Boorooma vs Downside

Boorooma is the younger of the two, with a median age of 27 against 46 in Downside. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Downside: a median of $2.5 million, against $820,000 in Boorooma, though rent is higher in Boorooma. On these figures, Boorooma tends to suit young adults, families with children, 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

Boorooma

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (48/100 vs 77/100)
  • But Downside is already more of a family suburb (77% vs 67%)

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

First-home buyers

Boorooma

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($820,000 vs $2,500,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Downside

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (7% vs 17%)
  • has cheaper rent ($185/wk vs $415/wk)
  • But Boorooma has a bigger rental market to choose from (37% vs 21%)

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

Commuting to the city

Boorooma

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (69/100 vs 8/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (462.2 km vs 470.8 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (294 min vs 299 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Boorooma

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (69/100 vs 8/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (48/100 vs 77/100)
  • But Downside has more residents already 65 and over (12% vs 5%)

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

Investors

Boorooma

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (101.7% vs 0.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Boorooma Downside
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.

Boorooma Downside
Walkability 69 / 8
Boorooma — Walkability: 69/100 Downside — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 52 / 23
Boorooma — Safety: 52/100 Downside — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 100 / 82
Boorooma — Low fire risk: 100/100 Downside — Low fire risk: 82/100

Demographics

Boorooma has more residents (1,741 vs 124); Boorooma rents higher ($415/wk vs $185/wk).

Boorooma Downside
Population 1,741
+93% vs other
 124
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +101.7% +0.0%
Median age 27 46
Median household income $124,748/yr $134,316/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $415/wk
+55% vs other
 $185/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Boorooma Downside
0-4 11.9% / 5.6%
Boorooma — 0-4: 11.9% Downside — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 14.1% / 12.1%
Boorooma — 5-14: 14.1% Downside — 5-14: 12.1%
15-19 5.3% / 4.8%
Boorooma — 15-19: 5.3% Downside — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 12.1% / 9.7%
Boorooma — 20-24: 12.1% Downside — 20-24: 9.7%
25-34 24.2% / 8.1%
Boorooma — 25-34: 24.2% Downside — 25-34: 8.1%
35-44 15.4% / 12.1%
Boorooma — 35-44: 15.4% Downside — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 8.0% / 17.7%
Boorooma — 45-54: 8.0% Downside — 45-54: 17.7%
55-64 3.6% / 16.1%
Boorooma — 55-64: 3.6% Downside — 55-64: 16.1%
65-74 3.0% / 12.1%
Boorooma — 65-74: 3.0% Downside — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 1.4% / —
Boorooma — 75-84: 1.4% Downside — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.2% / —
Boorooma — 85+: 0.2% Downside — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Boorooma 59.6% couple families
Boorooma — Couple Families: 59.6% Boorooma — Lone Person: 18.8% Boorooma — One Parent Families: 7.6% Boorooma — Group Household: 12.6% Boorooma — Other Families: 1.4%
Downside 63.6% couple families
Downside — Couple Families: 63.6% Downside — Lone Person: 22.7% Downside — One Parent Families: 13.6% Downside — Group Household: 0.0% Downside — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Boorooma 36.8% renting
Boorooma — Owned Outright: 12.4% Boorooma — Mortgage: 50.8% Boorooma — Renting: 36.8%
Downside 21.1% renting
Downside — Owned Outright: 34.2% Downside — Mortgage: 44.7% Downside — Renting: 21.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Boorooma 92.3% houses
Boorooma — Houses: 92.3% Boorooma — Townhouses: 6.2% Boorooma — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Downside 100.0% houses
Downside — Houses: 100.0% Downside — Townhouses: 0.0% Downside — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Boorooma Downside
Bachelor Degree 17.4% / 13.7%
Boorooma — Bachelor Degree: 17.4% Downside — Bachelor Degree: 13.7%
Certificate III & IV 14.6% / 15.3%
Boorooma — Certificate III & IV: 14.6% Downside — Certificate III & IV: 15.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 5.6%
Boorooma — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Downside — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 4.0%
Boorooma — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% Downside — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / —
Boorooma — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Downside — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

Property market

Boorooma Downside
Median house price $820,000 $2,500,000
Median unit price $600,000 —
Median land price $299,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 18 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Downside has more rural and farming land (99% vs 0%); Boorooma has more land zoned for conservation (13% vs 0%).

Boorooma Downside
Rural and farming 0% 99%
Residential 73% 0%
Environmental 13% 0%
Parks and recreation 8% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 1%
Commercial 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

Boorooma Downside
New dwellings approved 548
across Wagga Wagga
same for both
Approvals change year on year +139%
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.

Boorooma Downside
Houses 3.8%
$650/wk on $879K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Boorooma Downside
House price Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Income Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 20% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 65% of NSW —

Liveability

Boorooma is more walkable (69 vs 8).

Boorooma Downside
Grade B —
Score 66/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Downside carries more bushfire risk (18 vs 0); Downside carries more crime risk (77 vs 48).

Boorooma Downside
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
18/100
Crime Moderate
48/100
 High
77/100
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
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Boorooma Downside
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Boorooma

  • The Riverina Anglican College Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Downside

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

Amenities in the suburb

Boorooma Downside
Supermarkets 2 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 0 5

Mobility

Downside sits further from the CBD (470.8 km vs 462.2 km).

Boorooma Downside
Walkability score 69/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 462.2 km 470.8 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 294 min 299 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2650
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 2650
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.

Boorooma Downside
Car (driver) 84.1% / 77.4%
Boorooma — Car (driver): 84.1% Downside — Car (driver): 77.4%
Worked from Home 9.2% / 22.6%
Boorooma — Worked from Home: 9.2% Downside — Worked from Home: 22.6%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / —
Boorooma — Car (passenger): 5.9% Downside — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 0.8% / —
Boorooma — Walked Only: 0.8% Downside — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.1%).

Setting

Boorooma Downside
Elevation 199 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 204 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Boorooma Downside
Connectivity score 94/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 90%
686 premises
 0%
49 premises

Climate

Boorooma Downside
Annual rainfall 565 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Boorooma Downside
PM2.5 7.7 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 23.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Boorooma Downside
Average residential rate $1,254/yr
same for both
Council Wagga Wagga
same for both

Federal electorate

Boorooma Downside
Division Riverina
same for both
Member Michael Mccormack
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Boorooma Downside
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Boorooma

Family Large Blocks Professionals Young Families

Downside

Premium Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Boorooma

Boorooma vs Estella Boorooma vs North Wagga Wagga Boorooma vs Charles Sturt University Boorooma vs Cartwrights Hill

Other comparisons with Downside

Downside vs North Wagga Wagga Downside vs Charles Sturt University Downside vs Marrar Downside vs Brucedale Downside vs Yathella Downside vs Cartwrights Hill
Full data on Boorooma Full data on Downside
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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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