Darawank vs Failford

Darawank is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 58 in Failford. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Darawank, about half of households are couple families.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Failford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($1,150,000 vs $1,469,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Darawank

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (26% vs 42%)
  • has cheaper rent ($335/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Failford

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (199 min vs 214 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (290.2 km vs 302.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Failford

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (35% vs 28%)

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

Investors

Failford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (45.0% vs 14.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Darawank Failford
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.

Darawank Failford
Walkability 0 / 20
Darawank — Walkability: 0/100 Failford — Walkability: 20/100
Safety 57 / 54
Darawank — Safety: 57/100 Failford — Safety: 54/100
Low fire risk 16 / 12
Darawank — Low fire risk: 16/100 Failford — Low fire risk: 12/100

Demographics

Failford has more residents (748 vs 451); Darawank has higher household incomes ($66,820 vs $52,260).

Darawank Failford
Population 451 748
+66% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.2% +45.0%
Median age 52 58
Median household income $66,820/yr
+22% vs other
 $52,260/yr
Median weekly rent $335/wk $420/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Darawank Failford
0-4 2.9% / 4.5%
Darawank — 0-4: 2.9% Failford — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 11.3% / 12.0%
Darawank — 5-14: 11.3% Failford — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 5.3% / 3.3%
Darawank — 15-19: 5.3% Failford — 15-19: 3.3%
20-24 4.4% / 1.2%
Darawank — 20-24: 4.4% Failford — 20-24: 1.2%
25-34 4.4% / 6.6%
Darawank — 25-34: 4.4% Failford — 25-34: 6.6%
35-44 10.4% / 8.4%
Darawank — 35-44: 10.4% Failford — 35-44: 8.4%
45-54 13.7% / 9.5%
Darawank — 45-54: 13.7% Failford — 45-54: 9.5%
55-64 20.0% / 19.5%
Darawank — 55-64: 20.0% Failford — 55-64: 19.5%
65-74 15.7% / 24.2%
Darawank — 65-74: 15.7% Failford — 65-74: 24.2%
75-84 10.0% / 9.1%
Darawank — 75-84: 10.0% Failford — 75-84: 9.1%
85+ 1.8% / 2.1%
Darawank — 85+: 1.8% Failford — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Darawank 46.7% couple families
Darawank — Couple Families: 46.7% Darawank — Lone Person: 36.2% Darawank — One Parent Families: 9.5% Darawank — Group Household: 7.6% Darawank — Other Families: 0.0%
Failford 38.2% couple families
Failford — Couple Families: 38.2% Failford — Lone Person: 43.9% Failford — One Parent Families: 12.7% Failford — Group Household: 3.2% Failford — Other Families: 1.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Darawank 13.5% renting
Darawank — Owned Outright: 54.1% Darawank — Mortgage: 32.4% Darawank — Renting: 13.5%
Failford 5.8% renting
Failford — Owned Outright: 69.9% Failford — Mortgage: 24.3% Failford — Renting: 5.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Darawank Failford
Certificate III & IV 20.4% / 23.4%
Darawank — Certificate III & IV: 20.4% Failford — Certificate III & IV: 23.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 7.8%
Darawank — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Failford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.4% / 6.6%
Darawank — Bachelor Degree: 8.4% Failford — Bachelor Degree: 6.6%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 1.2%
Darawank — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Failford — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.5%
Darawank — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Failford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.4%).

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.

Darawank Failford
England 2.9% / 4.0%
Darawank — England: 2.9% Failford — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.1%
Darawank — New Zealand: 1.1% Failford — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa 1.1% / —
Darawank — South Africa: 1.1% Failford — South Africa: not among its largest
Fiji 1.1% / —
Darawank — Fiji: 1.1% Failford — Fiji: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.4%
Darawank — Philippines: not among its largest Failford — Philippines: 0.4%
Iraq — / 0.4%
Darawank — Iraq: not among its largest Failford — Iraq: 0.4%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Darawank 79.7% houses
Darawank — Houses: 79.7% Darawank — Flats / Apartments: 20.3%
Failford 71.7% houses
Failford — Houses: 71.7% Failford — Flats / Apartments: 28.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Darawank Failford
Median house price $1,150,000 $1,230,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,469,000 $1,150,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 38 days
from 4 sales
 97 days
from 7 sales

Zoning mix

Darawank has more land zoned for conservation (60% vs 15%); Failford has more rural and farming land (61% vs 25%).

Darawank Failford
Rural and farming 25% 61%
Environmental 60% 15%
Residential 7% 23%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 2%
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

Darawank Failford
New dwellings approved 743
across Mid-Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +327%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Darawank Failford
House price Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Income Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 23% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW

Liveability

Failford is more walkable (20 vs 0).

Darawank Failford
Grade — D
Score — 20/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Darawank Failford
Bushfire High
84/100
 High
88/100
Crime Moderate
43/100
 Moderate
46/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
18/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Darawank Failford
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Darawank Failford
Parks & reserves 2 0
Waterways 7 1

Mobility

Darawank sits further from the CBD (302.2 km vs 290.2 km).

Darawank Failford
Walkability score 0/100 20/100
Distance to Sydney 302.2 km
+4% vs other
 290.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 214 min 199 min
Public transport score 30/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 9.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2428
 0.4%
postcode 2430
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2428
 54
postcode 2430

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.

Darawank Failford
Car (driver) 74.8% / 73.4%
Darawank — Car (driver): 74.8% Failford — Car (driver): 73.4%
Worked from Home 17.9% / 16.7%
Darawank — Worked from Home: 17.9% Failford — Worked from Home: 16.7%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 7.8%
Darawank — Car (passenger): 5.3% Failford — Car (passenger): 7.8%
Walked Only 2.0% / 2.1%
Darawank — Walked Only: 2.0% Failford — Walked Only: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.8%).

Setting

Darawank Failford
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.0 km
2.9 km to a named beach
 7.3 km

NBN connectivity

Darawank Failford
Connectivity score 33/100 51/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
178 premises
 18%
354 premises

Climate

Darawank Failford
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Darawank Failford
Average residential rate $1,560/yr
same for both
Council Mid-Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Darawank Failford
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Darawank Failford
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Darawank

Coastal Retirees Rural

Failford

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Darawank

Darawank vs Tuncurry Darawank vs Nabiac Darawank vs Black Head Darawank vs Rainbow Flat Darawank vs Hallidays Point

Other comparisons with Failford

Failford vs Nabiac Failford vs Rainbow Flat Failford vs Possum Brush
Full data on Darawank Full data on Failford
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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