Bendolba vs Dungog

Bendolba is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 52 in Dungog. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dungog, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Bendolba: a median of $1.03 million, against $665,000 in Dungog, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bendolba tends to suit families with children, while Dungog suits people living alone, older residents, and 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Bendolba carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 66/100)
  • Dungog has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Dungog

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($665,000 vs $1,031,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bendolba

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 29%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 25%)
  • But Dungog has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $325/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dungog

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 10/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (163 min vs 171 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (214.3 km vs 221.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dungog

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 10/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 19%)
  • But Bendolba carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 66/100)

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

Investors

Bendolba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (23.4% vs -2.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bendolba Dungog
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.

Bendolba Dungog
Walkability 10 / 82
Bendolba — Walkability: 10/100 Dungog — Walkability: 82/100
Safety 88 / 34
Bendolba — Safety: 88/100 Dungog — Safety: 34/100
Low fire risk 100 / 77
Bendolba — Low fire risk: 100/100 Dungog — Low fire risk: 77/100

Demographics

Dungog has more residents (1,983 vs 253); Bendolba has higher household incomes ($84,500 vs $54,340).

Bendolba Dungog
Population 253 1,983
+684% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +23.4% -2.1%
Median age 37 52
Median household income $84,500/yr
+36% vs other
 $54,340/yr
Median weekly rent $325/wk
+8% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bendolba Dungog
0-4 7.9% / 3.8%
Bendolba — 0-4: 7.9% Dungog — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 16.6% / 11.2%
Bendolba — 5-14: 16.6% Dungog — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 8.7% / 5.4%
Bendolba — 15-19: 8.7% Dungog — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 3.2% / 4.3%
Bendolba — 20-24: 3.2% Dungog — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 9.5% / 7.7%
Bendolba — 25-34: 9.5% Dungog — 25-34: 7.7%
35-44 11.9% / 8.7%
Bendolba — 35-44: 11.9% Dungog — 35-44: 8.7%
45-54 11.5% / 11.1%
Bendolba — 45-54: 11.5% Dungog — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 10.3% / 15.3%
Bendolba — 55-64: 10.3% Dungog — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 11.5% / 15.4%
Bendolba — 65-74: 11.5% Dungog — 65-74: 15.4%
75-84 5.5% / 12.4%
Bendolba — 75-84: 5.5% Dungog — 75-84: 12.4%
85+ 2.4% / 4.8%
Bendolba — 85+: 2.4% Dungog — 85+: 4.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bendolba 32.1% lone person
Bendolba — Lone Person: 32.1% Bendolba — Couple Families: 42.9% Bendolba — One Parent Families: 25.0% Bendolba — Group Household: 0.0% Bendolba — Other Families: 0.0%
Dungog 50.8% lone person
Dungog — Lone Person: 50.8% Dungog — Couple Families: 28.0% Dungog — One Parent Families: 17.8% Dungog — Group Household: 2.1% Dungog — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bendolba 35.4% renting
Bendolba — Owned Outright: 37.8% Bendolba — Mortgage: 26.8% Bendolba — Renting: 35.4%
Dungog 24.8% renting
Dungog — Owned Outright: 46.5% Dungog — Mortgage: 28.7% Dungog — Renting: 24.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bendolba 88.9% houses
Bendolba — Houses: 88.9% Bendolba — Townhouses: 11.1% Bendolba — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Dungog 94.4% houses
Dungog — Houses: 94.4% Dungog — Townhouses: 4.3% Dungog — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Bendolba Dungog
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 18.9%
Bendolba — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Dungog — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 7.3%
Bendolba — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% Dungog — Bachelor Degree: 7.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.0% / 6.3%
Bendolba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0% Dungog — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.7% / 1.4%
Bendolba — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7% Dungog — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 1.4%
Bendolba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Dungog — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

Property market

Bendolba Dungog
Median house price $1,031,500 $665,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $315,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 56 days
from 20 sales

Zoning mix

Bendolba has more rural and farming land (92% vs 11%); Dungog has more land zoned for conservation (20% vs 1%).

Bendolba Dungog
Rural and farming 92% 11%
Residential 7% 57%
Environmental 1% 20%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 4%
Parks and recreation 0% 4%
Industrial 0% 2%
Commercial 0% 2%
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

Bendolba Dungog
New dwellings approved 55
across Dungog
same for both
Approvals change year on year -23%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bendolba Dungog
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
Income Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 14% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 65% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW

Liveability

Dungog is more walkable (82 vs 10).

Bendolba Dungog
Grade — C
Score — 48/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Dungog carries more bushfire risk (23 vs 0); Dungog carries more crime risk (66 vs 12).

Bendolba Dungog
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
23/100
Crime Low
12/100
 Moderate
66/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Bendolba Dungog
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bendolba

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

Schools in Dungog

  • Dungog Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Dungog High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bendolba Dungog
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 4
Parks & reserves 1 6
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 7 2

Mobility

Bendolba sits further from the CBD (221.2 km vs 214.3 km).

Bendolba Dungog
Walkability score 10/100 82/100
Distance to Sydney 221.2 km
+3% vs other
 214.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 171 min 163 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2420
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2420
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.

Bendolba Dungog
Car (driver) 80.6% / 74.3%
Bendolba — Car (driver): 80.6% Dungog — Car (driver): 74.3%
Worked from Home 15.1% / 14.2%
Bendolba — Worked from Home: 15.1% Dungog — Worked from Home: 14.2%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 6.5%
Bendolba — Car (passenger): 4.3% Dungog — Car (passenger): 6.5%
Walked Only — / 3.6%
Bendolba — Walked Only: not among its largest Dungog — Walked Only: 3.6%
Bicycle — / 0.8%
Bendolba — Bicycle: not among its largest Dungog — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.6%).

Setting

Bendolba Dungog
Elevation 99 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 59 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 40.6 km 34.4 km

NBN connectivity

Bendolba Dungog
Connectivity score 49/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 22%
92 premises
 45%
1,221 premises

Climate

Bendolba Dungog
Annual rainfall 1,327 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Bendolba Dungog
Average residential rate $1,646/yr
same for both
Council Dungog
same for both

Federal electorate

Bendolba Dungog
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bendolba Dungog
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bendolba

Family Rural

Dungog

Acreage Affordable Parks Retirees Village Feel

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bendolba

Bendolba vs Bandon Grove Bendolba vs Fosterton Bendolba vs Sugarloaf

Other comparisons with Dungog

Dungog vs Alison Dungog vs Fosterton Dungog vs Sugarloaf Dungog vs Tabbil Creek
Full data on Bendolba Full data on Dungog
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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