Cudgen vs Duranbah

Cudgen is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 43 in Duranbah. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Duranbah: a median of $3 million, against $1.43 million in Cudgen. On these figures, Cudgen tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Duranbah suits people living alone.

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

Duranbah

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 83/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 82%)
  • But Cudgen is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 57%)

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

First-home buyers

Cudgen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,425,000 vs $3,000,000)

Weighs house 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

Cudgen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 12/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cudgen

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (18% vs 4%)
  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 12/100)
  • But Duranbah carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 83/100)

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

Investors

Cudgen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.1% vs -5.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cudgen Duranbah
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.

Cudgen Duranbah
Walkability 27 / 12
Cudgen — Walkability: 27/100 Duranbah — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 17 / 37
Cudgen — Safety: 17/100 Duranbah — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 31 / 30
Cudgen — Low fire risk: 31/100 Duranbah — Low fire risk: 30/100

Demographics

Cudgen has more residents (952 vs 226); Duranbah skews older (43 vs 39).

Cudgen Duranbah
Population 952
+76% vs other
 226
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.1% -5.4%
Median age 39 43
Median household income $98,436/yr
+2% vs other
 $96,200/yr
Median weekly rent $440/wk $450/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cudgen Duranbah
0-4 6.0% / 3.5%
Cudgen — 0-4: 6.0% Duranbah — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 15.8% / 13.3%
Cudgen — 5-14: 15.8% Duranbah — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 6.2% / 3.5%
Cudgen — 15-19: 6.2% Duranbah — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 4.8% / 1.8%
Cudgen — 20-24: 4.8% Duranbah — 20-24: 1.8%
25-34 10.9% / 9.3%
Cudgen — 25-34: 10.9% Duranbah — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 11.9% / 19.0%
Cudgen — 35-44: 11.9% Duranbah — 35-44: 19.0%
45-54 12.9% / 8.4%
Cudgen — 45-54: 12.9% Duranbah — 45-54: 8.4%
55-64 15.3% / 21.2%
Cudgen — 55-64: 15.3% Duranbah — 55-64: 21.2%
65-74 10.6% / 11.9%
Cudgen — 65-74: 10.6% Duranbah — 65-74: 11.9%
75-84 4.2% / 5.8%
Cudgen — 75-84: 4.2% Duranbah — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 1.5% / 1.3%
Cudgen — 85+: 1.5% Duranbah — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cudgen 52.0% couple families
Cudgen — Couple Families: 52.0% Cudgen — Lone Person: 19.3% Cudgen — One Parent Families: 21.7% Cudgen — Group Household: 5.3% Cudgen — Other Families: 1.6%
Duranbah 51.0% couple families
Duranbah — Couple Families: 51.0% Duranbah — Lone Person: 34.7% Duranbah — One Parent Families: 6.1% Duranbah — Group Household: 8.2% Duranbah — 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.

Cudgen 25.2% renting
Cudgen — Owned Outright: 37.6% Cudgen — Mortgage: 37.2% Cudgen — Renting: 25.2%
Duranbah 28.4% renting
Duranbah — Owned Outright: 48.6% Duranbah — Mortgage: 23.0% Duranbah — Renting: 28.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cudgen Duranbah
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 14.2%
Cudgen — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Duranbah — Certificate III & IV: 14.2%
Bachelor Degree 12.5% / 10.2%
Cudgen — Bachelor Degree: 12.5% Duranbah — Bachelor Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 10.2%
Cudgen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Duranbah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 3.5%
Cudgen — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Duranbah — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 3.1%
Cudgen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Duranbah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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.

Cudgen Duranbah
England 1.7% / 4.0%
Cudgen — England: 1.7% Duranbah — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 2.4% / 1.8%
Cudgen — New Zealand: 2.4% Duranbah — New Zealand: 1.8%
Philippines 1.1% / 3.1%
Cudgen — Philippines: 1.1% Duranbah — Philippines: 3.1%
Canada 0.4% / 2.2%
Cudgen — Canada: 0.4% Duranbah — Canada: 2.2%
Ireland 0.3% / 2.2%
Cudgen — Ireland: 0.3% Duranbah — Ireland: 2.2%
Japan 0.5% / —
Cudgen — Japan: 0.5% Duranbah — Japan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cudgen 82.3% houses
Cudgen — Houses: 82.3% Cudgen — Townhouses: 17.7% Cudgen — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Duranbah 96.0% houses
Duranbah — Houses: 96.0% Duranbah — Townhouses: 0.0% Duranbah — Flats / Apartments: 4.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cudgen Duranbah
Median house price $1,425,000 $3,000,000
Median unit price $1,140,000 —
Median land price $905,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 6 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Cudgen has more rural and farming land (86% vs 71%); Duranbah has more land zoned for conservation (10% vs 0%).

Cudgen Duranbah
Rural and farming 86% 71%
Other and special use 7% 13%
Environmental 0% 10%
Residential 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 5%
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

Cudgen Duranbah
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cudgen Duranbah
House price Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Income Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 91% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW

Liveability

Cudgen is more walkable (27 vs 12).

Cudgen Duranbah
Grade D —
Score 24/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Cudgen carries more crime risk (83 vs 63).

Cudgen Duranbah
Bushfire Moderate
69/100
 High
70/100
Crime High
83/100
 Moderate
63/100
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
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Cudgen Duranbah
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Cudgen

  • Cudgen Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Duranbah

  • Duranbah Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cudgen Duranbah
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Waterways 1 3

Mobility

Cudgen Duranbah
Walkability score 27/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 805.6 km 807.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 513 min 516 min
Public transport score 61/100
Bus
 20/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 18.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 2487
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 2487
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.

Cudgen Duranbah
Car (driver) 71.3% / 67.3%
Cudgen — Car (driver): 71.3% Duranbah — Car (driver): 67.3%
Worked from Home 15.3% / 21.4%
Cudgen — Worked from Home: 15.3% Duranbah — Worked from Home: 21.4%
Walked Only 4.5% / 8.2%
Cudgen — Walked Only: 4.5% Duranbah — Walked Only: 8.2%
Car (passenger) 7.4% / 3.1%
Cudgen — Car (passenger): 7.4% Duranbah — Car (passenger): 3.1%
Bicycle 1.4% / —
Cudgen — Bicycle: 1.4% Duranbah — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.3%).

Setting

Cudgen Duranbah
Elevation 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 49 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.8 km
2.9 km to a named beach
 4.4 km
4.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Cudgen Duranbah
Connectivity score 54/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
511 premises
 0%
100 premises

Climate

Cudgen Duranbah
Annual rainfall 1,637 mm 1,569 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.6°C 29.1°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.5°C 9.1°C

Council rates

Cudgen Duranbah
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

Cudgen Duranbah
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cudgen Duranbah
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cudgen

Coastal

Duranbah

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cudgen

Cudgen vs Kingscliff Cudgen vs Chinderah

Other comparisons with Duranbah

Duranbah vs Bogangar Duranbah vs Clothiers Creek Duranbah vs Eviron Duranbah vs Tanglewood
Full data on Cudgen Full data on Duranbah
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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