Bielsdown Hills vs Darkwood

Darkwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 56 in Bielsdown Hills. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Darkwood, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Bielsdown Hills: a median of $1.68 million, against $1.1 million in Darkwood. On these figures, Bielsdown Hills tends to suit share households, while Darkwood suits families with children 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

  • Bielsdown Hills carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 70/100)
  • Darkwood has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Darkwood

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,100,000 vs $1,675,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 30%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bielsdown Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 32%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bielsdown Hills

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 70/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 25%)

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

Investors

Darkwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (33.9% vs 5.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
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.

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Walkability 6 / 0
Bielsdown Hills — Walkability: 6/100 Darkwood — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 84 / 30
Bielsdown Hills — Safety: 84/100 Darkwood — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 100 / 37
Bielsdown Hills — Low fire risk: 100/100 Darkwood — Low fire risk: 37/100

Demographics

Darkwood has more residents (237 vs 104); Bielsdown Hills has higher household incomes ($69,836 vs $49,348).

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Population 104 237
+128% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.1% +33.9%
Median age 56 47
Median household income $69,836/yr
+29% vs other
 $49,348/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
0-4 2.9% / 3.8%
Bielsdown Hills — 0-4: 2.9% Darkwood — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 9.6% / 16.9%
Bielsdown Hills — 5-14: 9.6% Darkwood — 5-14: 16.9%
15-19 — / 5.9%
Bielsdown Hills — 15-19: not among its largest Darkwood — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 6.7% / 5.9%
Bielsdown Hills — 20-24: 6.7% Darkwood — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 7.7% / 4.6%
Bielsdown Hills — 25-34: 7.7% Darkwood — 25-34: 4.6%
35-44 8.7% / 11.0%
Bielsdown Hills — 35-44: 8.7% Darkwood — 35-44: 11.0%
45-54 10.6% / 15.6%
Bielsdown Hills — 45-54: 10.6% Darkwood — 45-54: 15.6%
55-64 25.0% / 16.0%
Bielsdown Hills — 55-64: 25.0% Darkwood — 55-64: 16.0%
65-74 17.3% / 20.7%
Bielsdown Hills — 65-74: 17.3% Darkwood — 65-74: 20.7%
75-84 12.5% / 4.6%
Bielsdown Hills — 75-84: 12.5% Darkwood — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 2.9% / —
Bielsdown Hills — 85+: 2.9% Darkwood — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bielsdown Hills 40.9% lone person
Bielsdown Hills — Lone Person: 40.9% Bielsdown Hills — Couple Families: 40.9% Bielsdown Hills — Group Household: 18.2% Bielsdown Hills — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Darkwood 47.7% lone person
Darkwood — Lone Person: 47.7% Darkwood — Couple Families: 26.2% Darkwood — Group Household: 10.8% Darkwood — One Parent Families: 15.4%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bielsdown Hills 22.0% renting
Bielsdown Hills — Owned Outright: 53.7% Bielsdown Hills — Mortgage: 24.4% Bielsdown Hills — Renting: 22.0%
Darkwood 18.8% renting
Darkwood — Owned Outright: 66.2% Darkwood — Mortgage: 15.0% Darkwood — Renting: 18.8%
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.

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Germany 5.8% / 1.3%
Bielsdown Hills — Germany: 5.8% Darkwood — Germany: 1.3%
England 2.9% / 2.1%
Bielsdown Hills — England: 2.9% Darkwood — England: 2.1%
New Zealand — / 1.3%
Bielsdown Hills — New Zealand: not among its largest Darkwood — New Zealand: 1.3%
Brazil — / 1.3%
Bielsdown Hills — Brazil: not among its largest Darkwood — Brazil: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

Qualifications

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

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Bachelor Degree 12.5% / 16.5%
Bielsdown Hills — Bachelor Degree: 12.5% Darkwood — Bachelor Degree: 16.5%
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 12.2%
Bielsdown Hills — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Darkwood — Certificate III & IV: 12.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.6% / 11.8%
Bielsdown Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6% Darkwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 5.5%
Bielsdown Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Darkwood — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bielsdown Hills 100.0% houses
Bielsdown Hills — Houses: 100.0% Bielsdown Hills — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Darkwood 98.9% houses
Darkwood — Houses: 98.9% Darkwood — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Median house price $1,675,000 $1,100,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Bielsdown Hills has more rural and farming land (97% vs 10%); Darkwood has more land zoned for conservation (90% vs 3%).

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Rural and farming 97% 10%
Environmental 3% 90%
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

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
New dwellings approved 40
across Bellingen
same for both
Approvals change year on year +12%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
House price Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Income Higher than 33% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 14% of NSW

Liveability

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Darkwood carries more bushfire risk (63 vs 0); Darkwood carries more crime risk (70 vs 16).

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
63/100
Crime Low
16/100
 High
70/100
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

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bielsdown Hills

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

Schools in Darkwood

  • Chrysalis School for Rudolf Steiner Education Independent · Combined above peers
  • Orama Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 8 32

Mobility

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Walkability score 6/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 550.1 km 548.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 383 min 384 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2453
 0.9%
postcode 2454
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 2453
 70
postcode 2454

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.

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Car (driver) 47.4% / 58.3%
Bielsdown Hills — Car (driver): 47.4% Darkwood — Car (driver): 58.3%
Worked from Home 42.1% / 27.8%
Bielsdown Hills — Worked from Home: 42.1% Darkwood — Worked from Home: 27.8%
Walked Only 10.5% / 6.9%
Bielsdown Hills — Walked Only: 10.5% Darkwood — Walked Only: 6.9%
Car (passenger) — / 6.9%
Bielsdown Hills — Car (passenger): not among its largest Darkwood — Car (passenger): 6.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.3%).

Setting

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Elevation 780 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 170 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 37.3 km 38.3 km

NBN connectivity

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Connectivity score 30/100 15/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
59 premises
 0%
79 premises

Council rates

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Average residential rate $1,592/yr
same for both
Council Bellingen
same for both

Federal electorate

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bielsdown Hills Darkwood
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bielsdown Hills

Retirees River Rural

Darkwood

Professionals Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bielsdown Hills

Bielsdown Hills vs Dorrigo Bielsdown Hills vs Fernbrook Bielsdown Hills vs Dorrigo Mountain

Other comparisons with Darkwood

Darkwood vs Thora Darkwood vs Kalang Darkwood vs Fernbrook Darkwood vs Deer Vale Darkwood vs Dorrigo Mountain
Full data on Bielsdown Hills Full data on Darkwood
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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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