Alstonville vs Rous

Rous is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 51 in Alstonville. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Alstonville, about half of households are people living alone. In Rous, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Rous: a median of $2.24 million, against $1 million in Alstonville, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Alstonville tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Rous 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

  • Alstonville has more parks and reserves (14 vs 1)
  • Rous carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 47/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Alstonville has cheaper houses ($1,000,000 vs $2,236,250)
  • Rous has cheaper land ($830,000 vs $1,700,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Alstonville

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $440/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Alstonville

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 32/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (472 min vs 477 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Alstonville

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 32/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (32% vs 23%)
  • But Rous carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 47/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Alstonville Rous
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.

Alstonville Rous
Walkability 77 / 32
Alstonville — Walkability: 77/100 Rous — Walkability: 32/100
Safety 53 / 72
Alstonville — Safety: 53/100 Rous — Safety: 72/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Alstonville — Low fire risk: 100/100 Rous — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Alstonville has more residents (5,912 vs 230); Rous has higher household incomes ($87,724 vs $68,224).

Alstonville Rous
Population 5,912
+96% vs other
 230
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.0% +1.3%
Median age 51 48
Median household income $68,224/yr $87,724/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $440/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Alstonville Rous
0-4 4.4% / 2.6%
Alstonville — 0-4: 4.4% Rous — 0-4: 2.6%
5-14 11.6% / 10.0%
Alstonville — 5-14: 11.6% Rous — 5-14: 10.0%
15-19 5.1% / 14.3%
Alstonville — 15-19: 5.1% Rous — 15-19: 14.3%
20-24 3.5% / 4.8%
Alstonville — 20-24: 3.5% Rous — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 8.1% / 8.3%
Alstonville — 25-34: 8.1% Rous — 25-34: 8.3%
35-44 10.0% / 5.2%
Alstonville — 35-44: 10.0% Rous — 35-44: 5.2%
45-54 12.0% / 18.3%
Alstonville — 45-54: 12.0% Rous — 45-54: 18.3%
55-64 13.3% / 14.8%
Alstonville — 55-64: 13.3% Rous — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 14.7% / 12.2%
Alstonville — 65-74: 14.7% Rous — 65-74: 12.2%
75-84 11.3% / 7.8%
Alstonville — 75-84: 11.3% Rous — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 6.1% / 2.6%
Alstonville — 85+: 6.1% Rous — 85+: 2.6%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Alstonville 32.3% couple families
Alstonville — Couple Families: 32.3% Alstonville — Lone Person: 46.5% Alstonville — One Parent Families: 17.0% Alstonville — Group Household: 3.1% Alstonville — Other Families: 1.1%
Rous 59.6% couple families
Rous — Couple Families: 59.6% Rous — Lone Person: 19.1% Rous — One Parent Families: 21.3% Rous — Group Household: 0.0% Rous — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Alstonville 24.4% renting
Alstonville — Owned Outright: 48.1% Alstonville — Mortgage: 27.5% Alstonville — Renting: 24.4%
Rous 22.4% renting
Rous — Owned Outright: 55.3% Rous — Mortgage: 22.4% Rous — Renting: 22.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Alstonville Rous
Bachelor Degree 13.6% / 18.3%
Alstonville — Bachelor Degree: 13.6% Rous — Bachelor Degree: 18.3%
Certificate III & IV 16.1% / 13.5%
Alstonville — Certificate III & IV: 16.1% Rous — Certificate III & IV: 13.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 8.7%
Alstonville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Rous — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 4.8%
Alstonville — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Rous — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 3.5%
Alstonville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Rous — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

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

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.

Alstonville Rous
England 4.1% / 4.8%
Alstonville — England: 4.1% Rous — England: 4.8%
South Africa 0.6% / 4.3%
Alstonville — South Africa: 0.6% Rous — South Africa: 4.3%
New Zealand 1.5% / 2.2%
Alstonville — New Zealand: 1.5% Rous — New Zealand: 2.2%
Netherlands 0.3% / 2.2%
Alstonville — Netherlands: 0.3% Rous — Netherlands: 2.2%
India — / 1.3%
Alstonville — India: not among its largest Rous — India: 1.3%
Germany 0.4% / —
Alstonville — Germany: 0.4% Rous — Germany: not among its largest
Canada 0.3% / —
Alstonville — Canada: 0.3% Rous — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Alstonville 76.0% houses
Alstonville — Houses: 76.0% Alstonville — Townhouses: 22.8% Alstonville — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Rous 106.8% houses
Rous — Houses: 106.8% Rous — Townhouses: 0.0% Rous — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Alstonville Rous
Median house price $1,000,000 $2,236,250
Median unit price $670,000 —
Median land price $1,700,000 $830,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 70 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Rous has more rural and farming land (82% vs 53%).

Alstonville Rous
Rural and farming 53% 82%
Other and special use 31% 16%
Residential 9% 0%
Environmental 3% 1%
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
Industrial 2% 0%
Commercial 1% 0%
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

Alstonville Rous
New dwellings approved 238
across Ballina
same for both
Approvals change year on year +210%
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.

Alstonville Rous
Houses 4.3%
$780/wk on $949K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Alstonville Rous
House price Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Income Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
Schools Higher than 11% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 85% of NSW —

Liveability

Alstonville is more walkable (77 vs 32).

Alstonville Rous
Grade C —
Score 46/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Alstonville carries more crime risk (47 vs 28).

Alstonville Rous
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
47/100
 Low
28/100
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
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Alstonville Rous
Inside the suburb 4 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Alstonville

  • Alstonville Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Alstonville High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • North Coast Pathway Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Rous

  • Rous Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Alstonville Rous
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 10 0
Parks & reserves 14 1
Childcare 4 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 12 8

Mobility

Alstonville Rous
Walkability score 77/100 32/100
Distance to Sydney 734.8 km 735 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 472 min 477 min
Public transport score 71/100
Bus
 20/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 48.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2477
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 75
postcode 2477
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.

Alstonville Rous
Car (driver) 71.7% / 52.0%
Alstonville — Car (driver): 71.7% Rous — Car (driver): 52.0%
Worked from Home 19.3% / 28.8%
Alstonville — Worked from Home: 19.3% Rous — Worked from Home: 28.8%
Walked Only 2.6% / 12.8%
Alstonville — Walked Only: 2.6% Rous — Walked Only: 12.8%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 6.4%
Alstonville — Car (passenger): 4.8% Rous — Car (passenger): 6.4%
Bus 1.0% / —
Alstonville — Bus: 1.0% Rous — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.7%).

Setting

Alstonville Rous
Elevation 145 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 181 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.9 km 12.4 km

NBN connectivity

Alstonville Rous
Connectivity score 68/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 36%
3,197 premises
 0%
102 premises

Council rates

Alstonville Rous
Average residential rate $1,264/yr
same for both
Council Ballina
same for both

Federal electorate

Alstonville Rous
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Alstonville Rous
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Alstonville

Parks Retirees River Townhouses Village Feel

Rous

Premium Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Alstonville

Alstonville vs Wollongbar Alstonville vs Alstonvale Alstonville vs Teven Alstonville vs Tuckombil Alstonville vs Uralba Alstonville vs Lynwood

Other comparisons with Rous

Rous vs Wollongbar Rous vs Tregeagle Rous vs Lindendale Rous vs Dalwood Rous vs Lynwood Rous vs Rous Mill
Full data on Alstonville Full data on Rous
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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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