Dubbo vs Wongarbon

Dubbo is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Wongarbon. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Wongarbon, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Dubbo: a median of $663,000, against $605,000 in Wongarbon. On these figures, Dubbo tends to suit people living alone, while Wongarbon suits families with children and couples.

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

  • Dubbo has more parks and reserves (88 vs 2)
  • Wongarbon carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 91/100)

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

First-home buyers

Wongarbon

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($310,000 vs $558,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dubbo

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 12%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Dubbo is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • Wongarbon sits closer to the CBD (397.3 km vs 402.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dubbo

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (17 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (17% vs 3%)
  • But Wongarbon carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

Dubbo

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.7% vs 6.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dubbo Wongarbon
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.

Dubbo Wongarbon
Walkability 34 / 0
Dubbo — Walkability: 34/100 Wongarbon — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 9 / 57
Dubbo — Safety: 9/100 Wongarbon — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 74 / 90
Dubbo — Low fire risk: 74/100 Wongarbon — Low fire risk: 90/100

Demographics

Dubbo has more residents (43,516 vs 814); Wongarbon has higher household incomes ($98,384 vs $87,880).

Dubbo Wongarbon
Population 43,516
+98% vs other
 814
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.7% +6.3%
Median age 35 38
Median household income $87,880/yr $98,384/yr
+12% vs other
Median weekly rent $310/wk $320/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dubbo Wongarbon
0-4 7.4% / 6.3%
Dubbo — 0-4: 7.4% Wongarbon — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 14.1% / 19.4%
Dubbo — 5-14: 14.1% Wongarbon — 5-14: 19.4%
15-19 5.8% / 6.6%
Dubbo — 15-19: 5.8% Wongarbon — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 5.8% / 2.0%
Dubbo — 20-24: 5.8% Wongarbon — 20-24: 2.0%
25-34 15.7% / 10.4%
Dubbo — 25-34: 15.7% Wongarbon — 25-34: 10.4%
35-44 12.3% / 13.4%
Dubbo — 35-44: 12.3% Wongarbon — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 11.2% / 12.8%
Dubbo — 45-54: 11.2% Wongarbon — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 11.1% / 14.9%
Dubbo — 55-64: 11.1% Wongarbon — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 8.8% / 9.5%
Dubbo — 65-74: 8.8% Wongarbon — 65-74: 9.5%
75-84 5.6% / 3.9%
Dubbo — 75-84: 5.6% Wongarbon — 75-84: 3.9%
85+ 2.2% / 1.0%
Dubbo — 85+: 2.2% Wongarbon — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dubbo 39.6% couple families
Dubbo — Couple Families: 39.6% Dubbo — Lone Person: 36.2% Dubbo — One Parent Families: 18.0% Dubbo — Group Household: 4.7% Dubbo — Other Families: 1.5%
Wongarbon 53.0% couple families
Wongarbon — Couple Families: 53.0% Wongarbon — Lone Person: 23.0% Wongarbon — One Parent Families: 20.8% Wongarbon — Group Household: 3.3% Wongarbon — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dubbo 35.1% renting
Dubbo — Owned Outright: 29.3% Dubbo — Mortgage: 35.7% Dubbo — Renting: 35.1%
Wongarbon 12.2% renting
Wongarbon — Owned Outright: 36.9% Wongarbon — Mortgage: 51.0% Wongarbon — Renting: 12.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dubbo Wongarbon
Certificate III & IV 15.7% / 20.6%
Dubbo — Certificate III & IV: 15.7% Wongarbon — Certificate III & IV: 20.6%
Bachelor Degree 10.1% / 8.0%
Dubbo — Bachelor Degree: 10.1% Wongarbon — Bachelor Degree: 8.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 6.4%
Dubbo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Wongarbon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 0.9%
Dubbo — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Wongarbon — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 0.9%
Dubbo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Wongarbon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

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.

Dubbo Wongarbon
England 1.0% / 1.7%
Dubbo — England: 1.0% Wongarbon — England: 1.7%
India 1.7% / —
Dubbo — India: 1.7% Wongarbon — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.0%
Dubbo — New Zealand: 0.7% Wongarbon — New Zealand: 1.0%
Nepal 1.6% / —
Dubbo — Nepal: 1.6% Wongarbon — Nepal: not among its largest
Philippines 0.8% / 0.4%
Dubbo — Philippines: 0.8% Wongarbon — Philippines: 0.4%
Ireland — / 0.6%
Dubbo — Ireland: not among its largest Wongarbon — Ireland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dubbo 83.2% houses
Dubbo — Houses: 83.2% Dubbo — Flats / Apartments: 7.8% Dubbo — Townhouses: 9.0%
Wongarbon 96.9% houses
Wongarbon — Houses: 96.9% Wongarbon — Flats / Apartments: 3.1% Wongarbon — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dubbo Wongarbon
Median house price $663,000 $605,000
Median unit price $405,000 —
Median land price $558,000 $310,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 419 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.

Dubbo Wongarbon
3 bed $596K / $600K
Dubbo — 3 bed: $596K (330 sales) Wongarbon — 3 bed: $600K (7 sales)

330 vs 7 sales

4 bed $747K / $725K
Dubbo — 4 bed: $747K (323 sales) Wongarbon — 4 bed: $725K (7 sales)

323 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Wongarbon has more rural and farming land (97% vs 76%).

Dubbo Wongarbon
Rural and farming 76% 97%
Residential 15% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 0%
Environmental 3% 1%
Industrial 2% 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

Dubbo Wongarbon
New dwellings approved 405
across Dubbo
same for both
Approvals change year on year -12%
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.

Dubbo Wongarbon
Houses 4.2%
$580/wk on $715K
 —
Units 4.9%
$365/wk on $384K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Dubbo Wongarbon
House price Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
Income Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Schools Higher than 72% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 30% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 83% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 64% of NSW —

Liveability

Dubbo is more walkable (34 vs 0).

Dubbo Wongarbon
Grade C
same for both
Score 40/100 41/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Dubbo carries more bushfire risk (26 vs 10); Dubbo carries more crime risk (91 vs 43).

Dubbo Wongarbon
Bushfire Low
26/100
 Low
10/100
Crime High
91/100
 Moderate
43/100
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 3
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Dubbo Wongarbon
Inside the suburb 24 1
Rated above peers 8 0
Rated at peers 8 0
Rated below peers 2 1

Schools in Dubbo

  • Buninyong Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Burrabadine Christian Community School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Central West Leadership Academy Independent · Combined above peers
  • Dubbo Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Dubbo School of Distance Education Government · Combined above peers
  • St John's Catholic Primary School Dubbo Catholic · Primary above peers

Schools in Wongarbon

  • Wongarbon Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dubbo Wongarbon
Supermarkets 6 0
Cafes & restaurants 21 0
Parks & reserves 88 2
Childcare 32 0
GPs 17 0
Pharmacies 11 0
Hospitals 4 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 13 1
Fuel stations 12 0
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 125 31

Mobility

Dubbo sits further from the CBD (402.8 km vs 397.3 km).

Dubbo Wongarbon
Walkability score 34/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 402.8 km
+1% vs other
 397.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 324 min 321 min
Public transport score 75/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 693.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 5.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 3 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2830
 0.0%
postcode 2831
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 72
postcode 2830
 —
postcode 2831

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.

Dubbo Wongarbon
Car (driver) 80.5% / 78.5%
Dubbo — Car (driver): 80.5% Wongarbon — Car (driver): 78.5%
Worked from Home 8.9% / 11.5%
Dubbo — Worked from Home: 8.9% Wongarbon — Worked from Home: 11.5%
Car (passenger) 7.3% / 6.6%
Dubbo — Car (passenger): 7.3% Wongarbon — Car (passenger): 6.6%
Walked Only 2.4% / 3.3%
Dubbo — Walked Only: 2.4% Wongarbon — Walked Only: 3.3%
Bus 0.5% / —
Dubbo — Bus: 0.5% Wongarbon — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.5%).

Setting

Dubbo Wongarbon
Elevation 260 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 353 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Dubbo Wongarbon
Connectivity score 84/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 71%
22,678 premises
 0%
225 premises

Climate

Dubbo Wongarbon
Annual rainfall 603 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Dubbo Wongarbon
Average residential rate $1,233/yr
same for both
Council Dubbo
same for both

Federal electorate

Dubbo Wongarbon
Division Parkes
same for both
Member Jamie Chaffey
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dubbo Wongarbon
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dubbo

Affordable Rural

Wongarbon

Affordable Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dubbo

Dubbo vs Narromine Dubbo vs Geurie Dubbo vs Tomingley Dubbo vs Terramungamine Dubbo vs Brocklehurst Dubbo vs Ballimore

Other comparisons with Wongarbon

Wongarbon vs Geurie Wongarbon vs Ballimore
Full data on Dubbo Full data on Wongarbon
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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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