Ranges Bridge vs Macalister
Ranges Bridge is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 40 in Macalister. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Ranges Bridge, most households own their home and most households are couple families. In Macalister, about half of households rent and about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Ranges Bridge tends to suit families with children and couples, while Macalister suits renters.
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
Ranges Bridge
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- carries lower crime risk (83/100 vs 93/100)
Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.
Renters
Ranges Bridge
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 17%)
- has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $250/wk)
- But Macalister has a bigger rental market to choose from (51% vs 26%)
Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.
Commuting to the city
Ranges Bridge
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- sits closer to the CBD (232.9 km vs 236 km)
Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.
Downsizers and retirees
Ranges Bridge
ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here
- has more residents already 65 and over (16% vs 10%)
- carries lower crime risk (83/100 vs 93/100)
Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.
Investors
Macalister
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- is growing faster (2.0% vs -25.8%)
Weighs population growth.
Where they sit
Ranges Bridge and Macalister drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.
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.
Demographics
Macalister rents higher ($250/wk vs $150/wk); Macalister has more residents (156 vs 98).
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 98 | 156 +59% vs other |
| Population trend (2016 → 2021) | -25.8% | +2.0% |
| Median age | 35 | 40 |
| Median household income | $76,648/yr +1% vs other | $75,816/yr |
| Median weekly rent | $150/wk | $250/wk +67% vs other |
Age profile
Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).
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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).
Who lives together
Household composition, 2021 Census.
What people live in
Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.
Qualifications
Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.1%).
Who owns and who rents
Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.
Development activity
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings approved | 53 across Western Downs same for both | |
| Approvals change year on year | -40% same for both | |
Ranking within QLD
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| House price | — same for both | |
| Income | Higher than 48% of QLD | Higher than 46% of QLD |
| Schools | — same for both | |
| Walkability | Higher than 33% of QLD | Higher than 15% of QLD |
| Affordability | — same for both | |
| EV adoption | Higher than 32% of QLD | — |
| NBN connectivity | Higher than 29% of QLD | Higher than 38% of QLD |
Liveability
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | — same for both | |
| Score | — same for both | |
| Socio-economic band | mid-range socio-economic decile 4/10 | mid-range socio-economic decile 6/10 |
Risk profile
Macalister carries more crime risk (93 vs 83).
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushfire | None 0/100 same for both | |
| Crime | High 83/100 | High 93/100 |
| 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
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Waterways | 2 | 1 |
Mobility
Macalister sits further from the CBD (236 km vs 232.9 km).
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability score | 0/100 same for both | |
| Distance to Brisbane | 232.9 km | 236 km +1% vs other |
| Drive time (normal traffic) | 174 min | 173 min |
| Electric vehicle share | 0.2% postcode 4405 | 0.0% postcode 4406 |
| Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings | 54 postcode 4405 | 42 postcode 4406 |
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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.6%).
Setting
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 329 m above sea level, at the suburb centre | 330 m above sea level, at the suburb centre |
NBN connectivity
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity score | 22/100 | 28/100 |
| Most common technology | Satellite (Sky Muster) | Fixed wireless |
| Full-fibre (FTTP) share | 0% 32 premises | 0% 65 premises |
Council rates
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | $1,238/yr same for both | |
| Council | Western Downs same for both | |
Federal electorate
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Maranoa same for both | |
| Member | David Littleproud same for both | |
| Party | Liberal National Party of Queensland same for both | |
First Home Owner Grant
| Ranges Bridge | Macalister | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant amount | $30,000 same for both | |
| Property price cap | $750,000 same for both | |
| Eligibility | New same for both | |
Tags
Ranges Bridge
Macalister
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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.