Balgowlah vs Manly Vale

Manly Vale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 41 in Balgowlah. In both, most households own their home. In Balgowlah, about half of households are couple families. In Manly Vale, most homes are flats or apartments. Houses cost more in Balgowlah: a median of $3.5 million, against $2.78 million in Manly Vale, and rent is higher there too. Balgowlah is closer to the city centre: 12.5 km, against 13.9 km. On these figures, Manly Vale tends to suit 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

Manly Vale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 3)
  • But Balgowlah has more childcare (7 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

Manly Vale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($1,050,000 vs $1,360,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($2,780,000 vs $3,500,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Manly Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($550/wk vs $640/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Manly Vale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.7% vs 3.5%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.6% vs 2.9%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Balgowlah Manly Vale
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.

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Walkability 92 / 88
Balgowlah — Walkability: 92/100 Manly Vale — Walkability: 88/100
Safety 54 / 62
Balgowlah — Safety: 54/100 Manly Vale — Safety: 62/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Balgowlah — Low fire risk: 100/100 Manly Vale — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Balgowlah has more residents (8,068 vs 6,389); Balgowlah rents higher ($640/wk vs $550/wk).

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Population 8,068
+21% vs other
 6,389
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.3% +3.7%
Median age 41 38
Median household income $139,412/yr
+12% vs other
 $122,252/yr
Median weekly rent $640/wk
+14% vs other
 $550/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balgowlah Manly Vale
0-4 6.7% / 5.8%
Balgowlah — 0-4: 6.7% Manly Vale — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 13.4% / 12.8%
Balgowlah — 5-14: 13.4% Manly Vale — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 5.8% / 4.5%
Balgowlah — 15-19: 5.8% Manly Vale — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 4.5% / 4.4%
Balgowlah — 20-24: 4.5% Manly Vale — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 10.5% / 16.6%
Balgowlah — 25-34: 10.5% Manly Vale — 25-34: 16.6%
35-44 14.9% / 16.7%
Balgowlah — 35-44: 14.9% Manly Vale — 35-44: 16.7%
45-54 15.9% / 14.7%
Balgowlah — 45-54: 15.9% Manly Vale — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 11.7% / 10.2%
Balgowlah — 55-64: 11.7% Manly Vale — 55-64: 10.2%
65-74 8.3% / 7.2%
Balgowlah — 65-74: 8.3% Manly Vale — 65-74: 7.2%
75-84 6.3% / 3.9%
Balgowlah — 75-84: 6.3% Manly Vale — 75-84: 3.9%
85+ 2.0% / 3.2%
Balgowlah — 85+: 2.0% Manly Vale — 85+: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balgowlah 47.0% couple families
Balgowlah — Couple Families: 47.0% Balgowlah — Lone Person: 33.2% Balgowlah — One Parent Families: 13.3% Balgowlah — Group Household: 5.3% Balgowlah — Other Families: 1.1%
Manly Vale 42.7% couple families
Manly Vale — Couple Families: 42.7% Manly Vale — Lone Person: 37.1% Manly Vale — One Parent Families: 13.3% Manly Vale — Group Household: 5.6% Manly Vale — Other Families: 1.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Balgowlah 31.8% renting
Balgowlah — Owned Outright: 34.8% Balgowlah — Mortgage: 33.4% Balgowlah — Renting: 31.8%
Manly Vale 41.6% renting
Manly Vale — Owned Outright: 24.4% Manly Vale — Mortgage: 34.0% Manly Vale — Renting: 41.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Bachelor Degree 25.4% / 22.7%
Balgowlah — Bachelor Degree: 25.4% Manly Vale — Bachelor Degree: 22.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 9.8%
Balgowlah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Manly Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8%
Postgraduate Degree 9.7% / 7.8%
Balgowlah — Postgraduate Degree: 9.7% Manly Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 7.8%
Certificate III & IV 6.4% / 9.2%
Balgowlah — Certificate III & IV: 6.4% Manly Vale — Certificate III & IV: 9.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 2.7%
Balgowlah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Manly Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.4%).

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.

Balgowlah Manly Vale
England 9.6% / 8.4%
Balgowlah — England: 9.6% Manly Vale — England: 8.4%
New Zealand 2.7% / 2.4%
Balgowlah — New Zealand: 2.7% Manly Vale — New Zealand: 2.4%
South Africa 1.9% / 1.5%
Balgowlah — South Africa: 1.9% Manly Vale — South Africa: 1.5%
China 1.0% / 2.1%
Balgowlah — China: 1.0% Manly Vale — China: 2.1%
Brazil 0.9% / 1.7%
Balgowlah — Brazil: 0.9% Manly Vale — Brazil: 1.7%
Scotland 1.0% / —
Balgowlah — Scotland: 1.0% Manly Vale — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Balgowlah 42.3% flats / apartments
Balgowlah — Flats / Apartments: 42.3% Balgowlah — Houses: 34.6% Balgowlah — Townhouses: 23.1%
Manly Vale 62.0% flats / apartments
Manly Vale — Flats / Apartments: 62.0% Manly Vale — Houses: 33.7% Manly Vale — Townhouses: 4.3%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Median house price $3,500,000 $2,780,000
Median unit price $1,360,000 $1,050,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 30 sales
 20 days
from 15 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Balgowlah Manly Vale
1 bed $1.11M / $812K
Balgowlah — 1 bed: $1.11M (15 sales) Manly Vale — 1 bed: $812K (38 sales)

15 vs 38 sales

2 bed $1.3M / $1.22M
Balgowlah — 2 bed: $1.3M (74 sales) Manly Vale — 2 bed: $1.22M (85 sales)

74 vs 85 sales

3 bed $1.95M / $1.3M
Balgowlah — 3 bed: $1.95M (19 sales) Manly Vale — 3 bed: $1.3M (6 sales)

19 vs 6 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.

Balgowlah Manly Vale
2 bed $2.9M / $2.58M
Balgowlah — 2 bed: $2.9M (8 sales) Manly Vale — 2 bed: $2.58M (5 sales)

8 vs 5 sales

3 bed $3.09M / $2.57M
Balgowlah — 3 bed: $3.09M (35 sales) Manly Vale — 3 bed: $2.57M (12 sales)

35 vs 12 sales

4 bed $3.92M / $3.06M
Balgowlah — 4 bed: $3.92M (25 sales) Manly Vale — 4 bed: $3.06M (10 sales)

25 vs 10 sales

5 bed $5.25M / $3.4M
Balgowlah — 5 bed: $5.25M (7 sales) Manly Vale — 5 bed: $3.4M (7 sales)

7 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Residential 68% 54%
Parks and recreation 12% 36%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 7%
Industrial 6% 1%
Environmental 4% 0%
Commercial 3% 2%
Planning zones cover 99% of Balgowlah and 100% of Manly Vale. 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

Balgowlah Manly Vale
New dwellings approved 620
across Northern Beaches
same for both
Approvals change year on year +51%
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.

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Houses 2.9%
$1,498/wk on $2.7M
 3.6%
$1,875/wk on $2.7M
Units 3.5%
$850/wk on $1.25M
 4.7%
$850/wk on $950K

Ranking within NSW

Balgowlah Manly Vale
House price Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Income Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Schools Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 97% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 11% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW

Liveability

Manly Vale scores higher overall (88 vs 70).

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Grade A A+
Score 70/100 88/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
46/100
 Low
38/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
12/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Inside the suburb 3
same for both
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 2
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 6.8 km
 1
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 8.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.7% 1.8%

Schools in Balgowlah

  • Manly West Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Balgowlah Boys Campus Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Manly Vale

  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus Government · Secondary above peers
  • St Kieran's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Manly Vale Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 15 3
Parks & reserves 3 9
Childcare 7 4
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 3 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 8 9

Mobility

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Walkability score 92/100 88/100
Distance to Sydney 12.5 km 13.9 km
+11% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min
same for both
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 343.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 176.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.9%
postcode 2093
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 25
postcode 2093
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.

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Worked from Home 62.1% / 52.2%
Balgowlah — Worked from Home: 62.1% Manly Vale — Worked from Home: 52.2%
Car (driver) 27.5% / 35.2%
Balgowlah — Car (driver): 27.5% Manly Vale — Car (driver): 35.2%
Bus 4.1% / 5.0%
Balgowlah — Bus: 4.1% Manly Vale — Bus: 5.0%
Walked Only 3.3% / 3.1%
Balgowlah — Walked Only: 3.3% Manly Vale — Walked Only: 3.1%
Car (passenger) 2.0% / 2.5%
Balgowlah — Car (passenger): 2.0% Manly Vale — Car (passenger): 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.1%).

Setting

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Elevation 54 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 575 m
700 m to a named beach
 1.7 km
1.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Connectivity score 75/100 74/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
3,960 premises
 3%
2,939 premises

Climate

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Balgowlah Manly Vale
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.84 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Average residential rate $1,696/yr
same for both
Council Northern Beaches
same for both

Federal electorate

Balgowlah Manly Vale
Division Warringah
same for both
Member Zali Steggall
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Balgowlah

Apartments Beach Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Urban

Manly Vale

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Professionals River Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balgowlah

Balgowlah vs Seaforth Balgowlah vs Fairlight Balgowlah vs North Balgowlah Balgowlah vs Balgowlah Heights Balgowlah vs Clontarf

Other comparisons with Manly Vale

Manly Vale vs Manly Manly Vale vs Allambie Heights Manly Vale vs Fairlight Manly Vale vs North Balgowlah Manly Vale vs North Manly
Full data on Balgowlah Full data on Manly Vale
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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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