Sarina vs Alligator Creek

Alligator Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 40 in Sarina. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Alligator Creek, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Alligator Creek: a median of $930,000, against $543,000 in Sarina, though rent is higher in Sarina. On these figures, Sarina tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Alligator Creek suits 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

Sarina

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 1)
  • But Alligator Creek carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 79/100)

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

First-home buyers

Sarina

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($372,000 vs $830,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($543,000 vs $930,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Alligator Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (9% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $300/wk)
  • But Sarina has a bigger rental market to choose from (27% vs 10%)

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

Commuting to the city

Sarina

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (635 min vs 644 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (933.4 km vs 945 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sarina

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 12%)
  • But Alligator Creek carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 79/100)

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

Investors

Alligator Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.4% vs 1.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sarina Alligator Creek
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.

Sarina Alligator Creek
Walkability 15 / 13
Sarina — Walkability: 15/100 Alligator Creek — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 21 / 37
Sarina — Safety: 21/100 Alligator Creek — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 86 / 28
Sarina — Low fire risk: 86/100 Alligator Creek — Low fire risk: 28/100

Demographics

Sarina has more residents (5,619 vs 897); Sarina rents higher ($300/wk vs $200/wk).

Sarina Alligator Creek
Population 5,619
+84% vs other
 897
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.8% +13.4%
Median age 40 37
Median household income $83,460/yr $120,692/yr
+45% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+33% vs other
 $200/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sarina Alligator Creek
0-4 6.2% / 6.8%
Sarina — 0-4: 6.2% Alligator Creek — 0-4: 6.8%
5-14 13.4% / 15.2%
Sarina — 5-14: 13.4% Alligator Creek — 5-14: 15.2%
15-19 6.9% / 6.0%
Sarina — 15-19: 6.9% Alligator Creek — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 5.4% / 3.1%
Sarina — 20-24: 5.4% Alligator Creek — 20-24: 3.1%
25-34 10.9% / 13.4%
Sarina — 25-34: 10.9% Alligator Creek — 25-34: 13.4%
35-44 12.2% / 12.7%
Sarina — 35-44: 12.2% Alligator Creek — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 13.3% / 15.2%
Sarina — 45-54: 13.3% Alligator Creek — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 14.0% / 14.9%
Sarina — 55-64: 14.0% Alligator Creek — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 10.7% / 8.6%
Sarina — 65-74: 10.7% Alligator Creek — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 5.1% / 2.9%
Sarina — 75-84: 5.1% Alligator Creek — 75-84: 2.9%
85+ 1.9% / 0.3%
Sarina — 85+: 1.9% Alligator Creek — 85+: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sarina 44.1% couple families
Sarina — Couple Families: 44.1% Sarina — Lone Person: 33.4% Sarina — One Parent Families: 16.9% Sarina — Group Household: 3.7% Sarina — Other Families: 1.9%
Alligator Creek 67.7% couple families
Alligator Creek — Couple Families: 67.7% Alligator Creek — Lone Person: 21.2% Alligator Creek — One Parent Families: 7.6% Alligator Creek — Group Household: 3.5% Alligator Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sarina 26.8% renting
Sarina — Owned Outright: 35.7% Sarina — Mortgage: 37.4% Sarina — Renting: 26.8%
Alligator Creek 10.5% renting
Alligator Creek — Owned Outright: 35.9% Alligator Creek — Mortgage: 53.6% Alligator Creek — Renting: 10.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sarina Alligator Creek
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 24.6%
Sarina — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Alligator Creek — Certificate III & IV: 24.6%
Bachelor Degree 3.7% / 6.8%
Sarina — Bachelor Degree: 3.7% Alligator Creek — Bachelor Degree: 6.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.0% / 4.2%
Sarina — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0% Alligator Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 0.3%
Sarina — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Alligator Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.3%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 0.3%
Sarina — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Alligator Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.6%).

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.

Sarina Alligator Creek
New Zealand 2.0% / 1.0%
Sarina — New Zealand: 2.0% Alligator Creek — New Zealand: 1.0%
England 1.2% / 1.1%
Sarina — England: 1.2% Alligator Creek — England: 1.1%
Germany 0.1% / 1.1%
Sarina — Germany: 0.1% Alligator Creek — Germany: 1.1%
Philippines 0.9% / —
Sarina — Philippines: 0.9% Alligator Creek — Philippines: not among its largest
South Africa 0.5% / 0.3%
Sarina — South Africa: 0.5% Alligator Creek — South Africa: 0.3%
Zimbabwe — / 0.6%
Sarina — Zimbabwe: not among its largest Alligator Creek — Zimbabwe: 0.6%
Thailand 0.2% / —
Sarina — Thailand: 0.2% Alligator Creek — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sarina 91.2% houses
Sarina — Houses: 91.2% Sarina — Flats / Apartments: 2.3% Sarina — Townhouses: 6.5%
Alligator Creek 93.3% houses
Alligator Creek — Houses: 93.3% Alligator Creek — Flats / Apartments: 6.7% Alligator Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Sarina Alligator Creek
Median house price $543,000 $930,000
Median unit price $490,000 —
Median land price $372,000 $830,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 51 sales
 23 days
from 5 sales

Development activity

Sarina Alligator Creek
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
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.

Sarina Alligator Creek
Houses 4.8%
$650/wk on $699K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Sarina Alligator Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
Schools Higher than 30% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 74% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 5% of QLD Higher than 41% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 56% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of QLD —

Liveability

Alligator Creek scores higher overall (29 vs 23).

Sarina Alligator Creek
Grade D
same for both
Score 23/100 29/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Alligator Creek carries more bushfire risk (72 vs 14); Sarina carries more crime risk (79 vs 63).

Sarina Alligator Creek
Bushfire Low
14/100
 High
72/100
Crime High
79/100
 Moderate
63/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
80/100
 High
97/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Sarina Alligator Creek
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 3 0

Schools in Sarina

  • Sarina State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Sarina State School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Anne's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Swayneville State School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Alligator Creek

  • Alligator Creek State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sarina Alligator Creek
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 10 0
Childcare 5 1
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 44 4

Mobility

Alligator Creek sits further from the CBD (945 km vs 933.4 km).

Sarina Alligator Creek
Walkability score 15/100 13/100
Distance to Brisbane 933.4 km 945 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 635 min 644 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4737
 0.3%
postcode 4740
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4737
 56
postcode 4740

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.

Sarina Alligator Creek
Car (driver) 81.4% / 83.4%
Sarina — Car (driver): 81.4% Alligator Creek — Car (driver): 83.4%
Worked from Home 6.0% / 8.3%
Sarina — Worked from Home: 6.0% Alligator Creek — Worked from Home: 8.3%
Car (passenger) 6.4% / 2.8%
Sarina — Car (passenger): 6.4% Alligator Creek — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Walked Only 4.5% / 2.5%
Sarina — Walked Only: 4.5% Alligator Creek — Walked Only: 2.5%
Bus 1.3% / 3.0%
Sarina — Bus: 1.3% Alligator Creek — Bus: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.4%).

Setting

Sarina Alligator Creek
Elevation 111 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.7 km 4.0 km

NBN connectivity

Sarina Alligator Creek
Connectivity score 52/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
2,568 premises
 0%
360 premises

Climate

Sarina Alligator Creek
Annual rainfall 1,517 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.4°C
same for both

Council rates

Sarina Alligator Creek
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Sarina Alligator Creek
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sarina Alligator Creek
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sarina

Acreage Affordable

Alligator Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sarina

Sarina vs Armstrong Beach Sarina vs Koumala Sarina vs Grasstree Beach Sarina vs Sarina Beach Sarina vs Sarina Range Sarina vs Freshwater Point

Other comparisons with Alligator Creek

Alligator Creek vs Hay Point Alligator Creek vs Grasstree Beach Alligator Creek vs Balberra Alligator Creek vs Munbura Alligator Creek vs Coral Sea
Full data on Sarina Full data on Alligator Creek
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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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