Broadwater vs Evans Head

In both, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Evans Head: a median of $1.26 million, against $710,000 in Broadwater, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Broadwater tends to suit 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

Broadwater

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (78% vs 55%)

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

First-home buyers

Broadwater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($710,000 vs $1,260,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Broadwater

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $321/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 30%)
  • But Evans Head has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 25%)

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

Commuting to the city

Evans Head

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (700.5 km vs 705.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Evans Head

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (45% vs 22%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 25%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Broadwater Evans Head
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.

Broadwater Evans Head
Walkability 0 / 63
Broadwater — Walkability: 0/100 Evans Head — Walkability: 63/100
Low fire risk 41 / 10
Broadwater — Low fire risk: 41/100 Evans Head — Low fire risk: 10/100

Demographics

Evans Head has more residents (2,907 vs 670); Evans Head rents higher ($321/wk vs $250/wk).

Broadwater Evans Head
Population 670 2,907
+334% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.7% +2.1%
Median age 50 52
Median household income $55,692/yr $56,472/yr
+1% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $321/wk
+28% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Broadwater Evans Head
0-4 3.7% / 4.2%
Broadwater — 0-4: 3.7% Evans Head — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 12.1% / 10.5%
Broadwater — 5-14: 12.1% Evans Head — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 4.5% / 4.1%
Broadwater — 15-19: 4.5% Evans Head — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 2.5% / 4.4%
Broadwater — 20-24: 2.5% Evans Head — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 7.3% / 8.2%
Broadwater — 25-34: 7.3% Evans Head — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 12.2% / 9.5%
Broadwater — 35-44: 12.2% Evans Head — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 14.8% / 12.2%
Broadwater — 45-54: 14.8% Evans Head — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 18.7% / 16.6%
Broadwater — 55-64: 18.7% Evans Head — 55-64: 16.6%
65-74 16.6% / 17.6%
Broadwater — 65-74: 16.6% Evans Head — 65-74: 17.6%
75-84 6.9% / 8.4%
Broadwater — 75-84: 6.9% Evans Head — 75-84: 8.4%
85+ 1.2% / 4.5%
Broadwater — 85+: 1.2% Evans Head — 85+: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 47.0% lone person
Broadwater — Lone Person: 47.0% Broadwater — Couple Families: 29.8% Broadwater — One Parent Families: 13.6% Broadwater — Group Household: 7.1% Broadwater — Other Families: 2.5%
Evans Head 51.1% lone person
Evans Head — Lone Person: 51.1% Evans Head — Couple Families: 26.6% Evans Head — One Parent Families: 16.6% Evans Head — Group Household: 4.1% Evans Head — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 24.6% renting
Broadwater — Owned Outright: 42.3% Broadwater — Mortgage: 33.1% Broadwater — Renting: 24.6%
Evans Head 38.9% renting
Evans Head — Owned Outright: 43.2% Evans Head — Mortgage: 17.9% Evans Head — Renting: 38.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Broadwater Evans Head
Certificate III & IV 20.0% / 17.5%
Broadwater — Certificate III & IV: 20.0% Evans Head — Certificate III & IV: 17.5%
Bachelor Degree 6.4% / 9.6%
Broadwater — Bachelor Degree: 6.4% Evans Head — Bachelor Degree: 9.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.5% / 7.2%
Broadwater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.5% Evans Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 2.4%
Broadwater — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Evans Head — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.2%
Broadwater — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Evans Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Broadwater Evans Head
England 2.4% / 1.6%
Broadwater — England: 2.4% Evans Head — England: 1.6%
New Zealand 0.6% / 1.0%
Broadwater — New Zealand: 0.6% Evans Head — New Zealand: 1.0%
Netherlands 0.6% / 0.4%
Broadwater — Netherlands: 0.6% Evans Head — Netherlands: 0.4%
Thailand 0.9% / —
Broadwater — Thailand: 0.9% Evans Head — Thailand: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / 0.4%
Broadwater — Philippines: 0.4% Evans Head — Philippines: 0.4%
India 0.4% / 0.2%
Broadwater — India: 0.4% Evans Head — India: 0.2%
South Africa — / 0.4%
Broadwater — South Africa: not among its largest Evans Head — South Africa: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 78.3% houses
Broadwater — Houses: 78.3% Broadwater — Townhouses: 0.0% Broadwater — Flats / Apartments: 21.7%
Evans Head 55.0% houses
Evans Head — Houses: 55.0% Evans Head — Townhouses: 34.3% Evans Head — Flats / Apartments: 10.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Broadwater Evans Head
Median house price $710,000 $1,260,000
Median unit price — $750,000
Median land price $227,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 88 days
from 4 sales
 33 days
from 22 sales

Zoning mix

Broadwater has more rural and farming land (26% vs 9%).

Broadwater Evans Head
Environmental 72% 78%
Rural and farming 26% 9%
Residential 0% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 1%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
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

Broadwater Evans Head
New dwellings approved 24
across Richmond Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -78%
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.

Broadwater Evans Head
Houses — 4.4%
$798/wk on $950K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Broadwater Evans Head
House price Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Income Higher than 16% of NSW
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 14% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 88% of NSW

Liveability

Evans Head is more walkable (63 vs 0); Evans Head scores higher overall (22 vs 13).

Broadwater Evans Head
Grade D
same for both
Score 13/100 22/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Evans Head carries more bushfire risk (90 vs 59).

Broadwater Evans Head
Bushfire Moderate
59/100
 High
90/100
Crime — High
73/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
60/100
 Moderate
47/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Broadwater Evans Head
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Broadwater

  • Broadwater Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Evans Head

  • Evans River Community School Government · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Broadwater Evans Head
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 2 3
Parks & reserves 3 4
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 2
Fuel stations 2 1
Beaches 1 2
Waterways 21 4

Mobility

Broadwater sits further from the CBD (705.8 km vs 700.5 km).

Broadwater Evans Head
Walkability score 0/100 63/100
Distance to Sydney 705.8 km 700.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 459 min 455 min
Public transport score 29/100
Bus
 56/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 8.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 34.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2472
 0.4%
postcode 2473
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2472
 64
postcode 2473

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.

Broadwater Evans Head
Car (driver) 72.5% / 73.3%
Broadwater — Car (driver): 72.5% Evans Head — Car (driver): 73.3%
Worked from Home 16.9% / 14.1%
Broadwater — Worked from Home: 16.9% Evans Head — Worked from Home: 14.1%
Walked Only 4.7% / 6.0%
Broadwater — Walked Only: 4.7% Evans Head — Walked Only: 6.0%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 4.6%
Broadwater — Car (passenger): 5.9% Evans Head — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Bicycle — / 2.0%
Broadwater — Bicycle: not among its largest Evans Head — Bicycle: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.3%).

Setting

Broadwater Evans Head
Elevation 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.6 km
3.0 km to a named beach
 1.1 km
1.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Broadwater Evans Head
Connectivity score 30/100 64/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
270 premises
 35%
1,918 premises

Climate

Broadwater Evans Head
Annual rainfall 1,557 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 11.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Broadwater Evans Head
Average residential rate $1,282/yr
same for both
Council Richmond Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Broadwater Evans Head
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Broadwater Evans Head
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Broadwater

Affordable Coastal Rural

Evans Head

Beach Coastal Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Broadwater

Broadwater vs Wardell Broadwater vs Woodburn Broadwater vs East Wardell Broadwater vs Doonbah Broadwater vs Rileys Hill Broadwater vs Bagotville

Other comparisons with Evans Head

Evans Head vs Woodburn Evans Head vs Doonbah
Full data on Broadwater Full data on Evans Head
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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