Austinmer vs Coledale

Comparing Austinmer and Coledale, NSW: Austinmer has more residents (2,725 vs 1,372); Austinmer sits further from the CBD (74.7 km vs 69.1 km).

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Austinmer

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($550/wk vs $600/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Coledale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (69.1 km vs 74.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

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

Austinmer Coledale
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.

Austinmer Coledale
Walkability 49 / 49
Austinmer — Walkability: 49/100 Coledale — Walkability: 49/100
Safety 62 / 60
Austinmer — Safety: 62/100 Coledale — Safety: 60/100
Low fire risk 5 / 4
Austinmer — Low fire risk: 5/100 Coledale — Low fire risk: 4/100

Demographics

Austinmer has more residents (2,725 vs 1,372).

Austinmer Coledale
Population 2,725
+50% vs other
 1,372
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.4% +8.9%
Median age 42
same for both
Median household income $134,472/yr
same for both
Median weekly rent $550/wk $600/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Austinmer Coledale
0-4 6.3% / 4.3%
Austinmer — 0-4: 6.3% Coledale — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 13.6% / 16.3%
Austinmer — 5-14: 13.6% Coledale — 5-14: 16.3%
15-19 6.0% / 7.3%
Austinmer — 15-19: 6.0% Coledale — 15-19: 7.3%
20-24 3.9% / 5.2%
Austinmer — 20-24: 3.9% Coledale — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 9.9% / 8.2%
Austinmer — 25-34: 9.9% Coledale — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 13.3% / 12.1%
Austinmer — 35-44: 13.3% Coledale — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 13.4% / 15.7%
Austinmer — 45-54: 13.4% Coledale — 45-54: 15.7%
55-64 14.9% / 16.0%
Austinmer — 55-64: 14.9% Coledale — 55-64: 16.0%
65-74 11.8% / 11.2%
Austinmer — 65-74: 11.8% Coledale — 65-74: 11.2%
75-84 5.2% / 3.6%
Austinmer — 75-84: 5.2% Coledale — 75-84: 3.6%
85+ 1.4% / 1.0%
Austinmer — 85+: 1.4% Coledale — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Austinmer 57.3% couple families
Austinmer — Couple Families: 57.3% Austinmer — Lone Person: 23.9% Austinmer — One Parent Families: 13.4% Austinmer — Group Household: 4.0% Austinmer — Other Families: 1.3%
Coledale 63.2% couple families
Coledale — Couple Families: 63.2% Coledale — Lone Person: 21.7% Coledale — One Parent Families: 10.9% Coledale — Group Household: 4.3% Coledale — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Austinmer 19.6% renting
Austinmer — Owned Outright: 45.6% Austinmer — Mortgage: 34.8% Austinmer — Renting: 19.6%
Coledale 14.8% renting
Coledale — Owned Outright: 44.2% Coledale — Mortgage: 41.0% Coledale — Renting: 14.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Austinmer Coledale
Bachelor Degree 22.9% / 20.3%
Austinmer — Bachelor Degree: 22.9% Coledale — Bachelor Degree: 20.3%
Postgraduate Degree 12.3% / 10.3%
Austinmer — Postgraduate Degree: 12.3% Coledale — Postgraduate Degree: 10.3%
Certificate III & IV 9.7% / 11.2%
Austinmer — Certificate III & IV: 9.7% Coledale — Certificate III & IV: 11.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 7.1%
Austinmer — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Coledale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.0% / 3.6%
Austinmer — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0% Coledale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

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.

Austinmer Coledale
England 5.8% / 4.0%
Austinmer — England: 5.8% Coledale — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.2% / 1.9%
Austinmer — New Zealand: 1.2% Coledale — New Zealand: 1.9%
Scotland 1.0% / 0.8%
Austinmer — Scotland: 1.0% Coledale — Scotland: 0.8%
Germany 0.6% / 0.7%
Austinmer — Germany: 0.6% Coledale — Germany: 0.7%
Ireland 0.6% / 0.4%
Austinmer — Ireland: 0.6% Coledale — Ireland: 0.4%
South Africa 0.7% / —
Austinmer — South Africa: 0.7% Coledale — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Austinmer 82.4% houses
Austinmer — Houses: 82.4% Austinmer — Townhouses: 9.5% Austinmer — Flats / Apartments: 8.1%
Coledale 91.8% houses
Coledale — Houses: 91.8% Coledale — Townhouses: 5.8% Coledale — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Austinmer Coledale
Median house price $1,957,500 $2,090,000
Median unit price $880,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 16 sales
 51 days
from 10 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Austinmer Coledale
3 bed $1.61M / $1.75M
Austinmer — 3 bed: $1.61M (19 sales) Coledale — 3 bed: $1.75M (11 sales)

19 vs 11 sales

4 bed $2.08M / $2.29M
Austinmer — 4 bed: $2.08M (22 sales) Coledale — 4 bed: $2.29M (12 sales)

22 vs 12 sales

Zoning mix

Austinmer Coledale
Environmental 58% 64%
Residential 26% 18%
Parks and recreation 9% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 6%
Planning zones cover 97% of Austinmer and 96% of Coledale. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Austinmer Coledale
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
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.

Austinmer Coledale
Houses 4.0%
$990/wk on $1.3M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Austinmer Coledale
House price Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Income Higher than 90% of NSW
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 96% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 71% of NSW —

Liveability

Austinmer Coledale
Grade B
same for both
Score 51/100 49/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Austinmer Coledale
Bushfire High
95/100
 High
96/100
Crime Low
38/100
 Moderate
40/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
26/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Austinmer Coledale
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Austinmer

  • Austinmer Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Coledale

  • Coledale Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Austinmer Coledale
Cafes & restaurants 3 2
Parks & reserves 7 5
Childcare 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 3 1

Mobility

Austinmer sits further from the CBD (74.7 km vs 69.1 km).

Austinmer Coledale
Walkability score 49/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 74.7 km
+7% vs other
 69.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 78 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 76/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 61.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 29.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.8%
postcode 2515
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2515
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.

Austinmer Coledale
Worked from Home 51.9% / 50.2%
Austinmer — Worked from Home: 51.9% Coledale — Worked from Home: 50.2%
Car (driver) 42.0% / 42.6%
Austinmer — Car (driver): 42.0% Coledale — Car (driver): 42.6%
Walked Only 1.8% / 3.1%
Austinmer — Walked Only: 1.8% Coledale — Walked Only: 3.1%
Car (passenger) 1.8% / 2.7%
Austinmer — Car (passenger): 1.8% Coledale — Car (passenger): 2.7%
Train 1.7% / 1.4%
Austinmer — Train: 1.7% Coledale — Train: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (51.9%).

Setting

Austinmer Coledale
Elevation 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 81 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 795 m
779 m to a named beach
 600 m
666 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Austinmer Coledale
Connectivity score 71/100 62/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 46%
1,207 premises
 31%
546 premises

Climate

Austinmer Coledale
Annual rainfall 1,038 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Austinmer Coledale
PM2.5 6.2 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.66 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Austinmer Coledale
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Austinmer Coledale
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Austinmer Coledale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Austinmer

Beach Coastal Parks Premium Professionals Quiet

Coledale

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Parks Premium Professionals Quiet

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Full data on Austinmer Full data on Coledale
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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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