Blue Knob vs Nimbin

Nimbin is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 58 in Blue Knob. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Blue Knob, most households are people living alone. In Nimbin, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Nimbin: a median of $720,000, against $451,000 in Blue Knob, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Blue Knob tends to suit people living alone 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

Nimbin

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (37% vs 24%)
  • But Blue Knob carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 90/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Blue Knob has cheaper houses ($451,250 vs $720,000)
  • Nimbin leaves households under less mortgage stress (35% vs 41%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Blue Knob has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $300/wk)
  • Nimbin has a bigger rental market to choose from (20% vs 7%)

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

Commuting to the city

Nimbin

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 12/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (761.4 km vs 765.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Blue Knob carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 90/100)
  • Nimbin is more walkable (21/100 vs 12/100)

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

Investors

Nimbin

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.8% vs -5.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Blue Knob Nimbin
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.

Blue Knob Nimbin
Walkability 12 / 21
Blue Knob — Walkability: 12/100 Nimbin — Walkability: 21/100
Safety 45 / 10
Blue Knob — Safety: 45/100 Nimbin — Safety: 10/100
Low fire risk 74 / 41
Blue Knob — Low fire risk: 74/100 Nimbin — Low fire risk: 41/100

Demographics

Nimbin has more residents (1,607 vs 210); Nimbin rents higher ($300/wk vs $250/wk).

Blue Knob Nimbin
Population 210 1,607
+665% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -5.0% +8.8%
Median age 58 50
Median household income $38,428/yr $41,496/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $300/wk
+20% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Blue Knob Nimbin
0-4 1.4% / 3.9%
Blue Knob — 0-4: 1.4% Nimbin — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 4.3% / 11.2%
Blue Knob — 5-14: 4.3% Nimbin — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 5.2% / 4.3%
Blue Knob — 15-19: 5.2% Nimbin — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 — / 4.0%
Blue Knob — 20-24: not among its largest Nimbin — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 8.1% / 8.5%
Blue Knob — 25-34: 8.1% Nimbin — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 5.7% / 10.6%
Blue Knob — 35-44: 5.7% Nimbin — 35-44: 10.6%
45-54 9.5% / 13.8%
Blue Knob — 45-54: 9.5% Nimbin — 45-54: 13.8%
55-64 30.5% / 21.2%
Blue Knob — 55-64: 30.5% Nimbin — 55-64: 21.2%
65-74 21.9% / 17.3%
Blue Knob — 65-74: 21.9% Nimbin — 65-74: 17.3%
75-84 5.2% / 4.5%
Blue Knob — 75-84: 5.2% Nimbin — 75-84: 4.5%
85+ — / 0.9%
Blue Knob — 85+: not among its largest Nimbin — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Blue Knob 64.0% lone person
Blue Knob — Lone Person: 64.0% Blue Knob — One Parent Families: 16.0% Blue Knob — Couple Families: 8.0% Blue Knob — Group Household: 8.0% Blue Knob — Other Families: 4.0%
Nimbin 53.9% lone person
Nimbin — Lone Person: 53.9% Nimbin — One Parent Families: 18.0% Nimbin — Couple Families: 18.6% Nimbin — Group Household: 7.5% Nimbin — Other Families: 2.0%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Blue Knob 7.4% renting
Blue Knob — Owned Outright: 69.1% Blue Knob — Mortgage: 23.4% Blue Knob — Renting: 7.4%
Nimbin 19.9% renting
Nimbin — Owned Outright: 55.4% Nimbin — Mortgage: 24.7% Nimbin — Renting: 19.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Blue Knob Nimbin
Bachelor Degree 12.9% / 12.5%
Blue Knob — Bachelor Degree: 12.9% Nimbin — Bachelor Degree: 12.5%
Certificate III & IV 11.4% / 13.2%
Blue Knob — Certificate III & IV: 11.4% Nimbin — Certificate III & IV: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.0% / 8.3%
Blue Knob — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0% Nimbin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 3.1%
Blue Knob — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Nimbin — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 2.1%
Blue Knob — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Nimbin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.2%).

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.

Blue Knob Nimbin
England 3.8% / 5.2%
Blue Knob — England: 3.8% Nimbin — England: 5.2%
Germany 3.8% / 1.7%
Blue Knob — Germany: 3.8% Nimbin — Germany: 1.7%
New Zealand 1.4% / 2.1%
Blue Knob — New Zealand: 1.4% Nimbin — New Zealand: 2.1%
Netherlands 2.4% / —
Blue Knob — Netherlands: 2.4% Nimbin — Netherlands: not among its largest
Canada 1.9% / 0.3%
Blue Knob — Canada: 1.9% Nimbin — Canada: 0.3%
France — / 0.6%
Blue Knob — France: not among its largest Nimbin — France: 0.6%
Scotland — / 0.4%
Blue Knob — Scotland: not among its largest Nimbin — Scotland: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Blue Knob 89.8% houses
Blue Knob — Houses: 89.8% Blue Knob — Flats / Apartments: 10.2% Blue Knob — Townhouses: 0.0%
Nimbin 91.5% houses
Nimbin — Houses: 91.5% Nimbin — Flats / Apartments: 6.9% Nimbin — Townhouses: 1.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Blue Knob Nimbin
Median house price $451,250 $720,000
Median unit price — $410,000
Median land price — $417,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 82 days
from 16 sales

Zoning mix

Blue Knob Nimbin
Rural and farming 99% 93%
Environmental 1% 4%
Residential 0% 3%
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

Blue Knob Nimbin
New dwellings approved 138
across Lismore
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Blue Knob Nimbin
House price Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
Income Higher than 3% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 52% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 58% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW

Liveability

Nimbin is more walkable (21 vs 12).

Blue Knob Nimbin
Grade — D
Score — 11/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Nimbin carries more bushfire risk (59 vs 26); Nimbin carries more crime risk (90 vs 55).

Blue Knob Nimbin
Bushfire Low
26/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime Moderate
55/100
 High
90/100
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

Blue Knob Nimbin
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Blue Knob

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

Schools in Nimbin

  • Tuntable Falls Community School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Nimbin Central School Government · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Blue Knob Nimbin
Cafes & restaurants 0 5
Parks & reserves 0 3
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 5 9

Mobility

Blue Knob sits further from the CBD (765.3 km vs 761.4 km).

Blue Knob Nimbin
Walkability score 12/100 21/100
Distance to Sydney 765.3 km 761.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 513 min 510 min
Public transport score 22/100
Bus
 54/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 27.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2480
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2480
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.

Blue Knob Nimbin
Car (driver) 71.4% / 66.2%
Blue Knob — Car (driver): 71.4% Nimbin — Car (driver): 66.2%
Worked from Home 20.4% / 20.7%
Blue Knob — Worked from Home: 20.4% Nimbin — Worked from Home: 20.7%
Car (passenger) 8.2% / 4.5%
Blue Knob — Car (passenger): 8.2% Nimbin — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only — / 5.8%
Blue Knob — Walked Only: not among its largest Nimbin — Walked Only: 5.8%
Bicycle — / 1.8%
Blue Knob — Bicycle: not among its largest Nimbin — Bicycle: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.4%).

Setting

Blue Knob Nimbin
Elevation 127 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 69 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 35.1 km 31.1 km

NBN connectivity

Blue Knob Nimbin
Connectivity score 26/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
93 premises
 0%
795 premises

Climate

Blue Knob Nimbin
Annual rainfall 1,569 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Blue Knob Nimbin
Average residential rate $1,487/yr
same for both
Council Lismore
same for both

Federal electorate

Blue Knob Nimbin
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Blue Knob Nimbin
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Blue Knob

Affordable Retirees Rural

Nimbin

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Blue Knob

Blue Knob vs Mount Burrell Blue Knob vs Lillian Rock Blue Knob vs Stony Chute Blue Knob vs Kunghur Creek

Other comparisons with Nimbin

Nimbin vs Tuntable Creek Nimbin vs Terania Creek Nimbin vs Coffee Camp Nimbin vs Stony Chute
Full data on Blue Knob Full data on Nimbin
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or