Auburn Vale vs Inverell

Inverell is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 47 in Auburn Vale. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Auburn Vale, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Auburn Vale: a median of $680,000, against $469,000 in Inverell, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Auburn Vale tends to suit families with children and couples, while Inverell suits people living alone and 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

  • Auburn Vale carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 88/100)
  • Inverell has more parks and reserves (18 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Inverell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($469,000 vs $680,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Inverell

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 14%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $335/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Inverell

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 12/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (440 min vs 448 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (572.4 km vs 581.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Inverell

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 12/100)
  • But Auburn Vale carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 88/100)

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

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

Auburn Vale Inverell
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.

Auburn Vale Inverell
Walkability 12 / 55
Auburn Vale — Walkability: 12/100 Inverell — Walkability: 55/100
Safety 88 / 12
Auburn Vale — Safety: 88/100 Inverell — Safety: 12/100
Low fire risk 27 / 61
Auburn Vale — Low fire risk: 27/100 Inverell — Low fire risk: 61/100

Demographics

Inverell has more residents (12,057 vs 127); Auburn Vale has higher household incomes ($94,224 vs $61,724).

Auburn Vale Inverell
Population 127 12,057
+9394% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.3% +3.4%
Median age 47 41
Median household income $94,224/yr
+34% vs other
 $61,724/yr
Median weekly rent $335/wk
+19% vs other
 $270/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Auburn Vale Inverell
0-4 10.2% / 5.9%
Auburn Vale — 0-4: 10.2% Inverell — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 14.2% / 13.7%
Auburn Vale — 5-14: 14.2% Inverell — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 6.3% / 6.1%
Auburn Vale — 15-19: 6.3% Inverell — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 3.9% / 5.6%
Auburn Vale — 20-24: 3.9% Inverell — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 2.4% / 12.0%
Auburn Vale — 25-34: 2.4% Inverell — 25-34: 12.0%
35-44 11.0% / 10.7%
Auburn Vale — 35-44: 11.0% Inverell — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 15.0% / 11.1%
Auburn Vale — 45-54: 15.0% Inverell — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 17.3% / 11.9%
Auburn Vale — 55-64: 17.3% Inverell — 55-64: 11.9%
65-74 9.4% / 11.7%
Auburn Vale — 65-74: 9.4% Inverell — 65-74: 11.7%
75-84 6.3% / 8.4%
Auburn Vale — 75-84: 6.3% Inverell — 75-84: 8.4%
85+ 3.1% / 3.1%
Auburn Vale — 85+: 3.1% Inverell — 85+: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Auburn Vale 70.8% couple families
Auburn Vale — Couple Families: 70.8% Auburn Vale — Lone Person: 29.2% Auburn Vale — One Parent Families: 0.0% Auburn Vale — Group Household: 0.0% Auburn Vale — Other Families: 0.0%
Inverell 31.5% couple families
Inverell — Couple Families: 31.5% Inverell — Lone Person: 42.7% Inverell — One Parent Families: 20.1% Inverell — Group Household: 4.0% Inverell — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Auburn Vale 13.6% renting
Auburn Vale — Owned Outright: 40.9% Auburn Vale — Mortgage: 45.5% Auburn Vale — Renting: 13.6%
Inverell 33.8% renting
Inverell — Owned Outright: 36.9% Inverell — Mortgage: 29.2% Inverell — Renting: 33.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Auburn Vale Inverell
Certificate III & IV 15.7% / 17.2%
Auburn Vale — Certificate III & IV: 15.7% Inverell — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Bachelor Degree 10.2% / 6.4%
Auburn Vale — Bachelor Degree: 10.2% Inverell — Bachelor Degree: 6.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 5.2%
Auburn Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Inverell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 1.0%
Auburn Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Inverell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%
Postgraduate Degree — / 1.0%
Auburn Vale — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Inverell — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

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.

Auburn Vale Inverell
South Africa 3.9% / —
Auburn Vale — South Africa: 3.9% Inverell — South Africa: not among its largest
England — / 1.1%
Auburn Vale — England: not among its largest Inverell — England: 1.1%
Philippines — / 1.0%
Auburn Vale — Philippines: not among its largest Inverell — Philippines: 1.0%
Fiji — / 0.7%
Auburn Vale — Fiji: not among its largest Inverell — Fiji: 0.7%
New Zealand — / 0.7%
Auburn Vale — New Zealand: not among its largest Inverell — New Zealand: 0.7%
Brazil — / 0.4%
Auburn Vale — Brazil: not among its largest Inverell — Brazil: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Auburn Vale 100.0% houses
Auburn Vale — Houses: 100.0% Auburn Vale — Townhouses: 0.0% Auburn Vale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Inverell 87.3% houses
Inverell — Houses: 87.3% Inverell — Townhouses: 10.0% Inverell — Flats / Apartments: 2.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Auburn Vale Inverell
Median house price $680,000 $469,000
Median unit price — $329,000
Median land price — $652,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 42 days
from 110 sales

Zoning mix

Auburn Vale has more rural and farming land (98% vs 64%).

Auburn Vale Inverell
Rural and farming 98% 64%
Residential 2% 26%
Environmental 0% 6%
Parks and recreation 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

Auburn Vale Inverell
New dwellings approved 31
across Inverell
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
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.

Auburn Vale Inverell
Houses — 3.8%
$460/wk on $629K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Auburn Vale Inverell
House price Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 5% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 1% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 62% of NSW

Liveability

Inverell is more walkable (55 vs 12).

Auburn Vale Inverell
Grade — D
Score — 20/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Inverell carries more crime risk (88 vs 12); Auburn Vale carries more bushfire risk (73 vs 39).

Auburn Vale Inverell
Bushfire High
73/100
 Low
39/100
Crime Low
12/100
 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 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Auburn Vale Inverell
Inside the suburb 0 5
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 3

Schools in Auburn Vale

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

Schools in Inverell

  • Holy Trinity School Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Inverell High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Inverell Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Macintyre High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Ross Hill Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Auburn Vale Inverell
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 13
Parks & reserves 0 18
Childcare 0 10
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 6
Fuel stations 0 6
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 8

Mobility

Auburn Vale sits further from the CBD (581.2 km vs 572.4 km).

Auburn Vale Inverell
Walkability score 12/100 55/100
Distance to Sydney 581.2 km
+2% vs other
 572.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 448 min 440 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 2360
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 2360
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.

Auburn Vale Inverell
Car (driver) 71.9% / 78.8%
Auburn Vale — Car (driver): 71.9% Inverell — Car (driver): 78.8%
Worked from Home 28.1% / 8.5%
Auburn Vale — Worked from Home: 28.1% Inverell — Worked from Home: 8.5%
Car (passenger) — / 8.2%
Auburn Vale — Car (passenger): not among its largest Inverell — Car (passenger): 8.2%
Walked Only — / 4.1%
Auburn Vale — Walked Only: not among its largest Inverell — Walked Only: 4.1%
Bicycle — / 0.2%
Auburn Vale — Bicycle: not among its largest Inverell — Bicycle: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.8%).

Setting

Auburn Vale Inverell
Elevation 638 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 595 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Auburn Vale Inverell
Connectivity score 30/100 70/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
51 premises
 35%
6,241 premises

Climate

Auburn Vale Inverell
Annual rainfall 803 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Auburn Vale Inverell
Average residential rate $1,170/yr
same for both
Council Inverell
same for both

Federal electorate

Auburn Vale Inverell
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Auburn Vale Inverell
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Auburn Vale

Affordable Family Rural Young Families

Inverell

Acreage Affordable

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Auburn Vale

Auburn Vale vs Gilgai Auburn Vale vs Gum Flat Auburn Vale vs Copeton

Other comparisons with Inverell

Inverell vs Gilgai Inverell vs Gum Flat Inverell vs Oakwood Inverell vs Nullamanna Inverell vs Stannifer Inverell vs Rob Roy
Full data on Auburn Vale Full data on Inverell
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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