Bellingen vs Hydes Creek

Hydes Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 44 in Bellingen. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Hydes Creek, most households are couple families. On these figures, Bellingen tends to suit people living alone, while Hydes Creek suits families with children and 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

Bellingen

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • But Hydes Creek is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 55%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Hydes Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 31%)
  • has cheaper rent ($309/wk vs $390/wk)
  • But Bellingen has a bigger rental market to choose from (27% vs 16%)

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

Commuting to the city

Bellingen

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 8/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (341 min vs 349 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (516.5 km vs 522.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bellingen

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 8/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Where they sit

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

Bellingen Hydes Creek
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.

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Walkability 76 / 8
Bellingen — Walkability: 76/100 Hydes Creek — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 22 / 29
Bellingen — Safety: 22/100 Hydes Creek — Safety: 29/100
Low fire risk 71 / 100
Bellingen — Low fire risk: 71/100 Hydes Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bellingen has more residents (3,923 vs 155); Hydes Creek has higher household incomes ($106,600 vs $65,936).

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Population 3,923
+96% vs other
 155
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.8% —
Median age 44 41
Median household income $65,936/yr $106,600/yr
+62% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+21% vs other
 $309/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bellingen Hydes Creek
0-4 4.7% / 9.0%
Bellingen — 0-4: 4.7% Hydes Creek — 0-4: 9.0%
5-14 16.4% / 16.8%
Bellingen — 5-14: 16.4% Hydes Creek — 5-14: 16.8%
15-19 7.0% / 3.9%
Bellingen — 15-19: 7.0% Hydes Creek — 15-19: 3.9%
20-24 2.9% / —
Bellingen — 20-24: 2.9% Hydes Creek — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 7.5% / 9.7%
Bellingen — 25-34: 7.5% Hydes Creek — 25-34: 9.7%
35-44 11.4% / 10.3%
Bellingen — 35-44: 11.4% Hydes Creek — 35-44: 10.3%
45-54 14.4% / 9.7%
Bellingen — 45-54: 14.4% Hydes Creek — 45-54: 9.7%
55-64 13.8% / 19.4%
Bellingen — 55-64: 13.8% Hydes Creek — 55-64: 19.4%
65-74 12.4% / 18.7%
Bellingen — 65-74: 12.4% Hydes Creek — 65-74: 18.7%
75-84 6.9% / 6.5%
Bellingen — 75-84: 6.9% Hydes Creek — 75-84: 6.5%
85+ 2.5% / —
Bellingen — 85+: 2.5% Hydes Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bellingen 32.6% couple families
Bellingen — Couple Families: 32.6% Bellingen — Lone Person: 38.1% Bellingen — One Parent Families: 22.2% Bellingen — Group Household: 5.8% Bellingen — Other Families: 1.2%
Hydes Creek 63.9% couple families
Hydes Creek — Couple Families: 63.9% Hydes Creek — Lone Person: 22.2% Hydes Creek — One Parent Families: 13.9% Hydes Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Hydes Creek — 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.

Bellingen 26.6% renting
Bellingen — Owned Outright: 40.0% Bellingen — Mortgage: 33.4% Bellingen — Renting: 26.6%
Hydes Creek 16.3% renting
Hydes Creek — Owned Outright: 51.0% Hydes Creek — Mortgage: 32.7% Hydes Creek — Renting: 16.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Bachelor Degree 14.3% / 14.2%
Bellingen — Bachelor Degree: 14.3% Hydes Creek — Bachelor Degree: 14.2%
Certificate III & IV 13.5% / 14.2%
Bellingen — Certificate III & IV: 13.5% Hydes Creek — Certificate III & IV: 14.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 6.5%
Bellingen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Hydes Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 6.5%
Bellingen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Hydes Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.5%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 3.2%
Bellingen — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% Hydes Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.3%).

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.

Bellingen Hydes Creek
England 5.3% / 2.6%
Bellingen — England: 5.3% Hydes Creek — England: 2.6%
Germany 0.9% / 4.5%
Bellingen — Germany: 0.9% Hydes Creek — Germany: 4.5%
Malaysia — / 1.9%
Bellingen — Malaysia: not among its largest Hydes Creek — Malaysia: 1.9%
New Zealand 1.8% / —
Bellingen — New Zealand: 1.8% Hydes Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 0.8% / —
Bellingen — South Africa: 0.8% Hydes Creek — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Bellingen — Scotland: 0.7% Hydes Creek — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bellingen 93.2% houses
Bellingen — Houses: 93.2% Bellingen — Townhouses: 5.4% Bellingen — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Hydes Creek 100.0% houses
Hydes Creek — Houses: 100.0% Hydes Creek — Townhouses: 0.0% Hydes Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Median house price $857,675 —
Median unit price $855,000 —
Median land price $485,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 58 days
from 37 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Hydes Creek has more rural and farming land (96% vs 71%); Bellingen has more land zoned for conservation (13% vs 1%).

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Rural and farming 71% 96%
Environmental 13% 1%
Residential 13% 2%
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
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

Bellingen Hydes Creek
New dwellings approved 40
across Bellingen
same for both
Approvals change year on year +12%
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.

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Houses 3.0%
$678/wk on $1.18M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bellingen Hydes Creek
House price Higher than 38% of NSW —
Income Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Schools Higher than 4% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 45% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 79% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 22% of NSW —

Liveability

Bellingen is more walkable (76 vs 8).

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Grade C —
Score 34/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Bellingen carries more bushfire risk (29 vs 0).

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Bushfire Low
29/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
78/100
 High
71/100
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
same for both

Schools

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Bellingen

  • Bellingen High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Mary's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Bellingen Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Chrysalis School for Rudolf Steiner Education - Bellingen Campus Independent · Primary
  • Chrysalis School for Rudolf Steiner Education Stage 5 Campus Independent · Secondary

Schools in Hydes Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 15 0
Parks & reserves 13 0
Childcare 3 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 39 1

Mobility

Hydes Creek sits further from the CBD (522.3 km vs 516.5 km).

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Walkability score 76/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 516.5 km 522.3 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 341 min 349 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2454
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 2454
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.

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Car (driver) 62.6% / 56.2%
Bellingen — Car (driver): 62.6% Hydes Creek — Car (driver): 56.2%
Worked from Home 23.9% / 37.5%
Bellingen — Worked from Home: 23.9% Hydes Creek — Worked from Home: 37.5%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 6.2%
Bellingen — Car (passenger): 4.5% Hydes Creek — Car (passenger): 6.2%
Walked Only 7.9% / —
Bellingen — Walked Only: 7.9% Hydes Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 1.1% / —
Bellingen — Bicycle: 1.1% Hydes Creek — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.6%).

Setting

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Elevation 53 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 14.4 km 12.8 km

NBN connectivity

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Connectivity score 74/100 28/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 39%
1,944 premises
 0%
58 premises

Climate

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Annual rainfall 1,827 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bellingen Hydes Creek
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 10.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.22 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Average residential rate $1,592/yr
same for both
Council Bellingen
same for both

Federal electorate

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bellingen Hydes Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bellingen

Acreage Parks Professionals Village Feel

Hydes Creek

Family Retirees Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bellingen

Bellingen vs Raleigh Bellingen vs Fernmount Bellingen vs Gleniffer Bellingen vs Brierfield Bellingen vs Thora Bellingen vs Kalang

Other comparisons with Hydes Creek

Hydes Creek vs Raleigh Hydes Creek vs Gleniffer Hydes Creek vs Valery
Full data on Bellingen Full data on Hydes Creek
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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