Coonabarabran vs Purlewaugh

Coonabarabran is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 54 in Purlewaugh. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Coonabarabran, about half of households are people living alone. In Purlewaugh, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Coonabarabran: a median of $300,000, against $170,000 in Purlewaugh, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Coonabarabran tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Purlewaugh suits families with children, couples, 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Coonabarabran has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)
  • Purlewaugh is already more of a family suburb (69% vs 49%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Coonabarabran leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 38%)
  • Purlewaugh has cheaper houses ($170,000 vs $300,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Purlewaugh

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($170/wk vs $210/wk)
  • But Coonabarabran has a bigger rental market to choose from (25% vs 9%)

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

Commuting to the city

Purlewaugh

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (333 min vs 350 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (468.1 km vs 485.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Coonabarabran

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 17%)
  • But Purlewaugh carries lower crime risk (74/100 vs 88/100)

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

Where they sit

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

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
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.

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Walkability 4 / 0
Coonabarabran — Walkability: 4/100 Purlewaugh — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 12 / 26
Coonabarabran — Safety: 12/100 Purlewaugh — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 43 / 74
Coonabarabran — Low fire risk: 43/100 Purlewaugh — Low fire risk: 74/100

Demographics

Coonabarabran has more residents (3,477 vs 81); Purlewaugh has higher household incomes ($74,724 vs $60,008).

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Population 3,477
+98% vs other
 81
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — -19.8%
Median age 50 54
Median household income $60,008/yr $74,724/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $210/wk
+19% vs other
 $170/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
0-4 5.1% / 9.9%
Coonabarabran — 0-4: 5.1% Purlewaugh — 0-4: 9.9%
5-14 11.5% / 12.3%
Coonabarabran — 5-14: 11.5% Purlewaugh — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 5.6% / —
Coonabarabran — 15-19: 5.6% Purlewaugh — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 3.9% / —
Coonabarabran — 20-24: 3.9% Purlewaugh — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 9.0% / 12.3%
Coonabarabran — 25-34: 9.0% Purlewaugh — 25-34: 12.3%
35-44 9.0% / 3.7%
Coonabarabran — 35-44: 9.0% Purlewaugh — 35-44: 3.7%
45-54 11.6% / 9.9%
Coonabarabran — 45-54: 11.6% Purlewaugh — 45-54: 9.9%
55-64 14.6% / 29.6%
Coonabarabran — 55-64: 14.6% Purlewaugh — 55-64: 29.6%
65-74 15.7% / 13.6%
Coonabarabran — 65-74: 15.7% Purlewaugh — 65-74: 13.6%
75-84 9.3% / 3.7%
Coonabarabran — 75-84: 9.3% Purlewaugh — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 5.2% / —
Coonabarabran — 85+: 5.2% Purlewaugh — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coonabarabran 28.5% couple families
Coonabarabran — Couple Families: 28.5% Coonabarabran — Lone Person: 46.9% Coonabarabran — One Parent Families: 20.2% Coonabarabran — Group Household: 2.9% Coonabarabran — Other Families: 1.6%
Purlewaugh 68.8% couple families
Purlewaugh — Couple Families: 68.8% Purlewaugh — Lone Person: 31.2% Purlewaugh — One Parent Families: 0.0% Purlewaugh — Group Household: 0.0% Purlewaugh — 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.

Coonabarabran 25.3% renting
Coonabarabran — Owned Outright: 48.7% Coonabarabran — Mortgage: 26.0% Coonabarabran — Renting: 25.3%
Purlewaugh 9.4% renting
Purlewaugh — Owned Outright: 53.1% Purlewaugh — Mortgage: 37.5% Purlewaugh — Renting: 9.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Certificate III & IV 14.7% / 13.6%
Coonabarabran — Certificate III & IV: 14.7% Purlewaugh — Certificate III & IV: 13.6%
Bachelor Degree 6.5% / 14.8%
Coonabarabran — Bachelor Degree: 6.5% Purlewaugh — Bachelor Degree: 14.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 12.3%
Coonabarabran — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% Purlewaugh — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 7.4%
Coonabarabran — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Purlewaugh — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.8% / —
Coonabarabran — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8% Purlewaugh — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.8%).

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.

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
South Africa 0.3% / 6.2%
Coonabarabran — South Africa: 0.3% Purlewaugh — South Africa: 6.2%
England 1.7% / —
Coonabarabran — England: 1.7% Purlewaugh — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.6% / —
Coonabarabran — New Zealand: 0.6% Purlewaugh — New Zealand: not among its largest
India 0.5% / —
Coonabarabran — India: 0.5% Purlewaugh — India: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / —
Coonabarabran — Philippines: 0.4% Purlewaugh — Philippines: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.3% / —
Coonabarabran — Netherlands: 0.3% Purlewaugh — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coonabarabran 94.0% houses
Coonabarabran — Houses: 94.0% Coonabarabran — Flats / Apartments: 5.5% Coonabarabran — Townhouses: 0.5%
Purlewaugh 100.0% houses
Purlewaugh — Houses: 100.0% Purlewaugh — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Purlewaugh — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Median house price $300,000 $170,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $99,250 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 78 days
from 25 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Rural and farming 93% 97%
Residential 3% 0%
Environmental 3%
same for both
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

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
New dwellings approved 10
across Warrumbungle
same for both
Approvals change year on year -75%
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.

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Houses 4.4%
$400/wk on $478K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
House price Higher than 6% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Income Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
Schools Higher than 27% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 1% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 2% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 88% of NSW —

Liveability

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Grade D —
Score 12/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Coonabarabran carries more bushfire risk (57 vs 26); Coonabarabran carries more crime risk (88 vs 74).

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Bushfire Moderate
57/100
 Low
26/100
Crime High
88/100
 High
74/100
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

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Coonabarabran

  • Coonabarabran High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Coonabarabran Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School Coonabarabran Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Purlewaugh

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

Amenities in the suburb

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 7 0
Parks & reserves 7 1
Childcare 2 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 0
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 37 5

Mobility

Coonabarabran sits further from the CBD (485.4 km vs 468.1 km).

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 485.4 km
+4% vs other
 468.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 350 min 333 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2357
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 88
postcode 2357
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.

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Car (driver) 74.5% / 26.5%
Coonabarabran — Car (driver): 74.5% Purlewaugh — Car (driver): 26.5%
Worked from Home 11.8% / 61.8%
Coonabarabran — Worked from Home: 11.8% Purlewaugh — Worked from Home: 61.8%
Walked Only 6.7% / 11.8%
Coonabarabran — Walked Only: 6.7% Purlewaugh — Walked Only: 11.8%
Car (passenger) 6.6% / —
Coonabarabran — Car (passenger): 6.6% Purlewaugh — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.3% / —
Coonabarabran — Bus: 0.3% Purlewaugh — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.5%).

Setting

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Elevation 628 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 510 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Connectivity score 60/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 35%
1,626 premises
 0%
21 premises

Climate

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Annual rainfall 761 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 1.2°C
same for both

Council rates

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Average residential rate $671/yr
same for both
Council Warrumbungle
same for both

Federal electorate

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Division Parkes
same for both
Member Jamie Chaffey
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coonabarabran Purlewaugh
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Coonabarabran

Affordable Retirees Rural

Purlewaugh

Affordable Family Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coonabarabran

Coonabarabran vs Binnaway Coonabarabran vs Ulamambri Coonabarabran vs Bugaldie Coonabarabran vs Rocky Glen Coonabarabran vs Dandry

Other comparisons with Purlewaugh

Purlewaugh vs Binnaway Purlewaugh vs Tambar Springs Purlewaugh vs Ulamambri Purlewaugh vs Rocky Glen Purlewaugh vs Nombi
Full data on Coonabarabran Full data on Purlewaugh
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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