Dorrigo vs North Dorrigo

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dorrigo, most households are people living alone. In North Dorrigo, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in North Dorrigo: a median of $842,000, against $630,000 in Dorrigo. On these figures, Dorrigo tends to suit 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

Dorrigo

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • But North Dorrigo carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 70/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Dorrigo has cheaper houses ($630,000 vs $842,500)
  • North Dorrigo has cheaper land ($15,000 vs $262,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dorrigo

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 11%)

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

Commuting to the city

Dorrigo

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (374 min vs 385 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (547.4 km vs 554.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dorrigo

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • But North Dorrigo carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 70/100)

Weighs 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

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

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
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.

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Walkability 21 / 0
Dorrigo — Walkability: 21/100 North Dorrigo — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 30 / 71
Dorrigo — Safety: 30/100 North Dorrigo — Safety: 71/100
Low fire risk 100 / 83
Dorrigo — Low fire risk: 100/100 North Dorrigo — Low fire risk: 83/100

Demographics

Dorrigo has more residents (1,214 vs 186); North Dorrigo skews older (58 vs 56).

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Population 1,214
+85% vs other
 186
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.9% -1.6%
Median age 56 58
Median household income $48,100/yr $48,516/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
0-4 4.5% / 2.2%
Dorrigo — 0-4: 4.5% North Dorrigo — 0-4: 2.2%
5-14 10.0% / 12.4%
Dorrigo — 5-14: 10.0% North Dorrigo — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 4.3% / 2.7%
Dorrigo — 15-19: 4.3% North Dorrigo — 15-19: 2.7%
20-24 2.5% / 3.8%
Dorrigo — 20-24: 2.5% North Dorrigo — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 7.2% / 5.4%
Dorrigo — 25-34: 7.2% North Dorrigo — 25-34: 5.4%
35-44 7.4% / 10.2%
Dorrigo — 35-44: 7.4% North Dorrigo — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 11.6% / 10.8%
Dorrigo — 45-54: 11.6% North Dorrigo — 45-54: 10.8%
55-64 16.9% / 19.4%
Dorrigo — 55-64: 16.9% North Dorrigo — 55-64: 19.4%
65-74 16.6% / 25.3%
Dorrigo — 65-74: 16.6% North Dorrigo — 65-74: 25.3%
75-84 13.1% / 9.1%
Dorrigo — 75-84: 13.1% North Dorrigo — 75-84: 9.1%
85+ 5.0% / 1.6%
Dorrigo — 85+: 5.0% North Dorrigo — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dorrigo 57.2% lone person
Dorrigo — Lone Person: 57.2% Dorrigo — Couple Families: 23.3% Dorrigo — One Parent Families: 16.0% Dorrigo — Group Household: 2.7% Dorrigo — Other Families: 0.8%
North Dorrigo 48.8% lone person
North Dorrigo — Lone Person: 48.8% North Dorrigo — Couple Families: 20.9% North Dorrigo — One Parent Families: 20.9% North Dorrigo — Group Household: 9.3% North Dorrigo — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dorrigo 21.8% renting
Dorrigo — Owned Outright: 56.9% Dorrigo — Mortgage: 21.3% Dorrigo — Renting: 21.8%
North Dorrigo 11.4% renting
North Dorrigo — Owned Outright: 64.3% North Dorrigo — Mortgage: 24.3% North Dorrigo — Renting: 11.4%
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.

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
England 4.7% / 2.2%
Dorrigo — England: 4.7% North Dorrigo — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 1.3% / —
Dorrigo — New Zealand: 1.3% North Dorrigo — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 1.2% / —
Dorrigo — Germany: 1.2% North Dorrigo — Germany: not among its largest
South Africa 0.7% / —
Dorrigo — South Africa: 0.7% North Dorrigo — South Africa: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / —
Dorrigo — Philippines: 0.5% North Dorrigo — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

Qualifications

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

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Certificate III & IV 18.0% / 15.1%
Dorrigo — Certificate III & IV: 18.0% North Dorrigo — Certificate III & IV: 15.1%
Bachelor Degree 8.2% / 9.7%
Dorrigo — Bachelor Degree: 8.2% North Dorrigo — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 5.4%
Dorrigo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% North Dorrigo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.6% / 2.2%
Dorrigo — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6% North Dorrigo — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / —
Dorrigo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% North Dorrigo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dorrigo 93.4% houses
Dorrigo — Houses: 93.4% Dorrigo — Flats / Apartments: 3.7% Dorrigo — Townhouses: 2.9%
North Dorrigo 100.0% houses
North Dorrigo — Houses: 100.0% North Dorrigo — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% North Dorrigo — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Median house price $630,000 $842,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $262,500 $15,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 17 sales
 —

Zoning mix

North Dorrigo has more rural and farming land (100% vs 89%).

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Rural and farming 89% 100%
Residential 7% 0%
Environmental 1% 0%
Parks and recreation 1% 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

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
New dwellings approved 40
across Bellingen
same for both
Approvals change year on year +12%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
House price Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Income Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
Schools Higher than 71% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 37% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW

Liveability

Dorrigo is more walkable (21 vs 0).

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Grade C —
Score 44/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

North Dorrigo carries more bushfire risk (17 vs 0); Dorrigo carries more crime risk (70 vs 29).

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
17/100
Crime High
70/100
 Low
29/100
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

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Dorrigo

  • Dorrigo Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Mount St John Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Dorrigo High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in North Dorrigo

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

Amenities in the suburb

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 0
Parks & reserves 8 1
Childcare 1 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 14 1

Mobility

North Dorrigo sits further from the CBD (554.6 km vs 547.4 km).

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Walkability score 21/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 547.4 km 554.6 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 374 min 385 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2453
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 2453
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.

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Car (driver) 67.2% / 53.1%
Dorrigo — Car (driver): 67.2% North Dorrigo — Car (driver): 53.1%
Worked from Home 16.9% / 42.2%
Dorrigo — Worked from Home: 16.9% North Dorrigo — Worked from Home: 42.2%
Walked Only 8.1% / 4.7%
Dorrigo — Walked Only: 8.1% North Dorrigo — Walked Only: 4.7%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / —
Dorrigo — Car (passenger): 6.2% North Dorrigo — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 1.6% / —
Dorrigo — Bicycle: 1.6% North Dorrigo — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.2%).

Setting

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Elevation 744 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 718 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 37.2 km 41.2 km

NBN connectivity

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Connectivity score 71/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
813 premises
 0%
106 premises

Climate

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Annual rainfall 1,827 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Average residential rate $1,592/yr
same for both
Council Bellingen
same for both

Federal electorate

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dorrigo North Dorrigo
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dorrigo

Acreage Affordable Retirees River

North Dorrigo

Retirees Rural

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Other comparisons with North Dorrigo

North Dorrigo vs Bostobrick
Full data on Dorrigo Full data on North Dorrigo
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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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