Overall score
Airlie Beach
46.4/100
Cannonvale
36.3/100
Airlie Beach for families and beach lifestyle; Cannonvale for retirees.
See which suburb leads on livability, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
Head to head
Overall score
Airlie Beach
46.4/100
Cannonvale
36.3/100
Crime rate
Airlie Beach
127.4 / 1k
Cannonvale
127.7 / 1k
Nearby amenities
Airlie Beach
248
Cannonvale
132
Population
Airlie Beach
1,312
Cannonvale
6,596
Desirability pillars scored 0–100 vs comparable suburbs
Clearer edge on lifestyle fit (score gap ≥ 3)
Who each suburb suits — composite scores out of 100
Side-by-side scores for every compared metric.
Exact figures for every metric — winner highlighted in bold.
| Category | Airlie Beach | Cannonvale |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 46.4/100 | 36.3/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 49.9/100 | 49.7/100 |
| Crime rate | 127.4 / 1k | 127.7 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | 1 | 2 |
| Weather (desirability) | 26.4/100 | 26.4/100 |
| Parks & reserves | 1 | 6 |
| Walkability | 88.0/100 | 26.0/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 248 | 132 |
| Planning activity | 1 | — |
| Green cover | 11.8% | 7.5% |
| Population | 1,312 | 6,596 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 6/10 | 4/10 |
Put side by side, Airlie Beach is a beachside smaller community where the coast sets the tone, and Cannonvale is a regional mid-sized suburb that feels self-contained without feeling remote. Where Airlie Beach is shaped by the coast, Cannonvale offers a more landlocked suburban rhythm.
Airlie Beach tends to lead on a quieter safety profile, walkability, and nearby cafés and amenities, while Cannonvale stands out for housing affordability, schools and education options, and parks and reserves.
People chasing a beach lifestyle may find Airlie Beach the better fit, while families, value-focused buyers, and households prioritising schools are more likely to prefer Cannonvale.
Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.