Cooranbong vs Awaba

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Cooranbong, about half of households are couple families. In Awaba, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Cooranbong: a median of $950,000, against $735,000 in Awaba, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Awaba 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

Cooranbong

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 82/100)
  • But Awaba has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 85%)

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

First-home buyers

Awaba

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($735,000 vs $950,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 29%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Awaba

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $380/wk)
  • But Cooranbong has a bigger rental market to choose from (23% vs 9%)

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

Commuting to the city

Cooranbong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a shorter drive in (96 min vs 105 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cooranbong

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (15% vs 2%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 15%)
  • carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 82/100)

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

Investors

Cooranbong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (29.9% vs 7.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cooranbong Awaba
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.

Cooranbong Awaba
Walkability 13 / 18
Cooranbong — Walkability: 13/100 Awaba — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 45 / 18
Cooranbong — Safety: 45/100 Awaba — Safety: 18/100
Low fire risk 53 / 33
Cooranbong — Low fire risk: 53/100 Awaba — Low fire risk: 33/100

Demographics

Cooranbong has more residents (7,077 vs 430); Cooranbong rents higher ($380/wk vs $300/wk).

Cooranbong Awaba
Population 7,077
+94% vs other
 430
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +29.9% +7.0%
Median age 39 40
Median household income $85,228/yr $89,752/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+21% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cooranbong Awaba
0-4 6.8% / 4.2%
Cooranbong — 0-4: 6.8% Awaba — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 13.2% / 15.8%
Cooranbong — 5-14: 13.2% Awaba — 5-14: 15.8%
15-19 5.8% / 7.9%
Cooranbong — 15-19: 5.8% Awaba — 15-19: 7.9%
20-24 5.5% / 6.7%
Cooranbong — 20-24: 5.5% Awaba — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 13.4% / 10.5%
Cooranbong — 25-34: 13.4% Awaba — 25-34: 10.5%
35-44 11.0% / 9.3%
Cooranbong — 35-44: 11.0% Awaba — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 10.9% / 17.2%
Cooranbong — 45-54: 10.9% Awaba — 45-54: 17.2%
55-64 10.8% / 15.6%
Cooranbong — 55-64: 10.8% Awaba — 55-64: 15.6%
65-74 10.4% / 8.8%
Cooranbong — 65-74: 10.4% Awaba — 65-74: 8.8%
75-84 7.6% / 4.4%
Cooranbong — 75-84: 7.6% Awaba — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 4.7% / 1.9%
Cooranbong — 85+: 4.7% Awaba — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cooranbong 47.7% couple families
Cooranbong — Couple Families: 47.7% Cooranbong — Lone Person: 32.6% Cooranbong — One Parent Families: 15.0% Cooranbong — Group Household: 3.9% Cooranbong — Other Families: 0.8%
Awaba 57.1% couple families
Awaba — Couple Families: 57.1% Awaba — Lone Person: 28.6% Awaba — One Parent Families: 10.2% Awaba — Group Household: 4.1% Awaba — 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.

Cooranbong 23.3% renting
Cooranbong — Owned Outright: 31.8% Cooranbong — Mortgage: 44.9% Cooranbong — Renting: 23.3%
Awaba 8.6% renting
Awaba — Owned Outright: 39.6% Awaba — Mortgage: 51.8% Awaba — Renting: 8.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cooranbong Awaba
Certificate III & IV 17.7% / 22.6%
Cooranbong — Certificate III & IV: 17.7% Awaba — Certificate III & IV: 22.6%
Bachelor Degree 11.2% / 8.8%
Cooranbong — Bachelor Degree: 11.2% Awaba — Bachelor Degree: 8.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 4.9%
Cooranbong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Awaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 0.9%
Cooranbong — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Awaba — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 0.7%
Cooranbong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Awaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.6%).

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.

Cooranbong Awaba
England 2.7% / 2.1%
Cooranbong — England: 2.7% Awaba — England: 2.1%
New Zealand 3.7% / —
Cooranbong — New Zealand: 3.7% Awaba — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 1.1% / —
Cooranbong — South Africa: 1.1% Awaba — South Africa: not among its largest
Canada — / 0.9%
Cooranbong — Canada: not among its largest Awaba — Canada: 0.9%
India 0.6% / —
Cooranbong — India: 0.6% Awaba — India: not among its largest
Philippines 0.6% / —
Cooranbong — Philippines: 0.6% Awaba — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cooranbong 85.4% houses
Cooranbong — Houses: 85.4% Cooranbong — Townhouses: 10.2% Cooranbong — Flats / Apartments: 4.4%
Awaba 97.9% houses
Awaba — Houses: 97.9% Awaba — Townhouses: 0.0% Awaba — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cooranbong Awaba
Median house price $950,000 $735,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,105,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 31 days
from 95 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Cooranbong has more rural and farming land (37% vs 5%); Awaba has more land zoned for conservation (80% vs 52%).

Cooranbong Awaba
Environmental 52% 80%
Rural and farming 37% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 11%
Residential 6% 3%
Parks and recreation 0% 1%
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

Cooranbong Awaba
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
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.

Cooranbong Awaba
Houses 4.2%
$830/wk on $1.02M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cooranbong Awaba
House price Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
Income Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 82% of NSW —

Liveability

Cooranbong Awaba
Grade C —
Score 38/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Awaba carries more crime risk (82 vs 55); Awaba carries more bushfire risk (67 vs 47).

Cooranbong Awaba
Bushfire Moderate
47/100
 Moderate
67/100
Crime Moderate
55/100
 High
82/100
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
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Cooranbong Awaba
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Cooranbong

  • Avondale School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Cooranbong Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Awaba

  • Awaba Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cooranbong Awaba
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 5 0
GPs 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 14 7

Mobility

Cooranbong Awaba
Walkability score 13/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 129.2 km 128.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 96 min 105 min
Public transport score 76/100
Bus
 37/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 59.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 8 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2265
 0.6%
postcode 2283
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 78
postcode 2265
 48
postcode 2283

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.

Cooranbong Awaba
Car (driver) 67.5% / 76.3%
Cooranbong — Car (driver): 67.5% Awaba — Car (driver): 76.3%
Worked from Home 25.7% / 18.6%
Cooranbong — Worked from Home: 25.7% Awaba — Worked from Home: 18.6%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 5.1%
Cooranbong — Car (passenger): 3.7% Awaba — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only 1.9% / —
Cooranbong — Walked Only: 1.9% Awaba — Walked Only: not among its largest
Train 0.8% / —
Cooranbong — Train: 0.8% Awaba — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.3%).

Setting

Cooranbong Awaba
Elevation 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 16.9 km 11.5 km

NBN connectivity

Cooranbong Awaba
Connectivity score 78/100 50/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 61%
3,709 premises
 10%
161 premises

Climate

Cooranbong Awaba
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm 1,025 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C 25.4°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C 10.2°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Cooranbong Awaba
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.27 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Cooranbong Awaba
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Cooranbong Awaba
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cooranbong Awaba
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cooranbong

Acreage

Awaba

Rural Trains

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Awaba

Awaba vs Toronto Awaba vs Wangi Wangi Awaba vs Blackalls Park Awaba vs Rathmines Awaba vs Arcadia Vale Awaba vs Buttaba
Full data on Cooranbong Full data on Awaba
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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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