St Lucia vs Highgate Hill

St Lucia is the younger of the two, with a median age of 25 against 37 in Highgate Hill. In both, about half of households rent and most homes are flats or apartments. Highgate Hill is closer to the city centre: 4.7 km, against 6.8 km. On these figures, St Lucia tends to suit young adults and share households, while Highgate Hill suits people living alone.

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

St Lucia

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (21 vs 10)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Highgate Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($1,037,250 vs $1,567,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Highgate Hill

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (4.7 km vs 6.8 km)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 71/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Highgate Hill

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 71/100)
  • But St Lucia carries lower crime risk (39/100 vs 72/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

St Lucia Highgate Hill
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.

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Walkability 71 / 99
St Lucia — Walkability: 71/100 Highgate Hill — Walkability: 99/100
Safety 61 / 28
St Lucia — Safety: 61/100 Highgate Hill — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
St Lucia — Low fire risk: 100/100 Highgate Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

St Lucia has more residents (12,220 vs 6,229); Highgate Hill skews older (37 vs 25).

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Population 12,220
+49% vs other
 6,229
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.8% +0.6%
Median age 25 37
Median household income $91,572/yr $100,724/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $410/wk
+7% vs other
 $380/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

St Lucia Highgate Hill
0-4 3.1% / 2.3%
St Lucia — 0-4: 3.1% Highgate Hill — 0-4: 2.3%
5-14 7.7% / 9.9%
St Lucia — 5-14: 7.7% Highgate Hill — 5-14: 9.9%
15-19 16.5% / 6.8%
St Lucia — 15-19: 16.5% Highgate Hill — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 21.7% / 9.1%
St Lucia — 20-24: 21.7% Highgate Hill — 20-24: 9.1%
25-34 16.6% / 18.4%
St Lucia — 25-34: 16.6% Highgate Hill — 25-34: 18.4%
35-44 10.6% / 14.6%
St Lucia — 35-44: 10.6% Highgate Hill — 35-44: 14.6%
45-54 7.2% / 14.9%
St Lucia — 45-54: 7.2% Highgate Hill — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 6.0% / 11.4%
St Lucia — 55-64: 6.0% Highgate Hill — 55-64: 11.4%
65-74 6.1% / 7.0%
St Lucia — 65-74: 6.1% Highgate Hill — 65-74: 7.0%
75-84 3.8% / 3.7%
St Lucia — 75-84: 3.8% Highgate Hill — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 1.0% / 1.8%
St Lucia — 85+: 1.0% Highgate Hill — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

St Lucia 32.8% lone person
St Lucia — Lone Person: 32.8% St Lucia — Couple Families: 28.8% St Lucia — Group Household: 26.1% St Lucia — One Parent Families: 8.3% St Lucia — Other Families: 3.9%
Highgate Hill 41.9% lone person
Highgate Hill — Lone Person: 41.9% Highgate Hill — Couple Families: 29.6% Highgate Hill — Group Household: 14.5% Highgate Hill — One Parent Families: 12.1% Highgate Hill — Other Families: 1.8%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

St Lucia 54.5% renting
St Lucia — Owned Outright: 27.3% St Lucia — Mortgage: 18.2% St Lucia — Renting: 54.5%
Highgate Hill 51.8% renting
Highgate Hill — Owned Outright: 25.0% Highgate Hill — Mortgage: 23.3% Highgate Hill — Renting: 51.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Bachelor Degree 21.8% / 25.6%
St Lucia — Bachelor Degree: 21.8% Highgate Hill — Bachelor Degree: 25.6%
Postgraduate Degree 17.7% / 13.4%
St Lucia — Postgraduate Degree: 17.7% Highgate Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 13.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.0% / 6.9%
St Lucia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0% Highgate Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Certificate III & IV 4.2% / 7.0%
St Lucia — Certificate III & IV: 4.2% Highgate Hill — Certificate III & IV: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 3.8%
St Lucia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Highgate Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

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.

St Lucia Highgate Hill
China 7.4% / 1.9%
St Lucia — China: 7.4% Highgate Hill — China: 1.9%
England 3.0% / 3.6%
St Lucia — England: 3.0% Highgate Hill — England: 3.6%
India 2.8% / 1.7%
St Lucia — India: 2.8% Highgate Hill — India: 1.7%
New Zealand 1.8% / 2.5%
St Lucia — New Zealand: 1.8% Highgate Hill — New Zealand: 2.5%
Greece — / 2.7%
St Lucia — Greece: not among its largest Highgate Hill — Greece: 2.7%
Malaysia 2.6% / —
St Lucia — Malaysia: 2.6% Highgate Hill — Malaysia: not among its largest
Vietnam — / 2.1%
St Lucia — Vietnam: not among its largest Highgate Hill — Vietnam: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

St Lucia 60.2% flats / apartments
St Lucia — Flats / Apartments: 60.2% St Lucia — Houses: 33.0% St Lucia — Townhouses: 6.9%
Highgate Hill 57.9% flats / apartments
Highgate Hill — Flats / Apartments: 57.9% Highgate Hill — Houses: 37.9% Highgate Hill — Townhouses: 4.2%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Median house price $2,120,000 $2,310,000
Median unit price $830,550 $900,000
Median land price $1,567,500 $1,037,250
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 55 sales
 30 days
from 46 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

St Lucia Highgate Hill
3 bed $1.82M / $1.86M
St Lucia — 3 bed: $1.82M (19 sales) Highgate Hill — 3 bed: $1.86M (23 sales)

19 vs 23 sales

4 bed $2.17M / $2.6M
St Lucia — 4 bed: $2.17M (36 sales) Highgate Hill — 4 bed: $2.6M (22 sales)

36 vs 22 sales

5 bed $2.65M / $2.7M
St Lucia — 5 bed: $2.65M (23 sales) Highgate Hill — 5 bed: $2.7M (9 sales)

23 vs 9 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

St Lucia Highgate Hill
1 bed $588K / $596K
St Lucia — 1 bed: $588K (20 sales) Highgate Hill — 1 bed: $596K (22 sales)

20 vs 22 sales

2 bed $820K / $890K
St Lucia — 2 bed: $820K (120 sales) Highgate Hill — 2 bed: $890K (43 sales)

120 vs 43 sales

3 bed $1.27M / $1.4M
St Lucia — 3 bed: $1.27M (50 sales) Highgate Hill — 3 bed: $1.4M (21 sales)

50 vs 21 sales

Development activity

St Lucia Highgate Hill
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
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.

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Houses 2.0%
$875/wk on $2.27M
 1.8%
$950/wk on $2.7M
Units 3.7%
$650/wk on $925K
 4.0%
$560/wk on $724K

Ranking within QLD

St Lucia Highgate Hill
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 64% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 92% of QLD Higher than 100% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 99% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of QLD Higher than 100% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 2% of QLD Higher than 1% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 17% of QLD Higher than 32% of QLD

Liveability

Highgate Hill is more walkable (99 vs 71); St Lucia scores higher overall (87 vs 79).

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Grade A+ A
Score 87/100 79/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Highgate Hill carries more crime risk (72 vs 39).

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
39/100
 High
72/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 13
within 5 km
 12
within 5 km

Schools

St Lucia Highgate Hill
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 3
St Lucia Campus, 0.0 km
 3
Brisbane City, 1.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 28.2% 5.2%

Schools in St Lucia

  • Ironside State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Highgate Hill

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

Amenities in the suburb

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 38 8
Parks & reserves 21 10
Childcare 5 0
GPs 1 3
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 4 1

Mobility

St Lucia sits further from the CBD (6.8 km vs 4.7 km).

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Walkability score 71/100 99/100
Distance to Brisbane 6.8 km
+31% vs other
 4.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 14 min 12 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 433.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 95.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.2%
postcode 4067
 3.2%
postcode 4101
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 20
postcode 4067
 10
postcode 4101

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.

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Car (driver) 37.1% / 41.0%
St Lucia — Car (driver): 37.1% Highgate Hill — Car (driver): 41.0%
Worked from Home 34.9% / 28.6%
St Lucia — Worked from Home: 34.9% Highgate Hill — Worked from Home: 28.6%
Bus 10.7% / 7.8%
St Lucia — Bus: 10.7% Highgate Hill — Bus: 7.8%
Walked Only 8.0% / 10.0%
St Lucia — Walked Only: 8.0% Highgate Hill — Walked Only: 10.0%
Bicycle 3.5% / 5.8%
St Lucia — Bicycle: 3.5% Highgate Hill — Bicycle: 5.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (41.0%).

Setting

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.8 km 12.1 km

NBN connectivity

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Connectivity score 79/100 100/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
5,218 premises
 100%
101 premises

Climate

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

St Lucia Highgate Hill
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 1.25 pphm
same for both

Council rates

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Division Ryan Griffith
Member Elizabeth Watson-Brown Renee Coffey
Party The Greens Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

St Lucia Highgate Hill
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

St Lucia

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Students Transport Hub Urban

Highgate Hill

Apartments Cafe Culture Inner Parks Professionals River Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with St Lucia

St Lucia vs West End St Lucia vs Indooroopilly St Lucia vs Toowong St Lucia vs Taringa St Lucia vs Yeronga St Lucia vs Fairfield

Other comparisons with Highgate Hill

Highgate Hill vs West End Highgate Hill vs South Brisbane Highgate Hill vs Dutton Park
Full data on St Lucia Full data on Highgate Hill
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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