Mutchilba vs Tolga

Mutchilba is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 44 in Tolga. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mutchilba, most households are couple families. In Tolga, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mutchilba: a median of $1 million, against $650,000 in Tolga, though rent is higher in Tolga. On these figures, Mutchilba tends to suit couples, while Tolga suits older residents and 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

Mutchilba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (71% vs 58%)

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

First-home buyers

Tolga

ahead on the one thing that separates them

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

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mutchilba

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (25% vs 14%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Tolga

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (1191 min vs 1240 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1715.5 km vs 1763.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Tolga

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 11%)

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

Investors

Mutchilba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (26.7% vs 16.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mutchilba Tolga
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.

Mutchilba Tolga
Walkability 0 / 0
Mutchilba — Walkability: 0/100 Tolga — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 65 / 56
Mutchilba — Safety: 65/100 Tolga — Safety: 56/100
Low fire risk 37 / 26
Mutchilba — Low fire risk: 37/100 Tolga — Low fire risk: 26/100

Demographics

Tolga has more residents (3,177 vs 627); Tolga rents higher ($300/wk vs $250/wk).

Mutchilba Tolga
Population 627 3,177
+407% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +26.7% +16.9%
Median age 38 44
Median household income $83,824/yr
+8% vs other
 $76,908/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk $300/wk
+20% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mutchilba Tolga
0-4 7.8% / 4.1%
Mutchilba — 0-4: 7.8% Tolga — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 11.2% / 13.9%
Mutchilba — 5-14: 11.2% Tolga — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 6.7% / 6.2%
Mutchilba — 15-19: 6.7% Tolga — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 4.1% / 3.6%
Mutchilba — 20-24: 4.1% Tolga — 20-24: 3.6%
25-34 13.9% / 11.6%
Mutchilba — 25-34: 13.9% Tolga — 25-34: 11.6%
35-44 13.9% / 11.9%
Mutchilba — 35-44: 13.9% Tolga — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 18.0% / 12.2%
Mutchilba — 45-54: 18.0% Tolga — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 11.8% / 13.7%
Mutchilba — 55-64: 11.8% Tolga — 55-64: 13.7%
65-74 7.7% / 14.0%
Mutchilba — 65-74: 7.7% Tolga — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 2.2% / 7.2%
Mutchilba — 75-84: 2.2% Tolga — 75-84: 7.2%
85+ 1.3% / 1.7%
Mutchilba — 85+: 1.3% Tolga — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mutchilba 58.0% couple families
Mutchilba — Couple Families: 58.0% Mutchilba — Lone Person: 29.0% Mutchilba — One Parent Families: 13.0% Mutchilba — Group Household: 0.0% Mutchilba — Other Families: 0.0%
Tolga 45.0% couple families
Tolga — Couple Families: 45.0% Tolga — Lone Person: 36.0% Tolga — One Parent Families: 13.2% Tolga — Group Household: 4.4% Tolga — 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.

Mutchilba 25.3% renting
Mutchilba — Owned Outright: 37.4% Mutchilba — Mortgage: 37.4% Mutchilba — Renting: 25.3%
Tolga 14.4% renting
Tolga — Owned Outright: 49.6% Tolga — Mortgage: 36.0% Tolga — Renting: 14.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mutchilba Tolga
Certificate III & IV 15.0% / 19.2%
Mutchilba — Certificate III & IV: 15.0% Tolga — Certificate III & IV: 19.2%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 8.0%
Mutchilba — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% Tolga — Bachelor Degree: 8.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.6% / 6.9%
Mutchilba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6% Tolga — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 1.5%
Mutchilba — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Tolga — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.4%
Mutchilba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Tolga — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

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.

Mutchilba Tolga
South Africa 5.9% / 0.3%
Mutchilba — South Africa: 5.9% Tolga — South Africa: 0.3%
England 1.9% / 2.6%
Mutchilba — England: 1.9% Tolga — England: 2.6%
New Zealand 0.8% / 1.3%
Mutchilba — New Zealand: 0.8% Tolga — New Zealand: 1.3%
Italy 1.0% / 0.7%
Mutchilba — Italy: 1.0% Tolga — Italy: 0.7%
Germany 1.1% / 0.5%
Mutchilba — Germany: 1.1% Tolga — Germany: 0.5%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.6%
Mutchilba — Philippines: 0.5% Tolga — Philippines: 0.6%
Malaysia 1.0% / —
Mutchilba — Malaysia: 1.0% Tolga — Malaysia: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mutchilba 99.5% houses
Mutchilba — Houses: 99.5% Mutchilba — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Tolga 97.0% houses
Tolga — Houses: 97.0% Tolga — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mutchilba Tolga
Median house price $1,000,000 $650,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $510,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 32 days
from 16 sales

Development activity

Mutchilba Tolga
New dwellings approved 76
across Mareeba
 167
across Tablelands
Approvals change year on year -23% -80%

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.

Mutchilba Tolga
Houses — 4.4%
$635/wk on $745K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Mutchilba Tolga
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 17% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 13% of QLD Higher than 37% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 28% of QLD Higher than 76% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 73% of QLD

Liveability

Mutchilba scores higher overall (25 vs 20).

Mutchilba Tolga
Grade D
same for both
Score 25/100 20/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Tolga carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 63).

Mutchilba Tolga
Bushfire Moderate
63/100
 High
74/100
Crime Low
35/100
 Moderate
44/100
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

Mutchilba Tolga
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Mutchilba

  • Mutchilba State School Government · Primary

Schools in Tolga

  • Tolga State School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Mutchilba Tolga
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 2 0
Childcare 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 3 8

Mobility

Mutchilba sits further from the CBD (1763.5 km vs 1715.5 km).

Mutchilba Tolga
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1763.5 km
+3% vs other
 1715.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1240 min 1191 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4872
 0.3%
postcode 4882
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 4872
 68
postcode 4882

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.

Mutchilba Tolga
Car (driver) 59.6% / 74.8%
Mutchilba — Car (driver): 59.6% Tolga — Car (driver): 74.8%
Worked from Home 25.4% / 9.2%
Mutchilba — Worked from Home: 25.4% Tolga — Worked from Home: 9.2%
Walked Only 9.6% / 3.0%
Mutchilba — Walked Only: 9.6% Tolga — Walked Only: 3.0%
Car (passenger) 5.4% / 5.9%
Mutchilba — Car (passenger): 5.4% Tolga — Car (passenger): 5.9%
Bus — / 6.4%
Mutchilba — Bus: not among its largest Tolga — Bus: 6.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.8%).

Setting

Mutchilba Tolga
Elevation 606 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 711 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mutchilba Tolga
Connectivity score 20/100 65/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
176 premises
 40%
1,483 premises

Climate

Mutchilba Tolga
Annual rainfall 1,114 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.3°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 13.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Mutchilba Tolga
Average residential rate $1,628/yr $1,609/yr
Council Mareeba Tablelands

Federal electorate

Mutchilba Tolga
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mutchilba Tolga
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mutchilba

Rural

Tolga

Acreage Affordable

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mutchilba

Mutchilba vs Arriga Mutchilba vs Dimbulah Mutchilba vs Watsonville Mutchilba vs Irvinebank

Other comparisons with Tolga

Tolga vs Mareeba Tolga vs Atherton Tolga vs Arriga Tolga vs Walkamin Tolga vs Kairi Tolga vs Tinaroo
Full data on Mutchilba Full data on Tolga
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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