Doonbah vs Evans Head

Evans Head is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 68 in Doonbah. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Doonbah, most households are people living alone. In Evans Head, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Doonbah tends to suit people living alone and older residents.

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

  • Doonbah carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 73/100)
  • Evans Head has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Evans Head

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (35% vs 40%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Doonbah has cheaper rent ($216/wk vs $321/wk)
  • Evans Head has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 5%)

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

Commuting to the city

Doonbah

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (450 min vs 455 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (695.8 km vs 700.5 km)
  • But Evans Head is more walkable (63/100 vs 16/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Doonbah carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 73/100)
  • Evans Head has more units and townhouses to downsize into (45% vs 2%)

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

Investors

Doonbah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (22.6% vs 2.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Doonbah Evans Head
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.

Doonbah Evans Head
Walkability 16 / 63
Doonbah — Walkability: 16/100 Evans Head — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 86 / 27
Doonbah — Safety: 86/100 Evans Head — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 16 / 10
Doonbah — Low fire risk: 16/100 Evans Head — Low fire risk: 10/100

Demographics

Evans Head has more residents (2,907 vs 298); Evans Head rents higher ($321/wk vs $216/wk).

Doonbah Evans Head
Population 298 2,907
+876% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +22.6% +2.1%
Median age 68 52
Median household income $45,552/yr $56,472/yr
+24% vs other
Median weekly rent $216/wk $321/wk
+49% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Doonbah Evans Head
0-4 3.0% / 4.2%
Doonbah — 0-4: 3.0% Evans Head — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 6.7% / 10.5%
Doonbah — 5-14: 6.7% Evans Head — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 1.0% / 4.1%
Doonbah — 15-19: 1.0% Evans Head — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 1.7% / 4.4%
Doonbah — 20-24: 1.7% Evans Head — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 2.3% / 8.2%
Doonbah — 25-34: 2.3% Evans Head — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 3.4% / 9.5%
Doonbah — 35-44: 3.4% Evans Head — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 12.1% / 12.2%
Doonbah — 45-54: 12.1% Evans Head — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 12.4% / 16.6%
Doonbah — 55-64: 12.4% Evans Head — 55-64: 16.6%
65-74 33.9% / 17.6%
Doonbah — 65-74: 33.9% Evans Head — 65-74: 17.6%
75-84 18.1% / 8.4%
Doonbah — 75-84: 18.1% Evans Head — 75-84: 8.4%
85+ 5.7% / 4.5%
Doonbah — 85+: 5.7% Evans Head — 85+: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (33.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Doonbah 63.2% lone person
Doonbah — Lone Person: 63.2% Doonbah — Couple Families: 22.4% Doonbah — One Parent Families: 6.6% Doonbah — Group Household: 3.9% Doonbah — Other Families: 3.9%
Evans Head 51.1% lone person
Evans Head — Lone Person: 51.1% Evans Head — Couple Families: 26.6% Evans Head — One Parent Families: 16.6% Evans Head — Group Household: 4.1% Evans Head — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Doonbah 4.6% renting
Doonbah — Owned Outright: 78.5% Doonbah — Mortgage: 16.9% Doonbah — Renting: 4.6%
Evans Head 38.9% renting
Evans Head — Owned Outright: 43.2% Evans Head — Mortgage: 17.9% Evans Head — Renting: 38.9%
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.

Doonbah Evans Head
England 6.7% / 1.6%
Doonbah — England: 6.7% Evans Head — England: 1.6%
New Zealand 3.7% / 1.0%
Doonbah — New Zealand: 3.7% Evans Head — New Zealand: 1.0%
Philippines 1.0% / 0.4%
Doonbah — Philippines: 1.0% Evans Head — Philippines: 0.4%
South Africa — / 0.4%
Doonbah — South Africa: not among its largest Evans Head — South Africa: 0.4%
Netherlands — / 0.4%
Doonbah — Netherlands: not among its largest Evans Head — Netherlands: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

Qualifications

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

Doonbah Evans Head
Certificate III & IV 14.4% / 17.5%
Doonbah — Certificate III & IV: 14.4% Evans Head — Certificate III & IV: 17.5%
Bachelor Degree 7.4% / 9.6%
Doonbah — Bachelor Degree: 7.4% Evans Head — Bachelor Degree: 9.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 7.2%
Doonbah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Evans Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 2.4%
Doonbah — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Evans Head — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / 1.2%
Doonbah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Evans Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Doonbah 97.9% houses
Doonbah — Houses: 97.9% Doonbah — Townhouses: 0.0% Doonbah — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Evans Head 55.0% houses
Evans Head — Houses: 55.0% Evans Head — Townhouses: 34.3% Evans Head — Flats / Apartments: 10.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Doonbah Evans Head
Median house price — $1,260,000
Median unit price — $750,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 33 days
from 22 sales

Zoning mix

Doonbah has more rural and farming land (72% vs 9%); Evans Head has more land zoned for conservation (78% vs 24%).

Doonbah Evans Head
Environmental 24% 78%
Rural and farming 72% 9%
Residential 1% 9%
Parks and recreation 3% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
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

Doonbah Evans Head
New dwellings approved 24
across Richmond Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -78%
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.

Doonbah Evans Head
Houses — 4.4%
$798/wk on $950K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Doonbah Evans Head
House price — Higher than 63% of NSW
Income Higher than 7% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 14% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 37% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 88% of NSW

Liveability

Evans Head is more walkable (63 vs 16).

Doonbah Evans Head
Grade — D
Score — 22/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Evans Head carries more crime risk (73 vs 14).

Doonbah Evans Head
Bushfire High
84/100
 High
90/100
Crime Low
14/100
 High
73/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Moderate
47/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Doonbah Evans Head
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Doonbah

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

Schools in Evans Head

  • Evans River Community School Government · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Doonbah Evans Head
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 0 4
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 2
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Evans Head sits further from the CBD (700.5 km vs 695.8 km).

Doonbah Evans Head
Walkability score 16/100 63/100
Distance to Sydney 695.8 km 700.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 450 min 455 min
Public transport score 25/100
Bus
 56/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 34.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2473
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 2473
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.

Doonbah Evans Head
Car (driver) 62.9% / 73.3%
Doonbah — Car (driver): 62.9% Evans Head — Car (driver): 73.3%
Worked from Home 17.1% / 14.1%
Doonbah — Worked from Home: 17.1% Evans Head — Worked from Home: 14.1%
Walked Only 12.9% / 6.0%
Doonbah — Walked Only: 12.9% Evans Head — Walked Only: 6.0%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 4.6%
Doonbah — Car (passenger): 7.1% Evans Head — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Bicycle — / 2.0%
Doonbah — Bicycle: not among its largest Evans Head — Bicycle: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.3%).

Setting

Doonbah Evans Head
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.6 km
4.6 km to a named beach
 1.1 km
1.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Doonbah Evans Head
Connectivity score 64/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
170 premises
 35%
1,918 premises

Climate

Doonbah Evans Head
Annual rainfall 1,557 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 11.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Doonbah Evans Head
Average residential rate $1,282/yr
same for both
Council Richmond Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Doonbah Evans Head
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Doonbah Evans Head
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Doonbah

Acreage Retirees

Evans Head

Beach Coastal Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Doonbah

Doonbah vs Woodburn Doonbah vs Broadwater

Other comparisons with Evans Head

Evans Head vs Woodburn Evans Head vs Broadwater
Full data on Doonbah Full data on Evans Head
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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