Wakerley vs Manly West

Wakerley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 41 in Manly West. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Wakerley, most households are couple families. In Manly West, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Wakerley: a median of $1.6 million, against $1.33 million in Manly West, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Wakerley tends to suit families with children and couples, while Manly West suits buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Wakerley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 49/100)
  • has more parks and reserves (25 vs 19)
  • is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 67%)
  • But Manly West has more childcare (8 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Wakerley has cheaper units ($347,500 vs $847,500)
  • Manly West has cheaper houses ($1,330,000 vs $1,600,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Manly West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($430/wk vs $510/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Manly West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 58/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Manly West

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 9%)
  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 58/100)
  • But Wakerley carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 49/100)

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

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

Wakerley Manly West
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.

Wakerley Manly West
Walkability 58 / 66
Wakerley — Walkability: 58/100 Manly West — Walkability: 66/100
Safety 74 / 51
Wakerley — Safety: 74/100 Manly West — Safety: 51/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Wakerley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Manly West — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Wakerley has higher household incomes ($153,504 vs $106,028); Manly West has more residents (12,436 vs 8,718).

Wakerley Manly West
Population 8,718 12,436
+43% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.2% +3.8%
Median age 37 41
Median household income $153,504/yr
+31% vs other
 $106,028/yr
Median weekly rent $510/wk
+16% vs other
 $430/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wakerley Manly West
0-4 7.1% / 5.7%
Wakerley — 0-4: 7.1% Manly West — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 19.4% / 14.7%
Wakerley — 5-14: 19.4% Manly West — 5-14: 14.7%
15-19 7.1% / 6.4%
Wakerley — 15-19: 7.1% Manly West — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 4.4% / 4.6%
Wakerley — 20-24: 4.4% Manly West — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 8.5% / 9.9%
Wakerley — 25-34: 8.5% Manly West — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 18.3% / 14.5%
Wakerley — 35-44: 18.3% Manly West — 35-44: 14.5%
45-54 16.9% / 15.5%
Wakerley — 45-54: 16.9% Manly West — 45-54: 15.5%
55-64 9.3% / 11.3%
Wakerley — 55-64: 9.3% Manly West — 55-64: 11.3%
65-74 5.9% / 8.5%
Wakerley — 65-74: 5.9% Manly West — 65-74: 8.5%
75-84 2.5% / 6.2%
Wakerley — 75-84: 2.5% Manly West — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 0.6% / 2.6%
Wakerley — 85+: 0.6% Manly West — 85+: 2.6%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wakerley 70.8% couple families
Wakerley — Couple Families: 70.8% Wakerley — Lone Person: 13.6% Wakerley — One Parent Families: 13.3% Wakerley — Group Household: 1.9% Wakerley — Other Families: 0.5%
Manly West 49.7% couple families
Manly West — Couple Families: 49.7% Manly West — Lone Person: 28.8% Manly West — One Parent Families: 17.6% Manly West — Group Household: 2.6% Manly West — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wakerley 22.1% renting
Wakerley — Owned Outright: 22.1% Wakerley — Mortgage: 55.9% Wakerley — Renting: 22.1%
Manly West 23.6% renting
Manly West — Owned Outright: 32.8% Manly West — Mortgage: 43.6% Manly West — Renting: 23.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wakerley Manly West
Bachelor Degree 17.7% / 13.7%
Wakerley — Bachelor Degree: 17.7% Manly West — Bachelor Degree: 13.7%
Certificate III & IV 10.9% / 14.8%
Wakerley — Certificate III & IV: 10.9% Manly West — Certificate III & IV: 14.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 8.7%
Wakerley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Manly West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 6.0% / 4.1%
Wakerley — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0% Manly West — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / 2.2%
Wakerley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% Manly West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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.

Wakerley Manly West
New Zealand 5.1% / 4.8%
Wakerley — New Zealand: 5.1% Manly West — New Zealand: 4.8%
England 4.7% / 4.8%
Wakerley — England: 4.7% Manly West — England: 4.8%
South Africa 4.2% / 1.6%
Wakerley — South Africa: 4.2% Manly West — South Africa: 1.6%
India 1.5% / 0.8%
Wakerley — India: 1.5% Manly West — India: 0.8%
China 1.4% / 0.4%
Wakerley — China: 1.4% Manly West — China: 0.4%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.7%
Wakerley — Philippines: 0.7% Manly West — Philippines: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wakerley 84.1% houses
Wakerley — Houses: 84.1% Wakerley — Townhouses: 15.6% Wakerley — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Manly West 78.0% houses
Manly West — Houses: 78.0% Manly West — Townhouses: 21.4% Manly West — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wakerley Manly West
Median house price $1,600,000 $1,330,000
Median unit price $347,500 $847,500
Median land price — $831,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 71 sales
 24 days
from 102 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.

Wakerley Manly West
3 bed $1.22M / $1.19M
Wakerley — 3 bed: $1.22M (8 sales) Manly West — 3 bed: $1.19M (72 sales)

8 vs 72 sales

4 bed $1.49M / $1.4M
Wakerley — 4 bed: $1.49M (83 sales) Manly West — 4 bed: $1.4M (85 sales)

83 vs 85 sales

5 bed $1.87M / $1.72M
Wakerley — 5 bed: $1.87M (30 sales) Manly West — 5 bed: $1.72M (18 sales)

30 vs 18 sales

Development activity

Wakerley Manly West
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.

Wakerley Manly West
Houses 3.8%
$920/wk on $1.26M
 3.6%
$830/wk on $1.2M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Wakerley Manly West
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 97% of QLD Higher than 78% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 65% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 89% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 95% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 29% of QLD

Liveability

Wakerley scores higher overall (88 vs 72); Manly West is more walkable (66 vs 58).

Wakerley Manly West
Grade A+ A
Score 88/100 72/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Manly West carries more crime risk (49 vs 26).

Wakerley Manly West
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
26/100
 Moderate
49/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Wakerley Manly West
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Wakerley

  • OneSchool Global QLD - Wakerley Independent · Combined above peers

Schools in Manly West

  • Wondall Heights State School Government · Primary above peers
  • Moreton Bay College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Manly West State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Moreton Bay Boys' College Independent · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Wakerley Manly West
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 25 19
Childcare 1 8
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 0 13

Mobility

Wakerley Manly West
Walkability score 58/100 66/100
Distance to Brisbane 18.8 km 19.6 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 29 min 30 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 45.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 127.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.2%
postcode 4154
 1.4%
postcode 4179
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 84
postcode 4154
 65
postcode 4179

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.

Wakerley Manly West
Car (driver) 63.7% / 66.3%
Wakerley — Car (driver): 63.7% Manly West — Car (driver): 66.3%
Worked from Home 27.5% / 23.0%
Wakerley — Worked from Home: 27.5% Manly West — Worked from Home: 23.0%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 4.0%
Wakerley — Car (passenger): 4.1% Manly West — Car (passenger): 4.0%
Train 2.1% / 3.8%
Wakerley — Train: 2.1% Manly West — Train: 3.8%
Bus 1.7% / 1.6%
Wakerley — Bus: 1.7% Manly West — Bus: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.3%).

Setting

Wakerley Manly West
Elevation 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 35 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.6 km
4.5 km to a named beach
 2.5 km
2.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Wakerley Manly West
Connectivity score 89/100 77/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 60%
2,969 premises
 12%
5,212 premises

Climate

Wakerley Manly West
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)

Wakerley Manly West
PM2.5 3.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Wakerley Manly West
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Wakerley Manly West
Division Bonner
same for both
Member Kara Cook
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Wakerley

Family Middle-Ring Parks Premium

Manly West

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wakerley

Wakerley vs Tingalpa Wakerley vs Lota Wakerley vs Gumdale Wakerley vs Ransome

Other comparisons with Manly West

Manly West vs Wynnum Manly West vs Wynnum West Manly West vs Tingalpa Manly West vs Manly Manly West vs Lota
Full data on Wakerley Full data on Manly West
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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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