North Arm vs Valdora

Valdora is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 44 in North Arm. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In North Arm, about half of households are couple families. In Valdora, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Valdora: a median of $1.62 million, against $1.28 million in North Arm, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, North Arm tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Valdora suits families with children and 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

Valdora

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 37/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 68%)
  • But North Arm has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

North Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,280,750 vs $1,625,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

North Arm

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (20% vs 8%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $530/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 25%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Valdora

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 37/100)

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

Investors

Valdora

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (45.9% vs 11.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

North Arm Valdora
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.

North Arm Valdora
Walkability 7 / 0
North Arm — Walkability: 7/100 Valdora — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 63 / 82
North Arm — Safety: 63/100 Valdora — Safety: 82/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
North Arm — Low fire risk: 100/100 Valdora — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Valdora rents higher ($530/wk vs $350/wk); Valdora has higher household incomes ($111,332 vs $94,432).

North Arm Valdora
Population 734 776
+6% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.7% +45.9%
Median age 44 40
Median household income $94,432/yr $111,332/yr
+18% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $530/wk
+51% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

North Arm Valdora
0-4 3.3% / 6.7%
North Arm — 0-4: 3.3% Valdora — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 13.1% / 15.1%
North Arm — 5-14: 13.1% Valdora — 5-14: 15.1%
15-19 7.5% / 5.0%
North Arm — 15-19: 7.5% Valdora — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 5.7% / 2.8%
North Arm — 20-24: 5.7% Valdora — 20-24: 2.8%
25-34 9.1% / 12.2%
North Arm — 25-34: 9.1% Valdora — 25-34: 12.2%
35-44 11.4% / 13.1%
North Arm — 35-44: 11.4% Valdora — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 17.4% / 13.1%
North Arm — 45-54: 17.4% Valdora — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 13.6% / 16.1%
North Arm — 55-64: 13.6% Valdora — 55-64: 16.1%
65-74 12.5% / 11.0%
North Arm — 65-74: 12.5% Valdora — 65-74: 11.0%
75-84 5.6% / 4.1%
North Arm — 75-84: 5.6% Valdora — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 0.7% / 0.6%
North Arm — 85+: 0.7% Valdora — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

North Arm 52.3% couple families
North Arm — Couple Families: 52.3% North Arm — Lone Person: 25.6% North Arm — One Parent Families: 15.9% North Arm — Group Household: 6.2% North Arm — Other Families: 0.0%
Valdora 72.8% couple families
Valdora — Couple Families: 72.8% Valdora — Lone Person: 12.2% Valdora — One Parent Families: 10.2% Valdora — Group Household: 2.0% Valdora — Other Families: 2.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

North Arm 19.5% renting
North Arm — Owned Outright: 38.0% North Arm — Mortgage: 42.5% North Arm — Renting: 19.5%
Valdora 7.9% renting
Valdora — Owned Outright: 41.0% Valdora — Mortgage: 51.1% Valdora — Renting: 7.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

North Arm Valdora
Certificate III & IV 19.5% / 21.1%
North Arm — Certificate III & IV: 19.5% Valdora — Certificate III & IV: 21.1%
Bachelor Degree 11.7% / 12.4%
North Arm — Bachelor Degree: 11.7% Valdora — Bachelor Degree: 12.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 7.3%
North Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% Valdora — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 4.0%
North Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Valdora — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.7%
North Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Valdora — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

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.

North Arm Valdora
England 3.7% / 6.3%
North Arm — England: 3.7% Valdora — England: 6.3%
New Zealand 3.8% / 2.7%
North Arm — New Zealand: 3.8% Valdora — New Zealand: 2.7%
South Africa 0.4% / 0.8%
North Arm — South Africa: 0.4% Valdora — South Africa: 0.8%
Thailand 1.2% / —
North Arm — Thailand: 1.2% Valdora — Thailand: not among its largest
Germany — / 1.0%
North Arm — Germany: not among its largest Valdora — Germany: 1.0%
Canada — / 1.0%
North Arm — Canada: not among its largest Valdora — Canada: 1.0%
Philippines 0.8% / —
North Arm — Philippines: 0.8% Valdora — Philippines: not among its largest
Brazil 0.7% / —
North Arm — Brazil: 0.7% Valdora — Brazil: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

North Arm 92.9% houses
North Arm — Houses: 92.9% North Arm — Flats / Apartments: 5.9% North Arm — Townhouses: 1.3%
Valdora 97.5% houses
Valdora — Houses: 97.5% Valdora — Flats / Apartments: 2.5% Valdora — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

North Arm Valdora
Median house price $1,280,750 $1,625,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,880,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 51 days
from 3 sales
 130 days
from 6 sales

Development activity

North Arm Valdora
New dwellings approved 2,962
across Sunshine Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -41%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

North Arm Valdora
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 68% of QLD Higher than 83% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 9% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 80% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 48% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD

Liveability

Valdora scores higher overall (66 vs 56).

North Arm Valdora
Grade B
same for both
Score 56/100 66/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

North Arm carries more crime risk (37 vs 18).

North Arm Valdora
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
37/100
 Low
18/100
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

North Arm Valdora
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in North Arm

  • North Arm State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Valdora

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

Amenities in the suburb

North Arm Valdora
Parks & reserves 2 0
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 23 0

Mobility

North Arm Valdora
Walkability score 7/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 116.8 km 116.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 93 min 90 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 4561
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 99
postcode 4561
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.

North Arm Valdora
Car (driver) 79.5% / 70.5%
North Arm — Car (driver): 79.5% Valdora — Car (driver): 70.5%
Worked from Home 13.1% / 24.3%
North Arm — Worked from Home: 13.1% Valdora — Worked from Home: 24.3%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 3.6%
North Arm — Car (passenger): 4.5% Valdora — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Walked Only 2.9% / 1.6%
North Arm — Walked Only: 2.9% Valdora — Walked Only: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.5%).

Setting

North Arm Valdora
Elevation 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.5 km 8.7 km

NBN connectivity

North Arm Valdora
Connectivity score 30/100 38/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
311 premises
 8%
297 premises

Air quality (annual mean)

North Arm Valdora
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 12.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

North Arm Valdora
Average residential rate $1,690/yr
same for both
Council Sunshine Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

North Arm Valdora
Division Fairfax
same for both
Member Ted O'Brien
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

North Arm Valdora
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

North Arm

Acreage River

Valdora

Acreage Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with North Arm

North Arm vs Eumundi North Arm vs Ninderry North Arm vs Yandina Creek North Arm vs Verrierdale North Arm vs Eerwah Vale North Arm vs Bridges

Other comparisons with Valdora

Valdora vs Maroochy River Valdora vs Ninderry Valdora vs Yandina Creek
Full data on North Arm Full data on Valdora
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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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