Collaroy Plateau vs Wheeler Heights

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Collaroy Plateau: a median of $2.81 million, against $2.27 million in Wheeler Heights, and rent is higher there too. Collaroy Plateau is closer to the city centre: 21.4 km, against 24.2 km. On these figures, Wheeler Heights tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Collaroy Plateau

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more childcare (6 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Wheeler Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($2,265,000 vs $2,807,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Collaroy Plateau

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (21.4 km vs 24.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Wheeler Heights

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (8.2% vs 0.8%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.3% vs 4.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
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.

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Walkability 82 / 79
Collaroy Plateau — Walkability: 82/100 Wheeler Heights — Walkability: 79/100
Safety 82 / 83
Collaroy Plateau — Safety: 82/100 Wheeler Heights — Safety: 83/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Collaroy Plateau — Low fire risk: 100/100 Wheeler Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Collaroy Plateau has more residents (4,805 vs 3,232); Collaroy Plateau has higher household incomes ($170,456 vs $151,528).

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Population 4,805
+33% vs other
 3,232
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.8% +8.2%
Median age 40
same for both
Median household income $170,456/yr
+11% vs other
 $151,528/yr
Median weekly rent $800/wk
+6% vs other
 $750/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
0-4 5.9% / 6.3%
Collaroy Plateau — 0-4: 5.9% Wheeler Heights — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 16.4% / 16.0%
Collaroy Plateau — 5-14: 16.4% Wheeler Heights — 5-14: 16.0%
15-19 8.1% / 7.5%
Collaroy Plateau — 15-19: 8.1% Wheeler Heights — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 5.9% / 5.9%
Collaroy Plateau — 20-24: 5.9% Wheeler Heights — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 7.6% / 7.9%
Collaroy Plateau — 25-34: 7.6% Wheeler Heights — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 13.9% / 13.4%
Collaroy Plateau — 35-44: 13.9% Wheeler Heights — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 17.2% / 17.4%
Collaroy Plateau — 45-54: 17.2% Wheeler Heights — 45-54: 17.4%
55-64 11.9% / 11.0%
Collaroy Plateau — 55-64: 11.9% Wheeler Heights — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 7.6% / 7.4%
Collaroy Plateau — 65-74: 7.6% Wheeler Heights — 65-74: 7.4%
75-84 4.3% / 6.1%
Collaroy Plateau — 75-84: 4.3% Wheeler Heights — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 1.5% / 1.4%
Collaroy Plateau — 85+: 1.5% Wheeler Heights — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Collaroy Plateau 71.2% couple families
Collaroy Plateau — Couple Families: 71.2% Collaroy Plateau — Lone Person: 14.5% Collaroy Plateau — One Parent Families: 12.2% Collaroy Plateau — Group Household: 1.8% Collaroy Plateau — Other Families: 0.3%
Wheeler Heights 70.8% couple families
Wheeler Heights — Couple Families: 70.8% Wheeler Heights — Lone Person: 14.4% Wheeler Heights — One Parent Families: 11.4% Wheeler Heights — Group Household: 2.1% Wheeler Heights — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Collaroy Plateau 12.7% renting
Collaroy Plateau — Owned Outright: 38.2% Collaroy Plateau — Mortgage: 49.0% Collaroy Plateau — Renting: 12.7%
Wheeler Heights 15.1% renting
Wheeler Heights — Owned Outright: 35.3% Wheeler Heights — Mortgage: 49.6% Wheeler Heights — Renting: 15.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Bachelor Degree 16.8% / 15.6%
Collaroy Plateau — Bachelor Degree: 16.8% Wheeler Heights — Bachelor Degree: 15.6%
Certificate III & IV 12.5% / 14.1%
Collaroy Plateau — Certificate III & IV: 12.5% Wheeler Heights — Certificate III & IV: 14.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.4% / 10.3%
Collaroy Plateau — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4% Wheeler Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 4.0%
Collaroy Plateau — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Wheeler Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.9%
Collaroy Plateau — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Wheeler Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
England 6.3% / 7.7%
Collaroy Plateau — England: 6.3% Wheeler Heights — England: 7.7%
New Zealand 2.1% / 2.0%
Collaroy Plateau — New Zealand: 2.1% Wheeler Heights — New Zealand: 2.0%
South Africa 1.2% / 0.9%
Collaroy Plateau — South Africa: 1.2% Wheeler Heights — South Africa: 0.9%
China 1.4% / 0.6%
Collaroy Plateau — China: 1.4% Wheeler Heights — China: 0.6%
Italy 1.2% / 0.7%
Collaroy Plateau — Italy: 1.2% Wheeler Heights — Italy: 0.7%
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Collaroy Plateau — Netherlands: not among its largest Wheeler Heights — Netherlands: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Collaroy Plateau 94.3% houses
Collaroy Plateau — Houses: 94.3% Collaroy Plateau — Flats / Apartments: 3.1% Collaroy Plateau — Townhouses: 2.6%
Wheeler Heights 91.4% houses
Wheeler Heights — Houses: 91.4% Wheeler Heights — Flats / Apartments: 6.0% Wheeler Heights — Townhouses: 2.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Median house price $2,807,500 $2,265,000
Median unit price — $1,400,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 32 sales
 23 days
from 18 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
3 bed $2.43M / $2.27M
Collaroy Plateau — 3 bed: $2.43M (23 sales) Wheeler Heights — 3 bed: $2.27M (33 sales)

23 vs 33 sales

4 bed $2.77M / $2.22M
Collaroy Plateau — 4 bed: $2.77M (35 sales) Wheeler Heights — 4 bed: $2.22M (10 sales)

35 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Residential 95% 96%
Parks and recreation 5% 3%
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

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
New dwellings approved 620
across Northern Beaches
same for both
Approvals change year on year +51%
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.

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Houses 4.0%
$2,070/wk on $2.7M
 5.3%
$1,950/wk on $1.9M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Income Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 91% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW

Liveability

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Grade A+
same for both
Score 90/100 88/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
18/100
 Low
17/100
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 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Collaroy Plateau

  • Collaroy Plateau Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Wheeler Heights

  • St Rose Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Wheeler Heights Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 3 2
Childcare 6 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1

Mobility

Wheeler Heights sits further from the CBD (24.2 km vs 21.4 km).

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Walkability score 82/100 79/100
Distance to Sydney 21.4 km 24.2 km
+13% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 36 min
same for both
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 121.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 70.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 2097
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 2097
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.

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Car (driver) 46.3% / 51.5%
Collaroy Plateau — Car (driver): 46.3% Wheeler Heights — Car (driver): 51.5%
Worked from Home 46.1% / 42.8%
Collaroy Plateau — Worked from Home: 46.1% Wheeler Heights — Worked from Home: 42.8%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 2.6%
Collaroy Plateau — Car (passenger): 3.1% Wheeler Heights — Car (passenger): 2.6%
Bus 2.1% / 1.9%
Collaroy Plateau — Bus: 2.1% Wheeler Heights — Bus: 1.9%
Walked Only 2.2% / 1.2%
Collaroy Plateau — Walked Only: 2.2% Wheeler Heights — Walked Only: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (51.5%).

Setting

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Elevation 102 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 55 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 956 m
969 m to a named beach
 1.8 km
1.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Connectivity score 78/100 82/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 12%
1,562 premises
 28%
999 premises

Climate

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.23 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Average residential rate $1,696/yr
same for both
Council Northern Beaches
same for both

Federal electorate

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Division Mackellar
same for both
Member Sophie Scamps
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Collaroy Plateau Wheeler Heights
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Collaroy Plateau

Beach Coastal Easy Commute Family Middle-Ring Parks Premium Transport Hub Urban

Wheeler Heights

Coastal Easy Commute Family Middle-Ring Parks Premium Quiet River Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Collaroy Plateau

Collaroy Plateau vs Narrabeen Collaroy Plateau vs Cromer Collaroy Plateau vs Collaroy

Other comparisons with Wheeler Heights

Wheeler Heights vs Narrabeen Wheeler Heights vs Cromer
Full data on Collaroy Plateau Full data on Wheeler Heights
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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