Black Head vs Red Head

Red Head is the younger of the two, with a median age of 58 against 65 in Black Head. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Black Head, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Black Head: a median of $1.05 million, against $880,000 in Red Head, though rent is higher in Red Head. On these figures, Black Head tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Red Head suits 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

Red Head

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (55% vs 33%)
  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 42/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Black Head has cheaper units ($597,500 vs $720,000)
  • Red Head has cheaper houses ($880,000 vs $1,050,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Black Head has more residents already 65 and over (52% vs 34%)
  • Red Head carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 42/100)

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

Investors

Red Head

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (55.3% vs 14.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Black Head Red Head
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.

Black Head Red Head
Walkability 36 / 29
Black Head — Walkability: 36/100 Red Head — Walkability: 29/100
Safety 58 / 69
Black Head — Safety: 58/100 Red Head — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 6 / 100
Black Head — Low fire risk: 6/100 Red Head — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Red Head has higher household incomes ($63,856 vs $54,756); Black Head skews older (65 vs 58).

Black Head Red Head
Population 972
+18% vs other
 798
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.2% +55.3%
Median age 65 58
Median household income $54,756/yr $63,856/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $375/wk $400/wk
+7% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Black Head Red Head
0-4 2.4% / 4.1%
Black Head — 0-4: 2.4% Red Head — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 6.5% / 9.5%
Black Head — 5-14: 6.5% Red Head — 5-14: 9.5%
15-19 3.9% / 6.0%
Black Head — 15-19: 3.9% Red Head — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 1.9% / 1.4%
Black Head — 20-24: 1.9% Red Head — 20-24: 1.4%
25-34 4.7% / 5.9%
Black Head — 25-34: 4.7% Red Head — 25-34: 5.9%
35-44 5.3% / 8.9%
Black Head — 35-44: 5.3% Red Head — 35-44: 8.9%
45-54 8.5% / 10.9%
Black Head — 45-54: 8.5% Red Head — 45-54: 10.9%
55-64 15.6% / 21.1%
Black Head — 55-64: 15.6% Red Head — 55-64: 21.1%
65-74 26.7% / 22.9%
Black Head — 65-74: 26.7% Red Head — 65-74: 22.9%
75-84 20.8% / 9.6%
Black Head — 75-84: 20.8% Red Head — 75-84: 9.6%
85+ 4.7% / 1.8%
Black Head — 85+: 4.7% Red Head — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Black Head 63.2% lone person
Black Head — Lone Person: 63.2% Black Head — Couple Families: 23.1% Black Head — One Parent Families: 10.1% Black Head — Group Household: 3.6%
Red Head 41.4% lone person
Red Head — Lone Person: 41.4% Red Head — Couple Families: 40.8% Red Head — One Parent Families: 14.1% Red Head — Group Household: 3.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Black Head 20.9% renting
Black Head — Owned Outright: 58.5% Black Head — Mortgage: 20.6% Black Head — Renting: 20.9%
Red Head 14.8% renting
Red Head — Owned Outright: 57.9% Red Head — Mortgage: 27.4% Red Head — Renting: 14.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Black Head Red Head
Certificate III & IV 17.6% / 18.9%
Black Head — Certificate III & IV: 17.6% Red Head — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 11.3% / 13.0%
Black Head — Bachelor Degree: 11.3% Red Head — Bachelor Degree: 13.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.6% / 8.4%
Black Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6% Red Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.4% / 4.9%
Black Head — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4% Red Head — Postgraduate Degree: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / 2.5%
Black Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% Red Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

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

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.

Black Head Red Head
England 8.1% / 5.6%
Black Head — England: 8.1% Red Head — England: 5.6%
New Zealand 1.9% / 1.3%
Black Head — New Zealand: 1.9% Red Head — New Zealand: 1.3%
South Africa 1.0% / 1.0%
Black Head — South Africa: 1.0% Red Head — South Africa: 1.0%
Germany 0.9% / 0.5%
Black Head — Germany: 0.9% Red Head — Germany: 0.5%
Philippines 0.9% / —
Black Head — Philippines: 0.9% Red Head — Philippines: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / 0.5%
Black Head — Scotland: 0.4% Red Head — Scotland: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Black Head 87.6% houses
Black Head — Houses: 87.6% Black Head — Townhouses: 6.7% Black Head — Flats / Apartments: 5.6%
Red Head 89.2% houses
Red Head — Houses: 89.2% Red Head — Townhouses: 5.1% Red Head — Flats / Apartments: 5.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Black Head Red Head
Median house price $1,050,000 $880,000
Median unit price $597,500 $720,000
Median land price $465,000 $500,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 6 sales
 92 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Black Head Red Head
Rural and farming 42% 45%
Environmental 31% 21%
Residential 23% 28%
Parks and recreation 4% 5%
Commercial 1% 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

Black Head Red Head
New dwellings approved 743
across Mid-Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +327%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Black Head Red Head
House price Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Income Higher than 15% of NSW Higher than 26% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 36% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW

Liveability

Red Head scores higher overall (57 vs 30).

Black Head Red Head
Grade D B
Score 30/100 57/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Black Head carries more bushfire risk (94 vs 0); Black Head carries more crime risk (42 vs 31).

Black Head Red Head
Bushfire High
94/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
42/100
 Low
31/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
21/100
 Low
29/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Black Head Red Head
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Black Head Red Head
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 3 2
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Beaches 1
same for both
Waterways 0 3

Mobility

Black Head Red Head
Walkability score 36/100 29/100
Distance to Sydney 302.4 km 302.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 213 min
same for both
Public transport score 19/100
Bus
 22/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 2.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 5.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2430
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2430
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.

Black Head Red Head
Car (driver) 79.3% / 75.7%
Black Head — Car (driver): 79.3% Red Head — Car (driver): 75.7%
Worked from Home 13.4% / 17.8%
Black Head — Worked from Home: 13.4% Red Head — Worked from Home: 17.8%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 5.3%
Black Head — Car (passenger): 5.7% Red Head — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Walked Only 1.6% / 1.2%
Black Head — Walked Only: 1.6% Red Head — Walked Only: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.3%).

Setting

Black Head Red Head
Elevation 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 38 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 852 m
1.1 km to a named beach
 894 m
994 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Black Head Red Head
Connectivity score 73/100 69/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
668 premises
 43%
575 premises

Climate

Black Head Red Head
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Black Head Red Head
Average residential rate $1,560/yr
same for both
Council Mid-Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Black Head Red Head
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Black Head Red Head
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Black Head

Acreage Beach Coastal Quiet Retirees

Red Head

Acreage Beach Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Black Head

Black Head vs Hallidays Point Black Head vs Darawank

Other comparisons with Red Head

Red Head vs Diamond Beach Red Head vs Tallwoods Village Red Head vs Hallidays Point
Full data on Black Head Full data on Red Head
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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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