Calderwood vs Tongarra

Calderwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 46 in Tongarra. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Calderwood: a median of $1.08 million, against $950,000 in Tongarra, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Calderwood tends to suit young adults and 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

Calderwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Tongarra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($950,000 vs $1,080,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Tongarra

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $580/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Calderwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (97 min vs 103 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (106.8 km vs 112.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Tongarra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (14% vs 6%)

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

Where they sit

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

Calderwood Tongarra
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.

Calderwood Tongarra
Walkability 10 / 10
Calderwood — Walkability: 10/100 Tongarra — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 56 / 55
Calderwood — Safety: 56/100 Tongarra — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 100 / 87
Calderwood — Low fire risk: 100/100 Tongarra — Low fire risk: 87/100

Demographics

Calderwood has more residents (3,013 vs 141); Calderwood rents higher ($580/wk vs $350/wk).

Calderwood Tongarra
Population 3,013
+95% vs other
 141
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +31.8%
Median age 30 46
Median household income $126,412/yr $158,132/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $580/wk
+40% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Calderwood Tongarra
0-4 12.8% / 2.1%
Calderwood — 0-4: 12.8% Tongarra — 0-4: 2.1%
5-14 16.2% / 6.4%
Calderwood — 5-14: 16.2% Tongarra — 5-14: 6.4%
15-19 4.2% / 9.2%
Calderwood — 15-19: 4.2% Tongarra — 15-19: 9.2%
20-24 4.3% / 11.3%
Calderwood — 20-24: 4.3% Tongarra — 20-24: 11.3%
25-34 26.2% / 9.2%
Calderwood — 25-34: 26.2% Tongarra — 25-34: 9.2%
35-44 16.5% / 10.6%
Calderwood — 35-44: 16.5% Tongarra — 35-44: 10.6%
45-54 7.2% / 19.9%
Calderwood — 45-54: 7.2% Tongarra — 45-54: 19.9%
55-64 6.3% / 18.4%
Calderwood — 55-64: 6.3% Tongarra — 55-64: 18.4%
65-74 4.8% / 8.5%
Calderwood — 65-74: 4.8% Tongarra — 65-74: 8.5%
75-84 1.0% / 5.7%
Calderwood — 75-84: 1.0% Tongarra — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ 0.2% / —
Calderwood — 85+: 0.2% Tongarra — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Calderwood 70.7% couple families
Calderwood — Couple Families: 70.7% Calderwood — One Parent Families: 15.2% Calderwood — Lone Person: 10.6% Calderwood — Group Household: 2.0% Calderwood — Other Families: 1.4%
Tongarra 72.4% couple families
Tongarra — Couple Families: 72.4% Tongarra — One Parent Families: 17.2% Tongarra — Lone Person: 10.3% Tongarra — Group Household: 0.0% Tongarra — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Calderwood 20.0% renting
Calderwood — Owned Outright: 13.5% Calderwood — Mortgage: 66.5% Calderwood — Renting: 20.0%
Tongarra 26.7% renting
Tongarra — Owned Outright: 28.9% Tongarra — Mortgage: 44.4% Tongarra — Renting: 26.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Calderwood Tongarra
Certificate III & IV 20.1% / 25.5%
Calderwood — Certificate III & IV: 20.1% Tongarra — Certificate III & IV: 25.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 17.7%
Calderwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Tongarra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 17.7%
Bachelor Degree 11.0% / 9.9%
Calderwood — Bachelor Degree: 11.0% Tongarra — Bachelor Degree: 9.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 4.3%
Calderwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Tongarra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 2.1%
Calderwood — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Tongarra — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.5%).

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.

Calderwood Tongarra
South Africa 0.5% / 4.3%
Calderwood — South Africa: 0.5% Tongarra — South Africa: 4.3%
England 2.6% / 2.1%
Calderwood — England: 2.6% Tongarra — England: 2.1%
Scotland — / 4.3%
Calderwood — Scotland: not among its largest Tongarra — Scotland: 4.3%
India 1.9% / —
Calderwood — India: 1.9% Tongarra — India: not among its largest
Philippines 1.3% / —
Calderwood — Philippines: 1.3% Tongarra — Philippines: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.8% / —
Calderwood — New Zealand: 0.8% Tongarra — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Calderwood 97.6% houses
Calderwood — Houses: 97.6% Calderwood — Townhouses: 1.3% Calderwood — Flats / Apartments: 1.0%
Tongarra 100.0% houses
Tongarra — Houses: 100.0% Tongarra — Townhouses: 0.0% Tongarra — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Calderwood Tongarra
Median house price $1,080,000 $950,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $541,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 99 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Tongarra has more land zoned for conservation (72% vs 46%).

Calderwood Tongarra
Environmental 46% 72%
Rural and farming 30% 27%
Residential 17% 0%
Commercial 4% 0%
Parks and recreation 4% 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

Calderwood Tongarra
New dwellings approved 883
across Shellharbour
same for both
Approvals change year on year +25%
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.

Calderwood Tongarra
Houses 3.8%
$870/wk on $1.2M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Calderwood Tongarra
House price Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
Income Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 71% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 62% of NSW —

Liveability

Calderwood Tongarra
Grade B —
Score 61/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Tongarra carries more bushfire risk (13 vs 0).

Calderwood Tongarra
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
13/100
Crime Moderate
44/100
 Moderate
45/100
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

Calderwood Tongarra
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Calderwood

  • Calderwood Christian School Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Tongarra

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

Amenities in the suburb

Calderwood Tongarra
Supermarkets 1 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 0 3

Mobility

Tongarra sits further from the CBD (112.9 km vs 106.8 km).

Calderwood Tongarra
Walkability score 10/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 106.8 km 112.9 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 97 min 103 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2527
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 2527
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.

Calderwood Tongarra
Car (driver) 68.4% / 64.6%
Calderwood — Car (driver): 68.4% Tongarra — Car (driver): 64.6%
Worked from Home 27.5% / 21.5%
Calderwood — Worked from Home: 27.5% Tongarra — Worked from Home: 21.5%
Car (passenger) 2.7% / 10.1%
Calderwood — Car (passenger): 2.7% Tongarra — Car (passenger): 10.1%
Walked Only 0.4% / 3.8%
Calderwood — Walked Only: 0.4% Tongarra — Walked Only: 3.8%
Train 0.8% / —
Calderwood — Train: 0.8% Tongarra — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.4%).

Setting

Calderwood Tongarra
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 138 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.7 km 15.1 km

NBN connectivity

Calderwood Tongarra
Connectivity score 57/100 21/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
65 premises
 0%
45 premises

Climate

Calderwood Tongarra
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Calderwood Tongarra
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Calderwood Tongarra
Average residential rate $1,788/yr
same for both
Council Shellharbour
same for both

Federal electorate

Calderwood Tongarra
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Calderwood Tongarra
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Calderwood

Acreage Family Young Families

Tongarra

Rural Students

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Calderwood

Calderwood vs Albion Park Calderwood vs Albion Park Rail Calderwood vs Tullimbar Calderwood vs Marshall Mount Calderwood vs Yallah

Other comparisons with Tongarra

Tongarra vs Robertson Tongarra vs Tullimbar
Full data on Calderwood Full data on Tongarra
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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