Moonta Bay vs Port Hughes

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Port Hughes: a median of $842,000, against $674,000 in Moonta Bay. On these figures, Moonta Bay tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Moonta Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($674,000 vs $842,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Moonta Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (165 km vs 167 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
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.

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Walkability 6 / 0
Moonta Bay — Walkability: 6/100 Port Hughes — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 60 / 66
Moonta Bay — Safety: 60/100 Port Hughes — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Moonta Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Hughes — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Moonta Bay has more residents (2,633 vs 647); Port Hughes has higher household incomes ($64,012 vs $53,716).

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Population 2,633
+75% vs other
 647
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.3% +13.3%
Median age 59 61
Median household income $53,716/yr $64,012/yr
+19% vs other
Median weekly rent $260/wk $270/wk
+4% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
0-4 4.1% / 3.1%
Moonta Bay — 0-4: 4.1% Port Hughes — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 8.8% / 6.2%
Moonta Bay — 5-14: 8.8% Port Hughes — 5-14: 6.2%
15-19 3.8% / 2.0%
Moonta Bay — 15-19: 3.8% Port Hughes — 15-19: 2.0%
20-24 2.8% / 3.7%
Moonta Bay — 20-24: 2.8% Port Hughes — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 7.5% / 10.0%
Moonta Bay — 25-34: 7.5% Port Hughes — 25-34: 10.0%
35-44 6.5% / 6.0%
Moonta Bay — 35-44: 6.5% Port Hughes — 35-44: 6.0%
45-54 11.1% / 9.7%
Moonta Bay — 45-54: 11.1% Port Hughes — 45-54: 9.7%
55-64 15.5% / 19.0%
Moonta Bay — 55-64: 15.5% Port Hughes — 55-64: 19.0%
65-74 24.4% / 29.1%
Moonta Bay — 65-74: 24.4% Port Hughes — 65-74: 29.1%
75-84 12.8% / 10.2%
Moonta Bay — 75-84: 12.8% Port Hughes — 75-84: 10.2%
85+ 2.6% / 1.2%
Moonta Bay — 85+: 2.6% Port Hughes — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Moonta Bay 51.5% lone person
Moonta Bay — Lone Person: 51.5% Moonta Bay — Couple Families: 30.5% Moonta Bay — One Parent Families: 12.6% Moonta Bay — Group Household: 4.1% Moonta Bay — Other Families: 1.3%
Port Hughes 47.9% lone person
Port Hughes — Lone Person: 47.9% Port Hughes — Couple Families: 33.9% Port Hughes — One Parent Families: 11.6% Port Hughes — Group Household: 3.3% Port Hughes — Other Families: 3.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Moonta Bay 18.2% renting
Moonta Bay — Owned Outright: 55.9% Moonta Bay — Mortgage: 25.9% Moonta Bay — Renting: 18.2%
Port Hughes 20.6% renting
Port Hughes — Owned Outright: 59.5% Port Hughes — Mortgage: 19.8% Port Hughes — Renting: 20.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Certificate III & IV 18.2% / 17.6%
Moonta Bay — Certificate III & IV: 18.2% Port Hughes — Certificate III & IV: 17.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 9.0%
Moonta Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Port Hughes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Bachelor Degree 5.9% / 8.7%
Moonta Bay — Bachelor Degree: 5.9% Port Hughes — Bachelor Degree: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 1.5%
Moonta Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Port Hughes — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 0.9%
Moonta Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Port Hughes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

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.

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
England 5.7% / 6.6%
Moonta Bay — England: 5.7% Port Hughes — England: 6.6%
Scotland 0.6% / 1.4%
Moonta Bay — Scotland: 0.6% Port Hughes — Scotland: 1.4%
Germany 0.5% / 1.1%
Moonta Bay — Germany: 0.5% Port Hughes — Germany: 1.1%
Netherlands 0.6% / 0.6%
Moonta Bay — Netherlands: 0.6% Port Hughes — Netherlands: 0.6%
Philippines 0.2% / 0.9%
Moonta Bay — Philippines: 0.2% Port Hughes — Philippines: 0.9%
Italy 0.3% / 0.8%
Moonta Bay — Italy: 0.3% Port Hughes — Italy: 0.8%
New Zealand 0.7% / —
Moonta Bay — New Zealand: 0.7% Port Hughes — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Moonta Bay 95.3% houses
Moonta Bay — Houses: 95.3% Moonta Bay — Townhouses: 4.0% Moonta Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Port Hughes 98.5% houses
Port Hughes — Houses: 98.5% Port Hughes — Townhouses: 2.2% Port Hughes — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Median house price $674,000 $842,500
Median unit price $475,000 —
Median land price $240,000 $267,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 43 days
from 50 sales
 38 days
from 15 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.

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
3 bed $640K / $701K
Moonta Bay — 3 bed: $640K (49 sales) Port Hughes — 3 bed: $701K (11 sales)

49 vs 11 sales

4 bed $710K / $850K
Moonta Bay — 4 bed: $710K (53 sales) Port Hughes — 4 bed: $850K (17 sales)

53 vs 17 sales

Zoning mix

Port Hughes has more rural and farming land (30% vs 13%); Port Hughes has more land zoned for conservation (14% vs 2%).

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Residential 83% 52%
Rural and farming 13% 30%
Environmental 2% 14%
Commercial 1% 3%
Parks and recreation 1% 2%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
New dwellings approved 232
across Copper Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +142%
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.

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Houses 3.7%
$520/wk on $732K
 3.5%
$580/wk on $868K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 18% of SA Higher than 32% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of SA Higher than 58% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 12% of SA Higher than 13% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 38% of SA Higher than 30% of SA

Liveability

Port Hughes scores higher overall (51 vs 43).

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Grade C B
Score 43/100 51/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Low
34/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
38/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1

Mobility

Port Hughes sits further from the CBD (167 km vs 165 km).

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Walkability score 6/100 0/100
Distance to Adelaide 165 km 167 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 119 min 122 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 5558
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 75
postcode 5558
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.

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Car (driver) 85.2% / 79.2%
Moonta Bay — Car (driver): 85.2% Port Hughes — Car (driver): 79.2%
Worked from Home 7.7% / 11.9%
Moonta Bay — Worked from Home: 7.7% Port Hughes — Worked from Home: 11.9%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 5.3%
Moonta Bay — Car (passenger): 4.3% Port Hughes — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Walked Only 2.4% / 3.5%
Moonta Bay — Walked Only: 2.4% Port Hughes — Walked Only: 3.5%
Bus 0.4% / —
Moonta Bay — Bus: 0.4% Port Hughes — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.2%).

Setting

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Elevation 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 852 m 219 m

NBN connectivity

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Connectivity score 68/100 65/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
2,082 premises
 38%
693 premises

Climate

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Annual rainfall 459 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Average residential rate $1,817/yr
same for both
Council Copper Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Division Grey
same for both
Member Tom Venning
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Moonta Bay Port Hughes
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Moonta Bay

Coastal Large Blocks Quiet Retirees

Port Hughes

Acreage Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Moonta Bay

Moonta Bay vs Moonta Moonta Bay vs North Moonta Moonta Bay vs Warburto

Other comparisons with Port Hughes

Port Hughes vs Moonta
Full data on Moonta Bay Full data on Port Hughes
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