Dharruk vs Emerton

Emerton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 35 in Dharruk. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dharruk, most households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Emerton, most households rent. On these figures, Dharruk tends to suit couples, while Emerton suits renters.

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

Dharruk

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 97/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 78%)

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

Emerton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (56% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $350/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

They split

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

  • Dharruk carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 97/100)
  • Emerton has more units and townhouses to downsize into (22% vs 2%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dharruk Emerton
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.

Dharruk Emerton
Walkability 88 / 81
Dharruk — Walkability: 88/100 Emerton — Walkability: 81/100
Safety 28 / 3
Dharruk — Safety: 28/100 Emerton — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Dharruk — Low fire risk: 100/100 Emerton — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Dharruk has higher household incomes ($76,284 vs $64,376); Dharruk skews older (35 vs 32).

Dharruk Emerton
Population 2,806
+18% vs other
 2,295
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.2% +1.9%
Median age 35 32
Median household income $76,284/yr
+16% vs other
 $64,376/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+9% vs other
 $320/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dharruk Emerton
0-4 7.6% / 7.8%
Dharruk — 0-4: 7.6% Emerton — 0-4: 7.8%
5-14 15.9% / 17.5%
Dharruk — 5-14: 15.9% Emerton — 5-14: 17.5%
15-19 6.6% / 6.9%
Dharruk — 15-19: 6.6% Emerton — 15-19: 6.9%
20-24 5.9% / 7.4%
Dharruk — 20-24: 5.9% Emerton — 20-24: 7.4%
25-34 13.3% / 14.5%
Dharruk — 25-34: 13.3% Emerton — 25-34: 14.5%
35-44 12.1% / 10.2%
Dharruk — 35-44: 12.1% Emerton — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 12.4% / 11.7%
Dharruk — 45-54: 12.4% Emerton — 45-54: 11.7%
55-64 10.8% / 10.7%
Dharruk — 55-64: 10.8% Emerton — 55-64: 10.7%
65-74 11.1% / 7.8%
Dharruk — 65-74: 11.1% Emerton — 65-74: 7.8%
75-84 3.6% / 5.1%
Dharruk — 75-84: 3.6% Emerton — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 0.8% / 0.9%
Dharruk — 85+: 0.8% Emerton — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dharruk 47.2% couple families
Dharruk — Couple Families: 47.2% Dharruk — One Parent Families: 24.2% Dharruk — Lone Person: 22.8% Dharruk — Group Household: 3.1% Dharruk — Other Families: 2.7%
Emerton 34.0% couple families
Emerton — Couple Families: 34.0% Emerton — One Parent Families: 31.3% Emerton — Lone Person: 27.2% Emerton — Group Household: 4.5% Emerton — Other Families: 3.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dharruk 32.8% renting
Dharruk — Owned Outright: 29.7% Dharruk — Mortgage: 37.5% Dharruk — Renting: 32.8%
Emerton 55.8% renting
Emerton — Owned Outright: 19.8% Emerton — Mortgage: 24.4% Emerton — Renting: 55.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dharruk Emerton
Certificate III & IV 10.7% / 10.1%
Dharruk — Certificate III & IV: 10.7% Emerton — Certificate III & IV: 10.1%
Bachelor Degree 6.1% / 4.2%
Dharruk — Bachelor Degree: 6.1% Emerton — Bachelor Degree: 4.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 3.7%
Dharruk — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% Emerton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 1.0%
Dharruk — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Emerton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.6% / 0.4%
Dharruk — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6% Emerton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.7%).

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.

Dharruk Emerton
New Zealand 3.1% / 6.0%
Dharruk — New Zealand: 3.1% Emerton — New Zealand: 6.0%
Philippines 2.7% / 4.9%
Dharruk — Philippines: 2.7% Emerton — Philippines: 4.9%
Fiji 3.2% / 1.2%
Dharruk — Fiji: 3.2% Emerton — Fiji: 1.2%
India 2.1% / 0.8%
Dharruk — India: 2.1% Emerton — India: 0.8%
England 1.2% / 1.6%
Dharruk — England: 1.2% Emerton — England: 1.6%
Pakistan 2.0% / —
Dharruk — Pakistan: 2.0% Emerton — Pakistan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dharruk 97.8% houses
Dharruk — Houses: 97.8% Dharruk — Townhouses: 1.3% Dharruk — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Emerton 78.5% houses
Emerton — Houses: 78.5% Emerton — Townhouses: 16.2% Emerton — Flats / Apartments: 5.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Dharruk Emerton
Median house price $925,000 $894,444
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 10 sales
 21 days
from 10 sales

Zoning mix

Dharruk Emerton
Residential 76% 62%
Parks and recreation 7% 19%
Infrastructure and transport 17% 14%
Commercial 0% 5%
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

Dharruk Emerton
New dwellings approved 2,325
across Blacktown
same for both
Approvals change year on year -18%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dharruk Emerton
House price Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
Income Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 52% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 32% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW

Liveability

Dharruk scores higher overall (49 vs 39).

Dharruk Emerton
Grade B C
Score 49/100 39/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Emerton carries more crime risk (97 vs 72).

Dharruk Emerton
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
72/100
 High
97/100
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 7
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Dharruk Emerton
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 2
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 8.6 km
 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 7.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.5% 1.2%

Schools in Dharruk

  • Chifley College Mount Druitt Campus Government · Secondary below peers
  • Dawson Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Emerton

  • Emerton Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Holy Family Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dharruk Emerton
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 7
Parks & reserves 5 2
Childcare 3 2
GPs 1 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Dharruk Emerton
Walkability score 88/100 81/100
Distance to Sydney 45 km 46.6 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 43 min 46 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 77.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 54.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2770
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 2770
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.

Dharruk Emerton
Car (driver) 65.6% / 66.0%
Dharruk — Car (driver): 65.6% Emerton — Car (driver): 66.0%
Worked from Home 21.5% / 17.7%
Dharruk — Worked from Home: 21.5% Emerton — Worked from Home: 17.7%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 9.2%
Dharruk — Car (passenger): 7.1% Emerton — Car (passenger): 9.2%
Train 3.8% / 5.2%
Dharruk — Train: 3.8% Emerton — Train: 5.2%
Bus 1.3% / 1.3%
Dharruk — Bus: 1.3% Emerton — Bus: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.0%).

Setting

Dharruk Emerton
Elevation 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 50 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 39.3 km 40.2 km

NBN connectivity

Dharruk Emerton
Connectivity score 81/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
920 premises
 0%
901 premises

Climate

Dharruk Emerton
Annual rainfall 932 mm 822 mm
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Dharruk Emerton
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.55 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Dharruk Emerton
Average residential rate $1,157/yr
same for both
Council Blacktown
same for both

Federal electorate

Dharruk Emerton
Division Chifley
same for both
Member Ed Husic
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dharruk Emerton
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dharruk

Family Multicultural Outer Parks

Emerton

Family Outer Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dharruk

Dharruk vs Mount Druitt Dharruk vs Whalan Dharruk vs Hebersham Dharruk vs Blackett

Other comparisons with Emerton

Emerton vs Whalan Emerton vs Lethbridge Park Emerton vs Tregear Emerton vs Blackett
Full data on Dharruk Full data on Emerton
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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