Balaclava vs Renwick

Renwick is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 40 in Balaclava. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Balaclava, about half of households are couple families. In Renwick, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Renwick: a median of $1.29 million, against $1.08 million in Balaclava, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Balaclava tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Renwick 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

Renwick

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (79% vs 68%)

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

First-home buyers

Balaclava

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,077,500 vs $1,293,250)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Balaclava

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $620/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Renwick

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (42/100 vs 17/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Renwick

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (42/100 vs 17/100)

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

Investors

Renwick

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (153.6% vs 15.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Balaclava Renwick
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.

Balaclava Renwick
Walkability 17 / 42
Balaclava — Walkability: 17/100 Renwick — Walkability: 42/100
Safety 83 / 79
Balaclava — Safety: 83/100 Renwick — Safety: 79/100
Low fire risk 19 / 100
Balaclava — Low fire risk: 19/100 Renwick — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Renwick has more residents (1,453 vs 574); Renwick rents higher ($620/wk vs $500/wk).

Balaclava Renwick
Population 574 1,453
+153% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +15.7% +153.6%
Median age 40 37
Median household income $105,196/yr $123,604/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $500/wk $620/wk
+24% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balaclava Renwick
0-4 8.7% / 9.0%
Balaclava — 0-4: 8.7% Renwick — 0-4: 9.0%
5-14 13.1% / 15.8%
Balaclava — 5-14: 13.1% Renwick — 5-14: 15.8%
15-19 3.5% / 4.5%
Balaclava — 15-19: 3.5% Renwick — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 5.1% / 3.8%
Balaclava — 20-24: 5.1% Renwick — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 10.8% / 12.9%
Balaclava — 25-34: 10.8% Renwick — 25-34: 12.9%
35-44 14.8% / 16.2%
Balaclava — 35-44: 14.8% Renwick — 35-44: 16.2%
45-54 15.3% / 11.3%
Balaclava — 45-54: 15.3% Renwick — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 11.3% / 9.1%
Balaclava — 55-64: 11.3% Renwick — 55-64: 9.1%
65-74 9.8% / 10.9%
Balaclava — 65-74: 9.8% Renwick — 65-74: 10.9%
75-84 5.1% / 5.8%
Balaclava — 75-84: 5.1% Renwick — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 1.9% / 0.8%
Balaclava — 85+: 1.9% Renwick — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balaclava 51.0% couple families
Balaclava — Couple Families: 51.0% Balaclava — Lone Person: 27.2% Balaclava — One Parent Families: 17.2% Balaclava — Group Household: 4.6%
Renwick 68.0% couple families
Renwick — Couple Families: 68.0% Renwick — Lone Person: 19.9% Renwick — One Parent Families: 10.7% Renwick — Group Household: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Balaclava 22.9% renting
Balaclava — Owned Outright: 41.1% Balaclava — Mortgage: 35.9% Balaclava — Renting: 22.9%
Renwick 17.3% renting
Renwick — Owned Outright: 35.4% Renwick — Mortgage: 47.3% Renwick — Renting: 17.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Balaclava Renwick
Certificate III & IV 19.7% / 16.2%
Balaclava — Certificate III & IV: 19.7% Renwick — Certificate III & IV: 16.2%
Bachelor Degree 10.3% / 13.6%
Balaclava — Bachelor Degree: 10.3% Renwick — Bachelor Degree: 13.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 10.3%
Balaclava — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Renwick — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 4.5%
Balaclava — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Renwick — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 1.6%
Balaclava — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Renwick — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.7%).

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.

Balaclava Renwick
England 4.2% / 4.2%
Balaclava — England: 4.2% Renwick — England: 4.2%
New Zealand 1.4% / 2.1%
Balaclava — New Zealand: 1.4% Renwick — New Zealand: 2.1%
India 0.5% / 2.6%
Balaclava — India: 0.5% Renwick — India: 2.6%
Netherlands 1.2% / —
Balaclava — Netherlands: 1.2% Renwick — Netherlands: not among its largest
South Africa — / 1.2%
Balaclava — South Africa: not among its largest Renwick — South Africa: 1.2%
Thailand 1.0% / —
Balaclava — Thailand: 1.0% Renwick — Thailand: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.9%
Balaclava — Scotland: not among its largest Renwick — Scotland: 0.9%
Vietnam 0.7% / —
Balaclava — Vietnam: 0.7% Renwick — Vietnam: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Balaclava 102.0% houses
Balaclava — Houses: 102.0%
Renwick 100.0% houses
Renwick — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Balaclava Renwick
Median house price $1,077,500 $1,293,250
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 3 sales
 70 days
from 15 sales

Zoning mix

Balaclava has more rural and farming land (37% vs 0%); Balaclava has more land zoned for conservation (41% vs 5%).

Balaclava Renwick
Residential 17% 94%
Environmental 41% 5%
Rural and farming 37% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 0%
Commercial 1%
same for both
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

Balaclava Renwick
New dwellings approved 335
across Wingecarribee
same for both
Approvals change year on year +6%
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.

Balaclava Renwick
Houses — 3.2%
$880/wk on $1.44M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Balaclava Renwick
House price Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Income Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 72% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 29% of NSW

Liveability

Renwick is more walkable (42 vs 17); Renwick scores higher overall (72 vs 41).

Balaclava Renwick
Grade C A
Score 41/100 72/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Balaclava carries more bushfire risk (81 vs 0).

Balaclava Renwick
Bushfire High
81/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
17/100
 Low
21/100
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 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Balaclava Renwick
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Balaclava

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

Schools in Renwick

  • Highlands School Government · Combined · Special school
  • Tangara School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Balaclava Renwick
Childcare 2 1
GPs 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0

Mobility

Balaclava Renwick
Walkability score 17/100 42/100
Distance to Sydney 111.5 km 110.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 84 min 82 min
Public transport score 29/100
Bus
 22/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2575
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2575
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.

Balaclava Renwick
Car (driver) 74.2% / 65.4%
Balaclava — Car (driver): 74.2% Renwick — Car (driver): 65.4%
Worked from Home 17.5% / 30.0%
Balaclava — Worked from Home: 17.5% Renwick — Worked from Home: 30.0%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 4.5%
Balaclava — Car (passenger): 4.8% Renwick — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only 2.4% / —
Balaclava — Walked Only: 2.4% Renwick — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 1.2% / —
Balaclava — Bus: 1.2% Renwick — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.2%).

Setting

Balaclava Renwick
Elevation 606 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 615 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 36.8 km 37.3 km

NBN connectivity

Balaclava Renwick
Connectivity score 65/100 99/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 36%
276 premises
 98%
679 premises

Climate

Balaclava Renwick
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Balaclava Renwick
Average residential rate $2,072/yr
same for both
Council Wingecarribee
same for both

Federal electorate

Balaclava Renwick
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Balaclava Renwick
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Balaclava

Acreage Young Families

Renwick

Family Large Blocks Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balaclava

Balaclava vs Mittagong Balaclava vs Braemar Balaclava vs Willow Vale Balaclava vs Aylmerton

Other comparisons with Renwick

Renwick vs Mittagong
Full data on Balaclava Full data on Renwick
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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