Toowong vs West End

Toowong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 34 in West End. In both, most households rent and most homes are flats or apartments. In West End, about half of households are people living alone. Units cost more in West End: a median of $910,000, against $818,000 in Toowong, and rent is higher there too. West End is closer to the city centre: 4.6 km, against 5.2 km.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Toowong has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 0)
  • West End has more childcare (9 vs 6)

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

First-home buyers

Toowong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,855,000 vs $2,070,000)
  • has cheaper units ($817,500 vs $909,500)

Weighs house prices, unit 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

Toowong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (8% vs 1%)

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

Downsizers and retirees

West End

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (64/100 vs 79/100)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Toowong returns a higher gross yield on units (4.5% vs 4.0%)
  • West End is growing faster (55.5% vs 15.9%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Toowong West End
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.

Toowong West End
Walkability 96 / 99
Toowong — Walkability: 96/100 West End — Walkability: 99/100
Safety 21 / 36
Toowong — Safety: 21/100 West End — Safety: 36/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Toowong — Low fire risk: 100/100 West End — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

West End skews older (34 vs 30).

Toowong West End
Population 12,556 14,730
+17% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +15.9% +55.5%
Median age 30 34
Median household income $100,204/yr $109,928/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk $450/wk
+7% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Toowong West End
0-4 4.0% / 3.5%
Toowong — 0-4: 4.0% West End — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 8.0% / 8.9%
Toowong — 5-14: 8.0% West End — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 6.5% / 5.0%
Toowong — 15-19: 6.5% West End — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 16.2% / 9.4%
Toowong — 20-24: 16.2% West End — 20-24: 9.4%
25-34 23.6% / 25.2%
Toowong — 25-34: 23.6% West End — 25-34: 25.2%
35-44 13.6% / 16.5%
Toowong — 35-44: 13.6% West End — 35-44: 16.5%
45-54 10.0% / 13.1%
Toowong — 45-54: 10.0% West End — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 7.7% / 9.3%
Toowong — 55-64: 7.7% West End — 55-64: 9.3%
65-74 6.1% / 5.9%
Toowong — 65-74: 6.1% West End — 65-74: 5.9%
75-84 3.3% / 2.4%
Toowong — 75-84: 3.3% West End — 75-84: 2.4%
85+ 1.0% / 0.8%
Toowong — 85+: 1.0% West End — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Toowong 43.7% lone person
Toowong — Lone Person: 43.7% Toowong — Couple Families: 24.9% Toowong — Group Household: 19.3% Toowong — One Parent Families: 8.8% Toowong — Other Families: 3.3%
West End 46.9% lone person
West End — Lone Person: 46.9% West End — Couple Families: 27.1% West End — Group Household: 13.6% West End — One Parent Families: 10.2% West End — Other Families: 2.1%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Toowong 55.9% renting
Toowong — Owned Outright: 21.4% Toowong — Mortgage: 22.7% Toowong — Renting: 55.9%
West End 59.5% renting
West End — Owned Outright: 18.4% West End — Mortgage: 22.1% West End — Renting: 59.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Toowong West End
Bachelor Degree 29.4% / 27.6%
Toowong — Bachelor Degree: 29.4% West End — Bachelor Degree: 27.6%
Postgraduate Degree 13.8% / 14.4%
Toowong — Postgraduate Degree: 13.8% West End — Postgraduate Degree: 14.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 7.6%
Toowong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% West End — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6%
Certificate III & IV 6.7% / 6.6%
Toowong — Certificate III & IV: 6.7% West End — Certificate III & IV: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.8% / 3.7%
Toowong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8% West End — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.4%).

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.

Toowong West End
China 6.1% / 3.6%
Toowong — China: 6.1% West End — China: 3.6%
England 3.5% / 4.3%
Toowong — England: 3.5% West End — England: 4.3%
New Zealand 2.5% / 3.0%
Toowong — New Zealand: 2.5% West End — New Zealand: 3.0%
India 1.9% / 2.5%
Toowong — India: 1.9% West End — India: 2.5%
South Africa 1.3% / 1.0%
Toowong — South Africa: 1.3% West End — South Africa: 1.0%
Vietnam — / 1.9%
Toowong — Vietnam: not among its largest West End — Vietnam: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Toowong 69.0% flats / apartments
Toowong — Flats / Apartments: 69.0% Toowong — Houses: 28.5% Toowong — Townhouses: 2.5%
West End 76.1% flats / apartments
West End — Flats / Apartments: 76.1% West End — Houses: 19.6% West End — Townhouses: 4.3%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Toowong West End
Median house price $1,855,000 $2,070,000
Median unit price $817,500 $909,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 68 sales
 31 days
from 61 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.

Toowong West End
1 bed $650K / $710K
Toowong — 1 bed: $650K (43 sales) West End — 1 bed: $710K (121 sales)

43 vs 121 sales

2 bed $830K / $935K
Toowong — 2 bed: $830K (189 sales) West End — 2 bed: $935K (223 sales)

189 vs 223 sales

3 bed $1.2M / $1.65M
Toowong — 3 bed: $1.2M (45 sales) West End — 3 bed: $1.65M (84 sales)

45 vs 84 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.

Toowong West End
2 bed $1.4M / $1.5M
Toowong — 2 bed: $1.4M (7 sales) West End — 2 bed: $1.5M (13 sales)

7 vs 13 sales

3 bed $1.57M / $1.91M
Toowong — 3 bed: $1.57M (41 sales) West End — 3 bed: $1.91M (24 sales)

41 vs 24 sales

4 bed $1.99M / $2.28M
Toowong — 4 bed: $1.99M (25 sales) West End — 4 bed: $2.28M (18 sales)

25 vs 18 sales

5 bed $2.3M / $2.41M
Toowong — 5 bed: $2.3M (21 sales) West End — 5 bed: $2.41M (8 sales)

21 vs 8 sales

Development activity

Toowong West End
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.

Toowong West End
Houses 2.6%
$850/wk on $1.69M
 2.6%
$1,000/wk on $1.99M
Units 4.5%
$725/wk on $835K
 4.0%
$800/wk on $1.05M

Ranking within QLD

Toowong West End
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 74% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Schools Higher than 87% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 100% of QLD
same for both
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 98% of QLD Higher than 99% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of QLD Higher than 99% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 6% of QLD
same for both
Rental yield (units) Higher than 53% of QLD Higher than 29% of QLD

Liveability

Toowong West End
Grade A A+
Score 80/100 84/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Toowong carries more crime risk (79 vs 64).

Toowong West End
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
79/100
 Moderate
64/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Toowong West End
Inside the suburb 6 2
Rated above peers 3 0
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
St Lucia Campus, 2.8 km
 3
Brisbane City, 1.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 10.9% 5.1%

Schools in Toowong

  • St Ignatius School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Stuartholme School Catholic · Combined above peers
  • Toowong State School Government · Primary above peers
  • Brisbane Boys' College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Omni Academies of Learning Independent · Secondary
  • Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology Government · Secondary

Schools in West End

  • West End State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Arethusa College - West End Campus Independent · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Toowong West End
Supermarkets 5 13
Cafes & restaurants 41 87
Parks & reserves 16 12
Childcare 6 9
GPs 4
same for both
Pharmacies 3 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Toowong West End
Walkability score 96/100 99/100
Distance to Brisbane 5.2 km
+12% vs other
 4.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 11 min 12 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus · Ferry
Peak arrivals per hour 262.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 425.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.9%
postcode 4066
 3.2%
postcode 4101
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 19
postcode 4066
 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.

Toowong West End
Car (driver) 42.5% / 37.3%
Toowong — Car (driver): 42.5% West End — Car (driver): 37.3%
Worked from Home 31.2% / 31.9%
Toowong — Worked from Home: 31.2% West End — Worked from Home: 31.9%
Bus 5.5% / 12.2%
Toowong — Bus: 5.5% West End — Bus: 12.2%
Walked Only 5.5% / 9.3%
Toowong — Walked Only: 5.5% West End — Walked Only: 9.3%
Train 8.4% / 0.9%
Toowong — Train: 8.4% West End — Train: 0.9%
Bicycle 3.4% / 5.1%
Toowong — Bicycle: 3.4% West End — Bicycle: 5.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (42.5%).

Setting

Toowong West End
Elevation 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 14.6 km 12.9 km

NBN connectivity

Toowong West End
Connectivity score 79/100 100/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 21%
7,412 premises
 100%
3,335 premises

Climate

Toowong West End
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)

Toowong West End
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Toowong West End
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Toowong West End
Division Ryan Griffith
Member Elizabeth Watson-Brown Renee Coffey
Party The Greens Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Toowong West End
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Toowong

Apartments Cafe Culture Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Students Transport Hub Urban

West End

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Toowong

Toowong vs St Lucia Toowong vs Bardon Toowong vs Taringa Toowong vs Auchenflower

Other comparisons with West End

West End vs South Brisbane West End vs St Lucia West End vs Highgate Hill West End vs Auchenflower West End vs Milton
Full data on Toowong Full data on West End
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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