Daruka vs Kootingal

Kootingal is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 44 in Daruka. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Daruka, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Daruka: a median of $966,000, against $592,000 in Kootingal, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Daruka tends to suit couples, while Kootingal suits people living alone 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Daruka carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 59/100)
  • Kootingal has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Kootingal

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($592,300 vs $966,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kootingal

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 5%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $425/wk)
  • But Daruka leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 23%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Daruka sits closer to the CBD (418.6 km vs 424.9 km)
  • Kootingal is more walkable (25/100 vs 10/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Daruka carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 59/100)
  • Kootingal is more walkable (25/100 vs 10/100)

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

Investors

Kootingal

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.8% vs -1.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Daruka Kootingal
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.

Daruka Kootingal
Walkability 10 / 25
Daruka — Walkability: 10/100 Kootingal — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 82 / 41
Daruka — Safety: 82/100 Kootingal — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 86 / 68
Daruka — Low fire risk: 86/100 Kootingal — Low fire risk: 68/100

Demographics

Kootingal has more residents (2,313 vs 770); Daruka has higher household incomes ($121,004 vs $71,188).

Daruka Kootingal
Population 770 2,313
+200% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.7% +8.8%
Median age 44 38
Median household income $121,004/yr
+41% vs other
 $71,188/yr
Median weekly rent $425/wk
+25% vs other
 $320/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Daruka Kootingal
0-4 5.7% / 6.7%
Daruka — 0-4: 5.7% Kootingal — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 14.4% / 14.7%
Daruka — 5-14: 14.4% Kootingal — 5-14: 14.7%
15-19 7.7% / 6.6%
Daruka — 15-19: 7.7% Kootingal — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 3.5% / 5.6%
Daruka — 20-24: 3.5% Kootingal — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 8.3% / 12.4%
Daruka — 25-34: 8.3% Kootingal — 25-34: 12.4%
35-44 10.5% / 11.0%
Daruka — 35-44: 10.5% Kootingal — 35-44: 11.0%
45-54 17.7% / 12.7%
Daruka — 45-54: 17.7% Kootingal — 45-54: 12.7%
55-64 15.6% / 12.3%
Daruka — 55-64: 15.6% Kootingal — 55-64: 12.3%
65-74 10.4% / 11.5%
Daruka — 65-74: 10.4% Kootingal — 65-74: 11.5%
75-84 3.9% / 5.6%
Daruka — 75-84: 3.9% Kootingal — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 1.0% / 1.4%
Daruka — 85+: 1.0% Kootingal — 85+: 1.4%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Daruka 64.4% couple families
Daruka — Couple Families: 64.4% Daruka — Lone Person: 20.0% Daruka — One Parent Families: 12.5% Daruka — Group Household: 3.1% Daruka — Other Families: 0.0%
Kootingal 41.5% couple families
Kootingal — Couple Families: 41.5% Kootingal — Lone Person: 34.1% Kootingal — One Parent Families: 19.8% Kootingal — Group Household: 3.1% Kootingal — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Daruka 4.7% renting
Daruka — Owned Outright: 44.7% Daruka — Mortgage: 50.6% Daruka — Renting: 4.7%
Kootingal 26.5% renting
Kootingal — Owned Outright: 36.0% Kootingal — Mortgage: 37.4% Kootingal — Renting: 26.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Daruka Kootingal
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 21.2%
Daruka — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% Kootingal — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 13.2% / 6.1%
Daruka — Bachelor Degree: 13.2% Kootingal — Bachelor Degree: 6.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.0% / 6.2%
Daruka — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0% Kootingal — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.6% / 1.3%
Daruka — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6% Kootingal — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.3%
Daruka — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Kootingal — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

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.

Daruka Kootingal
England 1.3% / 1.0%
Daruka — England: 1.3% Kootingal — England: 1.0%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.0%
Daruka — New Zealand: 1.0% Kootingal — New Zealand: 1.0%
Sri Lanka 0.5% / —
Daruka — Sri Lanka: 0.5% Kootingal — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Germany 0.5% / —
Daruka — Germany: 0.5% Kootingal — Germany: not among its largest
India 0.4% / 0.1%
Daruka — India: 0.4% Kootingal — India: 0.1%
Netherlands — / 0.3%
Daruka — Netherlands: not among its largest Kootingal — Netherlands: 0.3%
China — / 0.2%
Daruka — China: not among its largest Kootingal — China: 0.2%
Philippines — / 0.2%
Daruka — Philippines: not among its largest Kootingal — Philippines: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Daruka 98.1% houses
Daruka — Houses: 98.1% Daruka — Townhouses: 0.0% Daruka — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Kootingal 96.1% houses
Kootingal — Houses: 96.1% Kootingal — Townhouses: 3.2% Kootingal — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Daruka Kootingal
Median house price $966,000 $592,300
Median unit price — $560,000
Median land price — $210,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 29 days
from 16 sales

Zoning mix

Kootingal has more rural and farming land (85% vs 23%); Daruka has more land zoned for conservation (28% vs 9%).

Daruka Kootingal
Rural and farming 23% 85%
Residential 45% 6%
Environmental 28% 9%
Parks and recreation 4% 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

Daruka Kootingal
New dwellings approved 390
across Tamworth
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Daruka Kootingal
Houses — 4.1%
$520/wk on $665K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Daruka Kootingal
House price Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 19% of NSW
Income Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 30% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 76% of NSW

Liveability

Kootingal is more walkable (25 vs 10); Daruka scores higher overall (59 vs 30).

Daruka Kootingal
Grade B D
Score 59/100 30/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Kootingal carries more crime risk (59 vs 18); Kootingal carries more bushfire risk (32 vs 14).

Daruka Kootingal
Bushfire Low
14/100
 Low
32/100
Crime Low
18/100
 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

Daruka Kootingal
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Daruka

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Kootingal

  • Kootingal Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Daruka Kootingal
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 6
Childcare 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 0 9

Mobility

Kootingal sits further from the CBD (424.9 km vs 418.6 km).

Daruka Kootingal
Walkability score 10/100 25/100
Distance to Sydney 418.6 km 424.9 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 309 min 308 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 35/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2340
 0.0%
postcode 2352
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2340
 51
postcode 2352

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.

Daruka Kootingal
Car (driver) 78.4% / 80.6%
Daruka — Car (driver): 78.4% Kootingal — Car (driver): 80.6%
Worked from Home 17.2% / 13.6%
Daruka — Worked from Home: 17.2% Kootingal — Worked from Home: 13.6%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 3.7%
Daruka — Car (passenger): 4.4% Kootingal — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Walked Only — / 1.7%
Daruka — Walked Only: not among its largest Kootingal — Walked Only: 1.7%
Bus — / 0.4%
Daruka — Bus: not among its largest Kootingal — Bus: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.6%).

Setting

Daruka Kootingal
Elevation 490 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 417 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Daruka Kootingal
Connectivity score 30/100 65/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
283 premises
 42%
1,123 premises

Climate

Daruka Kootingal
Annual rainfall 784 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Daruka Kootingal
PM2.5 5.8 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.35 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Daruka Kootingal
Average residential rate $1,397/yr
same for both
Council Tamworth
same for both

Federal electorate

Daruka Kootingal
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Daruka Kootingal
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Daruka

Acreage

Kootingal

Acreage Affordable Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Daruka

Daruka vs North Tamworth Daruka vs East Tamworth Daruka vs Moore Creek Daruka vs Moonbi Daruka vs Tintinhull

Other comparisons with Kootingal

Kootingal vs Moonbi Kootingal vs Nemingha Kootingal vs Tintinhull Kootingal vs Piallamore Kootingal vs Limbri Kootingal vs Mulla Creek
Full data on Daruka Full data on Kootingal
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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