Airlie Beach vs Bowen, QLD suburb comparison
Which suburb suits you better?
Side-by-side comparison of 16 categories from official government and open data.
| Category | Airlie Beach | Bowen |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 49.7/100 | 40.6/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 25.8/100 | 38.9/100 |
| Crime rate | 78.5 / 1k | 55.0 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | — | 5 |
| Parks & reserves | 1 | 16 |
| Walkability | 88.0/100 | 0.0/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 223 | 5 |
| Planning activity | 1 | 1 |
| Population | 1,312 | 11,205 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 6/10 | 2/10 |
Quick verdicts
- Best for retireesAirlie Beach
- Best for familiesBowen
- Best for beach lifestyleAirlie Beach
- Best for investmentBowen
- Best for best schoolsBowen
Comparison summary
Airlie Beach and Bowen offer different strengths across official suburb data. Airlie Beach leads on more comparison categories overall. Overall score favours Airlie Beach; Housing (desirability) favours Bowen; Crime rate favours Bowen. Quick verdicts: Retirees → Airlie Beach, Families → Bowen, Beach lifestyle → Airlie Beach, Investment → Bowen.