Colo Vale vs Willow Vale

Colo Vale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 45 in Willow Vale. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Willow Vale: a median of $1.3 million, against $965,000 in Colo Vale, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Colo Vale 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

Too close to call

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

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

First-home buyers

Colo Vale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($605,000 vs $1,620,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($965,000 vs $1,305,000)

Weighs house prices, land 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

Willow Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Willow Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Willow Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (15.2% vs 9.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Colo Vale Willow Vale
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.

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Walkability 0 / 22
Colo Vale — Walkability: 0/100 Willow Vale — Walkability: 22/100
Low fire risk 8 / 15
Colo Vale — Low fire risk: 8/100 Willow Vale — Low fire risk: 15/100

Demographics

Colo Vale has more residents (1,775 vs 826); Willow Vale skews older (45 vs 38).

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Population 1,775
+53% vs other
 826
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.7% +15.2%
Median age 38 45
Median household income $97,500/yr $102,648/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $430/wk $457/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Colo Vale Willow Vale
0-4 7.5% / 6.5%
Colo Vale — 0-4: 7.5% Willow Vale — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 13.1% / 11.1%
Colo Vale — 5-14: 13.1% Willow Vale — 5-14: 11.1%
15-19 6.6% / 5.2%
Colo Vale — 15-19: 6.6% Willow Vale — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.1% / 4.1%
Colo Vale — 20-24: 6.1% Willow Vale — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 13.2% / 13.6%
Colo Vale — 25-34: 13.2% Willow Vale — 25-34: 13.6%
35-44 10.8% / 9.6%
Colo Vale — 35-44: 10.8% Willow Vale — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 14.6% / 12.6%
Colo Vale — 45-54: 14.6% Willow Vale — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 12.0% / 18.6%
Colo Vale — 55-64: 12.0% Willow Vale — 55-64: 18.6%
65-74 11.4% / 11.9%
Colo Vale — 65-74: 11.4% Willow Vale — 65-74: 11.9%
75-84 4.5% / 5.6%
Colo Vale — 75-84: 4.5% Willow Vale — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 0.8% / 0.7%
Colo Vale — 85+: 0.8% Willow Vale — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Colo Vale 53.7% couple families
Colo Vale — Couple Families: 53.7% Colo Vale — Lone Person: 25.6% Colo Vale — One Parent Families: 16.3% Colo Vale — Group Household: 2.7% Colo Vale — Other Families: 1.8%
Willow Vale 54.8% couple families
Willow Vale — Couple Families: 54.8% Willow Vale — Lone Person: 24.2% Willow Vale — One Parent Families: 13.4% Willow Vale — Group Household: 3.8% Willow Vale — Other Families: 3.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Colo Vale 17.9% renting
Colo Vale — Owned Outright: 34.8% Colo Vale — Mortgage: 47.3% Colo Vale — Renting: 17.9%
Willow Vale 12.6% renting
Willow Vale — Owned Outright: 42.7% Willow Vale — Mortgage: 44.8% Willow Vale — Renting: 12.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Certificate III & IV 22.0% / 20.5%
Colo Vale — Certificate III & IV: 22.0% Willow Vale — Certificate III & IV: 20.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 9.6%
Colo Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Willow Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6%
Bachelor Degree 8.1% / 9.7%
Colo Vale — Bachelor Degree: 8.1% Willow Vale — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 3.1%
Colo Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Willow Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 2.1%
Colo Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Willow Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

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.

Colo Vale Willow Vale
England 3.6% / 5.3%
Colo Vale — England: 3.6% Willow Vale — England: 5.3%
New Zealand 0.5% / 1.0%
Colo Vale — New Zealand: 0.5% Willow Vale — New Zealand: 1.0%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.6%
Colo Vale — Scotland: 0.7% Willow Vale — Scotland: 0.6%
Germany 0.7% / 0.4%
Colo Vale — Germany: 0.7% Willow Vale — Germany: 0.4%
Thailand — / 1.0%
Colo Vale — Thailand: not among its largest Willow Vale — Thailand: 1.0%
Fiji — / 0.8%
Colo Vale — Fiji: not among its largest Willow Vale — Fiji: 0.8%
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Colo Vale — Netherlands: not among its largest Willow Vale — Netherlands: 0.7%
Philippines 0.5% / —
Colo Vale — Philippines: 0.5% Willow Vale — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Colo Vale 98.7% houses
Colo Vale — Houses: 98.7% Colo Vale — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Willow Vale 99.7% houses
Willow Vale — Houses: 99.7% Willow Vale — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Median house price $965,000 $1,305,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $605,000 $1,620,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 23 sales
 120 days
from 10 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.

Colo Vale Willow Vale
3 bed $889K / $1M
Colo Vale — 3 bed: $889K (18 sales) Willow Vale — 3 bed: $1M (5 sales)

18 vs 5 sales

4 bed $1.07M / $1.2M
Colo Vale — 4 bed: $1.07M (23 sales) Willow Vale — 4 bed: $1.2M (15 sales)

23 vs 15 sales

Zoning mix

Colo Vale has more land zoned for conservation (76% vs 33%); Colo Vale has more rural and farming land (21% vs 2%).

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Environmental 76% 33%
Residential 2% 58%
Rural and farming 21% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 4%
Industrial 0% 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

Colo Vale Willow Vale
New dwellings approved 335
across Wingecarribee
same for both
Approvals change year on year +6%
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.

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Houses 3.0%
$700/wk on $1.2M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Colo Vale Willow Vale
House price Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Income Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 72% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 23% of NSW —

Liveability

Willow Vale is more walkable (22 vs 0).

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Grade C D
Score 31/100 30/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Bushfire High
92/100
 High
85/100
Crime Low
27/100
 —
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Colo Vale

  • Colo Vale Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Willow Vale

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

Amenities in the suburb

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 2 0
Waterways 9 0

Mobility

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Walkability score 0/100 22/100
Distance to Sydney 109.2 km 108.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 83 min 80 min
Public transport score 49/100
Bus
 24/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 20.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 1.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2575
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2575
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.

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Car (driver) 75.8% / 73.2%
Colo Vale — Car (driver): 75.8% Willow Vale — Car (driver): 73.2%
Worked from Home 18.6% / 19.2%
Colo Vale — Worked from Home: 18.6% Willow Vale — Worked from Home: 19.2%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 6.8%
Colo Vale — Car (passenger): 4.1% Willow Vale — Car (passenger): 6.8%
Walked Only 1.1% / 0.8%
Colo Vale — Walked Only: 1.1% Willow Vale — Walked Only: 0.8%
Train 0.5% / —
Colo Vale — Train: 0.5% Willow Vale — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.8%).

Setting

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Elevation 684 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 629 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 40.7 km 38.2 km

NBN connectivity

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Connectivity score 51/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
695 premises
 46%
312 premises

Climate

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Average residential rate $2,072/yr
same for both
Council Wingecarribee
same for both

Federal electorate

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Colo Vale Willow Vale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Colo Vale

Acreage

Willow Vale

Large Blocks

More comparisons

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Colo Vale vs Mittagong Colo Vale vs Hill Top Colo Vale vs Yerrinbool Colo Vale vs Braemar Colo Vale vs Welby Colo Vale vs High Range

Other comparisons with Willow Vale

Willow Vale vs Mittagong Willow Vale vs Braemar Willow Vale vs Balaclava
Full data on Colo Vale Full data on Willow Vale
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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