Albion Park Rail vs Blackbutt

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Blackbutt, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Blackbutt: a median of $1.02 million, against $830,000 in Albion Park Rail, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Albion Park Rail tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Blackbutt 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Albion Park Rail has more parks and reserves (17 vs 10)
  • Blackbutt carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 74/100)

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

First-home buyers

Albion Park Rail

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($829,500 vs $1,025,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Albion Park Rail

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (103 km vs 110.5 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (92 min vs 98 min)
  • But Blackbutt is more walkable (86/100 vs 72/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Blackbutt

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 74/100)
  • is more walkable (86/100 vs 72/100)
  • But Albion Park Rail has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Blackbutt

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.8% vs 4.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
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.

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Walkability 72 / 86
Albion Park Rail — Walkability: 72/100 Blackbutt — Walkability: 86/100
Safety 26 / 66
Albion Park Rail — Safety: 26/100 Blackbutt — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Albion Park Rail — Low fire risk: 100/100 Blackbutt — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Albion Park Rail has more residents (6,920 vs 3,291); Blackbutt has higher household incomes ($83,408 vs $73,372).

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Population 6,920
+52% vs other
 3,291
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.0% -0.3%
Median age 41 43
Median household income $73,372/yr $83,408/yr
+14% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk $420/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
0-4 6.0% / 4.8%
Albion Park Rail — 0-4: 6.0% Blackbutt — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 11.5% / 11.3%
Albion Park Rail — 5-14: 11.5% Blackbutt — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 5.4% / 6.6%
Albion Park Rail — 15-19: 5.4% Blackbutt — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 6.6% / 6.7%
Albion Park Rail — 20-24: 6.6% Blackbutt — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 13.3% / 11.2%
Albion Park Rail — 25-34: 13.3% Blackbutt — 25-34: 11.2%
35-44 11.0% / 10.7%
Albion Park Rail — 35-44: 11.0% Blackbutt — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 11.4% / 15.4%
Albion Park Rail — 45-54: 11.4% Blackbutt — 45-54: 15.4%
55-64 13.4% / 13.7%
Albion Park Rail — 55-64: 13.4% Blackbutt — 55-64: 13.7%
65-74 11.5% / 12.3%
Albion Park Rail — 65-74: 11.5% Blackbutt — 65-74: 12.3%
75-84 6.6% / 5.3%
Albion Park Rail — 75-84: 6.6% Blackbutt — 75-84: 5.3%
85+ 3.2% / 1.8%
Albion Park Rail — 85+: 3.2% Blackbutt — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail 37.0% couple families
Albion Park Rail — Couple Families: 37.0% Albion Park Rail — Lone Person: 34.2% Albion Park Rail — One Parent Families: 22.6% Albion Park Rail — Group Household: 4.1% Albion Park Rail — Other Families: 2.0%
Blackbutt 48.0% couple families
Blackbutt — Couple Families: 48.0% Blackbutt — Lone Person: 29.2% Blackbutt — One Parent Families: 18.1% Blackbutt — Group Household: 3.5% Blackbutt — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail 27.3% renting
Albion Park Rail — Owned Outright: 34.9% Albion Park Rail — Mortgage: 37.8% Albion Park Rail — Renting: 27.3%
Blackbutt 29.8% renting
Blackbutt — Owned Outright: 41.2% Blackbutt — Mortgage: 29.0% Blackbutt — Renting: 29.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Certificate III & IV 22.1% / 17.4%
Albion Park Rail — Certificate III & IV: 22.1% Blackbutt — Certificate III & IV: 17.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 8.4%
Albion Park Rail — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Blackbutt — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Bachelor Degree 5.1% / 8.8%
Albion Park Rail — Bachelor Degree: 5.1% Blackbutt — Bachelor Degree: 8.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 2.5%
Albion Park Rail — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Blackbutt — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 1.4%
Albion Park Rail — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Blackbutt — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

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.

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
England 5.1% / 3.3%
Albion Park Rail — England: 5.1% Blackbutt — England: 3.3%
New Zealand 0.9% / 0.5%
Albion Park Rail — New Zealand: 0.9% Blackbutt — New Zealand: 0.5%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.7%
Albion Park Rail — Philippines: 0.7% Blackbutt — Philippines: 0.7%
Germany 0.7% / 0.7%
Albion Park Rail — Germany: 0.7% Blackbutt — Germany: 0.7%
Scotland 1.0% / —
Albion Park Rail — Scotland: 1.0% Blackbutt — Scotland: not among its largest
Italy — / 0.8%
Albion Park Rail — Italy: not among its largest Blackbutt — Italy: 0.8%
Netherlands 0.7% / —
Albion Park Rail — Netherlands: 0.7% Blackbutt — Netherlands: not among its largest
China — / 0.5%
Albion Park Rail — China: not among its largest Blackbutt — China: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail 78.0% houses
Albion Park Rail — Houses: 78.0% Albion Park Rail — Townhouses: 20.9% Albion Park Rail — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Blackbutt 70.0% houses
Blackbutt — Houses: 70.0% Blackbutt — Townhouses: 28.4% Blackbutt — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Median house price $829,500 $1,025,000
Median unit price $710,000 $720,000
Median land price — $945,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 55 sales
 29 days
from 27 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.

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
3 bed $822K / $905K
Albion Park Rail — 3 bed: $822K (56 sales) Blackbutt — 3 bed: $905K (25 sales)

56 vs 25 sales

4 bed $945K / $1.22M
Albion Park Rail — 4 bed: $945K (17 sales) Blackbutt — 4 bed: $1.22M (27 sales)

17 vs 27 sales

Zoning mix

Albion Park Rail has more rural and farming land (14% vs 0%); Albion Park Rail has more industrially zoned land (12% vs 0%).

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Parks and recreation 7% 51%
Residential 31% 43%
Infrastructure and transport 24% 5%
Rural and farming 14% 0%
Industrial 12% 0%
Environmental 9% 0%
Other and special use 3% 0%
Commercial 2%
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

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
New dwellings approved 883
across Shellharbour
same for both
Approvals change year on year +25%
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.

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Houses 4.2%
$725/wk on $899K
 4.8%
$788/wk on $860K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW

Liveability

Blackbutt scores higher overall (66 vs 46); Blackbutt is more walkable (86 vs 72).

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Grade C B
Score 46/100 66/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Albion Park Rail carries more crime risk (74 vs 34).

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
74/100
 Low
34/100
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 5
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Albion Park Rail

  • Albion Park Rail Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Blackbutt

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 17 10
Childcare 5 6
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 7 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Blackbutt sits further from the CBD (110.5 km vs 103 km).

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Walkability score 72/100 86/100
Distance to Sydney 103 km 110.5 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 92 min 98 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 170.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 30.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2527
 0.9%
postcode 2529
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 2527
 45
postcode 2529

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.

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Car (driver) 76.6% / 68.6%
Albion Park Rail — Car (driver): 76.6% Blackbutt — Car (driver): 68.6%
Worked from Home 16.1% / 23.5%
Albion Park Rail — Worked from Home: 16.1% Blackbutt — Worked from Home: 23.5%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 4.7%
Albion Park Rail — Car (passenger): 3.6% Blackbutt — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Train 1.7% / 1.2%
Albion Park Rail — Train: 1.7% Blackbutt — Train: 1.2%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.6%
Albion Park Rail — Walked Only: 1.1% Blackbutt — Walked Only: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.6%).

Setting

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 71 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.7 km 2.6 km
2.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Connectivity score 72/100 73/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 49%
3,349 premises
 51%
1,373 premises

Climate

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Average residential rate $1,788/yr
same for both
Council Shellharbour
same for both

Federal electorate

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Albion Park Rail Blackbutt
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Albion Park Rail

Parks Townhouses

Blackbutt

Coastal Parks Quiet River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Albion Park Rail

Albion Park Rail vs Albion Park Albion Park Rail vs Oak Flats Albion Park Rail vs Calderwood Albion Park Rail vs Haywards Bay Albion Park Rail vs Yallah Albion Park Rail vs Croom

Other comparisons with Blackbutt

Blackbutt vs Flinders Blackbutt vs Oak Flats Blackbutt vs Barrack Heights Blackbutt vs Shellharbour Blackbutt vs Shellharbour City Centre Blackbutt vs Croom
Full data on Albion Park Rail Full data on Blackbutt
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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