Comparing Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney

How do Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney measure up against one another?

City Adelaide Brisbane Melbourne Perth Sydney
adelaide brisbane melbourne perth sydney
Population 1.1 million 1.8 million 3.8 million 1.5 million 4.3 million
Born Overseas 29% 26% 35% 33% 39%
Climate Hot, dry summers. Mild, wet winters Hot, wet summers. Warm, dry winters Hot, changeable summers. Cool unsettled winters Hot, dry summers. Mild, wet winters Hot summers. Mild winters. Driest in spring
*Median House Price December 2009 $427,000 $446,000 $518,000 $512,000 $596,000
*Median
Unit Price
December 2009
$281,000 $358,000 $376,000 $385,000 $406,000
**Best city for: Community Personal well-being, standard of living, safety, environment, social conditions, government, business. Personal relationships
Mid Summer Sunrise / set 5.59 am / 8.29 pm 4.50 am / 6.43 pm 5.55 am / 8.41 pm 5.07 am / 7.21 pm 5.41 am / 8.06 pm
Mid Winter Sunrise / set 8.24 am / 6.12 pm 6.38 am / 5.02 pm 8.36 am / 6.09 pm 7.16 am / 5.20 pm 8.00 am / 5.53 pm
Traditional Industries Agri-food products / services, Cars, Insurance/financial services Agri-food products / services, Tourism, Transportation services Agri-food products / services, Automotive, Insurance / financial services Mineral and Petroleum products, education, health Commercial / business services, Health / education, Insurance / financial services
Emerging Industries Business convention services, Health / education, ICT Aerospace, Biotechnology, Engineering / environmental technologies Biotechnology, Engineering / environmental technologies, ICT Biotechnology, Engineering / environmental technologies, ICT Biotechnology, ICT, Life sciences
Major private sector employers Holden (Automotive)
Arnott’s Biscuits (Agri-food products services)
Sola Optical (Instruments / precision manufacturing)
Bechtel (Engineering
/ environmental)
Boeing (Aerospace)
Virgin Airlines (Transportation services)
CEA Technologies (Defence equipment / services)
Phenomix Corp. (Biotechnology)
TransACT & Tower Software (ICT)
Ford/Toyota (Automotive)
Foster’s Group Limited (Agri-food products / services)
National Australia Bank (Insurance / financial services)


* Home Price Guide.

** Surveys of residents’ perceptions carried out by the Australian Centre on Quality of Life, Deakin University.

City Industry data main source http://www.competitivealternatives.com/

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