Curlewis vs Tambar Springs

Curlewis is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 50 in Tambar Springs. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Curlewis, about half of households are couple families. In Tambar Springs, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Curlewis: a median of $395,000, against $165,000 in Tambar Springs, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Curlewis tends to suit families with children and couples, while Tambar Springs suits people living alone, older residents, 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

Curlewis

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 39%)

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

First-home buyers

Tambar Springs

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (2% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper houses ($165,000 vs $395,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Tambar Springs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($183/wk vs $290/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Curlewis

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (298 min vs 319 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (412.8 km vs 439.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Tambar Springs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 18%)

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

Where they sit

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

Curlewis Tambar Springs
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.

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Walkability 0 / 0
Curlewis — Walkability: 0/100 Tambar Springs — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 16 / 9
Curlewis — Safety: 16/100 Tambar Springs — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 77 / 81
Curlewis — Low fire risk: 77/100 Tambar Springs — Low fire risk: 81/100

Demographics

Curlewis has more residents (779 vs 273); Curlewis rents higher ($290/wk vs $183/wk).

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Population 779
+65% vs other
 273
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.0% —
Median age 40 50
Median household income $72,956/yr
+28% vs other
 $52,676/yr
Median weekly rent $290/wk
+37% vs other
 $183/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Curlewis Tambar Springs
0-4 8.0% / 3.3%
Curlewis — 0-4: 8.0% Tambar Springs — 0-4: 3.3%
5-14 14.0% / 12.8%
Curlewis — 5-14: 14.0% Tambar Springs — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 5.3% / 3.3%
Curlewis — 15-19: 5.3% Tambar Springs — 15-19: 3.3%
20-24 6.2% / 2.2%
Curlewis — 20-24: 6.2% Tambar Springs — 20-24: 2.2%
25-34 13.1% / 11.4%
Curlewis — 25-34: 13.1% Tambar Springs — 25-34: 11.4%
35-44 10.1% / 9.5%
Curlewis — 35-44: 10.1% Tambar Springs — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 10.8% / 12.1%
Curlewis — 45-54: 10.8% Tambar Springs — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 15.7% / 19.4%
Curlewis — 55-64: 15.7% Tambar Springs — 55-64: 19.4%
65-74 11.4% / 16.8%
Curlewis — 65-74: 11.4% Tambar Springs — 65-74: 16.8%
75-84 4.9% / 6.6%
Curlewis — 75-84: 4.9% Tambar Springs — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ 1.9% / 3.3%
Curlewis — 85+: 1.9% Tambar Springs — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

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.

Curlewis Tambar Springs
New Zealand 0.6% / 2.2%
Curlewis — New Zealand: 0.6% Tambar Springs — New Zealand: 2.2%
England 0.4% / 1.1%
Curlewis — England: 0.4% Tambar Springs — England: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Curlewis 27.9% lone person
Curlewis — Lone Person: 27.9% Curlewis — Couple Families: 45.2% Curlewis — One Parent Families: 22.3% Curlewis — Group Household: 2.0% Curlewis — Other Families: 2.5%
Tambar Springs 54.5% lone person
Tambar Springs — Lone Person: 54.5% Tambar Springs — Couple Families: 28.8% Tambar Springs — One Parent Families: 10.6% Tambar Springs — Group Household: 6.1% Tambar Springs — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Curlewis 100.0% houses
Curlewis — Houses: 100.0% Curlewis — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Tambar Springs 96.1% houses
Tambar Springs — Houses: 96.1% Tambar Springs — Flats / Apartments: 3.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Certificate III & IV 14.4% / 9.9%
Curlewis — Certificate III & IV: 14.4% Tambar Springs — Certificate III & IV: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.7% / 9.5%
Curlewis — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.7% Tambar Springs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Bachelor Degree 4.6% / 6.2%
Curlewis — Bachelor Degree: 4.6% Tambar Springs — Bachelor Degree: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / 1.8%
Curlewis — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Tambar Springs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / —
Curlewis — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Tambar Springs — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.4%).

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Curlewis 23.2% renting
Curlewis — Owned Outright: 39.8% Curlewis — Mortgage: 37.1% Curlewis — Renting: 23.2%
Tambar Springs 16.9% renting
Tambar Springs — Owned Outright: 69.7% Tambar Springs — Mortgage: 13.5% Tambar Springs — Renting: 16.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Property market

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Median house price $395,000 $165,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $325,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 7 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Tambar Springs has more land zoned for conservation (10% vs 0%); Curlewis has more rural and farming land (100% vs 90%).

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Rural and farming 100% 90%
Environmental 0% 10%
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

Curlewis Tambar Springs
New dwellings approved 25
across Gunnedah
 10
across Warrumbungle
Approvals change year on year -17% -75%

Ranking within NSW

Curlewis Tambar Springs
House price Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Income Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 28% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW

Liveability

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Grade D —
Score 20/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Bushfire Low
23/100
 Low
19/100
Crime High
84/100
 High
91/100
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

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Curlewis

  • Curlewis Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Tambar Springs

  • Tambar Springs Public School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Parks & reserves 0 2
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 0 22

Mobility

Tambar Springs sits further from the CBD (439.1 km vs 412.8 km).

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 412.8 km 439.1 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 298 min 319 min
Public transport score 21/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 3.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 4 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2381
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2381
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.

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Car (driver) 82.0% / 41.8%
Curlewis — Car (driver): 82.0% Tambar Springs — Car (driver): 41.8%
Worked from Home 9.5% / 49.5%
Curlewis — Worked from Home: 9.5% Tambar Springs — Worked from Home: 49.5%
Walked Only 0.9% / 5.5%
Curlewis — Walked Only: 0.9% Tambar Springs — Walked Only: 5.5%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 3.3%
Curlewis — Car (passenger): 2.8% Tambar Springs — Car (passenger): 3.3%
Bus 4.7% / —
Curlewis — Bus: 4.7% Tambar Springs — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.0%).

Setting

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Elevation 441 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 383 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Connectivity score 26/100 15/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
185 premises
 0%
65 premises

Council rates

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Average residential rate $1,093/yr $671/yr
Council Gunnedah Warrumbungle

Federal electorate

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Division Parkes
same for both
Member Jamie Chaffey
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Curlewis Tambar Springs
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Curlewis

Affordable Rural

Tambar Springs

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Curlewis

Curlewis vs Gunnedah Curlewis vs Carroll Curlewis vs Spring Ridge Curlewis vs Piallaway Curlewis vs Breeza Curlewis vs Milroy

Other comparisons with Tambar Springs

Tambar Springs vs Coolah Tambar Springs vs Binnaway Tambar Springs vs Spring Ridge Tambar Springs vs Mullaley Tambar Springs vs Premer Tambar Springs vs Purlewaugh
Full data on Curlewis Full data on Tambar Springs
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or