Blackbutt vs Shellharbour City Centre

Blackbutt is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 71 in Shellharbour City Centre. In Blackbutt, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. In Shellharbour City Centre, about half of households rent, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and the large majority of households are people living alone. On these figures, Blackbutt tends to suit couples, while Shellharbour City Centre suits renters, people living alone, and older residents.

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

Blackbutt

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 14%)
  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 99/100)

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

First-home buyers

Blackbutt

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (29% vs 44%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Blackbutt leaves renters under less rental stress (26% vs 42%)
  • Shellharbour City Centre has a bigger rental market to choose from (49% vs 30%)

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

Shellharbour City Centre

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (62% vs 19%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (73% vs 30%)
  • But Blackbutt carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 99/100)

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

Investors

Shellharbour City Centre

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (87.3% vs -0.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
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.

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Walkability 86 / 91
Blackbutt — Walkability: 86/100 Shellharbour City Centre — Walkability: 91/100
Safety 66 / 1
Blackbutt — Safety: 66/100 Shellharbour City Centre — Safety: 1/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Blackbutt — Low fire risk: 100/100 Shellharbour City Centre — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Blackbutt has more residents (3,291 vs 457); Blackbutt has higher household incomes ($83,408 vs $49,348).

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Population 3,291
+86% vs other
 457
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.3% +87.3%
Median age 43 71
Median household income $83,408/yr
+41% vs other
 $49,348/yr
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+5% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
0-4 4.8% / 2.2%
Blackbutt — 0-4: 4.8% Shellharbour City Centre — 0-4: 2.2%
5-14 11.3% / 2.0%
Blackbutt — 5-14: 11.3% Shellharbour City Centre — 5-14: 2.0%
15-19 6.6% / 1.1%
Blackbutt — 15-19: 6.6% Shellharbour City Centre — 15-19: 1.1%
20-24 6.7% / 5.3%
Blackbutt — 20-24: 6.7% Shellharbour City Centre — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 11.2% / 10.9%
Blackbutt — 25-34: 11.2% Shellharbour City Centre — 25-34: 10.9%
35-44 10.7% / 4.4%
Blackbutt — 35-44: 10.7% Shellharbour City Centre — 35-44: 4.4%
45-54 15.4% / 4.2%
Blackbutt — 45-54: 15.4% Shellharbour City Centre — 45-54: 4.2%
55-64 13.7% / 9.0%
Blackbutt — 55-64: 13.7% Shellharbour City Centre — 55-64: 9.0%
65-74 12.3% / 19.7%
Blackbutt — 65-74: 12.3% Shellharbour City Centre — 65-74: 19.7%
75-84 5.3% / 22.5%
Blackbutt — 75-84: 5.3% Shellharbour City Centre — 75-84: 22.5%
85+ 1.8% / 19.7%
Blackbutt — 85+: 1.8% Shellharbour City Centre — 85+: 19.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Blackbutt 29.2% lone person
Blackbutt — Lone Person: 29.2% Blackbutt — Couple Families: 48.0% Blackbutt — One Parent Families: 18.1% Blackbutt — Group Household: 3.5% Blackbutt — Other Families: 1.2%
Shellharbour City Centre 80.4% lone person
Shellharbour City Centre — Lone Person: 80.4% Shellharbour City Centre — Couple Families: 10.1% Shellharbour City Centre — One Parent Families: 4.3% Shellharbour City Centre — Group Household: 5.1% Shellharbour City Centre — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Blackbutt 29.8% renting
Blackbutt — Owned Outright: 41.2% Blackbutt — Mortgage: 29.0% Blackbutt — Renting: 29.8%
Shellharbour City Centre 48.6% renting
Shellharbour City Centre — Owned Outright: 30.1% Shellharbour City Centre — Mortgage: 21.2% Shellharbour City Centre — Renting: 48.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 16.2%
Blackbutt — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Shellharbour City Centre — Certificate III & IV: 16.2%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 9.8%
Blackbutt — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Shellharbour City Centre — Bachelor Degree: 9.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 6.8%
Blackbutt — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Shellharbour City Centre — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.5% / 2.4%
Blackbutt — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5% Shellharbour City Centre — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.3%
Blackbutt — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Shellharbour City Centre — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

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.

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
England 3.3% / 9.0%
Blackbutt — England: 3.3% Shellharbour City Centre — England: 9.0%
Germany 0.7% / 2.0%
Blackbutt — Germany: 0.7% Shellharbour City Centre — Germany: 2.0%
India — / 1.8%
Blackbutt — India: not among its largest Shellharbour City Centre — India: 1.8%
New Zealand 0.5% / 1.3%
Blackbutt — New Zealand: 0.5% Shellharbour City Centre — New Zealand: 1.3%
Vietnam 0.5% / 1.3%
Blackbutt — Vietnam: 0.5% Shellharbour City Centre — Vietnam: 1.3%
Italy 0.8% / 0.9%
Blackbutt — Italy: 0.8% Shellharbour City Centre — Italy: 0.9%
Philippines 0.7% / —
Blackbutt — Philippines: 0.7% Shellharbour City Centre — Philippines: not among its largest
China 0.5% / —
Blackbutt — China: 0.5% Shellharbour City Centre — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Blackbutt 70.0% houses
Blackbutt — Houses: 70.0% Blackbutt — Townhouses: 28.4% Blackbutt — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Shellharbour City Centre 26.8% houses
Shellharbour City Centre — Houses: 26.8% Shellharbour City Centre — Townhouses: 27.7% Shellharbour City Centre — Flats / Apartments: 45.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Median house price $1,025,000 $950,000
Median unit price $720,000 $790,000
Median land price $945,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 27 sales
 —

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
2 bed $685K / $762K
Blackbutt — 2 bed: $685K (7 sales) Shellharbour City Centre — 2 bed: $762K (16 sales)

7 vs 16 sales

3 bed $815K / $905K
Blackbutt — 3 bed: $815K (6 sales) Shellharbour City Centre — 3 bed: $905K (9 sales)

6 vs 9 sales

Zoning mix

Shellharbour City Centre has more commercially zoned land (52% vs 2%).

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Commercial 2% 52%
Parks and recreation 51% 8%
Residential 43% 22%
Other and special use 0% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 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

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
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.

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Houses 4.8%
$788/wk on $860K
 —
Units — 4.2%
$640/wk on $798K

Ranking within NSW

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
House price Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
Income Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 18% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 78% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 94% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 30% of NSW

Liveability

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Grade B —
Score 66/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Shellharbour City Centre carries more crime risk (99 vs 34).

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
34/100
 High
99/100
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 8
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Blackbutt

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

Schools in Shellharbour City Centre

  • Nazareth Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Supermarkets 0 4
Parks & reserves 10 1
Childcare 6 3
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 3
Banks & Bank@Post 0 8
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 3

Mobility

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Walkability score 86/100 91/100
Distance to Sydney 110.5 km 111 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 98 min 99 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 30.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 30.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2529
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 2529
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.

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Car (driver) 68.6% / 52.5%
Blackbutt — Car (driver): 68.6% Shellharbour City Centre — Car (driver): 52.5%
Worked from Home 23.5% / 33.3%
Blackbutt — Worked from Home: 23.5% Shellharbour City Centre — Worked from Home: 33.3%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 9.1%
Blackbutt — Car (passenger): 4.7% Shellharbour City Centre — Car (passenger): 9.1%
Walked Only 1.6% / 5.1%
Blackbutt — Walked Only: 1.6% Shellharbour City Centre — Walked Only: 5.1%
Train 1.2% / —
Blackbutt — Train: 1.2% Shellharbour City Centre — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.6%).

Setting

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Elevation 71 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.6 km
2.6 km to a named beach
 2.8 km
2.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Connectivity score 73/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the building
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
1,373 premises
 27%
891 premises

Climate

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
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

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Average residential rate $1,788/yr
same for both
Council Shellharbour
same for both

Federal electorate

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Blackbutt Shellharbour City Centre
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Blackbutt

Coastal Parks Quiet River Townhouses

Shellharbour City Centre

Apartments Coastal Parks Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Blackbutt

Blackbutt vs Flinders Blackbutt vs Albion Park Rail Blackbutt vs Oak Flats Blackbutt vs Barrack Heights Blackbutt vs Shellharbour Blackbutt vs Croom

Other comparisons with Shellharbour City Centre

Shellharbour City Centre vs Oak Flats Shellharbour City Centre vs Barrack Heights
Full data on Blackbutt Full data on Shellharbour City Centre
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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