Sun Valley vs Toolooa

Toolooa is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Sun Valley. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Sun Valley: a median of $526,000, against $457,000 in Toolooa, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Toolooa tends to suit 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

Sun Valley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 89/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 53%)

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

  • Sun Valley leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 30%)
  • Toolooa has cheaper houses ($457,000 vs $525,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Toolooa

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (42% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper rent ($189/wk vs $260/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sun Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 39/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sun Valley

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 89/100)
  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 39/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sun Valley Toolooa
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.

Sun Valley Toolooa
Walkability 61 / 39
Sun Valley — Walkability: 61/100 Toolooa — Walkability: 39/100
Safety 65 / 11
Sun Valley — Safety: 65/100 Toolooa — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Sun Valley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Toolooa — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Sun Valley has higher household incomes ($79,040 vs $51,376); Sun Valley rents higher ($260/wk vs $189/wk).

Sun Valley Toolooa
Population 1,296
+23% vs other
 992
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.0% +5.1%
Median age 38 35
Median household income $79,040/yr
+35% vs other
 $51,376/yr
Median weekly rent $260/wk
+27% vs other
 $189/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sun Valley Toolooa
0-4 6.3% / 7.0%
Sun Valley — 0-4: 6.3% Toolooa — 0-4: 7.0%
5-14 15.0% / 15.5%
Sun Valley — 5-14: 15.0% Toolooa — 5-14: 15.5%
15-19 7.7% / 7.6%
Sun Valley — 15-19: 7.7% Toolooa — 15-19: 7.6%
20-24 4.9% / 7.1%
Sun Valley — 20-24: 4.9% Toolooa — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 10.3% / 11.7%
Sun Valley — 25-34: 10.3% Toolooa — 25-34: 11.7%
35-44 13.7% / 13.1%
Sun Valley — 35-44: 13.7% Toolooa — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 14.9% / 11.9%
Sun Valley — 45-54: 14.9% Toolooa — 45-54: 11.9%
55-64 13.6% / 12.7%
Sun Valley — 55-64: 13.6% Toolooa — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 8.2% / 9.8%
Sun Valley — 65-74: 8.2% Toolooa — 65-74: 9.8%
75-84 4.2% / 2.2%
Sun Valley — 75-84: 4.2% Toolooa — 75-84: 2.2%
85+ 0.9% / 0.5%
Sun Valley — 85+: 0.9% Toolooa — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sun Valley 29.5% lone person
Sun Valley — Lone Person: 29.5% Sun Valley — Couple Families: 40.3% Sun Valley — One Parent Families: 26.1% Sun Valley — Group Household: 2.8% Sun Valley — Other Families: 1.1%
Toolooa 41.2% lone person
Toolooa — Lone Person: 41.2% Toolooa — Couple Families: 26.5% Toolooa — One Parent Families: 26.5% Toolooa — Group Household: 4.4% Toolooa — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sun Valley 30.3% renting
Sun Valley — Owned Outright: 29.0% Sun Valley — Mortgage: 40.8% Sun Valley — Renting: 30.3%
Toolooa 41.7% renting
Toolooa — Owned Outright: 25.7% Toolooa — Mortgage: 32.6% Toolooa — Renting: 41.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sun Valley Toolooa
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 18.9%
Sun Valley — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Toolooa — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 5.6% / 2.5%
Sun Valley — Bachelor Degree: 5.6% Toolooa — Bachelor Degree: 2.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.2% / 2.3%
Sun Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2% Toolooa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 0.4%
Sun Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Toolooa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 0.6%
Sun Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Toolooa — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

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.

Sun Valley Toolooa
New Zealand 2.8% / 3.1%
Sun Valley — New Zealand: 2.8% Toolooa — New Zealand: 3.1%
England 2.3% / 1.9%
Sun Valley — England: 2.3% Toolooa — England: 1.9%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.5%
Sun Valley — South Africa: 0.8% Toolooa — South Africa: 0.5%
Italy 0.5% / 0.5%
Sun Valley — Italy: 0.5% Toolooa — Italy: 0.5%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Sun Valley — Philippines: not among its largest Toolooa — Philippines: 0.7%
Thailand 0.6% / —
Sun Valley — Thailand: 0.6% Toolooa — Thailand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / —
Sun Valley — Scotland: 0.5% Toolooa — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sun Valley 95.6% houses
Sun Valley — Houses: 95.6% Sun Valley — Flats / Apartments: 3.8% Sun Valley — Townhouses: 0.6%
Toolooa 98.1% houses
Toolooa — Houses: 98.1% Toolooa — Flats / Apartments: 1.9% Toolooa — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Sun Valley Toolooa
Median house price $525,500 $457,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 20 sales
 37 days
from 13 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.

Sun Valley Toolooa
3 bed $509K / $450K
Sun Valley — 3 bed: $509K (60 sales) Toolooa — 3 bed: $450K (33 sales)

60 vs 33 sales

4 bed $612K / $555K
Sun Valley — 4 bed: $612K (24 sales) Toolooa — 4 bed: $555K (8 sales)

24 vs 8 sales

Development activity

Sun Valley Toolooa
New dwellings approved 274
across Gladstone
same for both
Approvals change year on year +132%
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.

Sun Valley Toolooa
Houses 4.9%
$545/wk on $574K
 4.6%
$500/wk on $568K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Sun Valley Toolooa
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 15% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 89% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 35% of QLD Higher than 36% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 89% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 90% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD

Liveability

Sun Valley scores higher overall (51 vs 23); Sun Valley is more walkable (61 vs 39).

Sun Valley Toolooa
Grade B D
Score 51/100 23/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Toolooa carries more crime risk (89 vs 35).

Sun Valley Toolooa
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
35/100
 High
89/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Sun Valley Toolooa
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Sun Valley

  • Trinity College Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Toolooa

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

Amenities in the suburb

Sun Valley Toolooa
Parks & reserves 4 1
Childcare 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Sun Valley Toolooa
Walkability score 61/100 39/100
Distance to Brisbane 526 km 524.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 365 min 363 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 26/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 5.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 3 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4680
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 59
postcode 4680
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.

Sun Valley Toolooa
Car (driver) 85.0% / 86.3%
Sun Valley — Car (driver): 85.0% Toolooa — Car (driver): 86.3%
Car (passenger) 6.9% / 9.0%
Sun Valley — Car (passenger): 6.9% Toolooa — Car (passenger): 9.0%
Worked from Home 4.4% / 2.5%
Sun Valley — Worked from Home: 4.4% Toolooa — Worked from Home: 2.5%
Walked Only 2.5% / 1.1%
Sun Valley — Walked Only: 2.5% Toolooa — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 1.2% / 1.1%
Sun Valley — Bus: 1.2% Toolooa — Bus: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.3%).

Setting

Sun Valley Toolooa
Elevation 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.0 km 2.9 km

NBN connectivity

Sun Valley Toolooa
Connectivity score 69/100 77/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
573 premises
 53%
518 premises

Climate

Sun Valley Toolooa
Annual rainfall 851 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 14.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Sun Valley Toolooa
PM2.5 5.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.49 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Sun Valley Toolooa
Average residential rate $2,358/yr
same for both
Council Gladstone
same for both

Federal electorate

Sun Valley Toolooa
Division Flynn
same for both
Member Colin Boyce
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sun Valley Toolooa
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sun Valley

Affordable Large Blocks Parks River

Toolooa

Acreage Affordable Coastal Family

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sun Valley

Sun Valley vs West Gladstone Sun Valley vs South Gladstone Sun Valley vs Kin Kora Sun Valley vs Telina

Other comparisons with Toolooa

Toolooa vs South Gladstone Toolooa vs Glen Eden Toolooa vs Telina
Full data on Sun Valley Full data on Toolooa
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or