Barrack Heights vs Oak Flats

Comparing Barrack Heights and Oak Flats, NSW: Oak Flats is more walkable (88 vs 67); Oak Flats rents higher ($440/wk vs $380/wk); and Oak Flats sits further from the CBD (109.9 km vs 102.6 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

Oak Flats

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 11)

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

First-home buyers

Barrack Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($560,000 vs $700,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Barrack Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $440/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Barrack Heights sits closer to the CBD (102.6 km vs 109.9 km)
  • Oak Flats is more walkable (88/100 vs 67/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Oak Flats

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 67/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
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.

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Walkability 67 / 88
Barrack Heights — Walkability: 67/100 Oak Flats — Walkability: 88/100
Safety 31 / 26
Barrack Heights — Safety: 31/100 Oak Flats — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Barrack Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Oak Flats — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Oak Flats rents higher ($440/wk vs $380/wk); Oak Flats has higher household incomes ($77,376 vs $69,680).

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Population 6,003 6,840
+14% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.7% +6.6%
Median age 41 42
Median household income $69,680/yr $77,376/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $440/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
0-4 5.4% / 5.1%
Barrack Heights — 0-4: 5.4% Oak Flats — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 12.9% / 12.2%
Barrack Heights — 5-14: 12.9% Oak Flats — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 6.5% / 5.4%
Barrack Heights — 15-19: 6.5% Oak Flats — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 5.5% / 6.3%
Barrack Heights — 20-24: 5.5% Oak Flats — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 12.2% / 12.5%
Barrack Heights — 25-34: 12.2% Oak Flats — 25-34: 12.5%
35-44 12.3% / 11.1%
Barrack Heights — 35-44: 12.3% Oak Flats — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 11.9% / 11.7%
Barrack Heights — 45-54: 11.9% Oak Flats — 45-54: 11.7%
55-64 12.6% / 14.6%
Barrack Heights — 55-64: 12.6% Oak Flats — 55-64: 14.6%
65-74 11.4% / 12.1%
Barrack Heights — 65-74: 11.4% Oak Flats — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 7.0% / 6.6%
Barrack Heights — 75-84: 7.0% Oak Flats — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ 2.2% / 2.3%
Barrack Heights — 85+: 2.2% Oak Flats — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Barrack Heights 36.5% couple families
Barrack Heights — Couple Families: 36.5% Barrack Heights — Lone Person: 32.5% Barrack Heights — One Parent Families: 26.7% Barrack Heights — Group Household: 2.5% Barrack Heights — Other Families: 1.8%
Oak Flats 39.7% couple families
Oak Flats — Couple Families: 39.7% Oak Flats — Lone Person: 32.0% Oak Flats — One Parent Families: 21.8% Oak Flats — Group Household: 3.8% Oak Flats — Other Families: 2.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Barrack Heights 33.8% renting
Barrack Heights — Owned Outright: 37.1% Barrack Heights — Mortgage: 29.1% Barrack Heights — Renting: 33.8%
Oak Flats 24.7% renting
Oak Flats — Owned Outright: 42.5% Oak Flats — Mortgage: 32.8% Oak Flats — Renting: 24.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
England 4.5% / 4.9%
Barrack Heights — England: 4.5% Oak Flats — England: 4.9%
Germany 0.7% / 1.3%
Barrack Heights — Germany: 0.7% Oak Flats — Germany: 1.3%
New Zealand 0.8% / 1.1%
Barrack Heights — New Zealand: 0.8% Oak Flats — New Zealand: 1.1%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.6%
Barrack Heights — Scotland: 0.8% Oak Flats — Scotland: 0.6%
Italy 0.7% / 0.6%
Barrack Heights — Italy: 0.7% Oak Flats — Italy: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.9%).

Qualifications

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

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Certificate III & IV 19.4% / 21.4%
Barrack Heights — Certificate III & IV: 19.4% Oak Flats — Certificate III & IV: 21.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 8.0%
Barrack Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Oak Flats — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Bachelor Degree 5.5% / 7.0%
Barrack Heights — Bachelor Degree: 5.5% Oak Flats — Bachelor Degree: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 2.0%
Barrack Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Oak Flats — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.0%
Barrack Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Oak Flats — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Barrack Heights 88.3% houses
Barrack Heights — Houses: 88.3% Barrack Heights — Townhouses: 1.1% Barrack Heights — Flats / Apartments: 10.6%
Oak Flats 82.2% houses
Oak Flats — Houses: 82.2% Oak Flats — Townhouses: 15.4% Oak Flats — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Median house price $937,500 $988,500
Median unit price $560,000 $700,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 49 sales
 24 days
from 78 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.

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
3 bed $875K / $928K
Barrack Heights — 3 bed: $875K (59 sales) Oak Flats — 3 bed: $928K (74 sales)

59 vs 74 sales

4 bed $1.14M / $1.1M
Barrack Heights — 4 bed: $1.14M (20 sales) Oak Flats — 4 bed: $1.1M (33 sales)

20 vs 33 sales

5 bed $1.19M / $1.25M
Barrack Heights — 5 bed: $1.19M (6 sales) Oak Flats — 5 bed: $1.25M (7 sales)

6 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Residential 77% 64%
Parks and recreation 15%
same for both
Infrastructure and transport 2% 8%
Industrial 4% 7%
Commercial 1% 4%
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

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
New dwellings approved 883
across Shellharbour
same for both
Approvals change year on year +25%
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.

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Houses 3.9%
$720/wk on $949K
 4.0%
$725/wk on $940K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
House price Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Income Higher than 33% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Schools Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 7% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW

Liveability

Oak Flats is more walkable (88 vs 67); Oak Flats scores higher overall (45 vs 38).

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Grade C
same for both
Score 38/100 45/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
69/100
 High
74/100
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 4
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Inside the suburb 3 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 2 1

Schools in Barrack Heights

  • Barrack Heights Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Warilla High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Aspect South Coast School, Barrack Heights Independent · Primary · Special school

Schools in Oak Flats

  • Balarang Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Corpus Christi Catholic High School Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Oak Flats Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Oak Flats High School Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Parks & reserves 11 14
Childcare 5 6
GPs 1 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 1
same for both
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Oak Flats sits further from the CBD (109.9 km vs 102.6 km).

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Walkability score 67/100 88/100
Distance to Sydney 102.6 km 109.9 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 98 min 97 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 80/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 47.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 132.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2528
 0.9%
postcode 2529
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 2528
 45
postcode 2529

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.

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Car (driver) 74.6% / 71.8%
Barrack Heights — Car (driver): 74.6% Oak Flats — Car (driver): 71.8%
Worked from Home 17.5% / 20.3%
Barrack Heights — Worked from Home: 17.5% Oak Flats — Worked from Home: 20.3%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 3.8%
Barrack Heights — Car (passenger): 4.8% Oak Flats — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 1.7% / 1.7%
Barrack Heights — Walked Only: 1.7% Oak Flats — Walked Only: 1.7%
Bus 0.7% / 1.0%
Barrack Heights — Bus: 0.7% Oak Flats — Bus: 1.0%
Train 0.4% / 1.0%
Barrack Heights — Train: 0.4% Oak Flats — Train: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.6%).

Setting

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 17 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.3 km
1.5 km to a named beach
 4.3 km
4.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Connectivity score 73/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
2,681 premises
 53%
3,270 premises

Climate

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Average residential rate $1,788/yr
same for both
Council Shellharbour
same for both

Federal electorate

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Barrack Heights Oak Flats
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Barrack Heights

Beach Coastal Parks

Oak Flats

Parks River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Barrack Heights

Barrack Heights vs Warilla Barrack Heights vs Mount Warrigal Barrack Heights vs Shellharbour Barrack Heights vs Blackbutt Barrack Heights vs Barrack Point Barrack Heights vs Shellharbour City Centre

Other comparisons with Oak Flats

Oak Flats vs Albion Park Rail Oak Flats vs Mount Warrigal Oak Flats vs Blackbutt Oak Flats vs Shellharbour City Centre Oak Flats vs Croom
Full data on Barrack Heights Full data on Oak Flats
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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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