Arakoon vs South West Rocks

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In South West Rocks, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Arakoon: a median of $1.28 million, against $755,000 in South West Rocks, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, South West Rocks tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Arakoon

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (62/100 vs 77/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 81%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (52% vs 43%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Arakoon leaves households under less mortgage stress (30% vs 36%)
  • South West Rocks has cheaper houses ($755,000 vs $1,277,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

South West Rocks

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (25% vs 8%)
  • has cheaper rent ($323/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

South West Rocks

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (45/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

South West Rocks

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (45/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (19% vs 2%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • But Arakoon carries lower crime risk (62/100 vs 77/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Arakoon South West Rocks
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.

Arakoon South West Rocks
Walkability 0 / 45
Arakoon — Walkability: 0/100 South West Rocks — Walkability: 45/100
Safety 38 / 23
Arakoon — Safety: 38/100 South West Rocks — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 38 / 46
Arakoon — Low fire risk: 38/100 South West Rocks — Low fire risk: 46/100

Demographics

South West Rocks has more residents (5,058 vs 445); Arakoon has higher household incomes ($68,692 vs $50,960).

Arakoon South West Rocks
Population 445 5,058
+1037% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.0% +9.9%
Median age 59 58
Median household income $68,692/yr
+26% vs other
 $50,960/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+19% vs other
 $323/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Arakoon South West Rocks
0-4 3.6% / 4.2%
Arakoon — 0-4: 3.6% South West Rocks — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 6.1% / 8.7%
Arakoon — 5-14: 6.1% South West Rocks — 5-14: 8.7%
15-19 4.0% / 3.9%
Arakoon — 15-19: 4.0% South West Rocks — 15-19: 3.9%
20-24 2.0% / 3.1%
Arakoon — 20-24: 2.0% South West Rocks — 20-24: 3.1%
25-34 7.0% / 7.8%
Arakoon — 25-34: 7.0% South West Rocks — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 7.4% / 8.0%
Arakoon — 35-44: 7.4% South West Rocks — 35-44: 8.0%
45-54 12.8% / 9.6%
Arakoon — 45-54: 12.8% South West Rocks — 45-54: 9.6%
55-64 24.3% / 15.9%
Arakoon — 55-64: 24.3% South West Rocks — 55-64: 15.9%
65-74 22.0% / 22.0%
Arakoon — 65-74: 22.0% South West Rocks — 65-74: 22.0%
75-84 7.6% / 12.6%
Arakoon — 75-84: 7.6% South West Rocks — 75-84: 12.6%
85+ 4.3% / 4.2%
Arakoon — 85+: 4.3% South West Rocks — 85+: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Arakoon 44.3% lone person
Arakoon — Lone Person: 44.3% Arakoon — Couple Families: 31.8% Arakoon — One Parent Families: 20.5% Arakoon — Group Household: 3.4% Arakoon — Other Families: 0.0%
South West Rocks 50.8% lone person
South West Rocks — Lone Person: 50.8% South West Rocks — Couple Families: 26.9% South West Rocks — One Parent Families: 16.2% South West Rocks — Group Household: 4.9% South West Rocks — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Arakoon 8.3% renting
Arakoon — Owned Outright: 62.8% Arakoon — Mortgage: 28.9% Arakoon — Renting: 8.3%
South West Rocks 24.9% renting
South West Rocks — Owned Outright: 54.9% South West Rocks — Mortgage: 20.2% South West Rocks — Renting: 24.9%
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.

Arakoon South West Rocks
England 4.0% / 3.0%
Arakoon — England: 4.0% South West Rocks — England: 3.0%
New Zealand 0.7% / 0.9%
Arakoon — New Zealand: 0.7% South West Rocks — New Zealand: 0.9%
Germany — / 0.7%
Arakoon — Germany: not among its largest South West Rocks — Germany: 0.7%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Arakoon — Philippines: not among its largest South West Rocks — Philippines: 0.7%
Scotland — / 0.5%
Arakoon — Scotland: not among its largest South West Rocks — Scotland: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

Qualifications

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

Arakoon South West Rocks
Certificate III & IV 20.9% / 19.7%
Arakoon — Certificate III & IV: 20.9% South West Rocks — Certificate III & IV: 19.7%
Bachelor Degree 16.0% / 7.3%
Arakoon — Bachelor Degree: 16.0% South West Rocks — Bachelor Degree: 7.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 12.4% / 7.0%
Arakoon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.4% South West Rocks — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 1.5%
Arakoon — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% South West Rocks — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.3%
Arakoon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% South West Rocks — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Arakoon 98.9% houses
Arakoon — Houses: 98.9% Arakoon — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Arakoon — Townhouses: 2.2%
South West Rocks 81.3% houses
South West Rocks — Houses: 81.3% South West Rocks — Flats / Apartments: 13.4% South West Rocks — Townhouses: 5.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Arakoon South West Rocks
Median house price $1,277,500 $755,000
Median unit price — $600,000
Median land price — $345,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 139 days
from 3 sales
 66 days
from 43 sales

Zoning mix

Arakoon has more land zoned for conservation (90% vs 40%).

Arakoon South West Rocks
Environmental 90% 40%
Residential 8% 33%
Parks and recreation 0% 17%
Rural and farming 1% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
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

Arakoon South West Rocks
New dwellings approved 144
across Kempsey
same for both
Approvals change year on year +380%
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.

Arakoon South West Rocks
Houses — 3.2%
$580/wk on $940K
Units — 3.2%
$430/wk on $710K

Ranking within NSW

Arakoon South West Rocks
House price Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
Income Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 35% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 30% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 6% of NSW

Liveability

South West Rocks is more walkable (45 vs 0).

Arakoon South West Rocks
Grade — D
Score — 21/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

South West Rocks carries more crime risk (77 vs 62).

Arakoon South West Rocks
Bushfire Moderate
62/100
 Moderate
54/100
Crime Moderate
62/100
 High
77/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
72/100
 Low
18/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Arakoon South West Rocks
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Arakoon

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

Schools in South West Rocks

  • South West Rocks Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Arakoon South West Rocks
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 1 10
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 3
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 2
Beaches 5 2
Waterways 7 3

Mobility

Arakoon South West Rocks
Walkability score 0/100 45/100
Distance to Sydney 454 km 453.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 304 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2431
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 2431
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.

Arakoon South West Rocks
Car (driver) 68.0% / 73.7%
Arakoon — Car (driver): 68.0% South West Rocks — Car (driver): 73.7%
Worked from Home 23.8% / 13.2%
Arakoon — Worked from Home: 23.8% South West Rocks — Worked from Home: 13.2%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 6.2%
Arakoon — Car (passenger): 4.8% South West Rocks — Car (passenger): 6.2%
Walked Only — / 5.8%
Arakoon — Walked Only: not among its largest South West Rocks — Walked Only: 5.8%
Bicycle 3.4% / 0.6%
Arakoon — Bicycle: 3.4% South West Rocks — Bicycle: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.7%).

Setting

Arakoon South West Rocks
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.9 km
2.2 km to a named beach
 1.5 km
1.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Arakoon South West Rocks
Connectivity score 57/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
266 premises
 37%
3,947 premises

Council rates

Arakoon South West Rocks
Average residential rate $1,447/yr
same for both
Council Kempsey
same for both

Federal electorate

Arakoon South West Rocks
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Arakoon South West Rocks
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Arakoon

Coastal Retirees Rural

South West Rocks

Beach Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Arakoon

Arakoon vs Kinchela Arakoon vs Jerseyville

Other comparisons with South West Rocks

South West Rocks vs Fishermans Reach South West Rocks vs Jerseyville
Full data on Arakoon Full data on South West Rocks
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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