Dharruk vs Whalan

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 Whalan, about half of households rent. On these figures, Dharruk tends to suit couples, while Whalan 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

They split

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

  • Dharruk carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 87/100)
  • Whalan has more childcare (7 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Dharruk

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 34%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Whalan

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (54% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dharruk

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 79/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Dharruk

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 87/100)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 79/100)

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 Whalan 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 Whalan
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 Whalan
Walkability 88 / 79
Dharruk — Walkability: 88/100 Whalan — Walkability: 79/100
Safety 28 / 13
Dharruk — Safety: 28/100 Whalan — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Dharruk — Low fire risk: 100/100 Whalan — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Whalan has more residents (5,929 vs 2,806); Dharruk has higher household incomes ($76,284 vs $60,320).

Dharruk Whalan
Population 2,806 5,929
+111% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.2% -0.7%
Median age 35 34
Median household income $76,284/yr
+21% vs other
 $60,320/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+14% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dharruk Whalan
0-4 7.6% / 7.6%
Dharruk — 0-4: 7.6% Whalan — 0-4: 7.6%
5-14 15.9% / 16.8%
Dharruk — 5-14: 15.9% Whalan — 5-14: 16.8%
15-19 6.6% / 7.7%
Dharruk — 15-19: 6.6% Whalan — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.9% / 6.1%
Dharruk — 20-24: 5.9% Whalan — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 13.3% / 12.3%
Dharruk — 25-34: 13.3% Whalan — 25-34: 12.3%
35-44 12.1% / 12.4%
Dharruk — 35-44: 12.1% Whalan — 35-44: 12.4%
45-54 12.4% / 11.4%
Dharruk — 45-54: 12.4% Whalan — 45-54: 11.4%
55-64 10.8% / 10.8%
Dharruk — 55-64: 10.8% Whalan — 55-64: 10.8%
65-74 11.1% / 9.0%
Dharruk — 65-74: 11.1% Whalan — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 3.6% / 5.0%
Dharruk — 75-84: 3.6% Whalan — 75-84: 5.0%
85+ 0.8% / 1.0%
Dharruk — 85+: 0.8% Whalan — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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%
Whalan 32.8% couple families
Whalan — Couple Families: 32.8% Whalan — One Parent Families: 31.0% Whalan — Lone Person: 30.6% Whalan — Group Household: 2.8% Whalan — Other Families: 2.8%
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%
Whalan 54.3% renting
Whalan — Owned Outright: 22.7% Whalan — Mortgage: 22.9% Whalan — Renting: 54.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dharruk Whalan
Certificate III & IV 10.7% / 10.3%
Dharruk — Certificate III & IV: 10.7% Whalan — Certificate III & IV: 10.3%
Bachelor Degree 6.1% / 4.1%
Dharruk — Bachelor Degree: 6.1% Whalan — Bachelor Degree: 4.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 4.1%
Dharruk — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% Whalan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 1.5%
Dharruk — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Whalan — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.6% / 0.4%
Dharruk — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6% Whalan — 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 Whalan
New Zealand 3.1% / 3.7%
Dharruk — New Zealand: 3.1% Whalan — New Zealand: 3.7%
Philippines 2.7% / 3.5%
Dharruk — Philippines: 2.7% Whalan — Philippines: 3.5%
Fiji 3.2% / 1.8%
Dharruk — Fiji: 3.2% Whalan — Fiji: 1.8%
India 2.1% / 1.1%
Dharruk — India: 2.1% Whalan — India: 1.1%
Pakistan 2.0% / 0.9%
Dharruk — Pakistan: 2.0% Whalan — Pakistan: 0.9%
England 1.2% / 1.1%
Dharruk — England: 1.2% Whalan — England: 1.1%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dharruk 97.8% houses
Dharruk — Houses: 97.8% Dharruk — Flats / Apartments: 0.9% Dharruk — Townhouses: 1.3%
Whalan 88.6% houses
Whalan — Houses: 88.6% Whalan — Flats / Apartments: 6.0% Whalan — Townhouses: 5.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dharruk Whalan
Median house price $925,000 $920,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 10 sales
 22 days
from 31 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.

Dharruk Whalan
3 bed $913K / $895K
Dharruk — 3 bed: $913K (28 sales) Whalan — 3 bed: $895K (38 sales)

28 vs 38 sales

4 bed $878K / $920K
Dharruk — 4 bed: $878K (10 sales) Whalan — 4 bed: $920K (17 sales)

10 vs 17 sales

Zoning mix

Dharruk Whalan
Residential 76% 63%
Parks and recreation 7% 27%
Infrastructure and transport 17% 9%
Environmental 0% 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

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

Dharruk Whalan
Houses — 3.4%
$550/wk on $850K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dharruk Whalan
House price Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Income Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 2% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 52% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 38% of NSW

Liveability

Dharruk scores higher overall (49 vs 36); Dharruk is more walkable (88 vs 79).

Dharruk Whalan
Grade B C
Score 49/100 36/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Whalan carries more crime risk (87 vs 72).

Dharruk Whalan
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
72/100
 High
87/100
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
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Dharruk Whalan
Inside the suburb 2 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 8.6 km
 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 7.5 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 Whalan

  • Madang Avenue Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Whalan Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Halinda School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Dharruk Whalan
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 5 4
Childcare 3 7
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 0 1
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Dharruk Whalan
Walkability score 88/100 79/100
Distance to Sydney 45 km 44.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 43 min 44 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 77.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 119.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
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 Whalan
Car (driver) 65.6% / 62.7%
Dharruk — Car (driver): 65.6% Whalan — Car (driver): 62.7%
Worked from Home 21.5% / 20.6%
Dharruk — Worked from Home: 21.5% Whalan — Worked from Home: 20.6%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 8.1%
Dharruk — Car (passenger): 7.1% Whalan — Car (passenger): 8.1%
Train 3.8% / 5.5%
Dharruk — Train: 3.8% Whalan — Train: 5.5%
Bus 1.3% / 1.8%
Dharruk — Bus: 1.3% Whalan — Bus: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.6%).

Setting

Dharruk Whalan
Elevation 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 39.3 km 39.6 km

NBN connectivity

Dharruk Whalan
Connectivity score 81/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
920 premises
 9%
2,202 premises

Climate

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

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Dharruk Whalan
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

Whalan

Family Outer Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dharruk

Dharruk vs Mount Druitt Dharruk vs Hebersham Dharruk vs Blackett Dharruk vs Emerton

Other comparisons with Whalan

Whalan vs Mount Druitt Whalan vs North St Marys Whalan vs Tregear Whalan vs Emerton
Full data on Dharruk Full data on Whalan
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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