The Caves vs Wattlebank

The Caves is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Wattlebank. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In The Caves, about half of households are couple families. In Wattlebank, most households are people living alone. On these figures, The Caves tends to suit couples, while Wattlebank suits people living alone and older residents.

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

The Caves

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 31%)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Wattlebank carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 43/100)

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

First-home buyers

The Caves

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 41%)

Weighs 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

The Caves

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (458 min vs 466 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (656 km vs 663.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wattlebank

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 15%)
  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 43/100)
  • But The Caves is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

The Caves Wattlebank
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.

The Caves Wattlebank
Walkability 23 / 0
The Caves — Walkability: 23/100 Wattlebank — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 57 / 72
The Caves — Safety: 57/100 Wattlebank — Safety: 72/100
Low fire risk 54 / 53
The Caves — Low fire risk: 54/100 Wattlebank — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

The Caves has more residents (680 vs 74); The Caves has higher household incomes ($100,152 vs $76,336).

The Caves Wattlebank
Population 680
+89% vs other
 74
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -5.3% -5.1%
Median age 40 43
Median household income $100,152/yr
+24% vs other
 $76,336/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+7% vs other
 $280/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

The Caves Wattlebank
0-4 5.0% / 5.4%
The Caves — 0-4: 5.0% Wattlebank — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 14.4% / 16.2%
The Caves — 5-14: 14.4% Wattlebank — 5-14: 16.2%
15-19 6.3% / —
The Caves — 15-19: 6.3% Wattlebank — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 4.7% / —
The Caves — 20-24: 4.7% Wattlebank — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 11.2% / 10.8%
The Caves — 25-34: 11.2% Wattlebank — 25-34: 10.8%
35-44 12.6% / 10.8%
The Caves — 35-44: 12.6% Wattlebank — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 13.8% / 9.5%
The Caves — 45-54: 13.8% Wattlebank — 45-54: 9.5%
55-64 14.9% / 13.5%
The Caves — 55-64: 14.9% Wattlebank — 55-64: 13.5%
65-74 11.3% / 8.1%
The Caves — 65-74: 11.3% Wattlebank — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 4.0% / 18.9%
The Caves — 75-84: 4.0% Wattlebank — 75-84: 18.9%
85+ — / —
The Caves — 85+: not among its largest Wattlebank — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

The Caves 26.2% lone person
The Caves — Lone Person: 26.2% The Caves — Couple Families: 53.1% The Caves — One Parent Families: 14.5% The Caves — Group Household: 6.2%
Wattlebank 69.2% lone person
Wattlebank — Lone Person: 69.2% Wattlebank — Couple Families: 30.8% Wattlebank — One Parent Families: 0.0% Wattlebank — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

The Caves 10.4% renting
The Caves — Owned Outright: 34.6% The Caves — Mortgage: 55.0% The Caves — Renting: 10.4%
Wattlebank 12.5% renting
Wattlebank — Owned Outright: 50.0% Wattlebank — Mortgage: 37.5% Wattlebank — Renting: 12.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

The Caves 100.0% houses
The Caves — Houses: 100.0%
Wattlebank 100.0% houses
Wattlebank — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Qualifications

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

The Caves Wattlebank
Certificate III & IV 19.4% / 14.9%
The Caves — Certificate III & IV: 19.4% Wattlebank — Certificate III & IV: 14.9%
Bachelor Degree 6.5% / 5.4%
The Caves — Bachelor Degree: 6.5% Wattlebank — Bachelor Degree: 5.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 6.8%
The Caves — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% Wattlebank — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / —
The Caves — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Wattlebank — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / —
The Caves — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Wattlebank — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

Property market

The Caves Wattlebank
Median house price $800,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 116 days
from 4 sales
 —

Development activity

The Caves Wattlebank
New dwellings approved 317
across Livingstone
same for both
Approvals change year on year +97%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

The Caves Wattlebank
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 47% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 80% of QLD Higher than 59% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 19% of QLD —
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of QLD Higher than 46% of QLD

Liveability

The Caves is more walkable (23 vs 0).

The Caves Wattlebank
Grade D —
Score 33/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

The Caves carries more crime risk (43 vs 28).

The Caves Wattlebank
Bushfire Moderate
46/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime Moderate
43/100
 Low
28/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

The Caves Wattlebank
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in The Caves

  • The Caves State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Wattlebank

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

Amenities in the suburb

The Caves Wattlebank
Parks & reserves 2 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Wattlebank sits further from the CBD (663.8 km vs 656 km).

The Caves Wattlebank
Walkability score 23/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 656 km 663.8 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 458 min 466 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 4702
 0.0%
postcode 4704
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 58
postcode 4702
 —

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.

The Caves Wattlebank
Car (driver) 84.6% / 74.2%
The Caves — Car (driver): 84.6% Wattlebank — Car (driver): 74.2%
Worked from Home 6.5% / 25.8%
The Caves — Worked from Home: 6.5% Wattlebank — Worked from Home: 25.8%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / —
The Caves — Car (passenger): 4.7% Wattlebank — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 2.5% / —
The Caves — Bus: 2.5% Wattlebank — Bus: not among its largest
Walked Only 1.8% / —
The Caves — Walked Only: 1.8% Wattlebank — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.6%).

Setting

The Caves Wattlebank
Elevation 75 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 29.7 km 28.1 km

NBN connectivity

The Caves Wattlebank
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
269 premises
 0%
31 premises

Climate

The Caves Wattlebank
Annual rainfall 811 mm 1,330 mm
Summer max (Jan) 32.5°C —
Winter min (Jul) 11.6°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

The Caves Wattlebank
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 8.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

The Caves Wattlebank
Average residential rate $2,445/yr
same for both
Council Livingstone
same for both

Federal electorate

The Caves Wattlebank
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

The Caves Wattlebank
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

The Caves

Quiet Rural

Wattlebank

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with The Caves

The Caves vs Etna Creek The Caves vs Milman The Caves vs Barmoya The Caves vs Yaamba

Other comparisons with Wattlebank

Wattlebank vs Milman Wattlebank vs Barmoya Wattlebank vs Rossmoya
Full data on The Caves Full data on Wattlebank
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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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