South Mission Beach vs Hull Heads

South Mission Beach is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 63 in Hull Heads. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Hull Heads, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in South Mission Beach: a median of $675,000, against $520,000 in Hull Heads. On these figures, Hull Heads tends to suit people living alone, older residents, 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

South Mission Beach

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 84/100)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (51% vs 30%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • South Mission Beach leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 44%)
  • Hull Heads has cheaper houses ($520,000 vs $675,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

South Mission Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 18%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 37%)

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

Commuting to the city

Hull Heads

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (1068 min vs 1085 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1568.3 km vs 1584.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hull Heads

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (38% vs 19%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (53% vs 27%)
  • But South Mission Beach carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 84/100)

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

Investors

Hull Heads

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.4% vs 3.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

South Mission Beach and Hull Heads drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
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.

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Walkability 0 / 0
South Mission Beach — Walkability: 0/100 Hull Heads — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 74 / 16
South Mission Beach — Safety: 74/100 Hull Heads — Safety: 16/100
Low fire risk 75 / 100
South Mission Beach — Low fire risk: 75/100 Hull Heads — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

South Mission Beach has more residents (968 vs 127); South Mission Beach has higher household incomes ($66,872 vs $46,800).

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Population 968
+87% vs other
 127
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.9% +12.4%
Median age 51 63
Median household income $66,872/yr
+30% vs other
 $46,800/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk $330/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
0-4 4.0% / 2.4%
South Mission Beach — 0-4: 4.0% Hull Heads — 0-4: 2.4%
5-14 12.4% / 3.1%
South Mission Beach — 5-14: 12.4% Hull Heads — 5-14: 3.1%
15-19 5.3% / 2.4%
South Mission Beach — 15-19: 5.3% Hull Heads — 15-19: 2.4%
20-24 2.4% / 3.1%
South Mission Beach — 20-24: 2.4% Hull Heads — 20-24: 3.1%
25-34 7.2% / 7.9%
South Mission Beach — 25-34: 7.2% Hull Heads — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 10.3% / 8.7%
South Mission Beach — 35-44: 10.3% Hull Heads — 35-44: 8.7%
45-54 14.5% / 3.9%
South Mission Beach — 45-54: 14.5% Hull Heads — 45-54: 3.9%
55-64 18.1% / 26.8%
South Mission Beach — 55-64: 18.1% Hull Heads — 55-64: 26.8%
65-74 18.0% / 29.1%
South Mission Beach — 65-74: 18.0% Hull Heads — 65-74: 29.1%
75-84 7.2% / 20.5%
South Mission Beach — 75-84: 7.2% Hull Heads — 75-84: 20.5%
85+ 1.8% / 3.1%
South Mission Beach — 85+: 1.8% Hull Heads — 85+: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

South Mission Beach 42.2% lone person
South Mission Beach — Lone Person: 42.2% South Mission Beach — Couple Families: 33.8% South Mission Beach — Group Household: 5.9% South Mission Beach — One Parent Families: 16.9% South Mission Beach — Other Families: 1.3%
Hull Heads 59.3% lone person
Hull Heads — Lone Person: 59.3% Hull Heads — Couple Families: 29.6% Hull Heads — Group Household: 11.1% Hull Heads — One Parent Families: 0.0% Hull Heads — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

South Mission Beach 28.6% renting
South Mission Beach — Owned Outright: 42.6% South Mission Beach — Mortgage: 28.8% South Mission Beach — Renting: 28.6%
Hull Heads 17.7% renting
Hull Heads — Owned Outright: 64.5% Hull Heads — Mortgage: 17.7% Hull Heads — Renting: 17.7%
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.

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
England 4.5% / 2.4%
South Mission Beach — England: 4.5% Hull Heads — England: 2.4%
New Zealand 3.2% / —
South Mission Beach — New Zealand: 3.2% Hull Heads — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 1.2% / —
South Mission Beach — South Africa: 1.2% Hull Heads — South Africa: not among its largest
Canada 0.6% / —
South Mission Beach — Canada: 0.6% Hull Heads — Canada: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / —
South Mission Beach — Scotland: 0.5% Hull Heads — Scotland: not among its largest

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

Qualifications

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

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Certificate III & IV 18.8% / 20.5%
South Mission Beach — Certificate III & IV: 18.8% Hull Heads — Certificate III & IV: 20.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 10.2%
South Mission Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Hull Heads — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.2%
Bachelor Degree 9.1% / 4.7%
South Mission Beach — Bachelor Degree: 9.1% Hull Heads — Bachelor Degree: 4.7%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / —
South Mission Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Hull Heads — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / —
South Mission Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Hull Heads — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

South Mission Beach 81.4% houses
South Mission Beach — Houses: 81.4% South Mission Beach — Flats / Apartments: 5.2% South Mission Beach — Townhouses: 13.4%
Hull Heads 61.5% houses
Hull Heads — Houses: 61.5% Hull Heads — Flats / Apartments: 33.8% Hull Heads — Townhouses: 4.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Median house price $675,000 $520,000
Median unit price $400,000 —
Median land price $230,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 76 days
from 16 sales
 —

Development activity

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
New dwellings approved 186
across Cassowary Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +68%
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.

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Houses 5.1%
$862/wk on $874K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 33% of QLD Higher than 9% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 33% of QLD Higher than 19% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 69% of QLD Higher than 15% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of QLD Higher than 38% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 93% of QLD —

Liveability

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Grade C —
Score 44/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

South Mission Beach carries more bushfire risk (25 vs 0); Hull Heads carries more crime risk (84 vs 26).

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Bushfire Low
25/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
26/100
 High
84/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
42/100
 Moderate
57/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in South Mission Beach

  • The Rainforest School Independent · Primary
  • The Rainforest School - South Mission Beach Campus Independent · Primary

Schools in Hull Heads

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

Amenities in the suburb

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 3 1

Mobility

South Mission Beach sits further from the CBD (1584.6 km vs 1568.3 km).

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1584.6 km
+1% vs other
 1568.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1085 min 1068 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 4852
 0.1%
postcode 4854
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 4852
 48
postcode 4854

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.

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Car (driver) 80.5% / 63.4%
South Mission Beach — Car (driver): 80.5% Hull Heads — Car (driver): 63.4%
Worked from Home 9.1% / 19.5%
South Mission Beach — Worked from Home: 9.1% Hull Heads — Worked from Home: 19.5%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 7.3%
South Mission Beach — Car (passenger): 5.3% Hull Heads — Car (passenger): 7.3%
Walked Only 2.7% / 9.8%
South Mission Beach — Walked Only: 2.7% Hull Heads — Walked Only: 9.8%
Bus 2.4% / —
South Mission Beach — Bus: 2.4% Hull Heads — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.5%).

Setting

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 609 m
703 m to a named beach
 426 m
4.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Connectivity score 81/100 28/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 66%
628 premises
 0%
67 premises

Climate

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Annual rainfall 2,150 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 16.0°C
same for both

Council rates

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Average residential rate $1,829/yr
same for both
Council Cassowary Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Division Kennedy
same for both
Member Bob Katter
same for both
Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

South Mission Beach Hull Heads
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

South Mission Beach

Beach Coastal Retirees Rural

Hull Heads

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with South Mission Beach

South Mission Beach vs Wongaling Beach South Mission Beach vs Carmoo South Mission Beach vs Coral Sea

Other comparisons with Hull Heads

Hull Heads vs Tully Heads Hull Heads vs Carmoo Hull Heads vs Lower Tully Hull Heads vs Coral Sea
Full data on South Mission Beach Full data on Hull Heads
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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