Downside vs North Wagga Wagga

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Downside, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Downside: a median of $2.5 million, against $538,000 in North Wagga Wagga, though rent is higher in North Wagga Wagga. On these figures, Downside tends to suit couples, while North Wagga Wagga suits 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

Downside

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (77% vs 56%)
  • carries lower crime risk (77/100 vs 94/100)
  • But North Wagga Wagga has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Downside leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 21%)
  • North Wagga Wagga has cheaper houses ($537,500 vs $2,500,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Downside

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (7% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($185/wk vs $290/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

North Wagga Wagga

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (43/100 vs 8/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (286 min vs 299 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (456.2 km vs 470.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

North Wagga Wagga

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (43/100 vs 8/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 12%)
  • But Downside carries lower crime risk (77/100 vs 94/100)

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

Investors

Downside

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (0.0% vs -5.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Downside North Wagga Wagga
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.

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Walkability 8 / 43
Downside — Walkability: 8/100 North Wagga Wagga — Walkability: 43/100
Safety 23 / 6
Downside — Safety: 23/100 North Wagga Wagga — Safety: 6/100
Low fire risk 82 / 100
Downside — Low fire risk: 82/100 North Wagga Wagga — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

North Wagga Wagga has more residents (679 vs 124); Downside has higher household incomes ($134,316 vs $77,688).

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Population 124 679
+448% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.0% -5.7%
Median age 46 44
Median household income $134,316/yr
+42% vs other
 $77,688/yr
Median weekly rent $185/wk $290/wk
+57% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Downside North Wagga Wagga
0-4 5.6% / 3.8%
Downside — 0-4: 5.6% North Wagga Wagga — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 12.1% / 11.6%
Downside — 5-14: 12.1% North Wagga Wagga — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 4.8% / 9.1%
Downside — 15-19: 4.8% North Wagga Wagga — 15-19: 9.1%
20-24 9.7% / 7.8%
Downside — 20-24: 9.7% North Wagga Wagga — 20-24: 7.8%
25-34 8.1% / 7.2%
Downside — 25-34: 8.1% North Wagga Wagga — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 12.1% / 10.9%
Downside — 35-44: 12.1% North Wagga Wagga — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 17.7% / 13.1%
Downside — 45-54: 17.7% North Wagga Wagga — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 16.1% / 17.5%
Downside — 55-64: 16.1% North Wagga Wagga — 55-64: 17.5%
65-74 12.1% / 9.6%
Downside — 65-74: 12.1% North Wagga Wagga — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 — / 6.6%
Downside — 75-84: not among its largest North Wagga Wagga — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ — / 1.2%
Downside — 85+: not among its largest North Wagga Wagga — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Downside 63.6% couple families
Downside — Couple Families: 63.6% Downside — Lone Person: 22.7% Downside — One Parent Families: 13.6% Downside — Group Household: 0.0%
North Wagga Wagga 40.1% couple families
North Wagga Wagga — Couple Families: 40.1% North Wagga Wagga — Lone Person: 34.9% North Wagga Wagga — One Parent Families: 15.7% North Wagga Wagga — Group Household: 9.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Downside 21.1% renting
Downside — Owned Outright: 34.2% Downside — Mortgage: 44.7% Downside — Renting: 21.1%
North Wagga Wagga 19.6% renting
North Wagga Wagga — Owned Outright: 44.9% North Wagga Wagga — Mortgage: 35.5% North Wagga Wagga — Renting: 19.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Downside 100.0% houses
Downside — Houses: 100.0% Downside — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
North Wagga Wagga 95.5% houses
North Wagga Wagga — Houses: 95.5% North Wagga Wagga — Flats / Apartments: 4.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Certificate III & IV 15.3% / 18.1%
Downside — Certificate III & IV: 15.3% North Wagga Wagga — Certificate III & IV: 18.1%
Bachelor Degree 13.7% / 5.9%
Downside — Bachelor Degree: 13.7% North Wagga Wagga — Bachelor Degree: 5.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.6% / 5.7%
Downside — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6% North Wagga Wagga — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 1.9%
Downside — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% North Wagga Wagga — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.2%
Downside — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest North Wagga Wagga — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

Property market

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Median house price $2,500,000 $537,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 98 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Downside has more rural and farming land (99% vs 88%).

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Rural and farming 99% 88%
Environmental 0% 5%
Parks and recreation 0% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 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 North Wagga Wagga
New dwellings approved 548
across Wagga Wagga
same for both
Approvals change year on year +139%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Downside North Wagga Wagga
House price Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 52% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 20% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 52% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW

Liveability

North Wagga Wagga is more walkable (43 vs 8).

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Grade — C
Score — 35/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Downside carries more bushfire risk (18 vs 0); North Wagga Wagga carries more crime risk (94 vs 77).

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Bushfire Low
18/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
77/100
 High
94/100
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
 10
within 5 km

Schools

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Downside

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

Schools in North Wagga Wagga

  • North Wagga Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 4
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 5 11

Mobility

Downside sits further from the CBD (470.8 km vs 456.2 km).

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Walkability score 8/100 43/100
Distance to Sydney 470.8 km
+3% vs other
 456.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 299 min 286 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2650
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 2650
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.

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Car (driver) 77.4% / 79.0%
Downside — Car (driver): 77.4% North Wagga Wagga — Car (driver): 79.0%
Worked from Home 22.6% / 12.9%
Downside — Worked from Home: 22.6% North Wagga Wagga — Worked from Home: 12.9%
Car (passenger) — / 5.1%
Downside — Car (passenger): not among its largest North Wagga Wagga — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only — / 3.1%
Downside — Walked Only: not among its largest North Wagga Wagga — Walked Only: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.0%).

Setting

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Elevation 204 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 180 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Connectivity score 30/100 46/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
49 premises
 8%
306 premises

Climate

Downside North Wagga Wagga
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 North Wagga Wagga
PM2.5 7.7 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 23.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Average residential rate $1,254/yr
same for both
Council Wagga Wagga
same for both

Federal electorate

Downside North Wagga Wagga
Division Riverina
same for both
Member Michael Mccormack
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Downside

Premium Rural

North Wagga Wagga

Acreage Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Downside

Downside vs Boorooma Downside vs Charles Sturt University Downside vs Marrar Downside vs Brucedale Downside vs Yathella Downside vs Cartwrights Hill

Other comparisons with North Wagga Wagga

North Wagga Wagga vs Wagga Wagga North Wagga Wagga vs Estella North Wagga Wagga vs Gobbagombalin North Wagga Wagga vs Boorooma North Wagga Wagga vs Gumly Gumly North Wagga Wagga vs East Wagga Wagga
Full data on Downside Full data on North Wagga Wagga
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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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