Braidwood vs Mongarlowe

Braidwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 54 in Mongarlowe. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Mongarlowe: a median of $1.2 million, against $750,000 in Braidwood, though rent is higher in Braidwood. On these figures, Braidwood tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Mongarlowe suits share households.

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

Braidwood

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (43% vs 27%)
  • But Mongarlowe carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 61/100)

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

First-home buyers

Braidwood

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($750,000 vs $1,200,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (28% vs 35%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mongarlowe

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($240/wk vs $345/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 24%)
  • But Braidwood has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 9%)

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

Commuting to the city

Braidwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (49/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (194 min vs 210 min)
  • But Mongarlowe sits closer to the CBD (258.2 km vs 278.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Braidwood

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (49/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • But Mongarlowe carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 61/100)

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

Where they sit

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

Braidwood Mongarlowe
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.

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Walkability 49 / 0
Braidwood — Walkability: 49/100 Mongarlowe — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 39 / 90
Braidwood — Safety: 39/100 Mongarlowe — Safety: 90/100
Low fire risk 26 / 14
Braidwood — Low fire risk: 26/100 Mongarlowe — Low fire risk: 14/100

Demographics

Braidwood has more residents (1,720 vs 121); Braidwood rents higher ($345/wk vs $240/wk).

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Population 1,720
+93% vs other
 121
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.2% —
Median age 50 54
Median household income $73,424/yr
+9% vs other
 $66,612/yr
Median weekly rent $345/wk
+30% vs other
 $240/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Braidwood Mongarlowe
0-4 4.8% / 7.4%
Braidwood — 0-4: 4.8% Mongarlowe — 0-4: 7.4%
5-14 11.1% / 7.4%
Braidwood — 5-14: 11.1% Mongarlowe — 5-14: 7.4%
15-19 4.0% / 6.6%
Braidwood — 15-19: 4.0% Mongarlowe — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 3.7% / —
Braidwood — 20-24: 3.7% Mongarlowe — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 9.5% / 5.0%
Braidwood — 25-34: 9.5% Mongarlowe — 25-34: 5.0%
35-44 10.6% / 9.1%
Braidwood — 35-44: 10.6% Mongarlowe — 35-44: 9.1%
45-54 12.6% / 14.9%
Braidwood — 45-54: 12.6% Mongarlowe — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 14.4% / 24.0%
Braidwood — 55-64: 14.4% Mongarlowe — 55-64: 24.0%
65-74 14.1% / 20.7%
Braidwood — 65-74: 14.1% Mongarlowe — 65-74: 20.7%
75-84 12.3% / 6.6%
Braidwood — 75-84: 12.3% Mongarlowe — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ 3.3% / —
Braidwood — 85+: 3.3% Mongarlowe — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Braidwood 53.0% lone person
Braidwood — Lone Person: 53.0% Braidwood — Couple Families: 31.0% Braidwood — One Parent Families: 11.9% Braidwood — Group Household: 2.4% Braidwood — Other Families: 1.7%
Mongarlowe 54.5% lone person
Mongarlowe — Lone Person: 54.5% Mongarlowe — Couple Families: 18.2% Mongarlowe — One Parent Families: 9.1% Mongarlowe — Group Household: 18.2% Mongarlowe — 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.

Braidwood 23.9% renting
Braidwood — Owned Outright: 48.5% Braidwood — Mortgage: 27.6% Braidwood — Renting: 23.9%
Mongarlowe 8.7% renting
Mongarlowe — Owned Outright: 65.2% Mongarlowe — Mortgage: 26.1% Mongarlowe — Renting: 8.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Braidwood Mongarlowe
England 4.2% / 6.6%
Braidwood — England: 4.2% Mongarlowe — England: 6.6%
New Zealand 1.0% / —
Braidwood — New Zealand: 1.0% Mongarlowe — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.6% / —
Braidwood — Scotland: 0.6% Mongarlowe — Scotland: not among its largest
France 0.6% / —
Braidwood — France: 0.6% Mongarlowe — France: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / —
Braidwood — Philippines: 0.5% Mongarlowe — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.6%).

Qualifications

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

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Certificate III & IV 14.3% / 19.0%
Braidwood — Certificate III & IV: 14.3% Mongarlowe — Certificate III & IV: 19.0%
Bachelor Degree 13.5% / 14.0%
Braidwood — Bachelor Degree: 13.5% Mongarlowe — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Postgraduate Degree 5.1% / 13.2%
Braidwood — Postgraduate Degree: 5.1% Mongarlowe — Postgraduate Degree: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 7.4%
Braidwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Mongarlowe — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / —
Braidwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Mongarlowe — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Braidwood 87.5% houses
Braidwood — Houses: 87.5% Braidwood — Flats / Apartments: 4.2% Braidwood — Townhouses: 8.3%
Mongarlowe 92.7% houses
Mongarlowe — Houses: 92.7% Mongarlowe — Flats / Apartments: 7.3% Mongarlowe — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Median house price $750,000 $1,200,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $445,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 120 days
from 37 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Mongarlowe has more land zoned for conservation (19% vs 1%); Braidwood has more rural and farming land (97% vs 81%).

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Rural and farming 97% 81%
Environmental 1% 19%
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

Braidwood Mongarlowe
New dwellings approved 510
across Queanbeyan-Palerang
same for both
Approvals change year on year +231%
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.

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Houses 3.0%
$520/wk on $887K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Braidwood Mongarlowe
House price Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 18% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 73% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 24% of NSW —

Liveability

Braidwood is more walkable (49 vs 0).

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Grade C —
Score 33/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Braidwood carries more crime risk (61 vs 10); Mongarlowe carries more bushfire risk (86 vs 74).

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Bushfire High
74/100
 High
86/100
Crime Moderate
61/100
 Low
10/100
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

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Braidwood

  • St Bede's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Braidwood Central School Government · Combined below peers

Schools in Mongarlowe

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

Amenities in the suburb

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 11 0
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 2 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 92 7

Mobility

Braidwood sits further from the CBD (278.5 km vs 258.2 km).

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Walkability score 49/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 278.5 km
+7% vs other
 258.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 194 min 210 min
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 2622
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 57
postcode 2622
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.

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Car (driver) 62.0% / 64.3%
Braidwood — Car (driver): 62.0% Mongarlowe — Car (driver): 64.3%
Worked from Home 20.1% / 25.0%
Braidwood — Worked from Home: 20.1% Mongarlowe — Worked from Home: 25.0%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 10.7%
Braidwood — Car (passenger): 3.7% Mongarlowe — Car (passenger): 10.7%
Walked Only 13.0% / —
Braidwood — Walked Only: 13.0% Mongarlowe — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.6% / —
Braidwood — Bus: 0.6% Mongarlowe — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.3%).

Setting

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Elevation 666 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 642 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 44.9 km 42.0 km

NBN connectivity

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Connectivity score 77/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
1,100 premises
 0%
51 premises

Climate

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Annual rainfall 724 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Queanbeyan-Palerang
same for both

Federal electorate

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Division Eden-monaro
same for both
Member Kristy Mcbain
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Braidwood Mongarlowe
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Braidwood

Retirees River Rural

Mongarlowe

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Braidwood

Braidwood vs Bombay Braidwood vs Reidsdale Braidwood vs Durran Durra Braidwood vs Bendoura Braidwood vs Jembaicumbene

Other comparisons with Mongarlowe

Mongarlowe vs Durran Durra Mongarlowe vs Charleys Forest
Full data on Braidwood Full data on Mongarlowe
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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