Sarina vs Koumala

Sarina is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 45 in Koumala. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Koumala, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Koumala tends to suit 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 childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 4)
  • But Koumala carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 79/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Koumala

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $300/wk)
  • But Sarina has a bigger rental market to choose from (27% vs 14%)

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

Commuting to the city

Koumala

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (909.5 km vs 933.4 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (622 min vs 635 min)
  • But Sarina is more walkable (15/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sarina

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (15/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • But Koumala carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 79/100)

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

Investors

Sarina

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1.8% vs -7.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Sarina and Koumala 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 Koumala
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 Koumala
Walkability 15 / 0
Sarina — Walkability: 15/100 Koumala — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 21 / 45
Sarina — Safety: 21/100 Koumala — Safety: 45/100
Low fire risk 86 / 60
Sarina — Low fire risk: 86/100 Koumala — Low fire risk: 60/100

Demographics

Sarina has more residents (5,619 vs 772); Sarina rents higher ($300/wk vs $250/wk).

Sarina Koumala
Population 5,619
+86% vs other
 772
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.8% -7.1%
Median age 40 45
Median household income $83,460/yr $95,316/yr
+14% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+17% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sarina Koumala
0-4 6.2% / 5.4%
Sarina — 0-4: 6.2% Koumala — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 13.4% / 14.6%
Sarina — 5-14: 13.4% Koumala — 5-14: 14.6%
15-19 6.9% / 3.8%
Sarina — 15-19: 6.9% Koumala — 15-19: 3.8%
20-24 5.4% / 2.8%
Sarina — 20-24: 5.4% Koumala — 20-24: 2.8%
25-34 10.9% / 8.0%
Sarina — 25-34: 10.9% Koumala — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 12.2% / 14.5%
Sarina — 35-44: 12.2% Koumala — 35-44: 14.5%
45-54 13.3% / 14.0%
Sarina — 45-54: 13.3% Koumala — 45-54: 14.0%
55-64 14.0% / 15.8%
Sarina — 55-64: 14.0% Koumala — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 10.7% / 16.7%
Sarina — 65-74: 10.7% Koumala — 65-74: 16.7%
75-84 5.1% / 2.8%
Sarina — 75-84: 5.1% Koumala — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ 1.9% / 0.5%
Sarina — 85+: 1.9% Koumala — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

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%
Koumala 54.3% couple families
Koumala — Couple Families: 54.3% Koumala — Lone Person: 29.1% Koumala — One Parent Families: 11.9% Koumala — Group Household: 4.6% Koumala — 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%
Koumala 14.4% renting
Koumala — Owned Outright: 46.3% Koumala — Mortgage: 39.3% Koumala — Renting: 14.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sarina Koumala
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 21.5%
Sarina — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Koumala — Certificate III & IV: 21.5%
Bachelor Degree 3.7% / 4.1%
Sarina — Bachelor Degree: 3.7% Koumala — Bachelor Degree: 4.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.0% / 3.5%
Sarina — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0% Koumala — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 0.4%
Sarina — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Koumala — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / —
Sarina — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Koumala — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

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.

Sarina Koumala
New Zealand 2.0% / 1.2%
Sarina — New Zealand: 2.0% Koumala — New Zealand: 1.2%
England 1.2% / 0.5%
Sarina — England: 1.2% Koumala — England: 0.5%
Philippines 0.9% / 0.5%
Sarina — Philippines: 0.9% Koumala — Philippines: 0.5%
South Africa 0.5% / —
Sarina — South Africa: 0.5% Koumala — South Africa: not among its largest
Italy — / 0.4%
Sarina — Italy: not among its largest Koumala — Italy: 0.4%
Thailand 0.2% / —
Sarina — Thailand: 0.2% Koumala — 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 — Townhouses: 6.5% Sarina — Flats / Apartments: 2.3%
Koumala 96.7% houses
Koumala — Houses: 96.7% Koumala — Townhouses: 0.0% Koumala — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sarina Koumala
Median house price $543,000 $530,000
Median unit price $490,000 —
Median land price $372,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 51 sales
 24 days
from 4 sales

Development activity

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

Ranking within QLD

Sarina Koumala
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 69% of QLD
Schools Higher than 30% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 39% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 5% of QLD —
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 44% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of QLD —

Liveability

Sarina is more walkable (15 vs 0).

Sarina Koumala
Grade D
same for both
Score 23/100 22/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Koumala carries more bushfire risk (40 vs 14); Sarina carries more crime risk (79 vs 55).

Sarina Koumala
Bushfire Low
14/100
 Moderate
40/100
Crime High
79/100
 Moderate
55/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
80/100
 High
96/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Sarina Koumala
Inside the suburb 4 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
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 Koumala

  • Koumala State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sarina Koumala
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 10 4
Childcare 5 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 1
Fuel stations 2 0
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 44 66

Mobility

Sarina sits further from the CBD (933.4 km vs 909.5 km).

Sarina Koumala
Walkability score 15/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 933.4 km
+3% vs other
 909.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 635 min 622 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4737
 0.0%
postcode 4738
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4737
 69
postcode 4738

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 Koumala
Car (driver) 81.4% / 67.1%
Sarina — Car (driver): 81.4% Koumala — Car (driver): 67.1%
Worked from Home 6.0% / 21.9%
Sarina — Worked from Home: 6.0% Koumala — Worked from Home: 21.9%
Car (passenger) 6.4% / 4.7%
Sarina — Car (passenger): 6.4% Koumala — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only 4.5% / 5.0%
Sarina — Walked Only: 4.5% Koumala — Walked Only: 5.0%
Bus 1.3% / 1.3%
Sarina — Bus: 1.3% Koumala — Bus: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.4%).

Setting

Sarina Koumala
Elevation 111 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.7 km 15.1 km

NBN connectivity

Sarina Koumala
Connectivity score 52/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
2,568 premises
 0%
322 premises

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

Tags

Sarina

Acreage Affordable

Koumala

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sarina

Sarina vs Armstrong Beach Sarina vs Alligator Creek Sarina vs Grasstree Beach Sarina vs Sarina Beach Sarina vs Sarina Range Sarina vs Freshwater Point

Other comparisons with Koumala

Koumala vs Nebo Koumala vs Ilbilbie Koumala vs Sarina Range Koumala vs Blue Mountain Koumala vs Coral Sea
Full data on Sarina Full data on Koumala
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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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