Apsley vs Dripstone

Apsley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 52 in Dripstone. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dripstone, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Dripstone: a median of $425,000, against $200,000 in Apsley, though rent is higher in Apsley. On these figures, Apsley tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Dripstone 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Apsley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($200,000 vs $425,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dripstone

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (25% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($240/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dripstone

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (284 min vs 298 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (346.2 km vs 352.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

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

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

Investors

Apsley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.4% vs -10.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Apsley Dripstone
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.

Apsley Dripstone
Walkability 0 / 0
Apsley — Walkability: 0/100 Dripstone — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 51 / 59
Apsley — Safety: 51/100 Dripstone — Safety: 59/100
Low fire risk 71 / 53
Apsley — Low fire risk: 71/100 Dripstone — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

Apsley has more residents (116 vs 68); Apsley has higher household incomes ($74,724 vs $58,500).

Apsley Dripstone
Population 116
+41% vs other
 68
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.4% -10.5%
Median age 47 52
Median household income $74,724/yr
+22% vs other
 $58,500/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+20% vs other
 $240/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Apsley Dripstone
0-4 4.3% / 5.9%
Apsley — 0-4: 4.3% Dripstone — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 15.5% / 5.9%
Apsley — 5-14: 15.5% Dripstone — 5-14: 5.9%
15-19 3.4% / 10.3%
Apsley — 15-19: 3.4% Dripstone — 15-19: 10.3%
20-24 7.8% / —
Apsley — 20-24: 7.8% Dripstone — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 6.0% / 4.4%
Apsley — 25-34: 6.0% Dripstone — 25-34: 4.4%
35-44 14.7% / 8.8%
Apsley — 35-44: 14.7% Dripstone — 35-44: 8.8%
45-54 7.8% / 8.8%
Apsley — 45-54: 7.8% Dripstone — 45-54: 8.8%
55-64 15.5% / 16.2%
Apsley — 55-64: 15.5% Dripstone — 55-64: 16.2%
65-74 20.7% / 23.5%
Apsley — 65-74: 20.7% Dripstone — 65-74: 23.5%
75-84 7.8% / 4.4%
Apsley — 75-84: 7.8% Dripstone — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ — / —
Apsley — 85+: not among its largest Dripstone — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Apsley 31.8% couple families
Apsley — Couple Families: 31.8% Apsley — Lone Person: 36.4% Apsley — One Parent Families: 31.8%
Dripstone 71.4% couple families
Dripstone — Couple Families: 71.4% Dripstone — Lone Person: 28.6% Dripstone — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Apsley 14.6% renting
Apsley — Owned Outright: 46.3% Apsley — Mortgage: 39.0% Apsley — Renting: 14.6%
Dripstone 25.0% renting
Dripstone — Owned Outright: 62.5% Dripstone — Mortgage: 12.5% Dripstone — Renting: 25.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Apsley 94.9% houses
Apsley — Houses: 94.9% Apsley — Flats / Apartments: 5.1%
Dripstone 100.0% houses
Dripstone — Houses: 100.0% Dripstone — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Apsley Dripstone
Certificate III & IV 14.7% / 25.0%
Apsley — Certificate III & IV: 14.7% Dripstone — Certificate III & IV: 25.0%
Bachelor Degree 10.3% / 13.2%
Apsley — Bachelor Degree: 10.3% Dripstone — Bachelor Degree: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / —
Apsley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Dripstone — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / —
Apsley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Dripstone — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Property market

Apsley Dripstone
Median house price $200,000 $425,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Apsley Dripstone
Rural and farming 89% 98%
Environmental 5% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 1%
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
Residential 2% 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

Apsley Dripstone
New dwellings approved 405
across Dubbo
same for both
Approvals change year on year -12%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Apsley Dripstone
House price Higher than 4% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 19% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 8% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW

Liveability

Apsley Dripstone
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Dripstone carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 29).

Apsley Dripstone
Bushfire Low
29/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime Moderate
49/100
 Moderate
41/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Apsley Dripstone
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

Apsley Dripstone
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 2 29

Mobility

Apsley sits further from the CBD (352.8 km vs 346.2 km).

Apsley Dripstone
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 352.8 km
+2% vs other
 346.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 298 min 284 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2820
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 2820
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.

Apsley Dripstone
Car (driver) 64.4% / 51.6%
Apsley — Car (driver): 64.4% Dripstone — Car (driver): 51.6%
Worked from Home 26.7% / 19.4%
Apsley — Worked from Home: 26.7% Dripstone — Worked from Home: 19.4%
Walked Only 8.9% / 19.4%
Apsley — Walked Only: 8.9% Dripstone — Walked Only: 19.4%
Car (passenger) — / 9.7%
Apsley — Car (passenger): not among its largest Dripstone — Car (passenger): 9.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.4%).

Setting

Apsley Dripstone
Elevation 363 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 383 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Apsley Dripstone
Connectivity score 28/100 22/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
43 premises
 0%
31 premises

Climate

Apsley Dripstone
Annual rainfall 641 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Apsley Dripstone
Average residential rate $1,233/yr
same for both
Council Dubbo
same for both

Federal electorate

Apsley Dripstone
Division Calare
same for both
Member Andrew Gee
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Apsley Dripstone
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Apsley

Affordable Retirees Rural

Dripstone

Affordable Professionals Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Apsley

Apsley vs Wellington Apsley vs Wuuluman Apsley vs Neurea Apsley vs Mount Arthur

Other comparisons with Dripstone

Dripstone vs Wuuluman Dripstone vs Mumbil Dripstone vs Neurea
Full data on Apsley Full data on Dripstone
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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