Mount Isa vs Sunset

Sunset is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 35 in Mount Isa. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mount Isa, most households own their home and the large majority of households are couple families. In Sunset, about half of households rent. On these figures, Mount Isa tends to suit families with children and couples, while Sunset suits young adults and 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

Mount Isa

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)
  • is already more of a family suburb (88% vs 64%)
  • But Sunset has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Isa

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (6% vs 15%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Mount Isa

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (4% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($175/wk vs $349/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sunset

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (51/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (1208 min vs 1227 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1825.5 km vs 1850 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sunset

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (51/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Mount Isa

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (45.8% vs -2.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mount Isa Sunset
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.

Mount Isa Sunset
Walkability 0 / 51
Mount Isa — Walkability: 0/100 Sunset — Walkability: 51/100
Safety 2 / 9
Mount Isa — Safety: 2/100 Sunset — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 54 / 100
Mount Isa — Low fire risk: 54/100 Sunset — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Sunset has more residents (2,137 vs 172); Mount Isa has higher household incomes ($245,804 vs $120,900).

Mount Isa Sunset
Population 172 2,137
+1142% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +45.8% -2.3%
Median age 35 31
Median household income $245,804/yr
+51% vs other
 $120,900/yr
Median weekly rent $175/wk $349/wk
+99% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Isa Sunset
0-4 14.5% / 8.6%
Mount Isa — 0-4: 14.5% Sunset — 0-4: 8.6%
5-14 17.4% / 17.2%
Mount Isa — 5-14: 17.4% Sunset — 5-14: 17.2%
15-19 7.0% / 5.2%
Mount Isa — 15-19: 7.0% Sunset — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 1.7% / 7.6%
Mount Isa — 20-24: 1.7% Sunset — 20-24: 7.6%
25-34 12.2% / 17.7%
Mount Isa — 25-34: 12.2% Sunset — 25-34: 17.7%
35-44 21.5% / 13.6%
Mount Isa — 35-44: 21.5% Sunset — 35-44: 13.6%
45-54 14.0% / 12.4%
Mount Isa — 45-54: 14.0% Sunset — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 8.7% / 9.6%
Mount Isa — 55-64: 8.7% Sunset — 55-64: 9.6%
65-74 1.7% / 4.7%
Mount Isa — 65-74: 1.7% Sunset — 65-74: 4.7%
75-84 1.7% / 2.8%
Mount Isa — 75-84: 1.7% Sunset — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ — / 0.5%
Mount Isa — 85+: not among its largest Sunset — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Isa 81.0% couple families
Mount Isa — Couple Families: 81.0% Mount Isa — Lone Person: 11.9% Mount Isa — One Parent Families: 7.1% Mount Isa — Group Household: 0.0% Mount Isa — Other Families: 0.0%
Sunset 44.9% couple families
Sunset — Couple Families: 44.9% Sunset — Lone Person: 30.5% Sunset — One Parent Families: 19.1% Sunset — Group Household: 3.9% Sunset — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Isa 42.3% renting
Mount Isa — Owned Outright: 26.9% Mount Isa — Mortgage: 30.8% Mount Isa — Renting: 42.3%
Sunset 46.1% renting
Sunset — Owned Outright: 18.0% Sunset — Mortgage: 35.9% Sunset — Renting: 46.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Isa Sunset
Certificate III & IV 12.8% / 20.1%
Mount Isa — Certificate III & IV: 12.8% Sunset — Certificate III & IV: 20.1%
Bachelor Degree 18.6% / 6.5%
Mount Isa — Bachelor Degree: 18.6% Sunset — Bachelor Degree: 6.5%
Postgraduate Degree 8.7% / 1.4%
Mount Isa — Postgraduate Degree: 8.7% Sunset — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.5% / 4.5%
Mount Isa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.5% Sunset — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.9%
Mount Isa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Sunset — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

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.

Mount Isa Sunset
New Zealand 1.7% / 5.3%
Mount Isa — New Zealand: 1.7% Sunset — New Zealand: 5.3%
South Africa 2.3% / 0.8%
Mount Isa — South Africa: 2.3% Sunset — South Africa: 0.8%
Philippines — / 2.4%
Mount Isa — Philippines: not among its largest Sunset — Philippines: 2.4%
Zimbabwe 1.7% / —
Mount Isa — Zimbabwe: 1.7% Sunset — Zimbabwe: not among its largest
England — / 1.6%
Mount Isa — England: not among its largest Sunset — England: 1.6%
India — / 0.3%
Mount Isa — India: not among its largest Sunset — India: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Isa 80.4% houses
Mount Isa — Houses: 80.4% Mount Isa — Townhouses: 7.1% Mount Isa — Flats / Apartments: 12.5%
Sunset 90.1% houses
Sunset — Houses: 90.1% Sunset — Townhouses: 9.5% Sunset — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Isa Sunset
Median house price — $296,000
Median unit price — $252,000
Median land price —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Mount Isa Sunset
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 100% of QLD —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 56% of QLD Higher than 87% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 2% of QLD Higher than 1% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of QLD Higher than 71% of QLD

Liveability

Sunset is more walkable (51 vs 0).

Mount Isa Sunset
Grade — D
Score — 34/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Mount Isa carries more bushfire risk (46 vs 0).

Mount Isa Sunset
Bushfire Moderate
46/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
98/100
 High
91/100
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
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Mount Isa Sunset
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Mount Isa

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

Schools in Sunset

  • Sunset State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Mount Isa Flexible School Catholic · Secondary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Isa Sunset
Parks & reserves 5 2
Childcare 0 2
Waterways 685 0

Mobility

Mount Isa sits further from the CBD (1850 km vs 1825.5 km).

Mount Isa Sunset
Walkability score 0/100 51/100
Distance to Brisbane 1850 km
+1% vs other
 1825.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1227 min 1208 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.

Mount Isa Sunset
Car (driver) 73.6% / 86.2%
Mount Isa — Car (driver): 73.6% Sunset — Car (driver): 86.2%
Car (passenger) 8.8% / 8.5%
Mount Isa — Car (passenger): 8.8% Sunset — Car (passenger): 8.5%
Walked Only 11.0% / 2.0%
Mount Isa — Walked Only: 11.0% Sunset — Walked Only: 2.0%
Worked from Home 6.6% / 1.3%
Mount Isa — Worked from Home: 6.6% Sunset — Worked from Home: 1.3%
Bus — / 1.1%
Mount Isa — Bus: not among its largest Sunset — Bus: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.2%).

Setting

Mount Isa Sunset
Elevation 418 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 365 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mount Isa Sunset
Connectivity score 33/100 57/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 8%
71 premises
 22%
906 premises

Climate

Mount Isa Sunset
Annual rainfall 510 mm 502 mm
Summer max (Jan) 37.0°C —
Winter min (Jul) 9.3°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Mount Isa Sunset
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Mount Isa Sunset
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mount Isa Sunset
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mount Isa

Family Rural Young Families

Sunset

Affordable Family Large Blocks Parks Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Isa

Mount Isa vs Cloncurry Mount Isa vs Soldiers Hill Mount Isa vs Parkside Mount Isa vs Happy Valley Mount Isa vs Miles End Mount Isa vs Breakaway

Other comparisons with Sunset

Sunset vs Pioneer Sunset vs Winston Sunset vs Ryan Sunset vs Fisher
Full data on Mount Isa Full data on Sunset
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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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