Riordanvale vs Sugarloaf

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Riordanvale, most households are couple families. In Sugarloaf, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Riordanvale: a median of $1.1 million, against $925,000 in Sugarloaf, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Riordanvale tends to suit couples, while Sugarloaf suits people living alone 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

Riordanvale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 53/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (76% vs 60%)

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

First-home buyers

Sugarloaf

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($925,000 vs $1,100,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sugarloaf

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($430/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sugarloaf

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (752 min vs 757 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1101.9 km vs 1108.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Riordanvale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 53/100)

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

Investors

Riordanvale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (23.7% vs 11.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
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.

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Walkability 0 / 0
Riordanvale — Walkability: 0/100 Sugarloaf — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 86 / 47
Riordanvale — Safety: 86/100 Sugarloaf — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Riordanvale — Low fire risk: 100/100 Sugarloaf — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Riordanvale has higher household incomes ($102,336 vs $79,248); Riordanvale rents higher ($500/wk vs $430/wk).

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Population 386
+20% vs other
 310
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +23.7% +11.5%
Median age 43 44
Median household income $102,336/yr
+23% vs other
 $79,248/yr
Median weekly rent $500/wk
+14% vs other
 $430/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
0-4 4.1% / 2.6%
Riordanvale — 0-4: 4.1% Sugarloaf — 0-4: 2.6%
5-14 14.2% / 17.4%
Riordanvale — 5-14: 14.2% Sugarloaf — 5-14: 17.4%
15-19 4.9% / 5.2%
Riordanvale — 15-19: 4.9% Sugarloaf — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 5.4% / —
Riordanvale — 20-24: 5.4% Sugarloaf — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 9.3% / 8.1%
Riordanvale — 25-34: 9.3% Sugarloaf — 25-34: 8.1%
35-44 15.5% / 16.8%
Riordanvale — 35-44: 15.5% Sugarloaf — 35-44: 16.8%
45-54 19.9% / 16.1%
Riordanvale — 45-54: 19.9% Sugarloaf — 45-54: 16.1%
55-64 16.6% / 19.7%
Riordanvale — 55-64: 16.6% Sugarloaf — 55-64: 19.7%
65-74 10.9% / 13.5%
Riordanvale — 65-74: 10.9% Sugarloaf — 65-74: 13.5%
75-84 2.1% / 2.6%
Riordanvale — 75-84: 2.1% Sugarloaf — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ — / —
Riordanvale — 85+: not among its largest Sugarloaf — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Riordanvale 67.8% couple families
Riordanvale — Couple Families: 67.8% Riordanvale — Lone Person: 18.6% Riordanvale — One Parent Families: 8.5% Riordanvale — Group Household: 5.1%
Sugarloaf 50.8% couple families
Sugarloaf — Couple Families: 50.8% Sugarloaf — Lone Person: 34.9% Sugarloaf — One Parent Families: 9.5% Sugarloaf — Group Household: 4.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Riordanvale 10.4% renting
Riordanvale — Owned Outright: 34.0% Riordanvale — Mortgage: 55.7% Riordanvale — Renting: 10.4%
Sugarloaf 7.3% renting
Sugarloaf — Owned Outright: 44.8% Sugarloaf — Mortgage: 47.9% Sugarloaf — Renting: 7.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
England 3.4% / 3.2%
Riordanvale — England: 3.4% Sugarloaf — England: 3.2%
New Zealand 2.1% / 4.5%
Riordanvale — New Zealand: 2.1% Sugarloaf — New Zealand: 4.5%
South Africa 1.8% / —
Riordanvale — South Africa: 1.8% Sugarloaf — South Africa: not among its largest
Indonesia 1.8% / —
Riordanvale — Indonesia: 1.8% Sugarloaf — Indonesia: not among its largest
Netherlands 1.0% / —
Riordanvale — Netherlands: 1.0% Sugarloaf — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

Qualifications

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

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Certificate III & IV 21.5% / 23.9%
Riordanvale — Certificate III & IV: 21.5% Sugarloaf — Certificate III & IV: 23.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 6.8%
Riordanvale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Sugarloaf — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Bachelor Degree 6.7% / 7.1%
Riordanvale — Bachelor Degree: 6.7% Sugarloaf — Bachelor Degree: 7.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.3%
Riordanvale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Sugarloaf — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%
Postgraduate Degree 0.8% / —
Riordanvale — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8% Sugarloaf — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Riordanvale 100.0% houses
Riordanvale — Houses: 100.0% Riordanvale — Townhouses: 0.0%
Sugarloaf 97.1% houses
Sugarloaf — Houses: 97.1% Sugarloaf — Townhouses: 3.8%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Median house price $1,100,000 $925,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $462,500 —

Development activity

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
same for both
Approvals change year on year +70%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 76% of QLD —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 57% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 32% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 63% of QLD Higher than 64% of QLD

Liveability

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sugarloaf carries more crime risk (53 vs 14).

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
14/100
 Moderate
53/100
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

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
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

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Waterways 3 2

Mobility

Riordanvale sits further from the CBD (1108.1 km vs 1101.9 km).

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1108.1 km 1101.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 757 min 752 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.

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Car (driver) 84.5% / 77.8%
Riordanvale — Car (driver): 84.5% Sugarloaf — Car (driver): 77.8%
Worked from Home 11.5% / 10.3%
Riordanvale — Worked from Home: 11.5% Sugarloaf — Worked from Home: 10.3%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 5.6%
Riordanvale — Car (passenger): 4.1% Sugarloaf — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Bus — / 4.0%
Riordanvale — Bus: not among its largest Sugarloaf — Bus: 4.0%
Walked Only — / 2.4%
Riordanvale — Walked Only: not among its largest Sugarloaf — Walked Only: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.5%).

Setting

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 47 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.7 km 6.2 km

NBN connectivity

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
147 premises
 0%
112 premises

Climate

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
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

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Average residential rate $1,412/yr
same for both
Council Whitsunday
same for both

Federal electorate

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Riordanvale Sugarloaf
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Riordanvale

Acreage River

Sugarloaf

Acreage River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Riordanvale

Riordanvale vs Cannon Valley Riordanvale vs Woodwark Riordanvale vs Gregory River

Other comparisons with Sugarloaf

Sugarloaf vs Cannon Valley Sugarloaf vs Strathdickie Sugarloaf vs Gregory River
Full data on Riordanvale Full data on Sugarloaf
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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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