Airds vs Ruse

Airds is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 38 in Ruse. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Airds, the large majority of households rent. In Ruse, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Ruse: a median of $963,000, against $884,000 in Airds, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Airds tends to suit renters and families with children, while Ruse suits couples.

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

Ruse

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 3)
  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 92/100)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 5)
  • But Airds has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Ruse

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 54%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Airds

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (79% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($220/wk vs $410/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Ruse

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 92/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 10%)
  • But Airds has more units and townhouses to downsize into (18% vs 3%)

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

Investors

Airds

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.6% vs 0.9%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Airds Ruse
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.

Airds Ruse
Walkability 69 / 70
Airds — Walkability: 69/100 Ruse — Walkability: 70/100
Safety 8 / 55
Airds — Safety: 8/100 Ruse — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 7 / 51
Airds — Low fire risk: 7/100 Ruse — Low fire risk: 51/100

Demographics

Ruse has higher household incomes ($93,444 vs $49,088); Ruse rents higher ($410/wk vs $220/wk).

Airds Ruse
Population 3,265 5,632
+72% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.6% +0.9%
Median age 29 38
Median household income $49,088/yr $93,444/yr
+90% vs other
Median weekly rent $220/wk $410/wk
+86% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Airds Ruse
0-4 8.7% / 7.0%
Airds — 0-4: 8.7% Ruse — 0-4: 7.0%
5-14 18.3% / 13.4%
Airds — 5-14: 18.3% Ruse — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 9.0% / 6.1%
Airds — 15-19: 9.0% Ruse — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 6.8% / 6.0%
Airds — 20-24: 6.8% Ruse — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 14.1% / 12.9%
Airds — 25-34: 14.1% Ruse — 25-34: 12.9%
35-44 13.5% / 14.0%
Airds — 35-44: 13.5% Ruse — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 10.3% / 11.4%
Airds — 45-54: 10.3% Ruse — 45-54: 11.4%
55-64 9.2% / 10.7%
Airds — 55-64: 9.2% Ruse — 55-64: 10.7%
65-74 6.6% / 13.1%
Airds — 65-74: 6.6% Ruse — 65-74: 13.1%
75-84 2.9% / 4.2%
Airds — 75-84: 2.9% Ruse — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 0.5% / 1.0%
Airds — 85+: 0.5% Ruse — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Airds 31.7% couple families
Airds — Couple Families: 31.7% Airds — One Parent Families: 36.1% Airds — Lone Person: 26.0% Airds — Group Household: 3.4% Airds — Other Families: 2.8%
Ruse 50.4% couple families
Ruse — Couple Families: 50.4% Ruse — One Parent Families: 21.2% Ruse — Lone Person: 24.4% Ruse — Group Household: 2.3% Ruse — Other Families: 1.8%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Airds 79.3% renting
Airds — Owned Outright: 3.2% Airds — Mortgage: 17.5% Airds — Renting: 79.3%
Ruse 19.8% renting
Ruse — Owned Outright: 34.9% Ruse — Mortgage: 45.3% Ruse — Renting: 19.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Airds Ruse
Certificate III & IV 8.3% / 17.4%
Airds — Certificate III & IV: 8.3% Ruse — Certificate III & IV: 17.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.1% / 7.7%
Airds — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.1% Ruse — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Bachelor Degree 3.9% / 7.4%
Airds — Bachelor Degree: 3.9% Ruse — Bachelor Degree: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 2.3%
Airds — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Ruse — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.4% / 1.0%
Airds — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4% Ruse — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

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.

Airds Ruse
New Zealand 3.4% / 2.3%
Airds — New Zealand: 3.4% Ruse — New Zealand: 2.3%
England 1.0% / 3.1%
Airds — England: 1.0% Ruse — England: 3.1%
Bangladesh 2.9% / 0.6%
Airds — Bangladesh: 2.9% Ruse — Bangladesh: 0.6%
India 1.7% / 1.2%
Airds — India: 1.7% Ruse — India: 1.2%
Lebanon 1.3% / 0.7%
Airds — Lebanon: 1.3% Ruse — Lebanon: 0.7%
Philippines 0.8% / 0.9%
Airds — Philippines: 0.8% Ruse — Philippines: 0.9%
Iraq 0.9% / 0.8%
Airds — Iraq: 0.9% Ruse — Iraq: 0.8%
Fiji 1.3% / —
Airds — Fiji: 1.3% Ruse — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Airds 82.0% houses
Airds — Houses: 82.0% Airds — Townhouses: 16.9% Airds — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Ruse 96.7% houses
Ruse — Houses: 96.7% Ruse — Townhouses: 2.0% Ruse — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Airds Ruse
Median house price $883,500 $963,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 38 sales
 20 days
from 36 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.

Airds Ruse
3 bed $810K / $931K
Airds — 3 bed: $810K (29 sales) Ruse — 3 bed: $931K (58 sales)

29 vs 58 sales

4 bed $945K / $1M
Airds — 4 bed: $945K (23 sales) Ruse — 4 bed: $1M (39 sales)

23 vs 39 sales

Zoning mix

Airds Ruse
Residential 50% 67%
Parks and recreation 32% 29%
Infrastructure and transport 14% 3%
Commercial 4% 0%
Environmental 1%
same for both
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Airds Ruse
New dwellings approved 1,788
across Campbelltown (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +48%
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.

Airds Ruse
Houses 3.4%
$600/wk on $908K
 3.7%
$670/wk on $942K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Airds Ruse
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Income Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Schools Higher than 41% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 88% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 74% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW

Liveability

Ruse scores higher overall (48 vs 27).

Airds Ruse
Grade D C
Score 27/100 48/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Airds carries more crime risk (92 vs 45); Airds carries more bushfire risk (93 vs 49).

Airds Ruse
Bushfire High
93/100
 Moderate
49/100
Crime High
92/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Airds Ruse
Inside the suburb 5 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Western Sydney University - Campbelltown, 3.1 km
 1
Western Sydney University - Campbelltown, 3.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 0.5% 1.3%

Schools in Airds

  • Briar Road Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Airds High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • John Warby Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Aspect Macarthur School, Airds Independent · Primary · Special school
  • Dorchester School Government · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Ruse

  • Ruse Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Airds Ruse
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 3 9
Childcare 5 8
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 0 6

Mobility

Airds Ruse
Walkability score 69/100 70/100
Distance to Sydney 58.2 km
+2% vs other
 57 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 54 min 53 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 82.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 52.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 2560
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2560
same for both

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.

Airds Ruse
Car (driver) 62.8% / 60.7%
Airds — Car (driver): 62.8% Ruse — Car (driver): 60.7%
Worked from Home 17.4% / 30.7%
Airds — Worked from Home: 17.4% Ruse — Worked from Home: 30.7%
Car (passenger) 10.3% / 4.9%
Airds — Car (passenger): 10.3% Ruse — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Train 6.2% / 2.5%
Airds — Train: 6.2% Ruse — Train: 2.5%
Bus 1.7% / 0.6%
Airds — Bus: 1.7% Ruse — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.8%).

Setting

Airds Ruse
Elevation 139 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 125 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.6 km 22.2 km

NBN connectivity

Airds Ruse
Connectivity score 82/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 68%
1,460 premises
 53%
2,068 premises

Climate

Airds Ruse
Annual rainfall 1,038 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Airds Ruse
PM2.5 5.8 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.97 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Airds Ruse
Average residential rate $1,443/yr
same for both
Council Campbelltown (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Airds Ruse
Division Macarthur
same for both
Member Mike Freelander
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Airds Ruse
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Airds

Family Outer Parks River Young Families

Ruse

Outer Parks River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Airds

Airds vs Campbelltown Airds vs Bradbury Airds vs St Helens Park Airds vs Holsworthy Airds vs Kentlyn

Other comparisons with Ruse

Ruse vs Campbelltown Ruse vs Leumeah Ruse vs Kentlyn
Full data on Airds Full data on Ruse
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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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