Runaway Bay vs South Stradbroke

In both, most households own their home. In Runaway Bay, about half of households are people living alone. In South Stradbroke, about half of homes are flats or apartments and the large majority of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Runaway Bay: a median of $1.84 million, against $1.2 million in South Stradbroke, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Runaway Bay tends to suit older residents, while South Stradbroke 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

Runaway Bay

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (47% vs 21%)

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

First-home buyers

South Stradbroke

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($250,000 vs $1,220,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,200,000 vs $1,840,000)
  • But Runaway Bay leaves households under less mortgage stress (33% vs 41%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

South Stradbroke

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $435/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Runaway Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Runaway Bay

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (7 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 22%)

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

Investors

South Stradbroke

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (246.3% vs 2.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
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.

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Walkability 74 / 0
Runaway Bay — Walkability: 74/100 South Stradbroke — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 34 / 20
Runaway Bay — Safety: 34/100 South Stradbroke — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 52 / 66
Runaway Bay — Low fire risk: 52/100 South Stradbroke — Low fire risk: 66/100

Demographics

Runaway Bay has more residents (9,308 vs 142); Runaway Bay rents higher ($435/wk vs $300/wk).

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Population 9,308
+98% vs other
 142
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6% +246.3%
Median age 54 53
Median household income $71,864/yr
+23% vs other
 $55,224/yr
Median weekly rent $435/wk
+31% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
0-4 3.2% / 7.0%
Runaway Bay — 0-4: 3.2% South Stradbroke — 0-4: 7.0%
5-14 8.5% / 5.6%
Runaway Bay — 5-14: 8.5% South Stradbroke — 5-14: 5.6%
15-19 4.6% / 2.8%
Runaway Bay — 15-19: 4.6% South Stradbroke — 15-19: 2.8%
20-24 4.1% / 3.5%
Runaway Bay — 20-24: 4.1% South Stradbroke — 20-24: 3.5%
25-34 7.0% / 8.5%
Runaway Bay — 25-34: 7.0% South Stradbroke — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 9.3% / 8.5%
Runaway Bay — 35-44: 9.3% South Stradbroke — 35-44: 8.5%
45-54 14.2% / 20.4%
Runaway Bay — 45-54: 14.2% South Stradbroke — 45-54: 20.4%
55-64 15.3% / 23.2%
Runaway Bay — 55-64: 15.3% South Stradbroke — 55-64: 23.2%
65-74 16.6% / 16.9%
Runaway Bay — 65-74: 16.6% South Stradbroke — 65-74: 16.9%
75-84 12.7% / 4.9%
Runaway Bay — 75-84: 12.7% South Stradbroke — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 4.5% / —
Runaway Bay — 85+: 4.5% South Stradbroke — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Runaway Bay 45.8% lone person
Runaway Bay — Lone Person: 45.8% Runaway Bay — Couple Families: 32.0% Runaway Bay — One Parent Families: 15.0% Runaway Bay — Group Household: 5.7% Runaway Bay — Other Families: 1.5%
South Stradbroke 78.6% lone person
South Stradbroke — Lone Person: 78.6% South Stradbroke — Couple Families: 21.4% South Stradbroke — One Parent Families: 0.0% South Stradbroke — Group Household: 0.0% South Stradbroke — 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.

Runaway Bay 25.5% renting
Runaway Bay — Owned Outright: 45.3% Runaway Bay — Mortgage: 29.2% Runaway Bay — Renting: 25.5%
South Stradbroke 25.0% renting
South Stradbroke — Owned Outright: 61.1% South Stradbroke — Mortgage: 13.9% South Stradbroke — Renting: 25.0%
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.

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
New Zealand 7.0% / 9.2%
Runaway Bay — New Zealand: 7.0% South Stradbroke — New Zealand: 9.2%
England 6.7% / 6.3%
Runaway Bay — England: 6.7% South Stradbroke — England: 6.3%
China 1.3% / —
Runaway Bay — China: 1.3% South Stradbroke — China: not among its largest
South Africa 1.3% / —
Runaway Bay — South Africa: 1.3% South Stradbroke — South Africa: not among its largest
Philippines 1.0% / —
Runaway Bay — Philippines: 1.0% South Stradbroke — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.2%).

Qualifications

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

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 14.8%
Runaway Bay — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% South Stradbroke — Certificate III & IV: 14.8%
Bachelor Degree 11.6% / 18.3%
Runaway Bay — Bachelor Degree: 11.6% South Stradbroke — Bachelor Degree: 18.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.2% / 2.1%
Runaway Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.2% South Stradbroke — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree 3.5% / 2.8%
Runaway Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5% South Stradbroke — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 2.1%
Runaway Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% South Stradbroke — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Runaway Bay 45.3% houses
Runaway Bay — Houses: 45.3% Runaway Bay — Flats / Apartments: 28.3% Runaway Bay — Townhouses: 26.4%
South Stradbroke 50.0% houses
South Stradbroke — Houses: 50.0% South Stradbroke — Flats / Apartments: 50.0% South Stradbroke — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Median house price $1,840,000 $1,200,000
Median unit price $995,000 —
Median land price $1,220,000 $250,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 91 sales
 —

Development activity

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
New dwellings approved 7,196
across Gold Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Houses 4.1%
$1,228/wk on $1.55M
 —
Units 3.6%
$750/wk on $1.09M
 —

Ranking within QLD

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 17% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 94% of QLD Higher than 28% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 89% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 34% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 61% of QLD —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 13% of QLD —

Liveability

Runaway Bay is more walkable (74 vs 0).

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Grade C —
Score 49/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Runaway Bay carries more bushfire risk (48 vs 34); South Stradbroke carries more crime risk (80 vs 66).

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Bushfire Moderate
48/100
 Low
34/100
Crime Moderate
66/100
 High
80/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion High
87/100
 High
94/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Gold Coast, 6.6 km
 None

Schools in Runaway Bay

  • St Francis Xavier School Catholic · Primary above peers

Schools in South Stradbroke

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

Amenities in the suburb

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 10 1
Childcare 5 0
GPs 7 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 5 0
EV chargers 1 0

Mobility

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Walkability score 74/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 71.3 km
+3% vs other
 69.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 60 min 64 min
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 4216
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 4216
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.

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Car (driver) 71.2% / 26.7%
Runaway Bay — Car (driver): 71.2% South Stradbroke — Car (driver): 26.7%
Worked from Home 20.4% / 33.3%
Runaway Bay — Worked from Home: 20.4% South Stradbroke — Worked from Home: 33.3%
Walked Only 1.9% / 40.0%
Runaway Bay — Walked Only: 1.9% South Stradbroke — Walked Only: 40.0%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / —
Runaway Bay — Car (passenger): 4.3% South Stradbroke — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.9% / —
Runaway Bay — Bus: 0.9% South Stradbroke — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.2%).

Setting

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 10 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 474 m
3.1 km to a named beach
 735 m

NBN connectivity

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Connectivity score 76/100 26/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
5,073 premises
 0%
24 premises

Climate

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Annual rainfall 1,351 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
PM2.5 4.9 µg/m³ 5.0 µg/m³
PM10 14.3 µg/m³ 14.5 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.43 pphm 0.42 pphm

Council rates

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Division Fadden
same for both
Member Cameron Caldwell
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Runaway Bay South Stradbroke
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Runaway Bay

Coastal Parks Premium Regional Centre Retirees Townhouses

South Stradbroke

Coastal Rural

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with South Stradbroke

South Stradbroke vs Biggera Waters South Stradbroke vs Paradise Point South Stradbroke vs Main Beach South Stradbroke vs Hollywell South Stradbroke vs North Stradbroke Island
Full data on Runaway Bay Full data on South Stradbroke
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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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