16.0%
35-44 16.3% / 12.6%
Menzies — 35-44: 16.3% Pioneer — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 12.9% / 10.5%
Menzies — 45-54: 12.9% Pioneer — 45-54: 10.5%
55-64 9.3% / 9.2%
Menzies — 55-64: 9.3% Pioneer — 55-64: 9.2%
65-74 5.0% / 4.0%
Menzies — 65-74: 5.0% Pioneer — 65-74: 4.0%
75-84 2.5% / 1.7%
Menzies — 75-84: 2.5% Pioneer — 75-84: 1.7%
85+ — / 0.5%
Menzies — 85+: not among its largest Pioneer — 85+: 0.5%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Menzies 53.0% lone person
Menzies — Lone Person: 53.0% Menzies — Couple Families: 27.9% Menzies — One Parent Families: 12.0% Menzies — Group Household: 5.6% Menzies — Other Families: 1.6%
Pioneer 29.1% lone person
Pioneer — Lone Person: 29.1% Pioneer — Couple Families: 32.3% Pioneer — One Parent Families: 34.3% Pioneer — Group Household: 2.4% Pioneer — Other Families: 1.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Menzies 63.7% renting
Menzies — Owned Outright: 12.4% Menzies — Mortgage: 23.9% Menzies — Renting: 63.7%
Pioneer 59.6% renting
Pioneer — Owned Outright: 14.6% Pioneer — Mortgage: 25.8% Pioneer — Renting: 59.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Menzies Pioneer
Certificate III & IV 19.3% / 12.7%
Menzies — Certificate III & IV: 19.3% Pioneer — Certificate III & IV: 12.7%
Bachelor Degree 12.1% / 3.4%
Menzies — Bachelor Degree: 12.1% Pioneer — Bachelor Degree: 3.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 3.0%
Menzies — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Pioneer — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.7% / 0.9%
Menzies — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7% Pioneer — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 0.4%
Menzies — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Pioneer — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%

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.

Menzies Pioneer
Philippines 5.6% / 2.1%
Menzies — Philippines: 5.6% Pioneer — Philippines: 2.1%
New Zealand 4.5% / 3.1%
Menzies — New Zealand: 4.5% Pioneer — New Zealand: 3.1%
India 3.3% / 0.5%
Menzies — India: 3.3% Pioneer — India: 0.5%
South Africa 2.3% / —
Menzies — South Africa: 2.3% Pioneer — South Africa: not among its largest
Fiji 1.8% / 0.4%
Menzies — Fiji: 1.8% Pioneer — Fiji: 0.4%
Zimbabwe 1.1% / 0.8%
Menzies — Zimbabwe: 1.1% Pioneer — Zimbabwe: 0.8%
Sri Lanka 1.0% / 0.5%
Menzies — Sri Lanka: 1.0% Pioneer — Sri Lanka: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Menzies 46.2% houses
Menzies — Houses: 46.2% Menzies — Townhouses: 45.6% Menzies — Flats / Apartments: 8.2%
Pioneer 78.6% houses
Pioneer — Houses: 78.6% Pioneer — Townhouses: 16.1% Pioneer — Flats / Apartments: 5.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Menzies Pioneer
Median house price — $229,000
Median unit price — $180,000
Median land price —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Menzies Pioneer
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 60% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 33% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 92% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 1% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of QLD Higher than 73% of QLD

Liveability

Menzies scores higher overall (35 vs 21).

Menzies Pioneer
Grade C D
Score 35/100 21/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Menzies Pioneer
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
96/100
 High
97/100
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 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Menzies Pioneer
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Menzies

  • Good Shepherd Catholic College Catholic · Secondary at peers

Schools in Pioneer

  • St Kieran's Catholic School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Mount Isa School of the Air Government · Combined below peers
  • Spinifex State College - Mount Isa - Senior Campus Government · Secondary
  • Mount Isa Special School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Menzies Pioneer
Parks & reserves 1 3
Childcare 2 1
GPs 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0

Mobility

Menzies Pioneer
Walkability score 69/100 66/100
Distance to Brisbane 1826.3 km 1824.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1210 min 1207 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4825
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 38
postcode 4825
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.

Menzies Pioneer
Car (driver) 77.7% / 80.5%
Menzies — Car (driver): 77.7% Pioneer — Car (driver): 80.5%
Car (passenger) 11.1% / 12.4%
Menzies — Car (passenger): 11.1% Pioneer — Car (passenger): 12.4%
Walked Only 8.0% / 4.4%
Menzies — Walked Only: 8.0% Pioneer — Walked Only: 4.4%
Worked from Home 1.7% / 1.9%
Menzies — Worked from Home: 1.7% Pioneer — Worked from Home: 1.9%
Bicycle 1.5% / 0.9%
Menzies — Bicycle: 1.5% Pioneer — Bicycle: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.5%).

Setting

Menzies Pioneer
Elevation 354 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 358 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Menzies Pioneer
Connectivity score 55/100 61/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 19%
550 premises
 28%
950 premises

Climate

Menzies Pioneer
Annual rainfall 502 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Menzies Pioneer
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Menzies Pioneer
Average residential rate $893/yr
same for both
Council Mount Isa
same for both

Federal electorate

Menzies Pioneer
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Menzies Pioneer
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Menzies

Parks Quiet Townhouses

Pioneer

Affordable Family Parks Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Menzies

Menzies vs Soldiers Hill Menzies vs Winston Menzies vs The Gap Menzies vs Miles End Menzies vs Mount Isa City

Other comparisons with Pioneer

Pioneer vs Sunset Pioneer vs Townview Pioneer vs Winston Pioneer vs The Gap Pioneer vs Fisher
Full data on Menzies Full data on Pioneer
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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