Morningside vs Balmoral

Morningside is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 37 in Balmoral. In Morningside, about half of households rent. In Balmoral, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Balmoral: a median of $2.08 million, against $1.65 million in Morningside. On these figures, Morningside tends to suit renters, young adults, and share households, while Balmoral 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

Balmoral

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (61% vs 41%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (62% vs 47%)
  • But Morningside has more childcare (10 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Morningside

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,650,000 vs $2,080,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Morningside

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (48% vs 36%)

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

Commuting to the city

Morningside

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (6% vs 1%)
  • is more walkable (83/100 vs 75/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Morningside

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (59% vs 39%)
  • is more walkable (83/100 vs 75/100)
  • But Balmoral carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 71/100)

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

Investors

Balmoral

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.5% vs 3.4%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Morningside Balmoral
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.

Morningside Balmoral
Walkability 83 / 75
Morningside — Walkability: 83/100 Balmoral — Walkability: 75/100
Safety 29 / 44
Morningside — Safety: 29/100 Balmoral — Safety: 44/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Morningside — Low fire risk: 100/100 Balmoral — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Morningside has more residents (11,755 vs 4,173); Balmoral has higher household incomes ($138,892 vs $118,560).

Morningside Balmoral
Population 11,755
+65% vs other
 4,173
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.2% +7.2%
Median age 34 37
Median household income $118,560/yr $138,892/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $430/wk $450/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Morningside Balmoral
0-4 6.4% / 5.7%
Morningside — 0-4: 6.4% Balmoral — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 10.2% / 14.4%
Morningside — 5-14: 10.2% Balmoral — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 4.3% / 5.9%
Morningside — 15-19: 4.3% Balmoral — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 8.9% / 5.8%
Morningside — 20-24: 8.9% Balmoral — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 22.2% / 13.4%
Morningside — 25-34: 22.2% Balmoral — 25-34: 13.4%
35-44 18.4% / 17.1%
Morningside — 35-44: 18.4% Balmoral — 35-44: 17.1%
45-54 12.7% / 15.4%
Morningside — 45-54: 12.7% Balmoral — 45-54: 15.4%
55-64 8.5% / 12.5%
Morningside — 55-64: 8.5% Balmoral — 55-64: 12.5%
65-74 4.9% / 6.1%
Morningside — 65-74: 4.9% Balmoral — 65-74: 6.1%
75-84 2.2% / 2.6%
Morningside — 75-84: 2.2% Balmoral — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ 1.1% / 1.1%
Morningside — 85+: 1.1% Balmoral — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Morningside 33.8% couple families
Morningside — Couple Families: 33.8% Morningside — Lone Person: 37.9% Morningside — One Parent Families: 13.2% Morningside — Group Household: 12.6% Morningside — Other Families: 2.6%
Balmoral 46.8% couple families
Balmoral — Couple Families: 46.8% Balmoral — Lone Person: 31.8% Balmoral — One Parent Families: 15.2% Balmoral — Group Household: 4.8% Balmoral — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Morningside 47.7% renting
Morningside — Owned Outright: 16.3% Morningside — Mortgage: 36.0% Morningside — Renting: 47.7%
Balmoral 36.0% renting
Balmoral — Owned Outright: 24.3% Balmoral — Mortgage: 39.7% Balmoral — Renting: 36.0%
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.

Morningside Balmoral
England 4.1% / 5.9%
Morningside — England: 4.1% Balmoral — England: 5.9%
New Zealand 3.8% / 3.8%
Morningside — New Zealand: 3.8% Balmoral — New Zealand: 3.8%
South Africa 1.4% / 1.3%
Morningside — South Africa: 1.4% Balmoral — South Africa: 1.3%
India 1.7% / 0.8%
Morningside — India: 1.7% Balmoral — India: 0.8%
Ireland 0.9% / 0.9%
Morningside — Ireland: 0.9% Balmoral — Ireland: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

Qualifications

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

Morningside Balmoral
Bachelor Degree 23.3% / 23.1%
Morningside — Bachelor Degree: 23.3% Balmoral — Bachelor Degree: 23.1%
Certificate III & IV 11.7% / 8.9%
Morningside — Certificate III & IV: 11.7% Balmoral — Certificate III & IV: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 8.2%
Morningside — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Balmoral — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 9.1%
Morningside — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Balmoral — Postgraduate Degree: 9.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 3.5%
Morningside — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Balmoral — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Morningside 40.8% houses
Morningside — Houses: 40.8% Morningside — Flats / Apartments: 27.6% Morningside — Townhouses: 31.6%
Balmoral 60.8% houses
Balmoral — Houses: 60.8% Balmoral — Flats / Apartments: 23.3% Balmoral — Townhouses: 15.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Morningside Balmoral
Median house price $1,650,000 $2,080,000
Median unit price $855,000 $890,000
Median land price — $1,100,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 70 sales
 24 days
from 56 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Morningside Balmoral
2 bed $830K / $830K
Morningside — 2 bed: $830K (54 sales) Balmoral — 2 bed: $830K (30 sales)

54 vs 30 sales

3 bed $968K / $1.25M
Morningside — 3 bed: $968K (20 sales) Balmoral — 3 bed: $1.25M (10 sales)

20 vs 10 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.

Morningside Balmoral
2 bed $1.28M / $1.26M
Morningside — 2 bed: $1.28M (12 sales) Balmoral — 2 bed: $1.26M (6 sales)

12 vs 6 sales

3 bed $1.4M / $1.55M
Morningside — 3 bed: $1.4M (53 sales) Balmoral — 3 bed: $1.55M (31 sales)

53 vs 31 sales

4 bed $1.95M / $2M
Morningside — 4 bed: $1.95M (33 sales) Balmoral — 4 bed: $2M (27 sales)

33 vs 27 sales

5 bed $2.45M / $2.74M
Morningside — 5 bed: $2.45M (25 sales) Balmoral — 5 bed: $2.74M (39 sales)

25 vs 39 sales

Development activity

Morningside Balmoral
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
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.

Morningside Balmoral
Houses 3.4%
$850/wk on $1.29M
 4.5%
$1,200/wk on $1.4M
Units 4.3%
$690/wk on $839K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Morningside Balmoral
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 89% of QLD Higher than 95% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 97% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 98% of QLD Higher than 99% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 22% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 43% of QLD —

Liveability

Morningside is more walkable (83 vs 75); Balmoral scores higher overall (84 vs 78).

Morningside Balmoral
Grade A A+
Score 78/100 84/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Morningside carries more crime risk (71 vs 56).

Morningside Balmoral
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
71/100
 Moderate
56/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 18
within 5 km
 11
within 5 km

Schools

Morningside Balmoral
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
90 Bowen Terrace, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, 4.1 km
 3
90 Bowen Terrace, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, 3.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.0% 3.1%

Schools in Morningside

  • Morningside State School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Balmoral

  • Sts Peter and Paul's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Balmoral State High School Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Morningside Balmoral
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 11 0
Parks & reserves 11 7
Childcare 10 3
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 5 0

Mobility

Morningside Balmoral
Walkability score 83/100 75/100
Distance to Brisbane 8.9 km
+2% vs other
 8.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 18 min 17 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 151.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 59.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.7%
postcode 4170
 3.3%
postcode 4171
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 4170
 40
postcode 4171

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.

Morningside Balmoral
Car (driver) 55.4% / 55.1%
Morningside — Car (driver): 55.4% Balmoral — Car (driver): 55.1%
Worked from Home 28.0% / 33.0%
Morningside — Worked from Home: 28.0% Balmoral — Worked from Home: 33.0%
Train 6.5% / 1.2%
Morningside — Train: 6.5% Balmoral — Train: 1.2%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 3.0%
Morningside — Car (passenger): 4.0% Balmoral — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Bus 3.2% / 3.6%
Morningside — Bus: 3.2% Balmoral — Bus: 3.6%
Walked Only 1.6% / 2.6%
Morningside — Walked Only: 1.6% Balmoral — Walked Only: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.4%).

Setting

Morningside Balmoral
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.6 km 6.0 km

NBN connectivity

Morningside Balmoral
Connectivity score 81/100 87/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 18%
6,277 premises
 47%
1,874 premises

Climate

Morningside Balmoral
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Morningside Balmoral
PM2.5 5.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 15.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.68 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Morningside Balmoral
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Morningside Balmoral
Division Griffith
same for both
Member Renee Coffey
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Morningside Balmoral
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Morningside

Inner Parks Premium Professionals River Townhouses

Balmoral

Inner Luxury Parks Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Morningside

Morningside vs Hamilton Morningside vs Bulimba Morningside vs Norman Park Morningside vs Cannon Hill Morningside vs Hawthorne Morningside vs Murarrie

Other comparisons with Balmoral

Balmoral vs Bulimba Balmoral vs Hawthorne
Full data on Morningside Full data on Balmoral
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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