Coolongolook vs Shallow Bay

Shallow Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 55 in Coolongolook. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Shallow Bay, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Shallow Bay: a median of $1.52 million, against $745,000 in Coolongolook, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Coolongolook tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and 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

Shallow Bay

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 89/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (75% vs 59%)
  • But Coolongolook has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Coolongolook

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($745,000 vs $1,525,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Coolongolook

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Coolongolook

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (184 min vs 230 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (266.9 km vs 300.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Coolongolook

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 15%)
  • But Shallow Bay carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 89/100)

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

Investors

Shallow Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (54.5% vs -2.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
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.

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Walkability 34 / 0
Coolongolook — Walkability: 34/100 Shallow Bay — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 11 / 73
Coolongolook — Safety: 11/100 Shallow Bay — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 27 / 19
Coolongolook — Low fire risk: 27/100 Shallow Bay — Low fire risk: 19/100

Demographics

Coolongolook has more residents (382 vs 68); Shallow Bay has higher household incomes ($60,632 vs $49,504).

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Population 382
+82% vs other
 68
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.6% +54.5%
Median age 55 50
Median household income $49,504/yr $60,632/yr
+22% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $350/wk
+17% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
0-4 1.3% / —
Coolongolook — 0-4: 1.3% Shallow Bay — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 12.0% / 10.3%
Coolongolook — 5-14: 12.0% Shallow Bay — 5-14: 10.3%
15-19 5.5% / 5.9%
Coolongolook — 15-19: 5.5% Shallow Bay — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 4.5% / 5.9%
Coolongolook — 20-24: 4.5% Shallow Bay — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 9.7% / 7.4%
Coolongolook — 25-34: 9.7% Shallow Bay — 25-34: 7.4%
35-44 6.5% / 5.9%
Coolongolook — 35-44: 6.5% Shallow Bay — 35-44: 5.9%
45-54 11.0% / 17.6%
Coolongolook — 45-54: 11.0% Shallow Bay — 45-54: 17.6%
55-64 18.1% / 17.6%
Coolongolook — 55-64: 18.1% Shallow Bay — 55-64: 17.6%
65-74 22.0% / 14.7%
Coolongolook — 65-74: 22.0% Shallow Bay — 65-74: 14.7%
75-84 8.6% / —
Coolongolook — 75-84: 8.6% Shallow Bay — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 2.1% / —
Coolongolook — 85+: 2.1% Shallow Bay — 85+: not among its largest

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coolongolook 41.0% couple families
Coolongolook — Couple Families: 41.0% Coolongolook — Lone Person: 37.2% Coolongolook — One Parent Families: 17.9% Coolongolook — Group Household: 3.8%
Shallow Bay 50.0% couple families
Shallow Bay — Couple Families: 50.0% Shallow Bay — Lone Person: 25.0% Shallow Bay — One Parent Families: 25.0% Shallow Bay — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coolongolook 16.9% renting
Coolongolook — Owned Outright: 51.5% Coolongolook — Mortgage: 31.6% Coolongolook — Renting: 16.9%
Shallow Bay 16.0% renting
Shallow Bay — Owned Outright: 52.0% Shallow Bay — Mortgage: 32.0% Shallow Bay — Renting: 16.0%
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.

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
England 5.2% / 4.4%
Coolongolook — England: 5.2% Shallow Bay — England: 4.4%
Netherlands — / 5.9%
Coolongolook — Netherlands: not among its largest Shallow Bay — Netherlands: 5.9%
Greece 0.8% / —
Coolongolook — Greece: 0.8% Shallow Bay — Greece: not among its largest

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

Qualifications

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

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Certificate III & IV 21.5% / 20.6%
Coolongolook — Certificate III & IV: 21.5% Shallow Bay — Certificate III & IV: 20.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.1% / 4.4%
Coolongolook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.1% Shallow Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4%
Bachelor Degree 4.2% / —
Coolongolook — Bachelor Degree: 4.2% Shallow Bay — Bachelor Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / —
Coolongolook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Shallow Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 0.8% / —
Coolongolook — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8% Shallow Bay — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coolongolook 98.6% houses
Coolongolook — Houses: 98.6% Coolongolook — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Shallow Bay 100.0% houses
Shallow Bay — Houses: 100.0% Shallow Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Median house price $745,000 $1,525,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 40 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Shallow Bay has more land zoned for conservation (21% vs 8%); Coolongolook has more rural and farming land (91% vs 79%).

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Rural and farming 91% 79%
Environmental 8% 21%
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

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
New dwellings approved 743
across Mid-Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +327%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
House price Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Income Higher than 11% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW

Liveability

Coolongolook is more walkable (34 vs 0).

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Coolongolook carries more crime risk (89 vs 27).

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Bushfire High
73/100
 High
81/100
Crime High
89/100
 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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Coolongolook

  • Coolongolook Public School Government · Primary

Schools in Shallow Bay

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

Amenities in the suburb

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 30 3

Mobility

Shallow Bay sits further from the CBD (300.1 km vs 266.9 km).

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Walkability score 34/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 266.9 km 300.1 km
+12% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 184 min 230 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2423
 0.4%
postcode 2428
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 61
postcode 2423
 41
postcode 2428

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.

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Car (driver) 69.5% / 56.2%
Coolongolook — Car (driver): 69.5% Shallow Bay — Car (driver): 56.2%
Worked from Home 13.7% / 43.8%
Coolongolook — Worked from Home: 13.7% Shallow Bay — Worked from Home: 43.8%
Walked Only 12.6% / —
Coolongolook — Walked Only: 12.6% Shallow Bay — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 4.2% / —
Coolongolook — Car (passenger): 4.2% Shallow Bay — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.5%).

Setting

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 17.3 km 8.7 km

NBN connectivity

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
223 premises
 0%
38 premises

Climate

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Average residential rate $1,560/yr
same for both
Council Mid-Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coolongolook Shallow Bay
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Coolongolook

Quiet Retirees Rural

Shallow Bay

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coolongolook

Coolongolook vs Wootton Coolongolook vs Minimbah Coolongolook vs Bunyah Coolongolook vs Wang Wauk Coolongolook vs Willina

Other comparisons with Shallow Bay

Shallow Bay vs Nabiac Shallow Bay vs Coomba Park Shallow Bay vs Minimbah
Full data on Coolongolook Full data on Shallow Bay
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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