Middle Ridge vs Preston

Preston is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Middle Ridge. 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 Preston: a median of $1.6 million, against $1.09 million in Middle Ridge. On these figures, Middle Ridge tends to suit older residents and buyers on a tighter budget, while Preston suits families with children and 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

Middle Ridge

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (22 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Preston is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 70%)

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

First-home buyers

Middle Ridge

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,087,500 vs $1,600,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Middle Ridge

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (20% vs 4%)

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

Commuting to the city

Middle Ridge

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (103 min vs 111 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (127.6 km vs 136.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Middle Ridge

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 73/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 12%)

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

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

Middle Ridge Preston
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.

Middle Ridge Preston
Walkability 68 / 0
Middle Ridge — Walkability: 68/100 Preston — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 71 / 27
Middle Ridge — Safety: 71/100 Preston — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Middle Ridge — Low fire risk: 100/100 Preston — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Middle Ridge has more residents (7,595 vs 644); Preston has higher household incomes ($128,544 vs $113,204).

Middle Ridge Preston
Population 7,595
+92% vs other
 644
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.4% +4.9%
Median age 43 40
Median household income $113,204/yr $128,544/yr
+14% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Middle Ridge Preston
0-4 4.9% / 5.7%
Middle Ridge — 0-4: 4.9% Preston — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 15.4% / 21.7%
Middle Ridge — 5-14: 15.4% Preston — 5-14: 21.7%
15-19 6.6% / 6.7%
Middle Ridge — 15-19: 6.6% Preston — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 3.8% / 2.5%
Middle Ridge — 20-24: 3.8% Preston — 20-24: 2.5%
25-34 8.0% / 6.5%
Middle Ridge — 25-34: 8.0% Preston — 25-34: 6.5%
35-44 13.1% / 14.0%
Middle Ridge — 35-44: 13.1% Preston — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 12.9% / 18.0%
Middle Ridge — 45-54: 12.9% Preston — 45-54: 18.0%
55-64 12.8% / 13.4%
Middle Ridge — 55-64: 12.8% Preston — 55-64: 13.4%
65-74 11.5% / 7.5%
Middle Ridge — 65-74: 11.5% Preston — 65-74: 7.5%
75-84 7.5% / 4.3%
Middle Ridge — 75-84: 7.5% Preston — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 3.5% / —
Middle Ridge — 85+: 3.5% Preston — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Middle Ridge 57.6% couple families
Middle Ridge — Couple Families: 57.6% Middle Ridge — Lone Person: 26.6% Middle Ridge — One Parent Families: 11.9% Middle Ridge — Group Household: 2.9% Middle Ridge — Other Families: 0.9%
Preston 75.7% couple families
Preston — Couple Families: 75.7% Preston — Lone Person: 15.4% Preston — One Parent Families: 8.8% Preston — Group Household: 0.0% Preston — 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.

Middle Ridge 20.3% renting
Middle Ridge — Owned Outright: 44.8% Middle Ridge — Mortgage: 34.8% Middle Ridge — Renting: 20.3%
Preston 4.0% renting
Preston — Owned Outright: 38.0% Preston — Mortgage: 58.0% Preston — Renting: 4.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Middle Ridge Preston
Bachelor Degree 16.3% / 14.9%
Middle Ridge — Bachelor Degree: 16.3% Preston — Bachelor Degree: 14.9%
Certificate III & IV 11.9% / 14.4%
Middle Ridge — Certificate III & IV: 11.9% Preston — Certificate III & IV: 14.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 7.6%
Middle Ridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Preston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6%
Postgraduate Degree 6.5% / 6.8%
Middle Ridge — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5% Preston — Postgraduate Degree: 6.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 2.3%
Middle Ridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Preston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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.

Middle Ridge Preston
England 2.4% / 2.5%
Middle Ridge — England: 2.4% Preston — England: 2.5%
South Africa 1.5% / 1.7%
Middle Ridge — South Africa: 1.5% Preston — South Africa: 1.7%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.7%
Middle Ridge — New Zealand: 1.4% Preston — New Zealand: 1.7%
India 2.8% / —
Middle Ridge — India: 2.8% Preston — India: not among its largest
Sri Lanka 0.8% / 1.1%
Middle Ridge — Sri Lanka: 0.8% Preston — Sri Lanka: 1.1%
China 1.2% / 0.5%
Middle Ridge — China: 1.2% Preston — China: 0.5%
Zimbabwe — / 1.7%
Middle Ridge — Zimbabwe: not among its largest Preston — Zimbabwe: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Middle Ridge 93.2% houses
Middle Ridge — Houses: 93.2% Middle Ridge — Townhouses: 3.5% Middle Ridge — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Preston 98.1% houses
Preston — Houses: 98.1% Preston — Townhouses: 1.9% Preston — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Middle Ridge Preston
Median house price $1,087,500 $1,600,000
Median unit price $692,500 —
Median land price — $1,600,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 71 sales
 62 days
from 8 sales

Development activity

Middle Ridge Preston
New dwellings approved 1,513
across Toowoomba
same for both
Approvals change year on year -25%
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.

Middle Ridge Preston
Houses 3.6%
$755/wk on $1.09M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Middle Ridge Preston
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 93% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of QLD Higher than 8% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 66% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of QLD Higher than 70% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 29% of QLD —

Liveability

Middle Ridge is more walkable (68 vs 0); Middle Ridge scores higher overall (79 vs 54).

Middle Ridge Preston
Grade A B
Score 79/100 54/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Preston carries more crime risk (73 vs 29).

Middle Ridge Preston
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
29/100
 High
73/100
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 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Middle Ridge Preston
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
USQ (Toowoomba), 5.5 km
 None

Schools in Middle Ridge

  • Middle Ridge State School Government · Primary above peers
  • OneSchool Global QLD - Toowoomba Independent · Combined

Schools in Preston

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

Amenities in the suburb

Middle Ridge Preston
Supermarkets 1 0
Parks & reserves 22 1
Childcare 4 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Preston sits further from the CBD (136.6 km vs 127.6 km).

Middle Ridge Preston
Walkability score 68/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 127.6 km 136.6 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 103 min 111 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 4350
 0.6%
postcode 4352
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 4350
 84
postcode 4352

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.

Middle Ridge Preston
Car (driver) 80.1% / 79.1%
Middle Ridge — Car (driver): 80.1% Preston — Car (driver): 79.1%
Worked from Home 10.6% / 16.1%
Middle Ridge — Worked from Home: 10.6% Preston — Worked from Home: 16.1%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 3.8%
Middle Ridge — Car (passenger): 7.1% Preston — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.0%
Middle Ridge — Walked Only: 1.1% Preston — Walked Only: 1.0%
Bicycle 0.7% / —
Middle Ridge — Bicycle: 0.7% Preston — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.1%).

Setting

Middle Ridge Preston
Elevation 690 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 572 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Middle Ridge Preston
Connectivity score 96/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 88%
3,383 premises
 33%
238 premises

Climate

Middle Ridge Preston
Annual rainfall 643 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Middle Ridge Preston
PM2.5 2.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 3.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Middle Ridge Preston
Average residential rate $1,618/yr
same for both
Council Toowoomba
same for both

Federal electorate

Middle Ridge Preston
Division Groom
same for both
Member Garth Hamilton
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Middle Ridge Preston
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Middle Ridge

Large Blocks Parks Professionals

Preston

Acreage Family Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Middle Ridge

Middle Ridge vs Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge vs Rangeville Middle Ridge vs Centenary Heights Middle Ridge vs Upper Flagstone Middle Ridge vs Silver Ridge

Other comparisons with Preston

Preston vs Kearneys Spring Preston vs Hodgson Vale Preston vs Top Camp Preston vs Ramsay Preston vs Upper Flagstone Preston vs Rockmount
Full data on Middle Ridge Full data on Preston
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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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