Camden Head vs Dunbogan

Camden Head is the younger of the two, with a median age of 59 against 63 in Dunbogan. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Camden Head, about half of households are people living alone. In Dunbogan, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Camden Head: a median of $948,000, against $840,000 in Dunbogan, and rent is higher there too.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Camden Head is already more of a family suburb (50% vs 38%)
  • Dunbogan carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 49/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Camden Head leaves households under less mortgage stress (33% vs 39%)
  • Dunbogan has cheaper houses ($840,000 vs $947,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Camden Head

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (32% vs 39%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Camden Head is more walkable (28/100 vs 10/100)
  • Dunbogan sits closer to the CBD (364 km vs 366.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dunbogan

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 49/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (45% vs 39%)
  • But Camden Head is more walkable (28/100 vs 10/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Camden Head Dunbogan
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.

Camden Head Dunbogan
Walkability 28 / 10
Camden Head — Walkability: 28/100 Dunbogan — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 51 / 66
Camden Head — Safety: 51/100 Dunbogan — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 53 / 13
Camden Head — Low fire risk: 53/100 Dunbogan — Low fire risk: 13/100

Demographics

Dunbogan has more residents (1,020 vs 149); Camden Head has higher household incomes ($63,336 vs $49,244).

Camden Head Dunbogan
Population 149 1,020
+585% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.0% +1.8%
Median age 59 63
Median household income $63,336/yr
+22% vs other
 $49,244/yr
Median weekly rent $393/wk
+6% vs other
 $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Camden Head Dunbogan
0-4 3.4% / 1.9%
Camden Head — 0-4: 3.4% Dunbogan — 0-4: 1.9%
5-14 8.7% / 6.3%
Camden Head — 5-14: 8.7% Dunbogan — 5-14: 6.3%
15-19 4.7% / 3.7%
Camden Head — 15-19: 4.7% Dunbogan — 15-19: 3.7%
20-24 2.0% / 2.7%
Camden Head — 20-24: 2.0% Dunbogan — 20-24: 2.7%
25-34 2.0% / 4.1%
Camden Head — 25-34: 2.0% Dunbogan — 25-34: 4.1%
35-44 12.1% / 5.9%
Camden Head — 35-44: 12.1% Dunbogan — 35-44: 5.9%
45-54 12.1% / 9.1%
Camden Head — 45-54: 12.1% Dunbogan — 45-54: 9.1%
55-64 16.8% / 21.9%
Camden Head — 55-64: 16.8% Dunbogan — 55-64: 21.9%
65-74 27.5% / 27.6%
Camden Head — 65-74: 27.5% Dunbogan — 65-74: 27.6%
75-84 6.0% / 14.2%
Camden Head — 75-84: 6.0% Dunbogan — 75-84: 14.2%
85+ 5.4% / 3.0%
Camden Head — 85+: 5.4% Dunbogan — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Camden Head 50.0% lone person
Camden Head — Lone Person: 50.0% Camden Head — Couple Families: 36.8% Camden Head — One Parent Families: 13.2% Camden Head — Group Household: 0.0%
Dunbogan 55.1% lone person
Dunbogan — Lone Person: 55.1% Dunbogan — Couple Families: 22.6% Dunbogan — One Parent Families: 15.6% Dunbogan — Group Household: 6.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Camden Head 15.5% renting
Camden Head — Owned Outright: 63.4% Camden Head — Mortgage: 21.1% Camden Head — Renting: 15.5%
Dunbogan 10.7% renting
Dunbogan — Owned Outright: 69.0% Dunbogan — Mortgage: 20.3% Dunbogan — Renting: 10.7%
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.

Camden Head Dunbogan
England 6.7% / 5.5%
Camden Head — England: 6.7% Dunbogan — England: 5.5%
New Zealand 4.0% / 1.2%
Camden Head — New Zealand: 4.0% Dunbogan — New Zealand: 1.2%
Germany 2.0% / 0.5%
Camden Head — Germany: 2.0% Dunbogan — Germany: 0.5%
Sri Lanka — / 0.6%
Camden Head — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Dunbogan — Sri Lanka: 0.6%
Philippines — / 0.5%
Camden Head — Philippines: not among its largest Dunbogan — Philippines: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

Qualifications

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

Camden Head Dunbogan
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 22.8%
Camden Head — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Dunbogan — Certificate III & IV: 22.8%
Bachelor Degree 22.8% / 8.9%
Camden Head — Bachelor Degree: 22.8% Dunbogan — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.7% / 8.1%
Camden Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.7% Dunbogan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 10.1% / 2.9%
Camden Head — Postgraduate Degree: 10.1% Dunbogan — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.0%
Camden Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Dunbogan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Camden Head 94.0% houses
Camden Head — Houses: 94.0% Camden Head — Flats / Apartments: 6.0%
Dunbogan 92.6% houses
Dunbogan — Houses: 92.6% Dunbogan — Flats / Apartments: 7.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Camden Head Dunbogan
Median house price $947,500 $840,000
Median unit price — $517,500
Median land price — $585,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 48 days
from 17 sales

Zoning mix

Camden Head has more land zoned for conservation (92% vs 57%); Dunbogan has more rural and farming land (31% vs 0%).

Camden Head Dunbogan
Environmental 92% 57%
Rural and farming 0% 31%
Residential 4% 10%
Parks and recreation 3% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
Planning zones cover 99% of Camden Head and 100% of Dunbogan. 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

Camden Head Dunbogan
New dwellings approved 546
across Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both
Approvals change year on year +33%
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.

Camden Head Dunbogan
Houses — 2.9%
$670/wk on $1.2M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Camden Head Dunbogan
House price Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 37% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 18% of NSW

Liveability

Camden Head is more walkable (28 vs 10).

Camden Head Dunbogan
Grade — D
Score — 21/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Dunbogan carries more bushfire risk (87 vs 47); Camden Head carries more crime risk (49 vs 34).

Camden Head Dunbogan
Bushfire Moderate
47/100
 High
87/100
Crime Moderate
49/100
 Low
34/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
27/100
 Moderate
44/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Camden Head Dunbogan
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

Camden Head Dunbogan
Cafes & restaurants 1
same for both
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
Beaches 4 0
Waterways 1 4

Mobility

Camden Head sits further from the CBD (366.8 km vs 364 km).

Camden Head Dunbogan
Walkability score 28/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 366.8 km 364 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 254 min 252 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2443
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 2443
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.

Camden Head Dunbogan
Car (driver) 79.5% / 72.3%
Camden Head — Car (driver): 79.5% Dunbogan — Car (driver): 72.3%
Worked from Home 11.4% / 21.8%
Camden Head — Worked from Home: 11.4% Dunbogan — Worked from Home: 21.8%
Car (passenger) 9.1% / 3.7%
Camden Head — Car (passenger): 9.1% Dunbogan — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Walked Only — / 2.2%
Camden Head — Walked Only: not among its largest Dunbogan — Walked Only: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.5%).

Setting

Camden Head Dunbogan
Elevation -2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 717 m
730 m to a named beach
 855 m
2.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Camden Head Dunbogan
Connectivity score 77/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 58%
110 premises
 39%
755 premises

Climate

Camden Head Dunbogan
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Camden Head Dunbogan
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.92 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Camden Head Dunbogan
Average residential rate $1,325/yr
same for both
Council Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both

Federal electorate

Camden Head Dunbogan
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Camden Head

Beach Coastal Parks Professionals Quiet Retirees Rural

Dunbogan

Acreage Coastal Retirees

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Full data on Camden Head Full data on Dunbogan
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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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