Mount Marlow vs Preston

Mount Marlow is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 47 in Preston. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mount Marlow, the large majority of households are couple families. In Preston, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Mount Marlow tends to suit families with children and couples, while Preston suits older residents.

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 Marlow

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 87/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 65%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Preston

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $375/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (11% vs 18%)

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

Commuting to the city

Mount Marlow

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mount Marlow

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 87/100)
  • But Preston has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 10%)

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

Investors

Mount Marlow

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (22.0% vs 16.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Mount Marlow 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.

Mount Marlow 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.

Mount Marlow Preston
Walkability 8 / 0
Mount Marlow — Walkability: 8/100 Preston — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 79 / 13
Mount Marlow — Safety: 79/100 Preston — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mount Marlow — Low fire risk: 100/100 Preston — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Preston has more residents (346 vs 161); Mount Marlow rents higher ($375/wk vs $200/wk).

Mount Marlow Preston
Population 161 346
+115% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +22.0% +16.9%
Median age 39 47
Median household income $108,316/yr
+13% vs other
 $93,756/yr
Median weekly rent $375/wk
+47% vs other
 $200/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Marlow Preston
0-4 2.5% / 2.9%
Mount Marlow — 0-4: 2.5% Preston — 0-4: 2.9%
5-14 22.4% / 11.8%
Mount Marlow — 5-14: 22.4% Preston — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 8.7% / 5.2%
Mount Marlow — 15-19: 8.7% Preston — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 2.5% / 3.8%
Mount Marlow — 20-24: 2.5% Preston — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 11.8% / 9.5%
Mount Marlow — 25-34: 11.8% Preston — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 13.0% / 11.6%
Mount Marlow — 35-44: 13.0% Preston — 35-44: 11.6%
45-54 16.1% / 16.2%
Mount Marlow — 45-54: 16.1% Preston — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 13.0% / 16.2%
Mount Marlow — 55-64: 13.0% Preston — 55-64: 16.2%
65-74 6.8% / 15.9%
Mount Marlow — 65-74: 6.8% Preston — 65-74: 15.9%
75-84 3.7% / 5.8%
Mount Marlow — 75-84: 3.7% Preston — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ — / —
Mount Marlow — 85+: not among its largest Preston — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Marlow 83.3% couple families
Mount Marlow — Couple Families: 83.3% Mount Marlow — Lone Person: 16.7% Mount Marlow — One Parent Families: 0.0% Mount Marlow — Group Household: 0.0%
Preston 48.5% couple families
Preston — Couple Families: 48.5% Preston — Lone Person: 23.5% Preston — One Parent Families: 16.2% Preston — Group Household: 11.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Marlow 10.4% renting
Mount Marlow — Owned Outright: 35.4% Mount Marlow — Mortgage: 54.2% Mount Marlow — Renting: 10.4%
Preston 10.2% renting
Preston — Owned Outright: 44.1% Preston — Mortgage: 45.8% Preston — Renting: 10.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Marlow Preston
Certificate III & IV 20.5% / 25.4%
Mount Marlow — Certificate III & IV: 20.5% Preston — Certificate III & IV: 25.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 6.1%
Mount Marlow — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Preston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Bachelor Degree 4.3% / 5.8%
Mount Marlow — Bachelor Degree: 4.3% Preston — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / —
Mount Marlow — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Preston — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.4%).

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 Marlow Preston
England 2.5% / 4.0%
Mount Marlow — England: 2.5% Preston — England: 4.0%
South Africa 3.1% / 2.6%
Mount Marlow — South Africa: 3.1% Preston — South Africa: 2.6%
New Zealand 1.9% / 2.9%
Mount Marlow — New Zealand: 1.9% Preston — New Zealand: 2.9%
Thailand 1.9% / —
Mount Marlow — Thailand: 1.9% Preston — Thailand: not among its largest
Scotland — / 1.2%
Mount Marlow — Scotland: not among its largest Preston — Scotland: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Marlow 100.0% houses
Mount Marlow — Houses: 100.0% Mount Marlow — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Preston 97.5% houses
Preston — Houses: 97.5% Preston — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Marlow Preston
Median house price — $825,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Mount Marlow Preston
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
same for both
Approvals change year on year +70%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Mount Marlow Preston
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 15% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 31% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 44% of QLD Higher than 38% of QLD

Liveability

Mount Marlow is more walkable (8 vs 0).

Mount Marlow Preston
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Preston carries more crime risk (87 vs 21).

Mount Marlow Preston
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
21/100
 High
87/100
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

Mount Marlow Preston
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

Mount Marlow Preston
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Mount Marlow Preston
Walkability score 8/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 1098.9 km 1099 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 750 min 749 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 4800
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 85
postcode 4800
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 Marlow Preston
Car (driver) 75.4% / 82.3%
Mount Marlow — Car (driver): 75.4% Preston — Car (driver): 82.3%
Worked from Home 13.1% / 12.2%
Mount Marlow — Worked from Home: 13.1% Preston — Worked from Home: 12.2%
Car (passenger) 11.5% / 3.4%
Mount Marlow — Car (passenger): 11.5% Preston — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Walked Only — / 2.0%
Mount Marlow — Walked Only: not among its largest Preston — Walked Only: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.3%).

Setting

Mount Marlow Preston
Elevation 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.7 km 5.5 km

NBN connectivity

Mount Marlow Preston
Connectivity score 29/100 28/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
49 premises
 0%
129 premises

Climate

Mount Marlow Preston
Annual rainfall 1,502 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 11.9°C
same for both

Council rates

Mount Marlow Preston
Average residential rate $1,412/yr
same for both
Council Whitsunday
same for both

Federal electorate

Mount Marlow Preston
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Mount Marlow

Family Rural

Preston

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Marlow

Mount Marlow vs Cannon Valley Mount Marlow vs Strathdickie Mount Marlow vs Mount Julian Mount Marlow vs Brandy Creek

Other comparisons with Preston

Preston vs Mount Julian Preston vs Conway Preston vs Palm Grove
Full data on Mount Marlow 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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