Bowral vs Glenquarry

Glenquarry is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 55 in Bowral. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bowral, about half of households are people living alone. In Glenquarry, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Glenquarry: a median of $3.06 million, against $1.43 million in Bowral, though rent is higher in Bowral. On these figures, Bowral tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Glenquarry suits couples.

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

  • Bowral has more parks and reserves (19 vs 0)
  • Glenquarry is already more of a family suburb (80% vs 47%)

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

First-home buyers

Bowral

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,425,000 vs $3,060,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Glenquarry

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($370/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bowral

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 23/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (91 min vs 96 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (118.8 km vs 123.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bowral

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (9 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 23/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (38% vs 24%)
  • But Glenquarry carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 37/100)

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

Investors

Glenquarry

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (17.6% vs 4.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bowral Glenquarry
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.

Bowral Glenquarry
Walkability 92 / 23
Bowral — Walkability: 92/100 Glenquarry — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 63 / 76
Bowral — Safety: 63/100 Glenquarry — Safety: 76/100
Low fire risk 100 / 43
Bowral — Low fire risk: 100/100 Glenquarry — Low fire risk: 43/100

Demographics

Bowral has more residents (10,764 vs 261); Glenquarry has higher household incomes ($112,112 vs $79,820).

Bowral Glenquarry
Population 10,764
+98% vs other
 261
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.2% +17.6%
Median age 55 48
Median household income $79,820/yr $112,112/yr
+40% vs other
Median weekly rent $500/wk
+26% vs other
 $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bowral Glenquarry
0-4 3.4% / 3.1%
Bowral — 0-4: 3.4% Glenquarry — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 10.8% / 12.6%
Bowral — 5-14: 10.8% Glenquarry — 5-14: 12.6%
15-19 4.8% / 13.4%
Bowral — 15-19: 4.8% Glenquarry — 15-19: 13.4%
20-24 3.4% / 4.2%
Bowral — 20-24: 3.4% Glenquarry — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 6.0% / 4.2%
Bowral — 25-34: 6.0% Glenquarry — 25-34: 4.2%
35-44 8.8% / 9.6%
Bowral — 35-44: 8.8% Glenquarry — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 12.0% / 19.2%
Bowral — 45-54: 12.0% Glenquarry — 45-54: 19.2%
55-64 12.8% / 11.9%
Bowral — 55-64: 12.8% Glenquarry — 55-64: 11.9%
65-74 16.9% / 12.6%
Bowral — 65-74: 16.9% Glenquarry — 65-74: 12.6%
75-84 15.0% / 10.0%
Bowral — 75-84: 15.0% Glenquarry — 75-84: 10.0%
85+ 6.2% / 1.1%
Bowral — 85+: 6.2% Glenquarry — 85+: 1.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bowral 34.3% couple families
Bowral — Couple Families: 34.3% Bowral — Lone Person: 48.9% Bowral — One Parent Families: 12.9% Bowral — Group Household: 3.0% Bowral — Other Families: 0.9%
Glenquarry 61.7% couple families
Glenquarry — Couple Families: 61.7% Glenquarry — Lone Person: 20.0% Glenquarry — One Parent Families: 18.3% Glenquarry — Group Household: 0.0% Glenquarry — 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.

Bowral 19.9% renting
Bowral — Owned Outright: 53.8% Bowral — Mortgage: 26.3% Bowral — Renting: 19.9%
Glenquarry 20.3% renting
Glenquarry — Owned Outright: 57.0% Glenquarry — Mortgage: 22.8% Glenquarry — Renting: 20.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bowral Glenquarry
Bachelor Degree 16.8% / 19.5%
Bowral — Bachelor Degree: 16.8% Glenquarry — Bachelor Degree: 19.5%
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 13.4%
Bowral — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Glenquarry — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.8% / 5.7%
Bowral — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8% Glenquarry — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 7.1% / 4.6%
Bowral — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1% Glenquarry — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / —
Bowral — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Glenquarry — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

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.

Bowral Glenquarry
England 7.2% / 1.9%
Bowral — England: 7.2% Glenquarry — England: 1.9%
Germany 0.6% / 1.9%
Bowral — Germany: 0.6% Glenquarry — Germany: 1.9%
South Africa 1.0% / 1.1%
Bowral — South Africa: 1.0% Glenquarry — South Africa: 1.1%
New Zealand 1.7% / —
Bowral — New Zealand: 1.7% Glenquarry — New Zealand: not among its largest
Singapore — / 1.5%
Bowral — Singapore: not among its largest Glenquarry — Singapore: 1.5%
Nepal 1.0% / —
Bowral — Nepal: 1.0% Glenquarry — Nepal: not among its largest
India 0.9% / —
Bowral — India: 0.9% Glenquarry — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bowral 80.6% houses
Bowral — Houses: 80.6% Bowral — Townhouses: 16.1% Bowral — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Glenquarry 100.0% houses
Glenquarry — Houses: 100.0% Glenquarry — Townhouses: 0.0% Glenquarry — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bowral Glenquarry
Median house price $1,425,000 $3,060,000
Median unit price $830,000 —
Median land price $1,035,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 48 days
from 127 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Glenquarry has more land zoned for conservation (93% vs 56%).

Bowral Glenquarry
Environmental 56% 93%
Residential 27% 0%
Parks and recreation 8% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 7%
Rural and farming 6% 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

Bowral Glenquarry
New dwellings approved 335
across Wingecarribee
same for both
Approvals change year on year +6%
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.

Bowral Glenquarry
Houses 3.3%
$915/wk on $1.43M
 —
Units 4.0%
$650/wk on $840K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Bowral Glenquarry
House price Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Income Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Schools Higher than 44% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 92% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 36% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 24% of NSW —

Liveability

Bowral is more walkable (92 vs 23).

Bowral Glenquarry
Grade B —
Score 69/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Glenquarry carries more bushfire risk (57 vs 0); Bowral carries more crime risk (37 vs 24).

Bowral Glenquarry
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
57/100
Crime Low
37/100
 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 4
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Bowral Glenquarry
Inside the suburb 5 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Bowral

  • Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Bowral High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Bowral Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Southern Highlands Christian School Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Glenquarry

  • Glenquarry Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bowral Glenquarry
Supermarkets 5 0
Cafes & restaurants 35 0
Parks & reserves 19 0
Childcare 11 0
GPs 9 0
Pharmacies 5 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 7 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 26 1

Mobility

Glenquarry sits further from the CBD (123.5 km vs 118.8 km).

Bowral Glenquarry
Walkability score 92/100 23/100
Distance to Sydney 118.8 km 123.5 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 91 min 96 min
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 2576
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2576
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.

Bowral Glenquarry
Car (driver) 55.0% / 48.8%
Bowral — Car (driver): 55.0% Glenquarry — Car (driver): 48.8%
Worked from Home 34.0% / 40.5%
Bowral — Worked from Home: 34.0% Glenquarry — Worked from Home: 40.5%
Car (passenger) 5.0% / 5.8%
Bowral — Car (passenger): 5.0% Glenquarry — Car (passenger): 5.8%
Walked Only 4.8% / 5.0%
Bowral — Walked Only: 4.8% Glenquarry — Walked Only: 5.0%
Train 0.5% / —
Bowral — Train: 0.5% Glenquarry — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.0%).

Setting

Bowral Glenquarry
Elevation 679 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 713 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 41.0 km 35.1 km

NBN connectivity

Bowral Glenquarry
Connectivity score 66/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 39%
6,483 premises
 0%
104 premises

Climate

Bowral Glenquarry
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Bowral Glenquarry
Average residential rate $2,072/yr
same for both
Council Wingecarribee
same for both

Federal electorate

Bowral Glenquarry
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bowral Glenquarry
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bowral

Cafe Culture Parks Regional Centre Retirees River

Glenquarry

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bowral

Bowral vs Moss Vale Bowral vs Mittagong Bowral vs Burradoo Bowral vs Berrima Bowral vs Woodlands

Other comparisons with Glenquarry

Glenquarry vs Moss Vale Glenquarry vs Mittagong Glenquarry vs Burrawang Glenquarry vs Avoca Glenquarry vs Kangaloon
Full data on Bowral Full data on Glenquarry
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.

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