Bonnet Bay vs Illawong

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 Illawong: a median of $1.96 million, against $1.76 million in Bonnet Bay, though rent is higher in Bonnet Bay.

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

Illawong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Bonnet Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,760,000 vs $1,955,000)

Weighs house 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

They split

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

  • Bonnet Bay sits closer to the CBD (33.2 km vs 35.2 km)
  • Illawong has a shorter drive in (37 min vs 43 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Bonnet Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.1% vs 3.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bonnet Bay Illawong
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.

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Walkability 60 / 62
Bonnet Bay — Walkability: 60/100 Illawong — Walkability: 62/100
Safety 82 / 76
Bonnet Bay — Safety: 82/100 Illawong — Safety: 76/100
Low fire risk 100 / 14
Bonnet Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 Illawong — Low fire risk: 14/100

Demographics

Illawong has more residents (7,427 vs 2,238); Bonnet Bay has higher household incomes ($160,524 vs $144,456).

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Population 2,238 7,427
+232% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.1% +2.1%
Median age 44
same for both
Median household income $160,524/yr
+10% vs other
 $144,456/yr
Median weekly rent $700/wk
+7% vs other
 $650/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bonnet Bay Illawong
0-4 5.5% / 5.2%
Bonnet Bay — 0-4: 5.5% Illawong — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 13.2% / 12.3%
Bonnet Bay — 5-14: 13.2% Illawong — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 6.3% / 6.7%
Bonnet Bay — 15-19: 6.3% Illawong — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 5.0% / 5.9%
Bonnet Bay — 20-24: 5.0% Illawong — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 6.9% / 9.8%
Bonnet Bay — 25-34: 6.9% Illawong — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 13.9% / 11.3%
Bonnet Bay — 35-44: 13.9% Illawong — 35-44: 11.3%
45-54 14.6% / 12.5%
Bonnet Bay — 45-54: 14.6% Illawong — 45-54: 12.5%
55-64 13.7% / 16.2%
Bonnet Bay — 55-64: 13.7% Illawong — 55-64: 16.2%
65-74 13.8% / 13.3%
Bonnet Bay — 65-74: 13.8% Illawong — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 6.1% / 5.1%
Bonnet Bay — 75-84: 6.1% Illawong — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 1.0% / 1.6%
Bonnet Bay — 85+: 1.0% Illawong — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bonnet Bay 74.9% couple families
Bonnet Bay — Couple Families: 74.9% Bonnet Bay — Lone Person: 14.3% Bonnet Bay — One Parent Families: 8.6% Bonnet Bay — Other Families: 1.6% Bonnet Bay — Group Household: 0.6%
Illawong 70.8% couple families
Illawong — Couple Families: 70.8% Illawong — Lone Person: 14.3% Illawong — One Parent Families: 12.7% Illawong — Other Families: 1.0% Illawong — Group Household: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bonnet Bay 5.1% renting
Bonnet Bay — Owned Outright: 45.1% Bonnet Bay — Mortgage: 49.8% Bonnet Bay — Renting: 5.1%
Illawong 8.1% renting
Illawong — Owned Outright: 50.2% Illawong — Mortgage: 41.8% Illawong — Renting: 8.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Bachelor Degree 19.8% / 17.4%
Bonnet Bay — Bachelor Degree: 19.8% Illawong — Bachelor Degree: 17.4%
Certificate III & IV 11.6% / 13.8%
Bonnet Bay — Certificate III & IV: 11.6% Illawong — Certificate III & IV: 13.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.8% / 9.4%
Bonnet Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8% Illawong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.5% / 5.2%
Bonnet Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5% Illawong — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / 1.8%
Bonnet Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% Illawong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

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.

Bonnet Bay Illawong
England 5.5% / 2.6%
Bonnet Bay — England: 5.5% Illawong — England: 2.6%
China 1.0% / 2.4%
Bonnet Bay — China: 1.0% Illawong — China: 2.4%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.2%
Bonnet Bay — New Zealand: 1.5% Illawong — New Zealand: 1.2%
Lebanon — / 2.2%
Bonnet Bay — Lebanon: not among its largest Illawong — Lebanon: 2.2%
Greece — / 1.2%
Bonnet Bay — Greece: not among its largest Illawong — Greece: 1.2%
South Africa 0.8% / —
Bonnet Bay — South Africa: 0.8% Illawong — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland 0.8% / —
Bonnet Bay — Scotland: 0.8% Illawong — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bonnet Bay 99.3% houses
Bonnet Bay — Houses: 99.3% Bonnet Bay — Townhouses: 0.0% Bonnet Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Illawong 92.6% houses
Illawong — Houses: 92.6% Illawong — Townhouses: 5.0% Illawong — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Median house price $1,760,000 $1,955,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 16 sales
 29 days
from 33 sales

House price by bedroom count

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

Bonnet Bay Illawong
3 bed $1.56M / $1.96M
Bonnet Bay — 3 bed: $1.56M (12 sales) Illawong — 3 bed: $1.96M (11 sales)

12 vs 11 sales

4 bed $1.77M / $1.87M
Bonnet Bay — 4 bed: $1.77M (28 sales) Illawong — 4 bed: $1.87M (24 sales)

28 vs 24 sales

5 bed $1.8M / $2.24M
Bonnet Bay — 5 bed: $1.8M (11 sales) Illawong — 5 bed: $2.24M (15 sales)

11 vs 15 sales

Zoning mix

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Environmental 89% 91%
Parks and recreation 7% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 3%
same for both
Residential 0% 2%
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

Bonnet Bay Illawong
New dwellings approved 1,449
across Sutherland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +117%
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.

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Houses 4.1%
$1,192/wk on $1.5M
 3.2%
$1,250/wk on $2.05M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bonnet Bay Illawong
House price Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Income Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 76% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 85% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW

Liveability

Bonnet Bay scores higher overall (85 vs 62).

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Grade A B
Score 85/100 62/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Illawong carries more bushfire risk (86 vs 0).

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
86/100
Crime Low
18/100
 Low
24/100
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

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 2
Universities within 10 km None 1
Western Sydney University - Bankstown City, 8.7 km

Schools in Bonnet Bay

  • Bonnet Bay Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Illawong

  • Menai High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Illawong Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Tharawal Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 6 7
Childcare 2 4
GPs 0 1
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Illawong sits further from the CBD (35.2 km vs 33.2 km).

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Walkability score 60/100 62/100
Distance to Sydney 33.2 km 35.2 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 43 min 37 min
Public transport score 74/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 70.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 174.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2226
 1.4%
postcode 2234
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 2226
 48
postcode 2234

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.

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Worked from Home 53.2% / 46.3%
Bonnet Bay — Worked from Home: 53.2% Illawong — Worked from Home: 46.3%
Car (driver) 41.1% / 47.9%
Bonnet Bay — Car (driver): 41.1% Illawong — Car (driver): 47.9%
Train 3.3% / 2.0%
Bonnet Bay — Train: 3.3% Illawong — Train: 2.0%
Car (passenger) 2.1% / 2.6%
Bonnet Bay — Car (passenger): 2.1% Illawong — Car (passenger): 2.6%
Walked Only 0.3% / 0.9%
Bonnet Bay — Walked Only: 0.3% Illawong — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.2%).

Setting

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Elevation 43 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 77 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.6 km 8.0 km

NBN connectivity

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Connectivity score 75/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
785 premises
 1%
2,545 premises

Climate

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Annual rainfall 1,038 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bonnet Bay Illawong
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.79 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Average residential rate $1,552/yr
same for both
Council Sutherland
same for both

Federal electorate

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Division Hughes
same for both
Member David Moncrieff
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bonnet Bay Illawong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bonnet Bay

Outer Parks Professionals Quiet

Illawong

Large Blocks Outer Parks Premium Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bonnet Bay

Bonnet Bay vs Jannali Bonnet Bay vs Bangor Bonnet Bay vs Como Bonnet Bay vs Woronora

Other comparisons with Illawong

Illawong vs Oatley Illawong vs Menai Illawong vs Lugarno Illawong vs Bangor Illawong vs Como Illawong vs Alfords Point
Full data on Bonnet Bay Full data on Illawong
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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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