Dapto vs Koonawarra

Koonawarra is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 39 in Dapto. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses.

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

Dapto

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (15 vs 2)
  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Koonawarra

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (42% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dapto

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dapto Koonawarra
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.

Dapto Koonawarra
Walkability 59 / 59
Dapto — Walkability: 59/100 Koonawarra — Walkability: 59/100
Safety 25 / 25
Dapto — Safety: 25/100 Koonawarra — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Dapto — Low fire risk: 100/100 Koonawarra — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Dapto has more residents (10,954 vs 3,732); Dapto has higher household incomes ($76,700 vs $65,416).

Dapto Koonawarra
Population 10,954
+66% vs other
 3,732
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.1% +1.8%
Median age 39 36
Median household income $76,700/yr
+15% vs other
 $65,416/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+12% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dapto Koonawarra
0-4 6.1% / 6.2%
Dapto — 0-4: 6.1% Koonawarra — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 12.1% / 14.4%
Dapto — 5-14: 12.1% Koonawarra — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 6.4% / 6.5%
Dapto — 15-19: 6.4% Koonawarra — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 6.5% / 7.2%
Dapto — 20-24: 6.5% Koonawarra — 20-24: 7.2%
25-34 13.4% / 13.7%
Dapto — 25-34: 13.4% Koonawarra — 25-34: 13.7%
35-44 12.1% / 11.8%
Dapto — 35-44: 12.1% Koonawarra — 35-44: 11.8%
45-54 12.2% / 12.1%
Dapto — 45-54: 12.2% Koonawarra — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 11.1% / 11.6%
Dapto — 55-64: 11.1% Koonawarra — 55-64: 11.6%
65-74 10.0% / 9.5%
Dapto — 65-74: 10.0% Koonawarra — 65-74: 9.5%
75-84 7.3% / 5.5%
Dapto — 75-84: 7.3% Koonawarra — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 2.8% / 1.3%
Dapto — 85+: 2.8% Koonawarra — 85+: 1.3%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dapto 40.9% couple families
Dapto — Couple Families: 40.9% Dapto — Lone Person: 33.6% Dapto — One Parent Families: 20.4% Dapto — Group Household: 3.3% Dapto — Other Families: 1.7%
Koonawarra 34.6% couple families
Koonawarra — Couple Families: 34.6% Koonawarra — Lone Person: 29.2% Koonawarra — One Parent Families: 30.2% Koonawarra — Group Household: 3.6% Koonawarra — Other Families: 2.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dapto 25.4% renting
Dapto — Owned Outright: 35.6% Dapto — Mortgage: 39.0% Dapto — Renting: 25.4%
Koonawarra 42.2% renting
Koonawarra — Owned Outright: 27.1% Koonawarra — Mortgage: 30.7% Koonawarra — Renting: 42.2%
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.

Dapto Koonawarra
England 5.3% / 5.9%
Dapto — England: 5.3% Koonawarra — England: 5.9%
Scotland 0.8% / 1.1%
Dapto — Scotland: 0.8% Koonawarra — Scotland: 1.1%
New Zealand 1.0% / 0.8%
Dapto — New Zealand: 1.0% Koonawarra — New Zealand: 0.8%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.8%
Dapto — Philippines: 0.7% Koonawarra — Philippines: 0.8%
Germany 0.5% / 0.4%
Dapto — Germany: 0.5% Koonawarra — Germany: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

Qualifications

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

Dapto Koonawarra
Certificate III & IV 21.1% / 18.9%
Dapto — Certificate III & IV: 21.1% Koonawarra — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 5.2%
Dapto — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Koonawarra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Bachelor Degree 6.3% / 4.2%
Dapto — Bachelor Degree: 6.3% Koonawarra — Bachelor Degree: 4.2%
Postgraduate Degree 1.8% / 1.2%
Dapto — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8% Koonawarra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 0.5%
Dapto — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Koonawarra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dapto 84.7% houses
Dapto — Houses: 84.7% Dapto — Townhouses: 12.8% Dapto — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Koonawarra 93.5% houses
Koonawarra — Houses: 93.5% Koonawarra — Townhouses: 4.6% Koonawarra — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Dapto Koonawarra
Median house price $858,500 $805,000
Median unit price $690,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 90 sales
 20 days
from 14 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Dapto Koonawarra
3 bed $843K / $782K
Dapto — 3 bed: $843K (101 sales) Koonawarra — 3 bed: $782K (44 sales)

101 vs 44 sales

4 bed $940K / $865K
Dapto — 4 bed: $940K (53 sales) Koonawarra — 4 bed: $865K (18 sales)

53 vs 18 sales

Zoning mix

Dapto Koonawarra
Residential 56% 66%
Parks and recreation 8% 19%
Environmental 15% 14%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 0%
Industrial 5% 0%
Commercial 2% 0%
Rural and farming 2% 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

Dapto Koonawarra
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
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.

Dapto Koonawarra
Houses 3.9%
$655/wk on $882K
 4.1%
$665/wk on $845K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dapto Koonawarra
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Income Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
Schools Higher than 57% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 84% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 67% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 100% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW

Liveability

Dapto scores higher overall (48 vs 40).

Dapto Koonawarra
Grade C
same for both
Score 48/100 40/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Dapto Koonawarra
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
75/100
same for both
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 6
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Dapto Koonawarra
Inside the suburb 4 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Dapto

  • Lakelands Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Dapto High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Mount Brown Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St John's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Koonawarra

  • Koonawarra Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dapto Koonawarra
Supermarkets 5 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 6 1
Childcare 15 2
GPs 6 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 1 3

Mobility

Dapto Koonawarra
Walkability score 59/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 97.3 km 97.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 88 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 219.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 53.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2530
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2530
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.

Dapto Koonawarra
Car (driver) 72.8% / 75.2%
Dapto — Car (driver): 72.8% Koonawarra — Car (driver): 75.2%
Worked from Home 18.9% / 14.4%
Dapto — Worked from Home: 18.9% Koonawarra — Worked from Home: 14.4%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 6.1%
Dapto — Car (passenger): 4.4% Koonawarra — Car (passenger): 6.1%
Bus 0.7% / 2.5%
Dapto — Bus: 0.7% Koonawarra — Bus: 2.5%
Train 1.3% / 1.2%
Dapto — Train: 1.3% Koonawarra — Train: 1.2%
Walked Only 1.6% / 0.6%
Dapto — Walked Only: 1.6% Koonawarra — Walked Only: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.2%).

Setting

Dapto Koonawarra
Elevation 38 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.6 km 6.4 km

NBN connectivity

Dapto Koonawarra
Connectivity score 100/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
5,237 premises
 100%
1,488 premises

Climate

Dapto Koonawarra
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Dapto Koonawarra
PM2.5 5.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.45 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Dapto Koonawarra
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Dapto Koonawarra
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dapto Koonawarra
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dapto

Regional Centre

Koonawarra

Large Blocks River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dapto

Dapto vs Horsley Dapto vs Kanahooka Dapto vs Avondale Dapto vs Kembla Grange Dapto vs Brownsville Dapto vs Yallah

Other comparisons with Koonawarra

Koonawarra vs Kanahooka Koonawarra vs Yallah
Full data on Dapto Full data on Koonawarra
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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