Blackheath vs Kanimbla

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Blackheath, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Kanimbla: a median of $1.67 million, against $920,000 in Blackheath, though rent is higher in Blackheath. On these figures, Blackheath tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Kanimbla suits share households.

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

Blackheath

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (28 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Kanimbla carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 47/100)

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

First-home buyers

Blackheath

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($920,000 vs $1,670,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kanimbla

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper rent ($275/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Blackheath

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (99 min vs 148 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (112.7 km vs 144.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Blackheath is more walkable (77/100 vs 0/100)
  • Kanimbla carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 47/100)

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

Investors

Kanimbla

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (52.1% vs 6.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Blackheath Kanimbla
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.

Blackheath Kanimbla
Walkability 77 / 0
Blackheath — Walkability: 77/100 Kanimbla — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 53 / 70
Blackheath — Safety: 53/100 Kanimbla — Safety: 70/100
Low fire risk 10 / 29
Blackheath — Low fire risk: 10/100 Kanimbla — Low fire risk: 29/100

Demographics

Blackheath has more residents (4,672 vs 184); Blackheath rents higher ($380/wk vs $275/wk).

Blackheath Kanimbla
Population 4,672
+96% vs other
 184
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.3% +52.1%
Median age 53 54
Median household income $69,264/yr $84,500/yr
+22% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+28% vs other
 $275/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Blackheath Kanimbla
0-4 3.1% / 2.7%
Blackheath — 0-4: 3.1% Kanimbla — 0-4: 2.7%
5-14 10.5% / 5.4%
Blackheath — 5-14: 10.5% Kanimbla — 5-14: 5.4%
15-19 4.2% / 7.1%
Blackheath — 15-19: 4.2% Kanimbla — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 2.1% / 3.3%
Blackheath — 20-24: 2.1% Kanimbla — 20-24: 3.3%
25-34 7.9% / 8.2%
Blackheath — 25-34: 7.9% Kanimbla — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 10.8% / 8.7%
Blackheath — 35-44: 10.8% Kanimbla — 35-44: 8.7%
45-54 13.7% / 13.6%
Blackheath — 45-54: 13.7% Kanimbla — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 18.2% / 21.2%
Blackheath — 55-64: 18.2% Kanimbla — 55-64: 21.2%
65-74 17.4% / 12.5%
Blackheath — 65-74: 17.4% Kanimbla — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 9.7% / 10.3%
Blackheath — 75-84: 9.7% Kanimbla — 75-84: 10.3%
85+ 2.3% / 2.2%
Blackheath — 85+: 2.3% Kanimbla — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Blackheath 51.8% lone person
Blackheath — Lone Person: 51.8% Blackheath — Couple Families: 26.1% Blackheath — One Parent Families: 17.0% Blackheath — Group Household: 4.1% Blackheath — Other Families: 1.0%
Kanimbla 39.1% lone person
Kanimbla — Lone Person: 39.1% Kanimbla — Couple Families: 37.0% Kanimbla — One Parent Families: 10.9% Kanimbla — Group Household: 13.0% Kanimbla — 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.

Blackheath 21.3% renting
Blackheath — Owned Outright: 48.5% Blackheath — Mortgage: 30.3% Blackheath — Renting: 21.3%
Kanimbla 13.5% renting
Kanimbla — Owned Outright: 56.8% Kanimbla — Mortgage: 29.7% Kanimbla — Renting: 13.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Blackheath Kanimbla
Bachelor Degree 18.9% / 14.1%
Blackheath — Bachelor Degree: 18.9% Kanimbla — Bachelor Degree: 14.1%
Certificate III & IV 12.0% / 16.8%
Blackheath — Certificate III & IV: 12.0% Kanimbla — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.0% / 12.5%
Blackheath — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0% Kanimbla — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.5%
Postgraduate Degree 9.6% / 8.2%
Blackheath — Postgraduate Degree: 9.6% Kanimbla — Postgraduate Degree: 8.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / —
Blackheath — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Kanimbla — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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.

Blackheath Kanimbla
England 6.8% / 8.7%
Blackheath — England: 6.8% Kanimbla — England: 8.7%
New Zealand 2.2% / 3.3%
Blackheath — New Zealand: 2.2% Kanimbla — New Zealand: 3.3%
South Africa 0.6% / 2.2%
Blackheath — South Africa: 0.6% Kanimbla — South Africa: 2.2%
Italy — / 2.2%
Blackheath — Italy: not among its largest Kanimbla — Italy: 2.2%
Ireland 0.6% / 1.6%
Blackheath — Ireland: 0.6% Kanimbla — Ireland: 1.6%
Germany 1.2% / —
Blackheath — Germany: 1.2% Kanimbla — Germany: not among its largest
Scotland 0.6% / —
Blackheath — Scotland: 0.6% Kanimbla — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Blackheath 95.8% houses
Blackheath — Houses: 95.8% Blackheath — Flats / Apartments: 2.2% Blackheath — Townhouses: 2.0%
Kanimbla 100.0% houses
Kanimbla — Houses: 100.0% Kanimbla — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Kanimbla — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Blackheath Kanimbla
Median house price $920,000 $1,670,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $547,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 98 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Kanimbla has more rural and farming land (86% vs 5%); Blackheath has more land zoned for conservation (84% vs 14%).

Blackheath Kanimbla
Rural and farming 5% 86%
Environmental 84% 14%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 0%
Other and special use 3% 0%
Residential 3% 0%
Parks and recreation 3% 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

Blackheath Kanimbla
New dwellings approved 123
across Blue Mountains
 55
across Lithgow
Approvals change year on year +14% +0%

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.

Blackheath Kanimbla
Houses 3.4%
$625/wk on $944K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Blackheath Kanimbla
House price Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Income Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 42% of NSW —

Liveability

Blackheath is more walkable (77 vs 0).

Blackheath Kanimbla
Grade C —
Score 42/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Blackheath carries more crime risk (47 vs 30); Blackheath carries more bushfire risk (90 vs 71).

Blackheath Kanimbla
Bushfire High
90/100
 High
71/100
Crime Moderate
47/100
 Low
30/100
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

Blackheath Kanimbla
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Blackheath

  • Mountains Christian College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Blackheath Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Kanimbla

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

Amenities in the suburb

Blackheath Kanimbla
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 20 0
Parks & reserves 28 0
Childcare 3 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 11
same for both

Mobility

Kanimbla sits further from the CBD (144.4 km vs 112.7 km).

Blackheath Kanimbla
Walkability score 77/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 112.7 km 144.4 km
+28% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 99 min 148 min
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 2785
 0.5%
postcode 2790
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 2785
 36
postcode 2790

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.

Blackheath Kanimbla
Car (driver) 47.4% / 55.1%
Blackheath — Car (driver): 47.4% Kanimbla — Car (driver): 55.1%
Worked from Home 45.0% / 44.9%
Blackheath — Worked from Home: 45.0% Kanimbla — Worked from Home: 44.9%
Walked Only 3.0% / —
Blackheath — Walked Only: 3.0% Kanimbla — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 2.0% / —
Blackheath — Car (passenger): 2.0% Kanimbla — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Train 1.8% / —
Blackheath — Train: 1.8% Kanimbla — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.1%).

Setting

Blackheath Kanimbla
Elevation 1,045 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 632 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Blackheath Kanimbla
Connectivity score 66/100 23/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
3,149 premises
 0%
85 premises

Climate

Blackheath Kanimbla
Annual rainfall 1,147 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.2°C
same for both

Council rates

Blackheath Kanimbla
Average residential rate $2,080/yr $1,150/yr
Council Blue Mountains Lithgow

Federal electorate

Blackheath Kanimbla
Division Macquarie Calare
Member Susan Templeman Andrew Gee
Party Australian Labor Party Independent

First Home Owner Grant

Blackheath Kanimbla
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Blackheath

Acreage Parks Professionals Retirees River

Kanimbla

Professionals Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Blackheath

Blackheath vs Mount Victoria Blackheath vs Medlow Bath Blackheath vs Megalong Valley

Other comparisons with Kanimbla

Kanimbla vs Mount Victoria Kanimbla vs Little Hartley Kanimbla vs Megalong Valley Kanimbla vs Ganbenang Kanimbla vs Lowther
Full data on Blackheath Full data on Kanimbla
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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