Cromer vs Oxford Falls

Cromer is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 73 in Oxford Falls. In both, the large majority of households own their home. In Cromer, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. In Oxford Falls, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Oxford Falls: a median of $2.82 million, against $2.4 million in Cromer. Oxford Falls is closer to the city centre: 20.2 km, against 23.3 km. On these figures, Cromer tends to suit families with children and couples, while Oxford Falls suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Cromer

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (24 vs 2)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (78% vs 29%)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 2)
  • But Oxford Falls carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 33/100)

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

First-home buyers

Cromer

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (29% vs 96%)
  • has cheaper units ($925,000 vs $1,300,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($2,400,000 vs $2,818,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cromer

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (26% vs 69%)

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

Commuting to the city

Oxford Falls

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (30 min vs 35 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (20.2 km vs 23.3 km)
  • But Cromer is more walkable (50/100 vs 34/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Oxford Falls

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (74% vs 22%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (61% vs 19%)
  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 33/100)
  • But Cromer is more walkable (50/100 vs 34/100)

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

Where they sit

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

Cromer Oxford Falls
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.

Cromer Oxford Falls
Walkability 50 / 34
Cromer — Walkability: 50/100 Oxford Falls — Walkability: 34/100
Safety 67 / 77
Cromer — Safety: 67/100 Oxford Falls — Safety: 77/100
Low fire risk 8 / 8
Cromer — Low fire risk: 8/100 Oxford Falls — Low fire risk: 8/100

Demographics

Cromer has more residents (8,030 vs 265); Cromer has higher household incomes ($129,116 vs $49,972).

Cromer Oxford Falls
Population 8,030
+97% vs other
 265
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.8% —
Median age 41 73
Median household income $129,116/yr
+61% vs other
 $49,972/yr
Median weekly rent $650/wk $660/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cromer Oxford Falls
0-4 6.0% / —
Cromer — 0-4: 6.0% Oxford Falls — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 14.9% / 3.8%
Cromer — 5-14: 14.9% Oxford Falls — 5-14: 3.8%
15-19 7.3% / 2.6%
Cromer — 15-19: 7.3% Oxford Falls — 15-19: 2.6%
20-24 5.1% / 5.3%
Cromer — 20-24: 5.1% Oxford Falls — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 8.1% / 4.9%
Cromer — 25-34: 8.1% Oxford Falls — 25-34: 4.9%
35-44 13.3% / 4.2%
Cromer — 35-44: 13.3% Oxford Falls — 35-44: 4.2%
45-54 15.7% / 9.1%
Cromer — 45-54: 15.7% Oxford Falls — 45-54: 9.1%
55-64 11.1% / 8.7%
Cromer — 55-64: 11.1% Oxford Falls — 55-64: 8.7%
65-74 9.1% / 14.0%
Cromer — 65-74: 9.1% Oxford Falls — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 6.8% / 29.1%
Cromer — 75-84: 6.8% Oxford Falls — 75-84: 29.1%
85+ 2.7% / 17.7%
Cromer — 85+: 2.7% Oxford Falls — 85+: 17.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cromer 24.7% lone person
Cromer — Lone Person: 24.7% Cromer — Couple Families: 60.2% Cromer — One Parent Families: 12.2% Cromer — Group Household: 2.1% Cromer — Other Families: 0.8%
Oxford Falls 65.8% lone person
Oxford Falls — Lone Person: 65.8% Oxford Falls — Couple Families: 23.3% Oxford Falls — One Parent Families: 6.8% Oxford Falls — Group Household: 4.1% Oxford Falls — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cromer 16.2% renting
Cromer — Owned Outright: 38.8% Cromer — Mortgage: 45.0% Cromer — Renting: 16.2%
Oxford Falls 9.3% renting
Oxford Falls — Owned Outright: 72.0% Oxford Falls — Mortgage: 18.7% Oxford Falls — Renting: 9.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cromer Oxford Falls
Bachelor Degree 15.6% / 14.0%
Cromer — Bachelor Degree: 15.6% Oxford Falls — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Certificate III & IV 12.8% / 11.3%
Cromer — Certificate III & IV: 12.8% Oxford Falls — Certificate III & IV: 11.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 10.2%
Cromer — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Oxford Falls — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.2%
Postgraduate Degree 4.2% / 3.0%
Cromer — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2% Oxford Falls — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 1.5%
Cromer — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Oxford Falls — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

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.

Cromer Oxford Falls
England 6.5% / 9.4%
Cromer — England: 6.5% Oxford Falls — England: 9.4%
Italy 1.4% / 2.3%
Cromer — Italy: 1.4% Oxford Falls — Italy: 2.3%
New Zealand 2.0% / 1.1%
Cromer — New Zealand: 2.0% Oxford Falls — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa 1.1% / 1.5%
Cromer — South Africa: 1.1% Oxford Falls — South Africa: 1.5%
Scotland 0.6% / 1.5%
Cromer — Scotland: 0.6% Oxford Falls — Scotland: 1.5%
Malaysia — / 1.5%
Cromer — Malaysia: not among its largest Oxford Falls — Malaysia: 1.5%
China 1.0% / —
Cromer — China: 1.0% Oxford Falls — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cromer 78.1% houses
Cromer — Houses: 78.1% Cromer — Townhouses: 12.3% Cromer — Flats / Apartments: 9.6%
Oxford Falls 28.6% houses
Oxford Falls — Houses: 28.6% Oxford Falls — Townhouses: 73.9% Oxford Falls — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cromer Oxford Falls
Median house price $2,400,000 $2,818,000
Median unit price $925,000 $1,300,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 59 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Cromer Oxford Falls
Other and special use 23% 83%
Residential 32% 0%
Parks and recreation 21% 14%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 3%
Industrial 7% 0%
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

Cromer Oxford Falls
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.

Cromer Oxford Falls
Houses 4.2%
$1,600/wk on $2M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cromer Oxford Falls
House price Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Income Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 20% of NSW Higher than 1% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 81% of NSW —

Liveability

Cromer is more walkable (50 vs 34).

Cromer Oxford Falls
Grade B —
Score 55/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Cromer carries more crime risk (33 vs 23).

Cromer Oxford Falls
Bushfire High
92/100
same for both
Crime Low
33/100
 Low
23/100
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 2
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Cromer Oxford Falls
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Cromer

  • Cromer Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus Government · Secondary at peers

Schools in Oxford Falls

  • Oxford Falls Grammar School Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cromer Oxford Falls
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 24 2
Childcare 5 2
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 7 4

Mobility

Cromer sits further from the CBD (23.3 km vs 20.2 km).

Cromer Oxford Falls
Walkability score 50/100 34/100
Distance to Sydney 23.3 km
+13% vs other
 20.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 35 min 30 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 19/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 210.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2099
 2.0%
postcode 2100
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 17
postcode 2099
 33
postcode 2100

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.

Cromer Oxford Falls
Car (driver) 48.2% / 58.6%
Cromer — Car (driver): 48.2% Oxford Falls — Car (driver): 58.6%
Worked from Home 44.7% / 41.4%
Cromer — Worked from Home: 44.7% Oxford Falls — Worked from Home: 41.4%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / —
Cromer — Car (passenger): 3.1% Oxford Falls — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 2.4% / —
Cromer — Bus: 2.4% Oxford Falls — Bus: not among its largest
Walked Only 1.1% / —
Cromer — Walked Only: 1.1% Oxford Falls — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.6%).

Setting

Cromer Oxford Falls
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 61 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.9 km
3.0 km to a named beach
 5.1 km

NBN connectivity

Cromer Oxford Falls
Connectivity score 76/100 59/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the building
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 8%
3,226 premises
 1%
115 premises

Climate

Cromer Oxford Falls
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Cromer Oxford Falls
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

Cromer Oxford Falls
Average residential rate $1,696/yr
same for both
Council Northern Beaches
same for both

Federal electorate

Cromer Oxford Falls
Division Mackellar
same for both
Member Sophie Scamps
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cromer Oxford Falls
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cromer

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Premium Quiet

Oxford Falls

Middle-Ring Premium Quiet Retirees River Townhouses

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Oxford Falls

Oxford Falls vs Frenchs Forest Oxford Falls vs Belrose Oxford Falls vs Beacon Hill Oxford Falls vs Narraweena Oxford Falls vs Ingleside
Full data on Cromer Full data on Oxford Falls
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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