Bolwarra Heights vs Maitland Vale

Maitland Vale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 36 in Bolwarra Heights. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Maitland Vale: a median of $1.35 million, against $995,000 in Bolwarra Heights, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bolwarra Heights tends to suit 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Bolwarra Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($995,000 vs $1,350,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bolwarra Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($420/wk vs $513/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bolwarra Heights

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (19/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (170.6 km vs 172.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bolwarra Heights

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (19/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (13% vs 6%)

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

Investors

Maitland Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (108.1% vs 15.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
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.

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Walkability 19 / 0
Bolwarra Heights — Walkability: 19/100 Maitland Vale — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 65 / 71
Bolwarra Heights — Safety: 65/100 Maitland Vale — Safety: 71/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bolwarra Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Maitland Vale — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bolwarra Heights has more residents (3,436 vs 281); Maitland Vale rents higher ($513/wk vs $420/wk).

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Population 3,436
+92% vs other
 281
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +15.3% +108.1%
Median age 36 31
Median household income $132,392/yr $158,600/yr
+20% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk $513/wk
+22% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
0-4 6.8% / 9.3%
Bolwarra Heights — 0-4: 6.8% Maitland Vale — 0-4: 9.3%
5-14 18.3% / 19.2%
Bolwarra Heights — 5-14: 18.3% Maitland Vale — 5-14: 19.2%
15-19 7.7% / 6.8%
Bolwarra Heights — 15-19: 7.7% Maitland Vale — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 4.8% / 6.0%
Bolwarra Heights — 20-24: 4.8% Maitland Vale — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 9.7% / 11.0%
Bolwarra Heights — 25-34: 9.7% Maitland Vale — 25-34: 11.0%
35-44 15.0% / 16.7%
Bolwarra Heights — 35-44: 15.0% Maitland Vale — 35-44: 16.7%
45-54 13.9% / 9.6%
Bolwarra Heights — 45-54: 13.9% Maitland Vale — 45-54: 9.6%
55-64 10.9% / 12.1%
Bolwarra Heights — 55-64: 10.9% Maitland Vale — 55-64: 12.1%
65-74 8.1% / 4.6%
Bolwarra Heights — 65-74: 8.1% Maitland Vale — 65-74: 4.6%
75-84 4.5% / —
Bolwarra Heights — 75-84: 4.5% Maitland Vale — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.8% / 1.1%
Bolwarra Heights — 85+: 0.8% Maitland Vale — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bolwarra Heights 67.7% couple families
Bolwarra Heights — Couple Families: 67.7% Bolwarra Heights — One Parent Families: 14.5% Bolwarra Heights — Lone Person: 15.2% Bolwarra Heights — Group Household: 2.0% Bolwarra Heights — Other Families: 0.6%
Maitland Vale 64.7% couple families
Maitland Vale — Couple Families: 64.7% Maitland Vale — One Parent Families: 16.2% Maitland Vale — Lone Person: 14.7% Maitland Vale — Group Household: 4.4% Maitland Vale — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bolwarra Heights 10.6% renting
Bolwarra Heights — Owned Outright: 34.6% Bolwarra Heights — Mortgage: 54.8% Bolwarra Heights — Renting: 10.6%
Maitland Vale 10.3% renting
Maitland Vale — Owned Outright: 28.7% Maitland Vale — Mortgage: 60.9% Maitland Vale — Renting: 10.3%
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.

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
England 2.4% / 2.5%
Bolwarra Heights — England: 2.4% Maitland Vale — England: 2.5%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.1%
Bolwarra Heights — New Zealand: 0.7% Maitland Vale — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa 0.6% / —
Bolwarra Heights — South Africa: 0.6% Maitland Vale — South Africa: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / —
Bolwarra Heights — Philippines: 0.4% Maitland Vale — Philippines: not among its largest
Scotland 0.3% / —
Bolwarra Heights — Scotland: 0.3% Maitland Vale — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.5%).

Qualifications

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

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Certificate III & IV 18.0% / 18.9%
Bolwarra Heights — Certificate III & IV: 18.0% Maitland Vale — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 13.2% / 16.0%
Bolwarra Heights — Bachelor Degree: 13.2% Maitland Vale — Bachelor Degree: 16.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 7.8%
Bolwarra Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Maitland Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 2.5%
Bolwarra Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Maitland Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 1.1%
Bolwarra Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Maitland Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bolwarra Heights 97.4% houses
Bolwarra Heights — Houses: 97.4% Bolwarra Heights — Flats / Apartments: 0.3% Bolwarra Heights — Townhouses: 2.3%
Maitland Vale 97.6% houses
Maitland Vale — Houses: 97.6% Maitland Vale — Flats / Apartments: 2.4% Maitland Vale — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Median house price $995,000 $1,350,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $692,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 45 days
from 29 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Maitland Vale has more rural and farming land (95% vs 43%); Bolwarra Heights has more land zoned for conservation (15% vs 3%).

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Rural and farming 43% 95%
Residential 41% 2%
Environmental 15% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 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

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
New dwellings approved 1,413
across Maitland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +20%
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.

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Houses 2.9%
$690/wk on $1.24M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
House price Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Income Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 55% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 18% of NSW —

Liveability

Bolwarra Heights is more walkable (19 vs 0).

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Grade B —
Score 62/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
35/100
 Low
29/100
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

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
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

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Parks & reserves 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0

Mobility

Maitland Vale sits further from the CBD (172.9 km vs 170.6 km).

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Walkability score 19/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 170.6 km 172.9 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 130 min 131 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2320
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2320
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.

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Car (driver) 67.2% / 64.5%
Bolwarra Heights — Car (driver): 67.2% Maitland Vale — Car (driver): 64.5%
Worked from Home 27.3% / 29.8%
Bolwarra Heights — Worked from Home: 27.3% Maitland Vale — Worked from Home: 29.8%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 2.4%
Bolwarra Heights — Car (passenger): 4.5% Maitland Vale — Car (passenger): 2.4%
Walked Only 0.5% / 3.2%
Bolwarra Heights — Walked Only: 0.5% Maitland Vale — Walked Only: 3.2%
Train 0.3% / —
Bolwarra Heights — Train: 0.3% Maitland Vale — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.2%).

Setting

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 23.6 km 27.2 km

NBN connectivity

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Connectivity score 75/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 55%
1,186 premises
 60%
129 premises

Climate

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Annual rainfall 996 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Average residential rate $1,908/yr
same for both
Council Maitland
same for both

Federal electorate

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bolwarra Heights Maitland Vale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bolwarra Heights

Acreage Family

Maitland Vale

Family Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bolwarra Heights

Bolwarra Heights vs Largs Bolwarra Heights vs Bolwarra Bolwarra Heights vs Woodville Bolwarra Heights vs Oakhampton Bolwarra Heights vs Mindaribba

Other comparisons with Maitland Vale

Maitland Vale vs Aberglasslyn Maitland Vale vs Oakhampton Maitland Vale vs Mindaribba Maitland Vale vs Rosebrook Maitland Vale vs Melville
Full data on Bolwarra Heights Full data on Maitland Vale
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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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