Cullen Bullen vs Portland

Portland is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 51 in Cullen Bullen. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Portland: a median of $518,000, against $350,000 in Cullen Bullen, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Cullen Bullen 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

Portland

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 2)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (77/100 vs 91/100)

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

  • Cullen Bullen has cheaper houses ($350,000 vs $518,000)
  • Portland leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 35%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cullen Bullen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($190/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Portland

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (154 min vs 171 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (171.7 km vs 186.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Portland

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (77/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

Portland

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (0.9% vs -40.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cullen Bullen Portland
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.

Cullen Bullen Portland
Walkability 0 / 64
Cullen Bullen — Walkability: 0/100 Portland — Walkability: 64/100
Safety 9 / 23
Cullen Bullen — Safety: 9/100 Portland — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 49 / 57
Cullen Bullen — Low fire risk: 49/100 Portland — Low fire risk: 57/100

Demographics

Portland has more residents (2,447 vs 166); Portland rents higher ($250/wk vs $190/wk).

Cullen Bullen Portland
Population 166 2,447
+1374% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -40.5% +0.9%
Median age 51 46
Median household income $54,184/yr $59,800/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $190/wk $250/wk
+32% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cullen Bullen Portland
0-4 3.0% / 4.9%
Cullen Bullen — 0-4: 3.0% Portland — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 10.2% / 12.0%
Cullen Bullen — 5-14: 10.2% Portland — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 5.4% / 4.9%
Cullen Bullen — 15-19: 5.4% Portland — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 7.8% / 4.8%
Cullen Bullen — 20-24: 7.8% Portland — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 7.8% / 10.1%
Cullen Bullen — 25-34: 7.8% Portland — 25-34: 10.1%
35-44 7.8% / 11.4%
Cullen Bullen — 35-44: 7.8% Portland — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 14.5% / 11.6%
Cullen Bullen — 45-54: 14.5% Portland — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 16.9% / 15.2%
Cullen Bullen — 55-64: 16.9% Portland — 55-64: 15.2%
65-74 19.3% / 15.2%
Cullen Bullen — 65-74: 19.3% Portland — 65-74: 15.2%
75-84 7.8% / 7.8%
Cullen Bullen — 75-84: 7.8% Portland — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 1.8% / 2.0%
Cullen Bullen — 85+: 1.8% Portland — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cullen Bullen 37.5% lone person
Cullen Bullen — Lone Person: 37.5% Cullen Bullen — Couple Families: 29.2% Cullen Bullen — One Parent Families: 20.8% Cullen Bullen — Group Household: 6.2% Cullen Bullen — Other Families: 6.2%
Portland 44.2% lone person
Portland — Lone Person: 44.2% Portland — Couple Families: 33.7% Portland — One Parent Families: 19.3% Portland — Group Household: 1.9% Portland — Other Families: 0.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cullen Bullen 11.1% renting
Cullen Bullen — Owned Outright: 57.4% Cullen Bullen — Mortgage: 31.5% Cullen Bullen — Renting: 11.1%
Portland 15.5% renting
Portland — Owned Outright: 49.7% Portland — Mortgage: 34.8% Portland — Renting: 15.5%
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.

Cullen Bullen Portland
England 1.8% / 1.8%
Cullen Bullen — England: 1.8% Portland — England: 1.8%
New Zealand 2.4% / 1.0%
Cullen Bullen — New Zealand: 2.4% Portland — New Zealand: 1.0%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Cullen Bullen — Philippines: not among its largest Portland — Philippines: 0.4%
Scotland — / 0.4%
Cullen Bullen — Scotland: not among its largest Portland — Scotland: 0.4%
Germany — / 0.3%
Cullen Bullen — Germany: not among its largest Portland — Germany: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.4%).

Qualifications

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

Cullen Bullen Portland
Certificate III & IV 21.1% / 20.8%
Cullen Bullen — Certificate III & IV: 21.1% Portland — Certificate III & IV: 20.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.2% / 5.2%
Cullen Bullen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2% Portland — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Bachelor Degree 3.6% / 5.0%
Cullen Bullen — Bachelor Degree: 3.6% Portland — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Postgraduate Degree — / 1.2%
Cullen Bullen — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Portland — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.9%
Cullen Bullen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Portland — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cullen Bullen 93.3% houses
Cullen Bullen — Houses: 93.3% Cullen Bullen — Flats / Apartments: 6.7% Cullen Bullen — Townhouses: 0.0%
Portland 97.6% houses
Portland — Houses: 97.6% Portland — Flats / Apartments: 1.8% Portland — Townhouses: 0.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Cullen Bullen Portland
Median house price $350,000 $518,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $462,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 60 days
from 40 sales

Zoning mix

Cullen Bullen has more rural and farming land (99% vs 83%).

Cullen Bullen Portland
Rural and farming 99% 83%
Residential 0% 14%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 3%
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

Cullen Bullen Portland
New dwellings approved 55
across Lithgow
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
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.

Cullen Bullen Portland
Houses — 4.6%
$500/wk on $565K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cullen Bullen Portland
House price Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
Income Higher than 14% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 47% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 93% of NSW

Liveability

Portland is more walkable (64 vs 0).

Cullen Bullen Portland
Grade — D
Score — 27/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Cullen Bullen carries more crime risk (91 vs 77).

Cullen Bullen Portland
Bushfire Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
43/100
Crime High
91/100
 High
77/100
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

Cullen Bullen Portland
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Cullen Bullen

  • Cullen Bullen Public School Government · Primary

Schools in Portland

  • Portland Central School Government · Combined above peers
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Portland Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cullen Bullen Portland
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 6
Parks & reserves 2 9
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 16 35

Mobility

Cullen Bullen sits further from the CBD (186.2 km vs 171.7 km).

Cullen Bullen Portland
Walkability score 0/100 64/100
Distance to Sydney 186.2 km
+8% vs other
 171.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 171 min 154 min
Public transport score 24/100
Bus
 46/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 3.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 19.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 3 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2790
 0.0%
postcode 2847
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2790
 51
postcode 2847

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.

Cullen Bullen Portland
Car (driver) 78.0% / 82.7%
Cullen Bullen — Car (driver): 78.0% Portland — Car (driver): 82.7%
Worked from Home 12.0% / 10.2%
Cullen Bullen — Worked from Home: 12.0% Portland — Worked from Home: 10.2%
Walked Only 10.0% / 2.7%
Cullen Bullen — Walked Only: 10.0% Portland — Walked Only: 2.7%
Car (passenger) — / 3.9%
Cullen Bullen — Car (passenger): not among its largest Portland — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Bus — / 0.5%
Cullen Bullen — Bus: not among its largest Portland — Bus: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.7%).

Setting

Cullen Bullen Portland
Elevation 856 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 973 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Cullen Bullen Portland
Connectivity score 29/100 47/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
100 premises
 7%
1,218 premises

Climate

Cullen Bullen Portland
Annual rainfall 644 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 1.2°C
same for both

Council rates

Cullen Bullen Portland
Average residential rate $1,150/yr
same for both
Council Lithgow
same for both

Federal electorate

Cullen Bullen Portland
Division Calare
same for both
Member Andrew Gee
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cullen Bullen Portland
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cullen Bullen

Retirees River Rural

Portland

Acreage Affordable Quiet Retirees River

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Portland

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Full data on Cullen Bullen Full data on Portland
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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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