Darlington vs Dunolly

Darlington is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 42 in Dunolly. In Darlington, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Dunolly, most households rent, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. On these figures, Darlington tends to suit young adults and families with children, while Dunolly suits renters and people living alone.

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

Darlington

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (53% vs 32%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (72% vs 54%)

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

First-home buyers

Darlington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 41%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Dunolly

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (58% vs 29%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $333/wk)
  • But Darlington leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 32%)

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

Commuting to the city

Darlington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (79/100 vs 62/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Darlington

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 10%)
  • is more walkable (79/100 vs 62/100)
  • But Dunolly has more units and townhouses to downsize into (46% vs 28%)

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

Where they sit

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

Darlington Dunolly
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.

Darlington Dunolly
Walkability 79 / 62
Darlington — Walkability: 79/100 Dunolly — Walkability: 62/100
Low fire risk 100 / 69
Darlington — Low fire risk: 100/100 Dunolly — Low fire risk: 69/100

Demographics

Darlington has more residents (378 vs 136); Darlington has higher household incomes ($92,872 vs $48,516).

Darlington Dunolly
Population 378
+64% vs other
 136
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +52.8%
Median age 35 42
Median household income $92,872/yr
+48% vs other
 $48,516/yr
Median weekly rent $333/wk
+10% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Darlington Dunolly
0-4 6.3% / 2.2%
Darlington — 0-4: 6.3% Dunolly — 0-4: 2.2%
5-14 13.5% / 10.3%
Darlington — 5-14: 13.5% Dunolly — 5-14: 10.3%
15-19 2.6% / 8.8%
Darlington — 15-19: 2.6% Dunolly — 15-19: 8.8%
20-24 8.5% / 3.7%
Darlington — 20-24: 8.5% Dunolly — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 17.7% / 11.0%
Darlington — 25-34: 17.7% Dunolly — 25-34: 11.0%
35-44 9.5% / 13.2%
Darlington — 35-44: 9.5% Dunolly — 35-44: 13.2%
45-54 12.4% / 14.7%
Darlington — 45-54: 12.4% Dunolly — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 11.6% / 14.7%
Darlington — 55-64: 11.6% Dunolly — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 9.0% / 5.9%
Darlington — 65-74: 9.0% Dunolly — 65-74: 5.9%
75-84 4.2% / 4.4%
Darlington — 75-84: 4.2% Dunolly — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 3.4% / —
Darlington — 85+: 3.4% Dunolly — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Darlington 39.0% lone person
Darlington — Lone Person: 39.0% Darlington — Couple Families: 32.2% Darlington — One Parent Families: 21.2% Darlington — Other Families: 0.0% Darlington — Group Household: 7.6%
Dunolly 60.5% lone person
Dunolly — Lone Person: 60.5% Dunolly — Couple Families: 15.8% Dunolly — One Parent Families: 15.8% Dunolly — Other Families: 7.9% Dunolly — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Darlington 28.8% renting
Darlington — Owned Outright: 29.5% Darlington — Mortgage: 41.7% Darlington — Renting: 28.8%
Dunolly 57.7% renting
Dunolly — Owned Outright: 21.2% Dunolly — Mortgage: 21.2% Dunolly — Renting: 57.7%
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.

Darlington Dunolly
New Zealand 1.3% / 3.7%
Darlington — New Zealand: 1.3% Dunolly — New Zealand: 3.7%
Philippines 2.6% / —
Darlington — Philippines: 2.6% Dunolly — Philippines: not among its largest
China 0.8% / —
Darlington — China: 0.8% Dunolly — China: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.8% / —
Darlington — Vietnam: 0.8% Dunolly — Vietnam: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

Qualifications

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

Darlington Dunolly
Certificate III & IV 23.0% / 17.6%
Darlington — Certificate III & IV: 23.0% Dunolly — Certificate III & IV: 17.6%
Bachelor Degree 7.4% / 2.2%
Darlington — Bachelor Degree: 7.4% Dunolly — Bachelor Degree: 2.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / —
Darlington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Dunolly — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / —
Darlington — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Dunolly — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Darlington 71.8% houses
Darlington — Houses: 71.8% Darlington — Flats / Apartments: 3.7% Darlington — Townhouses: 24.5%
Dunolly 54.2% houses
Dunolly — Houses: 54.2% Dunolly — Flats / Apartments: 45.8% Dunolly — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Darlington Dunolly
Median house price $720,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Dunolly has more rural and farming land (88% vs 8%).

Darlington Dunolly
Rural and farming 8% 88%
Residential 60% 0%
Parks and recreation 27% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 4%
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

Darlington Dunolly
New dwellings approved 121
across Singleton
same for both
Approvals change year on year +46%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Darlington Dunolly
House price Higher than 79% of NSW —
Income Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 22% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 26% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW

Liveability

Darlington is more walkable (79 vs 62).

Darlington Dunolly
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Dunolly carries more bushfire risk (31 vs 0).

Darlington Dunolly
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
31/100
Crime — High
92/100
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 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Darlington Dunolly
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Darlington Dunolly
Parks & reserves 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Darlington Dunolly
Walkability score 79/100 62/100
Distance to Sydney 203.9 km 202.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 144 min 142 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2330
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2330
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.

Darlington Dunolly
Car (driver) 85.4% / 83.8%
Darlington — Car (driver): 85.4% Dunolly — Car (driver): 83.8%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 16.2%
Darlington — Car (passenger): 3.2% Dunolly — Car (passenger): 16.2%
Worked from Home 11.5% / —
Darlington — Worked from Home: 11.5% Dunolly — Worked from Home: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.4%).

Setting

Darlington Dunolly
Elevation 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 39 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Darlington Dunolly
Connectivity score 62/100 59/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
186 premises
 27%
60 premises

Climate

Darlington Dunolly
Annual rainfall 804 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Darlington Dunolly
PM2.5 6.7 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Darlington Dunolly
Average residential rate $1,287/yr
same for both
Council Singleton
same for both

Federal electorate

Darlington Dunolly
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Darlington Dunolly
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Darlington

Parks Quiet Townhouses

Dunolly

Parks Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Darlington

Darlington vs Singleton Darlington vs Singleton Heights Darlington vs Gowrie Darlington vs Glenridding Darlington vs McDougalls Hill

Other comparisons with Dunolly

Dunolly vs Singleton Dunolly vs Singleton Heights Dunolly vs Hunterview
Full data on Darlington Full data on Dunolly
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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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