Broke vs Fordwich

Fordwich is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Broke. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Broke, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Fordwich, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Fordwich: a median of $8.14 million, against $900,000 in Broke, though rent is higher in Broke. On these figures, Broke tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Fordwich suits renters and people living alone.

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

Broke

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (62% vs 53%)
  • But Fordwich carries lower crime risk (44/100 vs 71/100)

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

First-home buyers

Broke

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($900,000 vs $8,138,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 61%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Fordwich

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (53% vs 14%)

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

Commuting to the city

Broke

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (143 min vs 159 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (156.2 km vs 168.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Fordwich

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (44/100 vs 71/100)

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

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

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

Broke Fordwich
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.

Broke Fordwich
Walkability 6 / 0
Broke — Walkability: 6/100 Fordwich — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 29 / 56
Broke — Safety: 29/100 Fordwich — Safety: 56/100
Low fire risk 14 / 6
Broke — Low fire risk: 14/100 Fordwich — Low fire risk: 6/100

Demographics

Broke has more residents (557 vs 90); Broke skews older (43 vs 40).

Broke Fordwich
Population 557
+84% vs other
 90
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.8% -2.2%
Median age 43 40
Median household income $89,336/yr
+5% vs other
 $84,500/yr
Median weekly rent $365/wk
+5% vs other
 $345/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Broke Fordwich
0-4 5.4% / 4.4%
Broke — 0-4: 5.4% Fordwich — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 14.0% / 10.0%
Broke — 5-14: 14.0% Fordwich — 5-14: 10.0%
15-19 4.1% / 8.9%
Broke — 15-19: 4.1% Fordwich — 15-19: 8.9%
20-24 5.2% / 5.6%
Broke — 20-24: 5.2% Fordwich — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 8.4% / 12.2%
Broke — 25-34: 8.4% Fordwich — 25-34: 12.2%
35-44 15.3% / 17.8%
Broke — 35-44: 15.3% Fordwich — 35-44: 17.8%
45-54 16.2% / 7.8%
Broke — 45-54: 16.2% Fordwich — 45-54: 7.8%
55-64 14.2% / 14.4%
Broke — 55-64: 14.2% Fordwich — 55-64: 14.4%
65-74 15.1% / 14.4%
Broke — 65-74: 15.1% Fordwich — 65-74: 14.4%
75-84 3.9% / 5.6%
Broke — 75-84: 3.9% Fordwich — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ — / 3.3%
Broke — 85+: not among its largest Fordwich — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Broke 45.6% couple families
Broke — Couple Families: 45.6% Broke — Lone Person: 34.9% Broke — One Parent Families: 16.1% Broke — Group Household: 3.4%
Fordwich 53.3% couple families
Fordwich — Couple Families: 53.3% Fordwich — Lone Person: 46.7% Fordwich — One Parent Families: 0.0% Fordwich — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Broke 14.4% renting
Broke — Owned Outright: 36.1% Broke — Mortgage: 49.5% Broke — Renting: 14.4%
Fordwich 52.8% renting
Fordwich — Owned Outright: 30.6% Fordwich — Mortgage: 16.7% Fordwich — Renting: 52.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Broke Fordwich
Certificate III & IV 19.9% / 14.4%
Broke — Certificate III & IV: 19.9% Fordwich — Certificate III & IV: 14.4%
Bachelor Degree 8.4% / 13.3%
Broke — Bachelor Degree: 8.4% Fordwich — Bachelor Degree: 13.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.8% / 13.3%
Broke — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8% Fordwich — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / —
Broke — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Fordwich — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

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.

Broke Fordwich
South Africa 1.4% / 3.3%
Broke — South Africa: 1.4% Fordwich — South Africa: 3.3%
England 3.4% / —
Broke — England: 3.4% Fordwich — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.3% / —
Broke — New Zealand: 1.3% Fordwich — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 1.3% / —
Broke — Philippines: 1.3% Fordwich — Philippines: not among its largest
Ireland 0.7% / —
Broke — Ireland: 0.7% Fordwich — Ireland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Broke 96.1% houses
Broke — Houses: 96.1% Broke — Flats / Apartments: 3.9%
Fordwich 100.0% houses
Fordwich — Houses: 100.0% Fordwich — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Broke Fordwich
Median house price $900,000 $8,138,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,630,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 180 days
from 7 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Fordwich has more rural and farming land (100% vs 73%); Broke has more land zoned for conservation (25% vs 0%).

Broke Fordwich
Rural and farming 73% 100%
Environmental 25% 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

Broke Fordwich
New dwellings approved 121
across Singleton
same for both
Approvals change year on year +46%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Broke Fordwich
House price Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 100% of NSW
Income Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 20% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 1% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 26% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW

Liveability

Broke Fordwich
Grade D —
Score 20/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Broke carries more crime risk (71 vs 44).

Broke Fordwich
Bushfire High
86/100
 High
94/100
Crime High
71/100
 Moderate
44/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Broke Fordwich
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Broke

  • Broke Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Fordwich

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

Amenities in the suburb

Broke Fordwich
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 13 1

Mobility

Fordwich sits further from the CBD (168.3 km vs 156.2 km).

Broke Fordwich
Walkability score 6/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 156.2 km 168.3 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 143 min 159 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2330
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2330
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.

Broke Fordwich
Car (driver) 68.2% / 45.5%
Broke — Car (driver): 68.2% Fordwich — Car (driver): 45.5%
Worked from Home 21.7% / 42.4%
Broke — Worked from Home: 21.7% Fordwich — Worked from Home: 42.4%
Walked Only 4.5% / 12.1%
Broke — Walked Only: 4.5% Fordwich — Walked Only: 12.1%
Car (passenger) 5.6% / —
Broke — Car (passenger): 5.6% Fordwich — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.2%).

Setting

Broke Fordwich
Elevation 84 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 70 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Broke Fordwich
Connectivity score 29/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
286 premises
 0%
47 premises

Climate

Broke Fordwich
Annual rainfall 804 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Broke Fordwich
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 16.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Broke Fordwich
Average residential rate $1,287/yr
same for both
Council Singleton
same for both

Federal electorate

Broke Fordwich
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Broke Fordwich
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Broke

Rural

Fordwich

Luxury Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Broke

Broke vs Pokolbin Broke vs Singleton Military Area Broke vs Bulga Broke vs Milbrodale Broke vs Mount Thorley Broke vs Howes Valley

Other comparisons with Fordwich

Fordwich vs Bulga Fordwich vs Milbrodale
Full data on Broke Full data on Fordwich
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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