Moonie vs Tara

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Moonie, about half of households are couple families. In Tara, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Moonie tends to suit couples, while Tara suits people living alone.

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

  • Moonie is already more of a family suburb (64% vs 40%)
  • Tara has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)

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

Renters

They split

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

  • Moonie leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 21%)
  • Tara has cheaper rent ($180/wk vs $200/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Tara

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (221 min vs 234 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (302.8 km vs 308.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Moonie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-3.7% vs -13.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Moonie Tara
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.

Moonie Tara
Walkability 0 / 4
Moonie — Walkability: 0/100 Tara — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 23 / 14
Moonie — Safety: 23/100 Tara — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 55 / 71
Moonie — Low fire risk: 55/100 Tara — Low fire risk: 71/100

Demographics

Tara has more residents (1,980 vs 182); Moonie has higher household incomes ($69,316 vs $45,084).

Moonie Tara
Population 182 1,980
+988% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.7% -13.8%
Median age 46 48
Median household income $69,316/yr
+35% vs other
 $45,084/yr
Median weekly rent $200/wk
+10% vs other
 $180/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Moonie Tara
0-4 6.6% / 4.9%
Moonie — 0-4: 6.6% Tara — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 11.0% / 12.6%
Moonie — 5-14: 11.0% Tara — 5-14: 12.6%
15-19 7.7% / 4.0%
Moonie — 15-19: 7.7% Tara — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 1.6% / 5.4%
Moonie — 20-24: 1.6% Tara — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 10.4% / 9.7%
Moonie — 25-34: 10.4% Tara — 25-34: 9.7%
35-44 11.5% / 9.6%
Moonie — 35-44: 11.5% Tara — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 17.6% / 13.3%
Moonie — 45-54: 17.6% Tara — 45-54: 13.3%
55-64 14.8% / 17.1%
Moonie — 55-64: 14.8% Tara — 55-64: 17.1%
65-74 13.7% / 15.4%
Moonie — 65-74: 13.7% Tara — 65-74: 15.4%
75-84 7.7% / 6.3%
Moonie — 75-84: 7.7% Tara — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ — / 1.5%
Moonie — 85+: not among its largest Tara — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Moonie 36.0% lone person
Moonie — Lone Person: 36.0% Moonie — Couple Families: 52.0% Moonie — One Parent Families: 12.0% Moonie — Group Household: 0.0% Moonie — Other Families: 0.0%
Tara 47.7% lone person
Tara — Lone Person: 47.7% Tara — Couple Families: 22.1% Tara — One Parent Families: 17.7% Tara — Group Household: 10.2% Tara — Other Families: 2.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Moonie 29.8% renting
Moonie — Owned Outright: 38.6% Moonie — Mortgage: 31.6% Moonie — Renting: 29.8%
Tara 25.6% renting
Tara — Owned Outright: 57.3% Tara — Mortgage: 17.1% Tara — Renting: 25.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Moonie Tara
New Zealand 3.3% / 2.1%
Moonie — New Zealand: 3.3% Tara — New Zealand: 2.1%
England 2.2% / 2.4%
Moonie — England: 2.2% Tara — England: 2.4%
Philippines — / 1.0%
Moonie — Philippines: not among its largest Tara — Philippines: 1.0%
Germany — / 0.5%
Moonie — Germany: not among its largest Tara — Germany: 0.5%
South Africa — / 0.4%
Moonie — South Africa: not among its largest Tara — South Africa: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

Qualifications

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

Moonie Tara
Certificate III & IV 14.3% / 14.8%
Moonie — Certificate III & IV: 14.3% Tara — Certificate III & IV: 14.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 3.7%
Moonie — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Tara — Bachelor Degree: 3.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.4% / 4.9%
Moonie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4% Tara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.0%
Moonie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Tara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.7%
Moonie — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Tara — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Moonie 95.3% houses
Moonie — Houses: 95.3% Moonie — Townhouses: 10.9% Moonie — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Tara 94.1% houses
Tara — Houses: 94.1% Tara — Townhouses: 1.7% Tara — Flats / Apartments: 4.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Moonie Tara
Median house price — $250,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $99,025
Typical days to sell (houses) — 48 days
from 8 sales

Development activity

Moonie Tara
New dwellings approved 53
across Western Downs
same for both
Approvals change year on year -40%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Moonie Tara
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 36% of QLD Higher than 7% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 33% of QLD Higher than 66% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 21% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 11% of QLD Higher than 32% of QLD

Liveability

Moonie Tara
Grade — D
Score — 13/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Moonie carries more bushfire risk (45 vs 29).

Moonie Tara
Bushfire Moderate
45/100
 Low
29/100
Crime High
77/100
 High
86/100
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

Moonie Tara
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Moonie

  • Moonie State School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Tara

  • St Joseph's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Tara Shire State College Government · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Moonie Tara
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 6
Childcare 1
same for both
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 2
same for both
Waterways 28 5

Mobility

Moonie sits further from the CBD (308.1 km vs 302.8 km).

Moonie Tara
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Brisbane 308.1 km
+2% vs other
 302.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 234 min 221 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 4406
 0.2%
postcode 4421
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 42
postcode 4406
 46
postcode 4421

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.

Moonie Tara
Car (driver) 35.3% / 67.2%
Moonie — Car (driver): 35.3% Tara — Car (driver): 67.2%
Worked from Home 45.9% / 12.7%
Moonie — Worked from Home: 45.9% Tara — Worked from Home: 12.7%
Walked Only 14.1% / 14.3%
Moonie — Walked Only: 14.1% Tara — Walked Only: 14.3%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 5.2%
Moonie — Car (passenger): 4.7% Tara — Car (passenger): 5.2%
Bus — / 0.6%
Moonie — Bus: not among its largest Tara — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.2%).

Setting

Moonie Tara
Elevation 278 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 308 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Moonie Tara
Connectivity score 15/100 25/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
70 premises
 0%
1,012 premises

Council rates

Moonie Tara
Average residential rate $1,238/yr
same for both
Council Western Downs
same for both

Federal electorate

Moonie Tara
Division Maranoa
same for both
Member David Littleproud
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Moonie Tara
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Moonie

Rural

Tara

Affordable Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Moonie

Moonie vs The Gums Moonie vs Hannaford Moonie vs Southwood Moonie vs Lundavra

Other comparisons with Tara

Tara vs Kogan Tara vs Goranba Tara vs The Gums Tara vs Wieambilla
Full data on Moonie Full data on Tara
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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