Chinderah vs Cudgen

Cudgen is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 62 in Chinderah. In both, most households own their home. In Chinderah, about half of homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. In Cudgen, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Cudgen: a median of $1.43 million, against $1.14 million in Chinderah, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Chinderah tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Cudgen suits families with children and couples.

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

  • Chinderah has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)
  • Cudgen is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 24%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Chinderah has cheaper houses ($1,137,500 vs $1,425,000)
  • Cudgen leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 63%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Chinderah has cheaper rent ($245/wk vs $440/wk)
  • Cudgen leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 34%)

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

  • Chinderah sits closer to the CBD (800.4 km vs 805.6 km)
  • Cudgen is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Chinderah

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (54% vs 18%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (45% vs 16%)
  • But Cudgen is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Cudgen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.1% vs 4.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Chinderah Cudgen
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.

Chinderah Cudgen
Walkability 0 / 27
Chinderah — Walkability: 0/100 Cudgen — Walkability: 27/100
Safety 13 / 17
Chinderah — Safety: 13/100 Cudgen — Safety: 17/100
Low fire risk 53 / 31
Chinderah — Low fire risk: 53/100 Cudgen — Low fire risk: 31/100

Demographics

Cudgen has higher household incomes ($98,436 vs $37,388); Cudgen rents higher ($440/wk vs $245/wk).

Chinderah Cudgen
Population 1,639
+42% vs other
 952
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.7% +11.1%
Median age 62 39
Median household income $37,388/yr $98,436/yr
+163% vs other
Median weekly rent $245/wk $440/wk
+80% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chinderah Cudgen
0-4 1.6% / 6.0%
Chinderah — 0-4: 1.6% Cudgen — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 6.3% / 15.8%
Chinderah — 5-14: 6.3% Cudgen — 5-14: 15.8%
15-19 3.4% / 6.2%
Chinderah — 15-19: 3.4% Cudgen — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 2.7% / 4.8%
Chinderah — 20-24: 2.7% Cudgen — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 5.7% / 10.9%
Chinderah — 25-34: 5.7% Cudgen — 25-34: 10.9%
35-44 6.6% / 11.9%
Chinderah — 35-44: 6.6% Cudgen — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 9.9% / 12.9%
Chinderah — 45-54: 9.9% Cudgen — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 18.2% / 15.3%
Chinderah — 55-64: 18.2% Cudgen — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 26.4% / 10.6%
Chinderah — 65-74: 26.4% Cudgen — 65-74: 10.6%
75-84 14.9% / 4.2%
Chinderah — 75-84: 14.9% Cudgen — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 3.8% / 1.5%
Chinderah — 85+: 3.8% Cudgen — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Chinderah 70.6% lone person
Chinderah — Lone Person: 70.6% Chinderah — Couple Families: 14.2% Chinderah — One Parent Families: 9.5% Chinderah — Group Household: 3.9% Chinderah — Other Families: 1.8%
Cudgen 19.3% lone person
Cudgen — Lone Person: 19.3% Cudgen — Couple Families: 52.0% Cudgen — One Parent Families: 21.7% Cudgen — Group Household: 5.3% Cudgen — Other Families: 1.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Chinderah 16.6% renting
Chinderah — Owned Outright: 72.3% Chinderah — Mortgage: 11.1% Chinderah — Renting: 16.6%
Cudgen 25.2% renting
Cudgen — Owned Outright: 37.6% Cudgen — Mortgage: 37.2% Cudgen — Renting: 25.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Chinderah Cudgen
Certificate III & IV 19.8% / 16.5%
Chinderah — Certificate III & IV: 19.8% Cudgen — Certificate III & IV: 16.5%
Bachelor Degree 4.9% / 12.5%
Chinderah — Bachelor Degree: 4.9% Cudgen — Bachelor Degree: 12.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 8.3%
Chinderah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% Cudgen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 3.3%
Chinderah — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Cudgen — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.3% / 1.9%
Chinderah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.3% Cudgen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

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.

Chinderah Cudgen
England 5.9% / 1.7%
Chinderah — England: 5.9% Cudgen — England: 1.7%
New Zealand 3.9% / 2.4%
Chinderah — New Zealand: 3.9% Cudgen — New Zealand: 2.4%
Philippines — / 1.1%
Chinderah — Philippines: not among its largest Cudgen — Philippines: 1.1%
Germany 0.7% / —
Chinderah — Germany: 0.7% Cudgen — Germany: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / —
Chinderah — Scotland: 0.5% Cudgen — Scotland: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.5% / —
Chinderah — Netherlands: 0.5% Cudgen — Netherlands: not among its largest
Japan — / 0.5%
Chinderah — Japan: not among its largest Cudgen — Japan: 0.5%
Canada — / 0.4%
Chinderah — Canada: not among its largest Cudgen — Canada: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chinderah 46.0% houses
Chinderah — Houses: 46.0% Chinderah — Flats / Apartments: 52.8% Chinderah — Townhouses: 1.2%
Cudgen 82.3% houses
Cudgen — Houses: 82.3% Cudgen — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Cudgen — Townhouses: 17.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Chinderah Cudgen
Median house price $1,137,500 $1,425,000
Median unit price — $1,140,000
Median land price $888,000 $905,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 65 days
from 15 sales
 32 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Cudgen has more rural and farming land (86% vs 70%).

Chinderah Cudgen
Rural and farming 70% 86%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 2%
Other and special use 6% 7%
Residential 5%
same for both
Industrial 5% 0%
Environmental 4% 0%
Parks and recreation 2% 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

Chinderah Cudgen
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Chinderah Cudgen
House price Higher than 63% of NSW
same for both
Income Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 5% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 91% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of NSW
same for both

Liveability

Cudgen is more walkable (27 vs 0); Cudgen scores higher overall (24 vs 8).

Chinderah Cudgen
Grade D
same for both
Score 8/100 24/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Cudgen carries more bushfire risk (69 vs 47).

Chinderah Cudgen
Bushfire Moderate
47/100
 Moderate
69/100
Crime High
87/100
 High
83/100
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 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Chinderah Cudgen
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Chinderah

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

Schools in Cudgen

  • Cudgen Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Chinderah Cudgen
Cafes & restaurants 3 1
Parks & reserves 4 0
Childcare 3 0
Fuel stations 4 0
Waterways 6 1

Mobility

Cudgen sits further from the CBD (805.6 km vs 800.4 km).

Chinderah Cudgen
Walkability score 0/100 27/100
Distance to Sydney 800.4 km 805.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 510 min 513 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 61/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 46.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 18.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 2487
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 2487
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.

Chinderah Cudgen
Car (driver) 73.6% / 71.3%
Chinderah — Car (driver): 73.6% Cudgen — Car (driver): 71.3%
Worked from Home 11.0% / 15.3%
Chinderah — Worked from Home: 11.0% Cudgen — Worked from Home: 15.3%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 7.4%
Chinderah — Car (passenger): 6.2% Cudgen — Car (passenger): 7.4%
Walked Only 6.0% / 4.5%
Chinderah — Walked Only: 6.0% Cudgen — Walked Only: 4.5%
Bicycle 1.0% / 1.4%
Chinderah — Bicycle: 1.0% Cudgen — Bicycle: 1.4%
Bus 2.2% / —
Chinderah — Bus: 2.2% Cudgen — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.6%).

Setting

Chinderah Cudgen
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.2 km
4.5 km to a named beach
 2.8 km
2.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Chinderah Cudgen
Connectivity score 55/100 54/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 13%
1,628 premises
 34%
511 premises

Climate

Chinderah Cudgen
Annual rainfall 1,637 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Chinderah Cudgen
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

Chinderah Cudgen
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Chinderah Cudgen
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Chinderah

Retirees

Cudgen

Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chinderah

Chinderah vs Banora Point Chinderah vs Kingscliff Chinderah vs Terranora Chinderah vs Fingal Head Chinderah vs North Tumbulgum

Other comparisons with Cudgen

Cudgen vs Kingscliff Cudgen vs Duranbah
Full data on Chinderah Full data on Cudgen
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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