Bowral vs Moss Vale

Moss Vale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 55 in Bowral. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bowral, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Bowral: a median of $1.43 million, against $1.09 million in Moss Vale, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bowral tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Moss Vale suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Bowral and Moss Vale are neighbouring Southern Highlands towns with notably different property costs and demographics. Bowral's median house price sits at $1,425,000 compared to Moss Vale's $1,095,000, with units following a similar pattern at $830,000 versus $572,500. Bowral skews older (median age 55 versus 45), scores higher on liveability (69 versus 53) and walkability (92 versus 42), and has a lower crime risk rating of 37 compared to Moss Vale's 52. Moss Vale may appeal to buyers seeking more affordable entry points, while Bowral suits those prioritising walkable amenity and a more established community feel.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Bowral

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (11 vs 7)
  • carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 52/100)
  • But Moss Vale has more parks and reserves (29 vs 19)

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

First-home buyers

Moss Vale

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($585,000 vs $1,035,000)
  • has cheaper units ($572,500 vs $830,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,095,000 vs $1,425,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Moss Vale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $500/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (26% vs 33%)

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

Commuting to the city

Bowral

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 42/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (91 min vs 105 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (118.8 km vs 126.9 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Bowral

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (9 vs 2)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 42/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (38% vs 25%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Bowral and Moss 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.

Bowral Moss 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.

Bowral Moss Vale
Walkability 92 / 42
Bowral — Walkability: 92/100 Moss Vale — Walkability: 42/100
Safety 63 / 48
Bowral — Safety: 63/100 Moss Vale — Safety: 48/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bowral — Low fire risk: 100/100 Moss Vale — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bowral rents higher ($500/wk vs $400/wk); Bowral skews older (55 vs 45).

Bowral Moss Vale
Population 10,764
+14% vs other
 9,310
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.2% +8.5%
Median age 55 45
Median household income $79,820/yr
+2% vs other
 $78,572/yr
Median weekly rent $500/wk
+20% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bowral Moss Vale
0-4 3.4% / 5.2%
Bowral — 0-4: 3.4% Moss Vale — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 10.8% / 12.7%
Bowral — 5-14: 10.8% Moss Vale — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 4.8% / 5.9%
Bowral — 15-19: 4.8% Moss Vale — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 3.4% / 4.8%
Bowral — 20-24: 3.4% Moss Vale — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 6.0% / 10.6%
Bowral — 25-34: 6.0% Moss Vale — 25-34: 10.6%
35-44 8.8% / 10.7%
Bowral — 35-44: 8.8% Moss Vale — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 12.0% / 12.1%
Bowral — 45-54: 12.0% Moss Vale — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 12.8% / 13.0%
Bowral — 55-64: 12.8% Moss Vale — 55-64: 13.0%
65-74 16.9% / 13.3%
Bowral — 65-74: 16.9% Moss Vale — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 15.0% / 8.9%
Bowral — 75-84: 15.0% Moss Vale — 75-84: 8.9%
85+ 6.2% / 2.8%
Bowral — 85+: 6.2% Moss Vale — 85+: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bowral 48.9% lone person
Bowral — Lone Person: 48.9% Bowral — Couple Families: 34.3% Bowral — One Parent Families: 12.9% Bowral — Group Household: 3.0% Bowral — Other Families: 0.9%
Moss Vale 40.8% lone person
Moss Vale — Lone Person: 40.8% Moss Vale — Couple Families: 38.5% Moss Vale — One Parent Families: 16.2% Moss Vale — Group Household: 3.1% Moss Vale — Other Families: 1.4%
Lone Person Couple Families 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%
Moss Vale 28.0% renting
Moss Vale — Owned Outright: 40.0% Moss Vale — Mortgage: 32.0% Moss Vale — Renting: 28.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bowral Moss Vale
Bachelor Degree 16.8% / 11.9%
Bowral — Bachelor Degree: 16.8% Moss Vale — Bachelor Degree: 11.9%
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 15.5%
Bowral — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Moss Vale — Certificate III & IV: 15.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.8% / 8.4%
Bowral — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8% Moss Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 7.1% / 4.6%
Bowral — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1% Moss Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 1.9%
Bowral — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Moss Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Bowral Moss Vale
England 7.2% / 4.4%
Bowral — England: 7.2% Moss Vale — England: 4.4%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.6%
Bowral — New Zealand: 1.7% Moss Vale — New Zealand: 1.6%
Nepal 1.0% / 1.0%
Bowral — Nepal: 1.0% Moss Vale — Nepal: 1.0%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.6%
Bowral — South Africa: 1.0% Moss Vale — South Africa: 0.6%
India 0.9% / 0.6%
Bowral — India: 0.9% Moss Vale — India: 0.6%
Philippines — / 1.2%
Bowral — Philippines: not among its largest Moss Vale — Philippines: 1.2%
China 0.5% / 0.7%
Bowral — China: 0.5% Moss Vale — China: 0.7%

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%
Moss Vale 86.7% houses
Moss Vale — Houses: 86.7% Moss Vale — Townhouses: 8.1% Moss Vale — Flats / Apartments: 5.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bowral Moss Vale
Median house price $1,425,000 $1,095,000
Median unit price $830,000 $572,500
Median land price $1,035,000 $585,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 48 days
from 127 sales
 41 days
from 141 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.

Bowral Moss Vale
3 bed $1.14M / $883K
Bowral — 3 bed: $1.14M (66 sales) Moss Vale — 3 bed: $883K (90 sales)

66 vs 90 sales

4 bed $1.44M / $1.21M
Bowral — 4 bed: $1.44M (109 sales) Moss Vale — 4 bed: $1.21M (106 sales)

109 vs 106 sales

5 bed $2.16M / $1.39M
Bowral — 5 bed: $2.16M (36 sales) Moss Vale — 5 bed: $1.39M (27 sales)

36 vs 27 sales

Zoning mix

Bowral Moss Vale
Environmental 56% 60%
Residential 27% 12%
Rural and farming 6% 10%
Industrial 1% 10%
Parks and recreation 8% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 7%
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 Moss Vale
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 Moss Vale
Houses 3.3%
$915/wk on $1.43M
 3.4%
$780/wk on $1.19M
Units 4.0%
$650/wk on $840K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Bowral Moss Vale
House price Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Income Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Schools Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 24% of NSW —

Liveability

Bowral is more walkable (92 vs 42); Bowral scores higher overall (69 vs 53).

Bowral Moss Vale
Grade B
same for both
Score 69/100 53/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Moss Vale carries more crime risk (52 vs 37).

Bowral Moss Vale
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
37/100
 Moderate
52/100
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
same for both

Schools

Bowral Moss Vale
Inside the suburb 5
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 3 2
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 Moss Vale

  • St Paul's International College Independent · Secondary above peers
  • Moss Vale High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Moss Vale Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Paul's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • The King's School, Tudor House Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Bowral Moss Vale
Supermarkets 5 3
Cafes & restaurants 35 8
Parks & reserves 19 29
Childcare 11 7
GPs 9 2
Pharmacies 5 3
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 7 3
Fuel stations 3 4
Waterways 26 20

Mobility

Moss Vale sits further from the CBD (126.9 km vs 118.8 km).

Bowral Moss Vale
Walkability score 92/100 42/100
Distance to Sydney 118.8 km 126.9 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 91 min 105 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 127.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 94.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 2576
 0.9%
postcode 2577
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2576
 56
postcode 2577

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 Moss Vale
Car (driver) 55.0% / 70.3%
Bowral — Car (driver): 55.0% Moss Vale — Car (driver): 70.3%
Worked from Home 34.0% / 19.2%
Bowral — Worked from Home: 34.0% Moss Vale — Worked from Home: 19.2%
Car (passenger) 5.0% / 5.5%
Bowral — Car (passenger): 5.0% Moss Vale — Car (passenger): 5.5%
Walked Only 4.8% / 3.6%
Bowral — Walked Only: 4.8% Moss Vale — Walked Only: 3.6%
Bus 0.4% / 0.8%
Bowral — Bus: 0.4% Moss Vale — Bus: 0.8%
Train 0.5% / 0.5%
Bowral — Train: 0.5% Moss Vale — Train: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.3%).

Setting

Bowral Moss Vale
Elevation 679 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 675 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 41.0 km 42.6 km

NBN connectivity

Bowral Moss Vale
Connectivity score 66/100 69/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 39%
6,483 premises
 44%
4,979 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Bowral Moss Vale
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

Moss Vale

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bowral

Bowral vs Mittagong Bowral vs Burradoo Bowral vs Berrima Bowral vs Woodlands Bowral vs Glenquarry

Other comparisons with Moss Vale

Moss Vale vs Burradoo Moss Vale vs Berrima Moss Vale vs New Berrima Moss Vale vs Sutton Forest Moss Vale vs Glenquarry Moss Vale vs Fitzroy Falls
Full data on Bowral Full data on Moss Vale
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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