Clunes vs Eltham

Clunes is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 48 in Eltham. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Clunes, about half of households are couple families. In Eltham, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Eltham: a median of $1.55 million, against $1.2 million in Clunes, though rent is higher in Clunes. On these figures, Clunes tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Eltham suits 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

Eltham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 64%)

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

First-home buyers

Clunes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,200,000 vs $1,555,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Eltham

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Eltham

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (747.1 km vs 762.5 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (485 min vs 492 min)
  • But Clunes is more walkable (44/100 vs 21/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Clunes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (44/100 vs 21/100)

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

Investors

Clunes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.5% vs -3.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Clunes Eltham
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.

Clunes Eltham
Walkability 44 / 21
Clunes — Walkability: 44/100 Eltham — Walkability: 21/100
Safety 59 / 54
Clunes — Safety: 59/100 Eltham — Safety: 54/100
Low fire risk 100 / 71
Clunes — Low fire risk: 100/100 Eltham — Low fire risk: 71/100

Demographics

Clunes has more residents (907 vs 332); Clunes rents higher ($500/wk vs $400/wk).

Clunes Eltham
Population 907
+63% vs other
 332
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.5% -3.2%
Median age 43 48
Median household income $96,460/yr $102,856/yr
+7% vs other
Median weekly rent $500/wk
+20% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Clunes Eltham
0-4 4.6% / 3.6%
Clunes — 0-4: 4.6% Eltham — 0-4: 3.6%
5-14 14.8% / 12.7%
Clunes — 5-14: 14.8% Eltham — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 5.1% / 6.3%
Clunes — 15-19: 5.1% Eltham — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 4.7% / 4.8%
Clunes — 20-24: 4.7% Eltham — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 8.4% / 7.8%
Clunes — 25-34: 8.4% Eltham — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 14.2% / 11.1%
Clunes — 35-44: 14.2% Eltham — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 15.1% / 17.5%
Clunes — 45-54: 15.1% Eltham — 45-54: 17.5%
55-64 15.7% / 17.5%
Clunes — 55-64: 15.7% Eltham — 55-64: 17.5%
65-74 12.3% / 13.6%
Clunes — 65-74: 12.3% Eltham — 65-74: 13.6%
75-84 3.6% / 4.8%
Clunes — 75-84: 3.6% Eltham — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 0.4% / 1.5%
Clunes — 85+: 0.4% Eltham — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Clunes 49.0% couple families
Clunes — Couple Families: 49.0% Clunes — Lone Person: 27.6% Clunes — One Parent Families: 15.2% Clunes — Group Household: 6.7% Clunes — Other Families: 1.4%
Eltham 63.6% couple families
Eltham — Couple Families: 63.6% Eltham — Lone Person: 18.2% Eltham — One Parent Families: 10.6% Eltham — Group Household: 7.6% Eltham — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Clunes 23.5% renting
Clunes — Owned Outright: 39.2% Clunes — Mortgage: 37.3% Clunes — Renting: 23.5%
Eltham 14.4% renting
Eltham — Owned Outright: 48.6% Eltham — Mortgage: 36.9% Eltham — Renting: 14.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Clunes Eltham
Bachelor Degree 16.8% / 20.2%
Clunes — Bachelor Degree: 16.8% Eltham — Bachelor Degree: 20.2%
Certificate III & IV 12.5% / 9.9%
Clunes — Certificate III & IV: 12.5% Eltham — Certificate III & IV: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 10.5%
Clunes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Eltham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.4% / 3.6%
Clunes — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4% Eltham — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.3% / 2.7%
Clunes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3% Eltham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

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.

Clunes Eltham
England 4.6% / 6.3%
Clunes — England: 4.6% Eltham — England: 6.3%
New Zealand 1.9% / —
Clunes — New Zealand: 1.9% Eltham — New Zealand: not among its largest
Italy 0.4% / 1.2%
Clunes — Italy: 0.4% Eltham — Italy: 1.2%
Netherlands 1.4% / —
Clunes — Netherlands: 1.4% Eltham — Netherlands: not among its largest
South Africa 1.0% / —
Clunes — South Africa: 1.0% Eltham — South Africa: not among its largest
Germany 1.0% / —
Clunes — Germany: 1.0% Eltham — Germany: not among its largest
Canada — / 0.9%
Clunes — Canada: not among its largest Eltham — Canada: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Clunes 98.5% houses
Clunes — Houses: 98.5% Clunes — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Clunes — Townhouses: 1.5%
Eltham 98.2% houses
Eltham — Houses: 98.2% Eltham — Flats / Apartments: 1.8% Eltham — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Clunes Eltham
Median house price $1,200,000 $1,555,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,185,300 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 38 days
from 22 sales
 132 days
from 5 sales

Zoning mix

Clunes Eltham
Rural and farming 97% 95%
Residential 1% 3%
Environmental 1% 2%
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

Clunes Eltham
New dwellings approved 138
across Lismore
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Clunes Eltham
House price Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Income Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 59% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW

Liveability

Clunes is more walkable (44 vs 21).

Clunes Eltham
Grade B —
Score 59/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Eltham carries more bushfire risk (29 vs 0).

Clunes Eltham
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
29/100
Crime Moderate
41/100
 Moderate
46/100
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

Clunes Eltham
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Clunes

  • Clunes Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Eltham

  • Eltham Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Clunes Eltham
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 3 2

Mobility

Clunes sits further from the CBD (762.5 km vs 747.1 km).

Clunes Eltham
Walkability score 44/100 21/100
Distance to Sydney 762.5 km
+2% vs other
 747.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 492 min 485 min
Public transport score 38/100
Bus
 21/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 14.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2480
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2480
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.

Clunes Eltham
Car (driver) 61.5% / 61.4%
Clunes — Car (driver): 61.5% Eltham — Car (driver): 61.4%
Worked from Home 33.6% / 31.7%
Clunes — Worked from Home: 33.6% Eltham — Worked from Home: 31.7%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 6.9%
Clunes — Car (passenger): 2.8% Eltham — Car (passenger): 6.9%
Walked Only 2.1% / —
Clunes — Walked Only: 2.1% Eltham — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.5%).

Setting

Clunes Eltham
Elevation 137 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.2 km 17.1 km

NBN connectivity

Clunes Eltham
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
390 premises
 0%
135 premises

Climate

Clunes Eltham
Annual rainfall 1,569 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Clunes Eltham
Average residential rate $1,487/yr
same for both
Council Lismore
same for both

Federal electorate

Clunes Eltham
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Clunes Eltham
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Clunes

Acreage Quiet

Eltham

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Clunes

Clunes vs Bexhill Clunes vs Rosebank Clunes vs Corndale Clunes vs Eureka Clunes vs Nashua Clunes vs Booyong

Other comparisons with Eltham

Eltham vs McLeans Ridges Eltham vs Bexhill Eltham vs Pearces Creek Eltham vs Booyong
Full data on Clunes Full data on Eltham
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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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