Bucca vs Emerald Beach

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Emerald Beach tends to suit families with children.

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

Emerald Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 58/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bucca

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $463/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Emerald Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 58/100)

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

Investors

Emerald Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.8% vs 11.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bucca Emerald Beach
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.

Bucca Emerald Beach
Walkability 10 / 12
Bucca — Walkability: 10/100 Emerald Beach — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 42 / 55
Bucca — Safety: 42/100 Emerald Beach — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 47 / 48
Bucca — Low fire risk: 47/100 Emerald Beach — Low fire risk: 48/100

Demographics

Emerald Beach has more residents (2,677 vs 614); Emerald Beach rents higher ($463/wk vs $400/wk).

Bucca Emerald Beach
Population 614 2,677
+336% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.0% +19.8%
Median age 43 41
Median household income $90,480/yr $94,276/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $463/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bucca Emerald Beach
0-4 4.7% / 6.5%
Bucca — 0-4: 4.7% Emerald Beach — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 12.7% / 15.5%
Bucca — 5-14: 12.7% Emerald Beach — 5-14: 15.5%
15-19 6.7% / 5.4%
Bucca — 15-19: 6.7% Emerald Beach — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 7.8% / 3.5%
Bucca — 20-24: 7.8% Emerald Beach — 20-24: 3.5%
25-34 8.6% / 10.2%
Bucca — 25-34: 8.6% Emerald Beach — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 12.7% / 14.2%
Bucca — 35-44: 12.7% Emerald Beach — 35-44: 14.2%
45-54 16.3% / 13.8%
Bucca — 45-54: 16.3% Emerald Beach — 45-54: 13.8%
55-64 16.0% / 13.6%
Bucca — 55-64: 16.0% Emerald Beach — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 11.6% / 11.6%
Bucca — 65-74: 11.6% Emerald Beach — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 3.3% / 4.5%
Bucca — 75-84: 3.3% Emerald Beach — 75-84: 4.5%
85+ 0.8% / 1.0%
Bucca — 85+: 0.8% Emerald Beach — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bucca 53.0% couple families
Bucca — Couple Families: 53.0% Bucca — Lone Person: 24.2% Bucca — One Parent Families: 19.7% Bucca — Group Household: 3.0% Bucca — Other Families: 0.0%
Emerald Beach 50.7% couple families
Emerald Beach — Couple Families: 50.7% Emerald Beach — Lone Person: 23.8% Emerald Beach — One Parent Families: 21.8% Emerald Beach — Group Household: 3.2% Emerald Beach — Other Families: 0.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bucca 23.0% renting
Bucca — Owned Outright: 37.2% Bucca — Mortgage: 39.9% Bucca — Renting: 23.0%
Emerald Beach 21.6% renting
Emerald Beach — Owned Outright: 37.5% Emerald Beach — Mortgage: 40.9% Emerald Beach — Renting: 21.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bucca Emerald Beach
Certificate III & IV 19.1% / 17.4%
Bucca — Certificate III & IV: 19.1% Emerald Beach — Certificate III & IV: 17.4%
Bachelor Degree 10.1% / 14.8%
Bucca — Bachelor Degree: 10.1% Emerald Beach — Bachelor Degree: 14.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.4% / 8.5%
Bucca — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4% Emerald Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / 3.7%
Bucca — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Emerald Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.8%
Bucca — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Emerald Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.1%).

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.

Bucca Emerald Beach
England 1.6% / 3.2%
Bucca — England: 1.6% Emerald Beach — England: 3.2%
New Zealand 2.0% / 2.4%
Bucca — New Zealand: 2.0% Emerald Beach — New Zealand: 2.4%
Germany 1.1% / 0.6%
Bucca — Germany: 1.1% Emerald Beach — Germany: 0.6%
Malaysia 1.3% / 0.3%
Bucca — Malaysia: 1.3% Emerald Beach — Malaysia: 0.3%
South Africa 0.7% / 0.7%
Bucca — South Africa: 0.7% Emerald Beach — South Africa: 0.7%
Netherlands 0.8% / —
Bucca — Netherlands: 0.8% Emerald Beach — Netherlands: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.7%
Bucca — Scotland: not among its largest Emerald Beach — Scotland: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bucca 89.7% houses
Bucca — Houses: 89.7% Bucca — Flats / Apartments: 10.3% Bucca — Townhouses: 0.0%
Emerald Beach 93.6% houses
Emerald Beach — Houses: 93.6% Emerald Beach — Flats / Apartments: 2.6% Emerald Beach — Townhouses: 3.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bucca Emerald Beach
Median house price $1,135,000 $1,057,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $769,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 34 days
from 22 sales

Zoning mix

Bucca has more rural and farming land (92% vs 61%).

Bucca Emerald Beach
Rural and farming 92% 61%
Residential 0% 23%
Environmental 8% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
Parks and recreation 0% 1%
Planning zones cover 100% of Bucca and 99% of Emerald Beach. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Bucca Emerald Beach
New dwellings approved 356
across Coffs Harbour
same for both
Approvals change year on year +61%
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.

Bucca Emerald Beach
Houses — 2.3%
$650/wk on $1.5M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bucca Emerald Beach
House price Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Income Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 4% of NSW

Liveability

Emerald Beach scores higher overall (36 vs 27).

Bucca Emerald Beach
Grade D C
Score 27/100 36/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Bucca carries more crime risk (58 vs 45).

Bucca Emerald Beach
Bushfire Moderate
53/100
 Moderate
52/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
36/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bucca Emerald Beach
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Bucca Emerald Beach
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 6 20

Mobility

Bucca Emerald Beach
Walkability score 10/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 547.3 km 548.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 362 min 366 min
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 58/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 28.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2450
 0.5%
postcode 2456
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2450
 59
postcode 2456

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.

Bucca Emerald Beach
Car (driver) 78.1% / 75.8%
Bucca — Car (driver): 78.1% Emerald Beach — Car (driver): 75.8%
Worked from Home 16.7% / 16.8%
Bucca — Worked from Home: 16.7% Emerald Beach — Worked from Home: 16.8%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.8%
Bucca — Car (passenger): 3.9% Emerald Beach — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 1.3% / 2.7%
Bucca — Walked Only: 1.3% Emerald Beach — Walked Only: 2.7%
Bicycle — / 0.5%
Bucca — Bicycle: not among its largest Emerald Beach — Bicycle: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.1%).

Setting

Bucca Emerald Beach
Elevation 93 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 71 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km 3.0 km
3.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bucca Emerald Beach
Connectivity score 27/100 67/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
185 premises
 30%
1,093 premises

Climate

Bucca Emerald Beach
Annual rainfall 1,827 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bucca Emerald Beach
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 10.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.22 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bucca Emerald Beach
Average residential rate $1,437/yr
same for both
Council Coffs Harbour
same for both

Federal electorate

Bucca Emerald Beach
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bucca Emerald Beach
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bucca

River Rural

Emerald Beach

Acreage Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bucca

Bucca vs Woolgoolga Bucca vs Korora Bucca vs Sapphire Beach Bucca vs Moonee Beach Bucca vs Nana Glen Bucca vs Coramba

Other comparisons with Emerald Beach

Emerald Beach vs Woolgoolga Emerald Beach vs Sandy Beach Emerald Beach vs Moonee Beach
Full data on Bucca Full data on Emerald Beach
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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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