Wacol vs Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 35 in Wacol. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Wacol, about half of households rent. In Ellen Grove, most households rent. Wacol is closer to the city centre: 21 km, against 24.6 km. On these figures, Wacol tends to suit young adults, while Ellen Grove suits renters and families with children.

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

  • Wacol has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • Ellen Grove carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 92/100)

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

First-home buyers

Ellen Grove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($546,000 vs $650,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Wacol has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $350/wk)
  • Ellen Grove has a bigger rental market to choose from (70% vs 47%)

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

Commuting to the city

Wacol

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (10% vs 4%)
  • has a shorter drive in (25 min vs 30 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (21 km vs 24.6 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Ellen Grove

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (39% vs 18%)
  • carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 92/100)

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

Investors

Ellen Grove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (23.4% vs 13.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Wacol Ellen Grove
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.

Wacol Ellen Grove
Walkability 52 / 47
Wacol — Walkability: 52/100 Ellen Grove — Walkability: 47/100
Safety 8 / 35
Wacol — Safety: 8/100 Ellen Grove — Safety: 35/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Wacol — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ellen Grove — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Wacol skews older (35 vs 30).

Wacol Ellen Grove
Population 4,253
+16% vs other
 3,586
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.1% +23.4%
Median age 35 30
Median household income $71,708/yr
+2% vs other
 $70,356/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk $350/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wacol Ellen Grove
0-4 0.8% / 8.8%
Wacol — 0-4: 0.8% Ellen Grove — 0-4: 8.8%
5-14 2.0% / 15.5%
Wacol — 5-14: 2.0% Ellen Grove — 5-14: 15.5%
15-19 4.6% / 7.1%
Wacol — 15-19: 4.6% Ellen Grove — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 9.5% / 9.0%
Wacol — 20-24: 9.5% Ellen Grove — 20-24: 9.0%
25-34 31.2% / 17.5%
Wacol — 25-34: 31.2% Ellen Grove — 25-34: 17.5%
35-44 27.1% / 14.2%
Wacol — 35-44: 27.1% Ellen Grove — 35-44: 14.2%
45-54 13.7% / 10.4%
Wacol — 45-54: 13.7% Ellen Grove — 45-54: 10.4%
55-64 6.4% / 8.8%
Wacol — 55-64: 6.4% Ellen Grove — 55-64: 8.8%
65-74 3.0% / 6.1%
Wacol — 65-74: 3.0% Ellen Grove — 65-74: 6.1%
75-84 1.5% / 2.1%
Wacol — 75-84: 1.5% Ellen Grove — 75-84: 2.1%
85+ 0.4% / 0.5%
Wacol — 85+: 0.4% Ellen Grove — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wacol 27.7% couple families
Wacol — Couple Families: 27.7% Wacol — One Parent Families: 26.8% Wacol — Lone Person: 31.6% Wacol — Group Household: 10.8% Wacol — Other Families: 3.0%
Ellen Grove 37.0% couple families
Ellen Grove — Couple Families: 37.0% Ellen Grove — One Parent Families: 31.4% Ellen Grove — Lone Person: 23.8% Ellen Grove — Group Household: 5.5% Ellen Grove — Other Families: 2.2%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wacol 47.1% renting
Wacol — Owned Outright: 29.3% Wacol — Mortgage: 23.6% Wacol — Renting: 47.1%
Ellen Grove 69.6% renting
Ellen Grove — Owned Outright: 11.3% Ellen Grove — Mortgage: 19.1% Ellen Grove — Renting: 69.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wacol Ellen Grove
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 12.4%
Wacol — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% Ellen Grove — Certificate III & IV: 12.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 8.2%
Wacol — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Ellen Grove — Bachelor Degree: 8.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 1.0% / 7.0%
Wacol — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.0% Ellen Grove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 3.0%
Wacol — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Ellen Grove — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.2% / 0.8%
Wacol — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.2% Ellen Grove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.4%).

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.

Wacol Ellen Grove
New Zealand 5.1% / 5.7%
Wacol — New Zealand: 5.1% Ellen Grove — New Zealand: 5.7%
Vietnam 0.9% / 6.3%
Wacol — Vietnam: 0.9% Ellen Grove — Vietnam: 6.3%
India 0.4% / 4.1%
Wacol — India: 0.4% Ellen Grove — India: 4.1%
England 1.9% / 1.7%
Wacol — England: 1.9% Ellen Grove — England: 1.7%
Philippines 0.8% / 2.6%
Wacol — Philippines: 0.8% Ellen Grove — Philippines: 2.6%
Fiji 0.4% / —
Wacol — Fiji: 0.4% Ellen Grove — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wacol 82.4% houses
Wacol — Houses: 82.4% Wacol — Townhouses: 17.0% Wacol — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Ellen Grove 61.2% houses
Ellen Grove — Houses: 61.2% Ellen Grove — Townhouses: 36.6% Ellen Grove — Flats / Apartments: 2.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wacol Ellen Grove
Median house price $847,500 $800,000
Median unit price $650,000 $546,000
Median land price $1,615,625 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 3 sales
 20 days
from 12 sales

Development activity

Wacol Ellen Grove
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.

Wacol Ellen Grove
Houses — 4.2%
$610/wk on $749K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Wacol Ellen Grove
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 37% of QLD
Schools Higher than 44% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 88% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of QLD
same for both
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 65% of QLD

Liveability

Ellen Grove scores higher overall (45 vs 32).

Wacol Ellen Grove
Grade D C
Score 32/100 45/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Wacol carries more crime risk (92 vs 65).

Wacol Ellen Grove
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
92/100
 Moderate
65/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 22
within 5 km
 20
within 5 km

Schools

Wacol Ellen Grove
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Wacol

  • Carole Park State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Brisbane Youth Education and Training Centre Government · Combined · Special school
  • Wacol Youth Remand Education Support Hub Government · Combined · Special school
  • West Moreton Education and Training Centre Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Ellen Grove

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

Amenities in the suburb

Wacol Ellen Grove
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 7 8
Childcare 2 3
Hospitals 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 8 3

Mobility

Ellen Grove sits further from the CBD (24.6 km vs 21 km).

Wacol Ellen Grove
Walkability score 52/100 47/100
Distance to Brisbane 21 km 24.6 km
+17% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 30 min
Public transport score 81/100
Rail · Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 44.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 58.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4076
 1.5%
postcode 4078
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 68
postcode 4076
 67
postcode 4078

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.

Wacol Ellen Grove
Car (driver) 65.7% / 73.0%
Wacol — Car (driver): 65.7% Ellen Grove — Car (driver): 73.0%
Worked from Home 12.6% / 10.2%
Wacol — Worked from Home: 12.6% Ellen Grove — Worked from Home: 10.2%
Car (passenger) 7.2% / 8.1%
Wacol — Car (passenger): 7.2% Ellen Grove — Car (passenger): 8.1%
Train 10.1% / 4.3%
Wacol — Train: 10.1% Ellen Grove — Train: 4.3%
Walked Only 3.2% / 1.6%
Wacol — Walked Only: 3.2% Ellen Grove — Walked Only: 1.6%
Bus — / 2.8%
Wacol — Bus: not among its largest Ellen Grove — Bus: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.0%).

Setting

Wacol Ellen Grove
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.3 km 26.9 km

NBN connectivity

Wacol Ellen Grove
Connectivity score 93/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 85%
993 premises
 87%
1,422 premises

Climate

Wacol Ellen Grove
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)

Wacol Ellen Grove
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.99 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Wacol Ellen Grove
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Wacol Ellen Grove
Division Oxley
same for both
Member Milton Dick
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wacol Ellen Grove
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wacol

Middle-Ring Multicultural Trains Transport Hub

Ellen Grove

Family Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Townhouses Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wacol

Wacol vs Forest Lake Wacol vs Goodna Wacol vs Richlands Wacol vs Moggill Wacol vs Riverhills Wacol vs Darra

Other comparisons with Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove vs Forest Lake Ellen Grove vs Gailes
Full data on Wacol Full data on Ellen Grove
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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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