Downside vs Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University is the younger of the two, with a median age of 20 against 46 in Downside. In Downside, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Charles Sturt University tends to suit young adults.
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
Charles Sturt University
ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here
- has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
- carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 77/100)
Weighs schools, crime, parks, and childcare.
Renters
Downside
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- has cheaper rent ($185/wk vs $315/wk)
Weighs rent and rental stress.
Commuting to the city
Charles Sturt University
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- is more walkable (35/100 vs 8/100)
- sits closer to the CBD (463.6 km vs 470.8 km)
Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.
Downsizers and retirees
Charles Sturt University
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- is more walkable (35/100 vs 8/100)
- carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 77/100)
Weighs GPs, walkability, and crime.
Investors
Charles Sturt University
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- is growing faster (27.4% vs 0.0%)
Weighs population growth.
Where they sit
Downside and Charles Sturt University drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.
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.
Demographics
Charles Sturt University has more residents (433 vs 124); Downside skews older (46 vs 20).
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 124 | 433 +249% vs other |
| Population trend (2016 → 2021) | +0.0% | +27.4% |
| Median age | 46 | 20 |
| Median household income | $134,316/yr | $143,000/yr +6% vs other |
| Median weekly rent | $185/wk | $315/wk +70% vs other |
Age profile
Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.2%).
Qualifications
Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).
Property market
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $2,500,000 | — |
| Median unit price | — same for both | |
| Median land price | — same for both | |
Zoning mix
Downside has more rural and farming land (99% vs 2%).
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Rural and farming | 99% | 2% |
| Infrastructure and transport | 1% | 96% |
| Residential | 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
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings approved | 548 across Wagga Wagga same for both | |
| Approvals change year on year | +139% same for both | |
Ranking within NSW
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| House price | Higher than 90% of NSW | — |
| Income | Higher than 90% of NSW | Higher than 93% of NSW |
| Schools | — same for both | |
| Walkability | Higher than 52% of NSW | Higher than 77% of NSW |
| Affordability | Higher than 20% of NSW | — |
| EV adoption | Higher than 38% of NSW | — |
| NBN connectivity | Higher than 52% of NSW | Higher than 76% of NSW |
Liveability
Charles Sturt University is more walkable (35 vs 8).
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | — same for both | |
| Score | — same for both | |
| Socio-economic band | very advantaged area decile 10/10 | — |
Risk profile
Downside carries more crime risk (77 vs 65).
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushfire | Low 18/100 | Low 21/100 |
| Crime | High 77/100 | Moderate 65/100 |
| 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 | 4 within 5 km |
Schools
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the suburb | 0 | 2 |
| Rated above peers | 0 same for both | |
| Rated at peers | 0 same for both | |
| Rated below peers | 0 | 1 |
Schools in Downside
No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.
Schools in Charles Sturt University
- Estella Public School Government · Primary below peers
- Aspect Riverina School, Wagga Campus Independent · Combined · Special school
Amenities in the suburb
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Parks & reserves | 0 | 1 |
| Childcare | 0 | 1 |
| Banks & Bank@Post | 0 | 1 |
| Waterways | 5 | 0 |
Mobility
Downside sits further from the CBD (470.8 km vs 463.6 km).
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability score | 8/100 | 35/100 |
| Distance to Sydney | 470.8 km +2% vs other | 463.6 km |
| Drive time (normal traffic) | 299 min | 298 min |
| Electric vehicle share | 0.4% postcode 2650 | — |
| Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings | 45 postcode 2650 | — |
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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (93.5%).
Setting
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 204 m above sea level, at the suburb centre | 280 m above sea level, at the suburb centre |
NBN connectivity
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity score | 30/100 | 69/100 |
| Most common technology | Fixed wireless | Fibre to the building |
| Full-fibre (FTTP) share | 0% 49 premises | 17% 92 premises |
Climate
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rainfall | 565 mm same for both | |
| Summer max (Jan) | 31.8°C same for both | |
| Winter min (Jul) | 3.4°C same for both | |
Air quality (annual mean)
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 7.7 µg/m³ same for both | |
| PM10 | 23.1 µg/m³ same for both | |
| NO₂ | — same for both | |
Council rates
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | $1,254/yr same for both | |
| Council | Wagga Wagga same for both | |
Federal electorate
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Riverina same for both | |
| Member | Michael Mccormack same for both | |
| Party | The Nationals same for both | |
First Home Owner Grant
| Downside | Charles Sturt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant amount | $10,000 same for both | |
| Property price cap | $600,000 same for both | |
| Eligibility | New same for both | |
Tags
More comparisons
Other comparisons with Downside
Other comparisons with Charles Sturt University
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.