Armidale vs Saumarez Ponds

Armidale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 46 in Saumarez Ponds. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Saumarez Ponds, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Saumarez Ponds: a median of $796,000, against $625,000 in Armidale, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Armidale tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Saumarez Ponds 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

  • Armidale has more parks and reserves (88 vs 0)
  • Saumarez Ponds carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 88/100)

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

First-home buyers

Armidale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($625,000 vs $796,000)
  • has cheaper land ($345,000 vs $410,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Armidale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 7%)
  • has cheaper rent ($290/wk vs $425/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Armidale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 18/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (478.4 km vs 480.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Armidale

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (9 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 18/100)
  • But Saumarez Ponds carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 88/100)

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

Investors

Armidale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.6% vs -5.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
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.

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Walkability 64 / 18
Armidale — Walkability: 64/100 Saumarez Ponds — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 12 / 90
Armidale — Safety: 12/100 Saumarez Ponds — Safety: 90/100
Low fire risk 71 / 100
Armidale — Low fire risk: 71/100 Saumarez Ponds — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Armidale has more residents (23,967 vs 416); Saumarez Ponds rents higher ($425/wk vs $290/wk).

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Population 23,967
+98% vs other
 416
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6% -5.0%
Median age 36 46
Median household income $74,464/yr $106,340/yr
+43% vs other
Median weekly rent $290/wk $425/wk
+47% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
0-4 5.5% / 2.9%
Armidale — 0-4: 5.5% Saumarez Ponds — 0-4: 2.9%
5-14 12.3% / 14.7%
Armidale — 5-14: 12.3% Saumarez Ponds — 5-14: 14.7%
15-19 8.5% / 9.4%
Armidale — 15-19: 8.5% Saumarez Ponds — 15-19: 9.4%
20-24 8.8% / 2.4%
Armidale — 20-24: 8.8% Saumarez Ponds — 20-24: 2.4%
25-34 13.6% / 8.2%
Armidale — 25-34: 13.6% Saumarez Ponds — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 11.0% / 10.6%
Armidale — 35-44: 11.0% Saumarez Ponds — 35-44: 10.6%
45-54 10.5% / 15.9%
Armidale — 45-54: 10.5% Saumarez Ponds — 45-54: 15.9%
55-64 11.5% / 15.6%
Armidale — 55-64: 11.5% Saumarez Ponds — 55-64: 15.6%
65-74 9.4% / 11.5%
Armidale — 65-74: 9.4% Saumarez Ponds — 65-74: 11.5%
75-84 6.4% / 7.7%
Armidale — 75-84: 6.4% Saumarez Ponds — 75-84: 7.7%
85+ 2.5% / 0.7%
Armidale — 85+: 2.5% Saumarez Ponds — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Armidale 31.7% couple families
Armidale — Couple Families: 31.7% Armidale — Lone Person: 44.9% Armidale — One Parent Families: 16.0% Armidale — Group Household: 6.1% Armidale — Other Families: 1.4%
Saumarez Ponds 53.2% couple families
Saumarez Ponds — Couple Families: 53.2% Saumarez Ponds — Lone Person: 24.5% Saumarez Ponds — One Parent Families: 16.0% Saumarez Ponds — Group Household: 3.2% Saumarez Ponds — Other Families: 3.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Armidale 38.9% renting
Armidale — Owned Outright: 33.1% Armidale — Mortgage: 27.9% Armidale — Renting: 38.9%
Saumarez Ponds 6.8% renting
Saumarez Ponds — Owned Outright: 45.9% Saumarez Ponds — Mortgage: 47.3% Saumarez Ponds — Renting: 6.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Bachelor Degree 13.0% / 16.8%
Armidale — Bachelor Degree: 13.0% Saumarez Ponds — Bachelor Degree: 16.8%
Certificate III & IV 11.8% / 15.9%
Armidale — Certificate III & IV: 11.8% Saumarez Ponds — Certificate III & IV: 15.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 9.4%
Armidale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% Saumarez Ponds — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 8.2% / 5.5%
Armidale — Postgraduate Degree: 8.2% Saumarez Ponds — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 2.9%
Armidale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Saumarez Ponds — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
England 2.0% / 0.7%
Armidale — England: 2.0% Saumarez Ponds — England: 0.7%
Iraq 2.4% / —
Armidale — Iraq: 2.4% Saumarez Ponds — Iraq: not among its largest
Scotland — / 1.4%
Armidale — Scotland: not among its largest Saumarez Ponds — Scotland: 1.4%
India 1.1% / —
Armidale — India: 1.1% Saumarez Ponds — India: not among its largest
Nepal 1.1% / —
Armidale — Nepal: 1.1% Saumarez Ponds — Nepal: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.0% / —
Armidale — New Zealand: 1.0% Saumarez Ponds — New Zealand: not among its largest
Canada — / 0.7%
Armidale — Canada: not among its largest Saumarez Ponds — Canada: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Armidale 81.8% houses
Armidale — Houses: 81.8% Armidale — Townhouses: 12.3% Armidale — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Saumarez Ponds 100.0% houses
Saumarez Ponds — Houses: 100.0% Saumarez Ponds — Townhouses: 0.0% Saumarez Ponds — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Median house price $625,000 $796,000
Median unit price $402,500 —
Median land price $345,000 $410,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 38 days
from 202 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Armidale has more rural and farming land (74% vs 62%).

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Rural and farming 74% 62%
Residential 13% 33%
Environmental 8% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 0%
Parks and recreation 1% 0%
Industrial 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

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
New dwellings approved 77
across Armidale
 17
across Uralla
Approvals change year on year -76% —

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.

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Houses 3.8%
$500/wk on $680K
 —
Units 4.9%
$380/wk on $406K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
House price Higher than 19% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
Income Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Schools Higher than 34% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 81% of NSW
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 40% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 64% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 60% of NSW —

Liveability

Armidale is more walkable (64 vs 18).

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Grade C —
Score 36/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Armidale carries more bushfire risk (29 vs 0); Armidale carries more crime risk (88 vs 10).

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Bushfire Low
29/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
88/100
 Low
10/100
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

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Inside the suburb 16 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 7 0
Rated below peers 7 0
Universities within 10 km 1
University of New England, 0.0 km
 None

Schools in Armidale

  • Sandon Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Armidale Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Ben Venue Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Drummond Memorial Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • New England Girls' School Independent · Combined at peers
  • PLC Armidale Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Saumarez Ponds

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

Amenities in the suburb

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Supermarkets 7 0
Cafes & restaurants 58 0
Parks & reserves 88 0
Childcare 19 0
GPs 9 0
Pharmacies 5 0
Hospitals 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 10 0
Fuel stations 10 0
EV chargers 3 0
Waterways 77 4

Mobility

Saumarez Ponds sits further from the CBD (480.4 km vs 478.4 km).

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Walkability score 64/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 478.4 km 480.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 368 min 371 min
Public transport score 72/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 216.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2350
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2350
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.

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Car (driver) 62.0% / 62.8%
Armidale — Car (driver): 62.0% Saumarez Ponds — Car (driver): 62.8%
Worked from Home 26.9% / 37.2%
Armidale — Worked from Home: 26.9% Saumarez Ponds — Worked from Home: 37.2%
Car (passenger) 5.6% / —
Armidale — Car (passenger): 5.6% Saumarez Ponds — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 4.3% / —
Armidale — Walked Only: 4.3% Saumarez Ponds — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.7% / —
Armidale — Bicycle: 0.7% Saumarez Ponds — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.8%).

Setting

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Elevation 1,037 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1,067 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Connectivity score 94/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 91%
14,869 premises
 0%
156 premises

Climate

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Annual rainfall 684 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
PM2.5 6.7 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 9.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Average residential rate $1,477/yr $699/yr
Council Armidale Uralla

Federal electorate

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Armidale Saumarez Ponds
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Armidale

Affordable Parks

Saumarez Ponds

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Armidale

Armidale vs Kellys Plains Armidale vs Thalgarrah Armidale vs Castle Doyle Armidale vs Dangarsleigh Armidale vs Metz Armidale vs Dumaresq

Other comparisons with Saumarez Ponds

Saumarez Ponds vs Invergowrie Saumarez Ponds vs Arding Saumarez Ponds vs Dumaresq Saumarez Ponds vs Saumarez
Full data on Armidale Full data on Saumarez Ponds
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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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