Dalton vs Gunning

Gunning is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 48 in Dalton. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Gunning: a median of $680,000, against $410,000 in Dalton, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Dalton tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Gunning suits families with children.

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

Dalton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 59/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Dalton has cheaper houses ($410,000 vs $680,000)
  • Gunning has cheaper land ($287,500 vs $420,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dalton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $350/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Gunning

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (54/100 vs 12/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (159 min vs 166 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (242.3 km vs 252.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dalton

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 59/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 16%)
  • But Gunning is more walkable (54/100 vs 12/100)

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

Investors

Gunning

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (24.4% vs 17.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dalton Gunning
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.

Dalton Gunning
Walkability 12 / 54
Dalton — Walkability: 12/100 Gunning — Walkability: 54/100
Safety 76 / 41
Dalton — Safety: 76/100 Gunning — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 100 / 81
Dalton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Gunning — Low fire risk: 81/100

Demographics

Gunning has more residents (820 vs 230); Gunning has higher household incomes ($106,548 vs $79,612).

Dalton Gunning
Population 230 820
+257% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +17.9% +24.4%
Median age 48 38
Median household income $79,612/yr $106,548/yr
+34% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $350/wk
+17% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dalton Gunning
0-4 3.5% / 8.9%
Dalton — 0-4: 3.5% Gunning — 0-4: 8.9%
5-14 13.5% / 15.4%
Dalton — 5-14: 13.5% Gunning — 5-14: 15.4%
15-19 3.9% / 3.7%
Dalton — 15-19: 3.9% Gunning — 15-19: 3.7%
20-24 6.5% / 3.2%
Dalton — 20-24: 6.5% Gunning — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 5.2% / 12.8%
Dalton — 25-34: 5.2% Gunning — 25-34: 12.8%
35-44 10.4% / 14.1%
Dalton — 35-44: 10.4% Gunning — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 15.2% / 13.8%
Dalton — 45-54: 15.2% Gunning — 45-54: 13.8%
55-64 14.8% / 11.8%
Dalton — 55-64: 14.8% Gunning — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 13.5% / 8.7%
Dalton — 65-74: 13.5% Gunning — 65-74: 8.7%
75-84 8.3% / 6.1%
Dalton — 75-84: 8.3% Gunning — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 2.2% / 1.6%
Dalton — 85+: 2.2% Gunning — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dalton 48.0% couple families
Dalton — Couple Families: 48.0% Dalton — Lone Person: 36.0% Dalton — One Parent Families: 16.0% Dalton — Group Household: 0.0% Dalton — Other Families: 0.0%
Gunning 52.8% couple families
Gunning — Couple Families: 52.8% Gunning — Lone Person: 30.7% Gunning — One Parent Families: 10.1% Gunning — Group Household: 3.2% Gunning — Other Families: 3.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dalton 0.0% renting
Dalton — Owned Outright: 56.8% Dalton — Mortgage: 43.2% Dalton — Renting: 0.0%
Gunning 15.2% renting
Gunning — Owned Outright: 31.0% Gunning — Mortgage: 53.8% Gunning — Renting: 15.2%
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.

Dalton Gunning
England 2.2% / 1.6%
Dalton — England: 2.2% Gunning — England: 1.6%
Ireland 2.2% / 0.5%
Dalton — Ireland: 2.2% Gunning — Ireland: 0.5%
New Zealand — / 1.8%
Dalton — New Zealand: not among its largest Gunning — New Zealand: 1.8%
Netherlands — / 0.6%
Dalton — Netherlands: not among its largest Gunning — Netherlands: 0.6%
Sri Lanka — / 0.5%
Dalton — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Gunning — Sri Lanka: 0.5%

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

Qualifications

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

Dalton Gunning
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 14.6%
Dalton — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Gunning — Certificate III & IV: 14.6%
Bachelor Degree 9.6% / 11.8%
Dalton — Bachelor Degree: 9.6% Gunning — Bachelor Degree: 11.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.5% / 8.9%
Dalton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5% Gunning — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 2.6% / 3.9%
Dalton — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6% Gunning — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.8%
Dalton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Gunning — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dalton 96.2% houses
Dalton — Houses: 96.2% Dalton — Flats / Apartments: 3.8% Dalton — Townhouses: 0.0%
Gunning 97.2% houses
Gunning — Houses: 97.2% Gunning — Flats / Apartments: 1.4% Gunning — Townhouses: 1.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dalton Gunning
Median house price $410,000 $680,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $420,000 $287,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 88 days
from 8 sales

Zoning mix

Dalton Gunning
Rural and farming 100% 98%
Infrastructure and transport 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

Dalton Gunning
New dwellings approved 44
across Upper Lachlan
same for both
Approvals change year on year +175%
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.

Dalton Gunning
Houses — 5.9%
$720/wk on $634K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dalton Gunning
House price Higher than 11% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
Income Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 81% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 14% of NSW Higher than 18% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 99% of NSW

Liveability

Gunning is more walkable (54 vs 12).

Dalton Gunning
Grade — B
Score — 52/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Gunning carries more bushfire risk (19 vs 0); Gunning carries more crime risk (59 vs 24).

Dalton Gunning
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
19/100
Crime Low
24/100
 Moderate
59/100
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

Dalton Gunning
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Dalton

  • Dalton Public School Government · Primary

Schools in Gunning

  • Gunning Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dalton Gunning
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 1 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 13 7

Mobility

Dalton sits further from the CBD (252.8 km vs 242.3 km).

Dalton Gunning
Walkability score 12/100 54/100
Distance to Sydney 252.8 km
+4% vs other
 242.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 166 min 159 min
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 2581
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 67
postcode 2581
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.

Dalton Gunning
Car (driver) 67.9% / 69.6%
Dalton — Car (driver): 67.9% Gunning — Car (driver): 69.6%
Worked from Home 21.4% / 19.5%
Dalton — Worked from Home: 21.4% Gunning — Worked from Home: 19.5%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 7.0%
Dalton — Car (passenger): 7.1% Gunning — Car (passenger): 7.0%
Walked Only 3.6% / 4.0%
Dalton — Walked Only: 3.6% Gunning — Walked Only: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.6%).

Setting

Dalton Gunning
Elevation 567 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 562 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Dalton Gunning
Connectivity score 15/100
same for both
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
45 premises
 0%
74 premises

Climate

Dalton Gunning
Annual rainfall 840 mm 658 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 27.1°C
Winter min (Jul) — 2.7°C

Council rates

Dalton Gunning
Average residential rate $636/yr
same for both
Council Upper Lachlan
same for both

Federal electorate

Dalton Gunning
Division Riverina
same for both
Member Michael Mccormack
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dalton Gunning
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dalton

Rural

Gunning

Affordable Family Quiet Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dalton

Dalton vs Lade Vale Dalton vs Jerrawa Dalton vs Blakney Creek Dalton vs Broadway Dalton vs Oolong

Other comparisons with Gunning

Gunning vs Lade Vale Gunning vs Bellmount Forest Gunning vs Oolong
Full data on Dalton Full data on Gunning
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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