Bowenfels vs South Bowenfels

Bowenfels is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 48 in South Bowenfels. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Bowenfels, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In South Bowenfels, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in South Bowenfels: a median of $928,000, against $540,000 in Bowenfels, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bowenfels tends to suit renters and buyers on a tighter budget, while South Bowenfels suits couples and older residents.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Bowenfels has more separate houses rather than flats (91% vs 70%)
  • South Bowenfels carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 93/100)

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

First-home buyers

Bowenfels

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($540,000 vs $927,500)
  • has cheaper land ($327,500 vs $487,500)
  • But South Bowenfels leaves households under less mortgage stress (31% vs 39%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bowenfels

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (47% vs 7%)
  • has cheaper rent ($185/wk vs $370/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

South Bowenfels

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a shorter drive in (142 min vs 148 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

South Bowenfels

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (30% vs 9%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 93/100)

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

Investors

South Bowenfels

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.1% vs 0.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
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.

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Walkability 0 / 0
Bowenfels — Walkability: 0/100 South Bowenfels — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 7 / 68
Bowenfels — Safety: 7/100 South Bowenfels — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 6 / 61
Bowenfels — Low fire risk: 6/100 South Bowenfels — Low fire risk: 61/100

Demographics

South Bowenfels rents higher ($370/wk vs $185/wk); South Bowenfels has higher household incomes ($83,616 vs $47,684).

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Population 2,049
+35% vs other
 1,326
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.0% +14.1%
Median age 41 48
Median household income $47,684/yr $83,616/yr
+75% vs other
Median weekly rent $185/wk $370/wk
+100% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
0-4 5.7% / 6.2%
Bowenfels — 0-4: 5.7% South Bowenfels — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 15.3% / 12.3%
Bowenfels — 5-14: 15.3% South Bowenfels — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 6.7% / 4.9%
Bowenfels — 15-19: 6.7% South Bowenfels — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 4.9% / 3.5%
Bowenfels — 20-24: 4.9% South Bowenfels — 20-24: 3.5%
25-34 10.1% / 10.3%
Bowenfels — 25-34: 10.1% South Bowenfels — 25-34: 10.3%
35-44 10.6% / 9.6%
Bowenfels — 35-44: 10.6% South Bowenfels — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 13.4% / 9.9%
Bowenfels — 45-54: 13.4% South Bowenfels — 45-54: 9.9%
55-64 12.3% / 11.8%
Bowenfels — 55-64: 12.3% South Bowenfels — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 10.2% / 15.5%
Bowenfels — 65-74: 10.2% South Bowenfels — 65-74: 15.5%
75-84 7.4% / 11.8%
Bowenfels — 75-84: 7.4% South Bowenfels — 75-84: 11.8%
85+ 3.5% / 4.3%
Bowenfels — 85+: 3.5% South Bowenfels — 85+: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bowenfels 45.2% lone person
Bowenfels — Lone Person: 45.2% Bowenfels — Couple Families: 26.2% Bowenfels — One Parent Families: 22.8% Bowenfels — Group Household: 4.3% Bowenfels — Other Families: 1.5%
South Bowenfels 41.0% lone person
South Bowenfels — Lone Person: 41.0% South Bowenfels — Couple Families: 47.1% South Bowenfels — One Parent Families: 9.2% South Bowenfels — Group Household: 2.8% South Bowenfels — 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.

Bowenfels 46.7% renting
Bowenfels — Owned Outright: 29.3% Bowenfels — Mortgage: 24.0% Bowenfels — Renting: 46.7%
South Bowenfels 7.4% renting
South Bowenfels — Owned Outright: 52.1% South Bowenfels — Mortgage: 40.5% South Bowenfels — Renting: 7.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Certificate III & IV 14.4% / 18.9%
Bowenfels — Certificate III & IV: 14.4% South Bowenfels — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.3% / 8.4%
Bowenfels — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.3% South Bowenfels — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Bachelor Degree 3.5% / 8.7%
Bowenfels — Bachelor Degree: 3.5% South Bowenfels — Bachelor Degree: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 0.8% / 2.6%
Bowenfels — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8% South Bowenfels — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 2.2%
Bowenfels — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% South Bowenfels — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

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.

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
England 1.8% / 3.3%
Bowenfels — England: 1.8% South Bowenfels — England: 3.3%
New Zealand 0.8% / 1.2%
Bowenfels — New Zealand: 0.8% South Bowenfels — New Zealand: 1.2%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.6%
Bowenfels — Philippines: 0.7% South Bowenfels — Philippines: 0.6%
Scotland — / 1.0%
Bowenfels — Scotland: not among its largest South Bowenfels — Scotland: 1.0%
India 0.5% / —
Bowenfels — India: 0.5% South Bowenfels — India: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.5%
Bowenfels — Thailand: not among its largest South Bowenfels — Thailand: 0.5%
China 0.4% / —
Bowenfels — China: 0.4% South Bowenfels — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bowenfels 90.6% houses
Bowenfels — Houses: 90.6% Bowenfels — Townhouses: 7.3% Bowenfels — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
South Bowenfels 70.5% houses
South Bowenfels — Houses: 70.5% South Bowenfels — Townhouses: 29.5% South Bowenfels — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Median house price $540,000 $927,500
Median unit price $425,000 —
Median land price $327,500 $487,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 42 days
from 10 sales
 115 days
from 7 sales

Zoning mix

South Bowenfels has more rural and farming land (72% vs 1%); Bowenfels has more land zoned for conservation (68% vs 7%).

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Rural and farming 1% 72%
Environmental 68% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 22% 8%
Residential 9% 13%
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

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
New dwellings approved 55
across Lithgow
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
House price Higher than 16% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Income Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW

Liveability

South Bowenfels scores higher overall (44 vs 7).

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Grade D C
Score 7/100 44/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Bowenfels carries more crime risk (93 vs 32); Bowenfels carries more bushfire risk (94 vs 39).

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Bushfire High
94/100
 Low
39/100
Crime High
93/100
 Low
32/100
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 4
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
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

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 6 5
Childcare 1 0
GPs 0 2
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 6 10

Mobility

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 152.8 km 154.5 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 148 min 142 min
Public transport score 69/100
Bus
 33/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 41.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 8.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2790
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2790
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.

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Car (driver) 79.0% / 85.0%
Bowenfels — Car (driver): 79.0% South Bowenfels — Car (driver): 85.0%
Worked from Home 9.2% / 10.4%
Bowenfels — Worked from Home: 9.2% South Bowenfels — Worked from Home: 10.4%
Car (passenger) 8.2% / 3.6%
Bowenfels — Car (passenger): 8.2% South Bowenfels — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Walked Only 1.5% / 1.1%
Bowenfels — Walked Only: 1.5% South Bowenfels — Walked Only: 1.1%
Train 2.1% / —
Bowenfels — Train: 2.1% South Bowenfels — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.0%).

Setting

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Elevation 972 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 890 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Connectivity score 75/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
961 premises
 42%
638 premises

Climate

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
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

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Average residential rate $1,150/yr
same for both
Council Lithgow
same for both

Federal electorate

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Division Calare
same for both
Member Andrew Gee
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bowenfels South Bowenfels
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bowenfels

Acreage Affordable

South Bowenfels

Retirees Rural Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bowenfels

Bowenfels vs Lithgow Bowenfels vs Wallerawang Bowenfels vs Marrangaroo Bowenfels vs Littleton Bowenfels vs Hermitage Flat Bowenfels vs South Littleton

Other comparisons with South Bowenfels

South Bowenfels vs Hartley South Bowenfels vs South Littleton South Bowenfels vs Rydal
Full data on Bowenfels Full data on South Bowenfels
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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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