Akolele vs Wallaga Lake

Akolele is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 62 in Wallaga Lake. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Akolele, about half of households rent. In Wallaga Lake, the large majority of households own their home and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Wallaga Lake: a median of $822,000, against $612,000 in Akolele, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Akolele tends to suit renters and buyers on a tighter budget, while Wallaga Lake suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Akolele

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (57% vs 31%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 85%)
  • But Wallaga Lake carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 92/100)

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

First-home buyers

Akolele

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($612,500 vs $822,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 28%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Akolele

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (46% vs 13%)
  • has cheaper rent ($240/wk vs $320/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Akolele

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (16/100 vs 8/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (304 min vs 310 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (367.6 km vs 371.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wallaga Lake

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 92/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (42% vs 20%)
  • But Akolele is more walkable (16/100 vs 8/100)

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

Investors

Wallaga Lake

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.1% vs -4.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Akolele Wallaga Lake
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.

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Walkability 16 / 8
Akolele — Walkability: 16/100 Wallaga Lake — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 8 / 57
Akolele — Safety: 8/100 Wallaga Lake — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 100 / 53
Akolele — Low fire risk: 100/100 Wallaga Lake — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

Wallaga Lake has more residents (587 vs 165); Wallaga Lake skews older (62 vs 43).

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Population 165 587
+256% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -4.6% +7.1%
Median age 43 62
Median household income $40,456/yr $47,580/yr
+18% vs other
Median weekly rent $240/wk $320/wk
+33% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Akolele Wallaga Lake
0-4 6.1% / 1.9%
Akolele — 0-4: 6.1% Wallaga Lake — 0-4: 1.9%
5-14 11.5% / 7.3%
Akolele — 5-14: 11.5% Wallaga Lake — 5-14: 7.3%
15-19 8.5% / 3.2%
Akolele — 15-19: 8.5% Wallaga Lake — 15-19: 3.2%
20-24 3.6% / 1.5%
Akolele — 20-24: 3.6% Wallaga Lake — 20-24: 1.5%
25-34 12.7% / 5.1%
Akolele — 25-34: 12.7% Wallaga Lake — 25-34: 5.1%
35-44 9.7% / 6.8%
Akolele — 35-44: 9.7% Wallaga Lake — 35-44: 6.8%
45-54 11.5% / 8.2%
Akolele — 45-54: 11.5% Wallaga Lake — 45-54: 8.2%
55-64 19.4% / 21.3%
Akolele — 55-64: 19.4% Wallaga Lake — 55-64: 21.3%
65-74 13.9% / 27.8%
Akolele — 65-74: 13.9% Wallaga Lake — 65-74: 27.8%
75-84 4.2% / 12.8%
Akolele — 75-84: 4.2% Wallaga Lake — 75-84: 12.8%
85+ 2.4% / 1.4%
Akolele — 85+: 2.4% Wallaga Lake — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Akolele 42.9% lone person
Akolele — Lone Person: 42.9% Akolele — Couple Families: 38.1% Akolele — One Parent Families: 19.0% Akolele — Group Household: 0.0%
Wallaga Lake 62.7% lone person
Wallaga Lake — Lone Person: 62.7% Wallaga Lake — Couple Families: 20.7% Wallaga Lake — One Parent Families: 10.7% Wallaga Lake — Group Household: 6.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Akolele 46.3% renting
Akolele — Owned Outright: 40.3% Akolele — Mortgage: 13.4% Akolele — Renting: 46.3%
Wallaga Lake 12.6% renting
Wallaga Lake — Owned Outright: 70.7% Wallaga Lake — Mortgage: 16.7% Wallaga Lake — Renting: 12.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Akolele Wallaga Lake
England 6.7% / 6.6%
Akolele — England: 6.7% Wallaga Lake — England: 6.6%
New Zealand — / 1.5%
Akolele — New Zealand: not among its largest Wallaga Lake — New Zealand: 1.5%
Netherlands — / 1.5%
Akolele — Netherlands: not among its largest Wallaga Lake — Netherlands: 1.5%
Scotland — / 1.4%
Akolele — Scotland: not among its largest Wallaga Lake — Scotland: 1.4%
Germany — / 0.9%
Akolele — Germany: not among its largest Wallaga Lake — Germany: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

Qualifications

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

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Certificate III & IV 15.8% / 17.7%
Akolele — Certificate III & IV: 15.8% Wallaga Lake — Certificate III & IV: 17.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.1% / 10.6%
Akolele — Bachelor Degree: 9.1% Wallaga Lake — Bachelor Degree: 10.6%
Postgraduate Degree 6.7% / 5.6%
Akolele — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7% Wallaga Lake — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 1.8% / 8.5%
Akolele — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.8% Wallaga Lake — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 4.1%
Akolele — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Wallaga Lake — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.1%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Akolele 100.0% houses
Akolele — Houses: 100.0% Akolele — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Wallaga Lake 84.8% houses
Wallaga Lake — Houses: 84.8% Wallaga Lake — Flats / Apartments: 15.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Median house price $612,500 $822,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 144 days
from 8 sales

Zoning mix

Akolele has more rural and farming land (80% vs 0%); Wallaga Lake has more land zoned for conservation (88% vs 18%).

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Environmental 18% 88%
Rural and farming 80% 0%
Residential 2% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
Parks and recreation 0% 1%
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

Akolele Wallaga Lake
New dwellings approved 211
across Eurobodalla
 109
across Bega Valley
Approvals change year on year -9% -32%

Ranking within NSW

Akolele Wallaga Lake
House price Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
Income Higher than 5% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 20% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 42% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW

Liveability

Akolele is more walkable (16 vs 8).

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Grade — D
Score — 30/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Wallaga Lake carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 0); Akolele carries more crime risk (92 vs 43).

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime High
92/100
 Moderate
43/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
60/100
 High
70/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 2 1

Mobility

Wallaga Lake sits further from the CBD (371.6 km vs 367.6 km).

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Walkability score 16/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 367.6 km 371.6 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 304 min 310 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2546
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2546
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.

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Car (driver) 65.1% / 68.9%
Akolele — Car (driver): 65.1% Wallaga Lake — Car (driver): 68.9%
Worked from Home 25.6% / 18.6%
Akolele — Worked from Home: 25.6% Wallaga Lake — Worked from Home: 18.6%
Car (passenger) 9.3% / 5.6%
Akolele — Car (passenger): 9.3% Wallaga Lake — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Walked Only — / 4.3%
Akolele — Walked Only: not among its largest Wallaga Lake — Walked Only: 4.3%
Bicycle — / 2.5%
Akolele — Bicycle: not among its largest Wallaga Lake — Bicycle: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.9%).

Setting

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Elevation 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 902 m
2.9 km to a named beach
 1.2 km
1.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
84 premises
 0%
390 premises

Climate

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Annual rainfall 948 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Average residential rate $1,246/yr $1,767/yr
Council Eurobodalla Bega Valley

Federal electorate

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Division Eden-monaro
same for both
Member Kristy Mcbain
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Akolele Wallaga Lake
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Akolele

Coastal Rural

Wallaga Lake

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Akolele

Akolele vs Central Tilba Akolele vs Tilba Tilba

Other comparisons with Wallaga Lake

Wallaga Lake vs Bermagui Wallaga Lake vs Tilba Tilba Wallaga Lake vs Dignams Creek
Full data on Akolele Full data on Wallaga Lake
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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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