Wacol vs Goodna

In both, about half of households rent and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Wacol: a median of $848,000, against $775,000 in Goodna, and rent is higher there too. Wacol is closer to the city centre: 21 km, against 25.4 km. On these figures, Wacol tends to suit young adults, while Goodna suits 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

Goodna

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (17 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (6 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

Goodna

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($755,000 vs $1,615,625)
  • has cheaper units ($581,000 vs $650,000)

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

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Wacol sits closer to the CBD (21 km vs 25.4 km)
  • Goodna is more walkable (81/100 vs 52/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Goodna

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (12% vs 5%)
  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 52/100)

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

Investors

Wacol

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.1% vs -0.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Wacol and Goodna 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 Goodna
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 Goodna
Walkability 52 / 81
Wacol — Walkability: 52/100 Goodna — Walkability: 81/100
Safety 8 / 17
Wacol — Safety: 8/100 Goodna — Safety: 17/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Wacol — Low fire risk: 100/100 Goodna — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Goodna has more residents (10,391 vs 4,253); Wacol skews older (35 vs 33).

Wacol Goodna
Population 4,253 10,391
+144% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.1% -0.7%
Median age 35 33
Median household income $71,708/yr
+3% vs other
 $69,524/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk
+6% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wacol Goodna
0-4 0.8% / 7.3%
Wacol — 0-4: 0.8% Goodna — 0-4: 7.3%
5-14 2.0% / 17.3%
Wacol — 5-14: 2.0% Goodna — 5-14: 17.3%
15-19 4.6% / 6.9%
Wacol — 15-19: 4.6% Goodna — 15-19: 6.9%
20-24 9.5% / 6.7%
Wacol — 20-24: 9.5% Goodna — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 31.2% / 13.8%
Wacol — 25-34: 31.2% Goodna — 25-34: 13.8%
35-44 27.1% / 14.0%
Wacol — 35-44: 27.1% Goodna — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 13.7% / 12.3%
Wacol — 45-54: 13.7% Goodna — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 6.4% / 9.8%
Wacol — 55-64: 6.4% Goodna — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 3.0% / 7.1%
Wacol — 65-74: 3.0% Goodna — 65-74: 7.1%
75-84 1.5% / 3.8%
Wacol — 75-84: 1.5% Goodna — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 0.4% / 1.0%
Wacol — 85+: 0.4% Goodna — 85+: 1.0%

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 — Lone Person: 31.6% Wacol — One Parent Families: 26.8% Wacol — Group Household: 10.8% Wacol — Other Families: 3.0%
Goodna 36.3% couple families
Goodna — Couple Families: 36.3% Goodna — Lone Person: 30.6% Goodna — One Parent Families: 25.0% Goodna — Group Household: 5.7% Goodna — Other Families: 2.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families 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%
Goodna 50.2% renting
Goodna — Owned Outright: 20.2% Goodna — Mortgage: 29.5% Goodna — Renting: 50.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wacol Goodna
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 13.8%
Wacol — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% Goodna — Certificate III & IV: 13.8%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 5.7%
Wacol — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Goodna — Bachelor Degree: 5.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 1.0% / 5.9%
Wacol — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.0% Goodna — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 1.5%
Wacol — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Goodna — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.2% / 0.9%
Wacol — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.2% Goodna — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.8%).

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 Goodna
New Zealand 5.1% / 7.7%
Wacol — New Zealand: 5.1% Goodna — New Zealand: 7.7%
Vietnam 0.9% / 3.4%
Wacol — Vietnam: 0.9% Goodna — Vietnam: 3.4%
England 1.9% / 2.0%
Wacol — England: 1.9% Goodna — England: 2.0%
Philippines 0.8% / 2.4%
Wacol — Philippines: 0.8% Goodna — Philippines: 2.4%
India 0.4% / 1.2%
Wacol — India: 0.4% Goodna — India: 1.2%
Fiji 0.4% / 1.0%
Wacol — Fiji: 0.4% Goodna — Fiji: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.7%).

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%
Goodna 82.4% houses
Goodna — Houses: 82.4% Goodna — Townhouses: 16.3% Goodna — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wacol Goodna
Median house price $847,500 $775,000
Median unit price $650,000 $581,000
Median land price $1,615,625 $755,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 3 sales
 22 days
from 90 sales

Development activity

Wacol Goodna
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
 3,476
across Ipswich
Approvals change year on year +9% -7%

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 Goodna
Houses — 4.0%
$600/wk on $787K
Units — 4.2%
$465/wk on $569K

Ranking within QLD

Wacol Goodna
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 37% of QLD
Schools Higher than 44% of QLD Higher than 14% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 88% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 93% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 98% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 52% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 41% of QLD

Liveability

Goodna is more walkable (81 vs 52); Goodna scores higher overall (37 vs 32).

Wacol Goodna
Grade D C
Score 32/100 37/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Wacol Goodna
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
92/100
 High
83/100
Flood — Not mapped
no mapped data here
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 22
within 5 km
 18
within 5 km

Schools

Wacol Goodna
Inside the suburb 4 6
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 3

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 Goodna

  • Goodna State School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Francis Xavier School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Westside Christian College Independent · Secondary below peers
  • Queensland Pathways State College - Goodna Campus Government · Secondary
  • Westside Christian College - Alice St Campus Independent · Primary
  • Goodna Special School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Wacol Goodna
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 7
Parks & reserves 7 8
Childcare 2 17
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 3 4
Waterways 8 3

Mobility

Goodna sits further from the CBD (25.4 km vs 21 km).

Wacol Goodna
Walkability score 52/100 81/100
Distance to Brisbane 21 km 25.4 km
+21% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 29 min
Public transport score 81/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 44.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 107.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4076
 1.9%
postcode 4300
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 68
postcode 4076
 74
postcode 4300

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 Goodna
Car (driver) 65.7% / 72.7%
Wacol — Car (driver): 65.7% Goodna — Car (driver): 72.7%
Worked from Home 12.6% / 10.6%
Wacol — Worked from Home: 12.6% Goodna — Worked from Home: 10.6%
Train 10.1% / 6.0%
Wacol — Train: 10.1% Goodna — Train: 6.0%
Car (passenger) 7.2% / 8.8%
Wacol — Car (passenger): 7.2% Goodna — Car (passenger): 8.8%
Walked Only 3.2% / 1.1%
Wacol — Walked Only: 3.2% Goodna — Walked Only: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.7%).

Setting

Wacol Goodna
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.3 km 30.1 km

NBN connectivity

Wacol Goodna
Connectivity score 93/100 99/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 85%
993 premises
 98%
4,197 premises

Climate

Wacol Goodna
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 Goodna
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³ 6.8 µg/m³
PM10 17.3 µg/m³ 20.4 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.99 pphm 0.64 pphm

Council rates

Wacol Goodna
Average residential rate $1,519/yr $1,713/yr
Council Brisbane Ipswich

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Wacol Goodna
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

Goodna

Family Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wacol

Wacol vs Forest Lake Wacol vs Richlands Wacol vs Moggill Wacol vs Riverhills Wacol vs Darra Wacol vs Ellen Grove

Other comparisons with Goodna

Goodna vs Bellbird Park Goodna vs Camira Goodna vs Moggill Goodna vs Redbank Goodna vs Gailes
Full data on Wacol Full data on Goodna
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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