Ashby vs Maclean

Maclean is the younger of the two, with a median age of 56 against 61 in Ashby. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Ashby, most households are people living alone. In Maclean, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Ashby: a median of $872,000, against $678,000 in Maclean, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Ashby tends to suit people living alone, while Maclean suits 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

They split

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

  • Ashby carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 88/100)
  • Maclean has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Maclean

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($287,500 vs $894,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($678,500 vs $872,500)
  • But Ashby leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 33%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Maclean

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 2%)

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

Commuting to the city

Maclean

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 4/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (421 min vs 439 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (648.3 km vs 659.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Maclean

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 4/100)
  • But Ashby carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 88/100)

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

Investors

Maclean

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (5.7% vs -3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Ashby Maclean
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.

Ashby Maclean
Walkability 4 / 21
Ashby — Walkability: 4/100 Maclean — Walkability: 21/100
Safety 64 / 12
Ashby — Safety: 64/100 Maclean — Safety: 12/100
Low fire risk 6 / 72
Ashby — Low fire risk: 6/100 Maclean — Low fire risk: 72/100

Demographics

Maclean has more residents (2,778 vs 316); Ashby has higher household incomes ($57,876 vs $50,180).

Ashby Maclean
Population 316 2,778
+779% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.1% +5.7%
Median age 61 56
Median household income $57,876/yr
+13% vs other
 $50,180/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+6% vs other
 $330/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ashby Maclean
0-4 2.5% / 4.7%
Ashby — 0-4: 2.5% Maclean — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 7.6% / 9.4%
Ashby — 5-14: 7.6% Maclean — 5-14: 9.4%
15-19 2.8% / 4.0%
Ashby — 15-19: 2.8% Maclean — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 4.1% / 3.2%
Ashby — 20-24: 4.1% Maclean — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 4.4% / 7.9%
Ashby — 25-34: 4.4% Maclean — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 7.0% / 8.6%
Ashby — 35-44: 7.0% Maclean — 35-44: 8.6%
45-54 10.1% / 10.8%
Ashby — 45-54: 10.1% Maclean — 45-54: 10.8%
55-64 23.1% / 15.1%
Ashby — 55-64: 23.1% Maclean — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 25.9% / 15.7%
Ashby — 65-74: 25.9% Maclean — 65-74: 15.7%
75-84 13.3% / 13.4%
Ashby — 75-84: 13.3% Maclean — 75-84: 13.4%
85+ 1.3% / 7.2%
Ashby — 85+: 1.3% Maclean — 85+: 7.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ashby 60.0% lone person
Ashby — Lone Person: 60.0% Ashby — Couple Families: 26.7% Ashby — One Parent Families: 13.3% Ashby — Group Household: 0.0% Ashby — Other Families: 0.0%
Maclean 50.6% lone person
Maclean — Lone Person: 50.6% Maclean — Couple Families: 24.4% Maclean — One Parent Families: 19.4% Maclean — Group Household: 3.7% Maclean — Other Families: 2.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ashby 2.4% renting
Ashby — Owned Outright: 66.4% Ashby — Mortgage: 31.2% Ashby — Renting: 2.4%
Maclean 32.2% renting
Maclean — Owned Outright: 47.7% Maclean — Mortgage: 20.1% Maclean — Renting: 32.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Ashby Maclean
Certificate III & IV 17.7% / 16.0%
Ashby — Certificate III & IV: 17.7% Maclean — Certificate III & IV: 16.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 6.8%
Ashby — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Maclean — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Bachelor Degree 7.3% / 7.9%
Ashby — Bachelor Degree: 7.3% Maclean — Bachelor Degree: 7.9%
Postgraduate Degree 6.3% / 1.8%
Ashby — Postgraduate Degree: 6.3% Maclean — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.8%
Ashby — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Maclean — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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.

Ashby Maclean
England 7.3% / 3.2%
Ashby — England: 7.3% Maclean — England: 3.2%
New Zealand 2.5% / 1.5%
Ashby — New Zealand: 2.5% Maclean — New Zealand: 1.5%
Indonesia 1.6% / —
Ashby — Indonesia: 1.6% Maclean — Indonesia: not among its largest
Philippines — / 1.0%
Ashby — Philippines: not among its largest Maclean — Philippines: 1.0%
Scotland — / 0.7%
Ashby — Scotland: not among its largest Maclean — Scotland: 0.7%
India — / 0.4%
Ashby — India: not among its largest Maclean — India: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ashby 100.0% houses
Ashby — Houses: 100.0% Ashby — Townhouses: 0.0% Ashby — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Maclean 86.8% houses
Maclean — Houses: 86.8% Maclean — Townhouses: 6.8% Maclean — Flats / Apartments: 6.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ashby Maclean
Median house price $872,500 $678,500
Median unit price — $447,500
Median land price $894,000 $287,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 35 days
from 57 sales

Zoning mix

Ashby Maclean
Environmental 31% 40%
Residential 36% 21%
Rural and farming 32% 26%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 9%
Parks and recreation 0% 3%
Commercial 0% 1%
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

Ashby Maclean
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
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.

Ashby Maclean
Houses — 4.8%
$640/wk on $699K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Ashby Maclean
House price Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Income Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 15% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 27% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 94% of NSW

Liveability

Maclean is more walkable (21 vs 4).

Ashby Maclean
Grade — D
Score — 18/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Ashby carries more bushfire risk (94 vs 28); Maclean carries more crime risk (88 vs 36).

Ashby Maclean
Bushfire High
94/100
 Low
28/100
Crime Low
36/100
 High
88/100
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Ashby Maclean
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Ashby

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

Schools in Maclean

  • Maclean High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Maclean Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Ashby Maclean
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 10
Parks & reserves 0 10
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 2
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 6 0

Mobility

Ashby sits further from the CBD (659.4 km vs 648.3 km).

Ashby Maclean
Walkability score 4/100 21/100
Distance to Sydney 659.4 km
+2% vs other
 648.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 439 min 421 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2463
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 2463
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.

Ashby Maclean
Car (driver) 73.6% / 74.1%
Ashby — Car (driver): 73.6% Maclean — Car (driver): 74.1%
Worked from Home 20.8% / 10.3%
Ashby — Worked from Home: 20.8% Maclean — Worked from Home: 10.3%
Walked Only 5.6% / 10.1%
Ashby — Walked Only: 5.6% Maclean — Walked Only: 10.1%
Car (passenger) — / 4.8%
Ashby — Car (passenger): not among its largest Maclean — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Bus — / 0.7%
Ashby — Bus: not among its largest Maclean — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.1%).

Setting

Ashby Maclean
Elevation 95 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.7 km 7.3 km

NBN connectivity

Ashby Maclean
Connectivity score 29/100 68/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
162 premises
 29%
1,583 premises

Climate

Ashby Maclean
Annual rainfall 1,408 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Ashby Maclean
Average residential rate $1,380/yr
same for both
Council Clarence Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Ashby Maclean
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ashby Maclean
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ashby

Acreage Retirees

Maclean

Acreage Affordable Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ashby

Ashby vs Lawrence Ashby vs Harwood Ashby vs Woodford Island Ashby vs Ashby Heights Ashby vs Ilarwill Ashby vs South Arm

Other comparisons with Maclean

Maclean vs Gulmarrad Maclean vs Townsend Maclean vs Harwood Maclean vs James Creek Maclean vs South Arm
Full data on Ashby Full data on Maclean
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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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