Railway Estate vs Stuart

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Railway Estate, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Railway Estate: a median of $613,000, against $437,000 in Stuart, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Stuart tends to suit young adults 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

Stuart

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (94% vs 71%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (53% vs 43%)
  • But Railway Estate has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Stuart

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($437,000 vs $612,750)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Railway Estate has a bigger rental market to choose from (42% vs 27%)
  • Stuart has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Stuart

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (914 min vs 921 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1342.6 km vs 1349.2 km)
  • But Railway Estate is more walkable (48/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Railway Estate

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (48/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (29% vs 6%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (13% vs 5%)

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

Investors

Stuart

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.7% vs 0.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Railway Estate Stuart
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.

Railway Estate Stuart
Walkability 48 / 0
Railway Estate — Walkability: 48/100 Stuart — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 13 / 8
Railway Estate — Safety: 13/100 Stuart — Safety: 8/100
Low fire risk 100 / 51
Railway Estate — Low fire risk: 100/100 Stuart — Low fire risk: 51/100

Demographics

Railway Estate has more residents (2,871 vs 1,576); Railway Estate has higher household incomes ($79,508 vs $64,428).

Railway Estate Stuart
Population 2,871
+45% vs other
 1,576
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.7% +13.7%
Median age 36
same for both
Median household income $79,508/yr
+19% vs other
 $64,428/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+17% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Railway Estate Stuart
0-4 5.2% / 1.1%
Railway Estate — 0-4: 5.2% Stuart — 0-4: 1.1%
5-14 11.7% / 3.6%
Railway Estate — 5-14: 11.7% Stuart — 5-14: 3.6%
15-19 6.2% / 2.2%
Railway Estate — 15-19: 6.2% Stuart — 15-19: 2.2%
20-24 8.9% / 9.4%
Railway Estate — 20-24: 8.9% Stuart — 20-24: 9.4%
25-34 16.1% / 30.1%
Railway Estate — 25-34: 16.1% Stuart — 25-34: 30.1%
35-44 12.5% / 25.0%
Railway Estate — 35-44: 12.5% Stuart — 35-44: 25.0%
45-54 13.3% / 14.8%
Railway Estate — 45-54: 13.3% Stuart — 45-54: 14.8%
55-64 13.1% / 8.1%
Railway Estate — 55-64: 13.1% Stuart — 55-64: 8.1%
65-74 8.9% / 4.1%
Railway Estate — 65-74: 8.9% Stuart — 65-74: 4.1%
75-84 3.0% / 1.0%
Railway Estate — 75-84: 3.0% Stuart — 75-84: 1.0%
85+ 1.4% / —
Railway Estate — 85+: 1.4% Stuart — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Railway Estate 47.0% lone person
Railway Estate — Lone Person: 47.0% Railway Estate — Couple Families: 25.4% Railway Estate — One Parent Families: 17.3% Railway Estate — Group Household: 8.0% Railway Estate — Other Families: 2.3%
Stuart 44.7% lone person
Stuart — Lone Person: 44.7% Stuart — Couple Families: 25.0% Stuart — One Parent Families: 28.0% Stuart — Group Household: 2.3% Stuart — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Railway Estate 42.0% renting
Railway Estate — Owned Outright: 24.9% Railway Estate — Mortgage: 33.2% Railway Estate — Renting: 42.0%
Stuart 27.1% renting
Stuart — Owned Outright: 29.0% Stuart — Mortgage: 43.9% Stuart — Renting: 27.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Railway Estate Stuart
Certificate III & IV 17.5% / 6.6%
Railway Estate — Certificate III & IV: 17.5% Stuart — Certificate III & IV: 6.6%
Bachelor Degree 12.0% / 3.1%
Railway Estate — Bachelor Degree: 12.0% Stuart — Bachelor Degree: 3.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 1.8%
Railway Estate — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Stuart — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 0.6%
Railway Estate — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Stuart — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 0.2%
Railway Estate — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Stuart — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

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.

Railway Estate Stuart
New Zealand 2.6% / 1.5%
Railway Estate — New Zealand: 2.6% Stuart — New Zealand: 1.5%
England 2.6% / 1.0%
Railway Estate — England: 2.6% Stuart — England: 1.0%
Germany 0.6% / 0.2%
Railway Estate — Germany: 0.6% Stuart — Germany: 0.2%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.3%
Railway Estate — Philippines: 0.5% Stuart — Philippines: 0.3%
India 0.5% / —
Railway Estate — India: 0.5% Stuart — India: not among its largest
Malaysia — / 0.3%
Railway Estate — Malaysia: not among its largest Stuart — Malaysia: 0.3%
Fiji — / 0.3%
Railway Estate — Fiji: not among its largest Stuart — Fiji: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Railway Estate 71.2% houses
Railway Estate — Houses: 71.2% Railway Estate — Townhouses: 23.3% Railway Estate — Flats / Apartments: 5.5%
Stuart 93.9% houses
Stuart — Houses: 93.9% Stuart — Townhouses: 3.0% Stuart — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Railway Estate Stuart
Median house price $612,750 $437,000
Median unit price $371,000 —
Median land price — $1,875,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 38 sales
 11 days
from 3 sales

Development activity

Railway Estate Stuart
New dwellings approved 1,096
across Townsville
same for both
Approvals change year on year -22%
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.

Railway Estate Stuart
Houses 5.0%
$650/wk on $675K
 —
Units 5.6%
$450/wk on $419K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Railway Estate Stuart
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 50% of QLD —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 31% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 74% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of QLD Higher than 78% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 91% of QLD —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 83% of QLD —

Liveability

Railway Estate is more walkable (48 vs 0); Railway Estate scores higher overall (39 vs 9).

Railway Estate Stuart
Grade C D
Score 39/100 9/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Stuart carries more bushfire risk (49 vs 0).

Railway Estate Stuart
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
49/100
Crime High
87/100
 High
92/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
91/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 11
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Railway Estate Stuart
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
James Cook University - Townsville, 1.9 km
 1
James Cook University - Townsville, 8.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 0.6%

Schools in Railway Estate

  • Railway Estate State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Townsville State High School Government · Secondary at peers

Schools in Stuart

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

Amenities in the suburb

Railway Estate Stuart
Parks & reserves 5 3
Childcare 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 3 30

Mobility

Railway Estate sits further from the CBD (1349.2 km vs 1342.6 km).

Railway Estate Stuart
Walkability score 48/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 1349.2 km 1342.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 921 min 914 min
Public transport score 58/100
Bus
 21/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 18.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4810
 0.7%
postcode 4811
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 4810
 61
postcode 4811

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.

Railway Estate Stuart
Car (driver) 83.0% / 81.1%
Railway Estate — Car (driver): 83.0% Stuart — Car (driver): 81.1%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 6.3%
Railway Estate — Car (passenger): 7.1% Stuart — Car (passenger): 6.3%
Worked from Home 5.2% / 5.7%
Railway Estate — Worked from Home: 5.2% Stuart — Worked from Home: 5.7%
Walked Only 1.7% / 6.9%
Railway Estate — Walked Only: 1.7% Stuart — Walked Only: 6.9%
Bicycle 1.7% / —
Railway Estate — Bicycle: 1.7% Stuart — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.0%).

Setting

Railway Estate Stuart
Elevation 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 10 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km
2.1 km to a named beach
 2.9 km

NBN connectivity

Railway Estate Stuart
Connectivity score 100/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
1,657 premises
 40%
397 premises

Climate

Railway Estate Stuart
Annual rainfall 1,304 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 15.0°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Railway Estate Stuart
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Railway Estate Stuart
Average residential rate $1,810/yr
same for both
Council Townsville
same for both

Federal electorate

Railway Estate Stuart
Division Herbert Dawson
Member Phillip Thompson Andrew Willcox
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Railway Estate Stuart
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Railway Estate

Affordable Coastal Parks Quiet Townhouses

Stuart

Acreage Affordable Coastal Multicultural River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Railway Estate

Railway Estate vs West End Railway Estate vs Hermit Park Railway Estate vs Townsville City Railway Estate vs South Townsville Railway Estate vs Oonoonba

Other comparisons with Stuart

Stuart vs Wulguru Stuart vs South Townsville Stuart vs Oonoonba Stuart vs Nome Stuart vs Cluden Stuart vs Julago
Full data on Railway Estate Full data on Stuart
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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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