Dudley vs Redhead

Dudley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 48 in Redhead. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dudley, most households are couple families. On these figures, Dudley tends to suit families with children and couples, while Redhead suits 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

Redhead

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 3)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Dudley carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 48/100)

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

First-home buyers

Dudley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 33%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dudley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Redhead

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (72/100 vs 43/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (116 min vs 128 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (142.3 km vs 147.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Redhead

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (72/100 vs 43/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 18%)
  • But Dudley carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 48/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Dudley Redhead
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.

Dudley Redhead
Walkability 43 / 72
Dudley — Walkability: 43/100 Redhead — Walkability: 72/100
Safety 68 / 52
Dudley — Safety: 68/100 Redhead — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 28 / 22
Dudley — Low fire risk: 28/100 Redhead — Low fire risk: 22/100

Demographics

Dudley has higher household incomes ($129,324 vs $83,096); Redhead has more residents (3,785 vs 2,505).

Dudley Redhead
Population 2,505 3,785
+51% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.8% +7.7%
Median age 39 48
Median household income $129,324/yr
+36% vs other
 $83,096/yr
Median weekly rent $420/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dudley Redhead
0-4 6.7% / 4.5%
Dudley — 0-4: 6.7% Redhead — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 15.8% / 13.1%
Dudley — 5-14: 15.8% Redhead — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 6.2% / 6.2%
Dudley — 15-19: 6.2% Redhead — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 4.5% / 3.9%
Dudley — 20-24: 4.5% Redhead — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 9.3% / 6.4%
Dudley — 25-34: 9.3% Redhead — 25-34: 6.4%
35-44 13.5% / 10.6%
Dudley — 35-44: 13.5% Redhead — 35-44: 10.6%
45-54 13.8% / 13.6%
Dudley — 45-54: 13.8% Redhead — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 11.9% / 13.6%
Dudley — 55-64: 11.9% Redhead — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 11.1% / 13.2%
Dudley — 65-74: 11.1% Redhead — 65-74: 13.2%
75-84 4.9% / 9.1%
Dudley — 75-84: 4.9% Redhead — 75-84: 9.1%
85+ 2.2% / 5.9%
Dudley — 85+: 2.2% Redhead — 85+: 5.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dudley 57.3% couple families
Dudley — Couple Families: 57.3% Dudley — Lone Person: 26.6% Dudley — One Parent Families: 14.2% Dudley — Group Household: 0.8% Dudley — Other Families: 1.1%
Redhead 42.8% couple families
Redhead — Couple Families: 42.8% Redhead — Lone Person: 43.1% Redhead — One Parent Families: 10.6% Redhead — Group Household: 2.2% Redhead — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dudley 14.4% renting
Dudley — Owned Outright: 42.7% Dudley — Mortgage: 42.9% Dudley — Renting: 14.4%
Redhead 13.6% renting
Redhead — Owned Outright: 57.3% Redhead — Mortgage: 29.2% Redhead — Renting: 13.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dudley Redhead
Bachelor Degree 19.7% / 13.8%
Dudley — Bachelor Degree: 19.7% Redhead — Bachelor Degree: 13.8%
Certificate III & IV 13.5% / 15.7%
Dudley — Certificate III & IV: 13.5% Redhead — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.1%
Dudley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Redhead — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 7.0% / 4.3%
Dudley — Postgraduate Degree: 7.0% Redhead — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.5%
Dudley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Redhead — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.7%).

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.

Dudley Redhead
England 2.6% / 3.0%
Dudley — England: 2.6% Redhead — England: 3.0%
New Zealand 0.4% / 1.0%
Dudley — New Zealand: 0.4% Redhead — New Zealand: 1.0%
Germany 0.5% / 0.6%
Dudley — Germany: 0.5% Redhead — Germany: 0.6%
South Africa 0.6% / 0.4%
Dudley — South Africa: 0.6% Redhead — South Africa: 0.4%
Scotland 0.3% / 0.4%
Dudley — Scotland: 0.3% Redhead — Scotland: 0.4%
Canada 0.5% / —
Dudley — Canada: 0.5% Redhead — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dudley 92.3% houses
Dudley — Houses: 92.3% Dudley — Townhouses: 7.6% Dudley — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Redhead 92.5% houses
Redhead — Houses: 92.5% Redhead — Townhouses: 5.9% Redhead — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Dudley Redhead
Median house price $1,712,500 $1,613,500
Median unit price — $529,000
Median land price — $1,100,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 77 days
from 4 sales
 36 days
from 29 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.

Dudley Redhead
3 bed $1.5M / $1.45M
Dudley — 3 bed: $1.5M (14 sales) Redhead — 3 bed: $1.45M (20 sales)

14 vs 20 sales

4 bed $1.75M / $1.77M
Dudley — 4 bed: $1.75M (9 sales) Redhead — 4 bed: $1.77M (22 sales)

9 vs 22 sales

Zoning mix

Dudley has more land zoned for conservation (74% vs 40%).

Dudley Redhead
Environmental 74% 40%
Residential 17% 30%
Parks and recreation 2% 15%
Industrial 0% 8%
Rural and farming 0% 7%
Other and special use 6% 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

Dudley Redhead
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
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.

Dudley Redhead
Houses — 3.0%
$850/wk on $1.5M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dudley Redhead
House price Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Income Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 77% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 20% of NSW

Liveability

Redhead is more walkable (72 vs 43); Dudley scores higher overall (52 vs 46).

Dudley Redhead
Grade B C
Score 52/100 46/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Redhead carries more crime risk (48 vs 32).

Dudley Redhead
Bushfire High
72/100
 High
78/100
Crime Low
32/100
 Moderate
48/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
25/100
 Low
37/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Dudley Redhead
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle City), 9.0 km
 None

Schools in Dudley

  • Dudley Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Redhead

  • Redhead Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dudley Redhead
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 6
Parks & reserves 3 7
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 2
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

Dudley sits further from the CBD (147.5 km vs 142.3 km).

Dudley Redhead
Walkability score 43/100 72/100
Distance to Sydney 147.5 km
+4% vs other
 142.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 128 min 116 min
Public transport score 73/100
Bus
 74/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 40.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 50.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2290
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 2290
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.

Dudley Redhead
Car (driver) 59.2% / 63.1%
Dudley — Car (driver): 59.2% Redhead — Car (driver): 63.1%
Worked from Home 34.2% / 29.8%
Dudley — Worked from Home: 34.2% Redhead — Worked from Home: 29.8%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 4.4%
Dudley — Car (passenger): 4.8% Redhead — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Walked Only 0.9% / 1.9%
Dudley — Walked Only: 0.9% Redhead — Walked Only: 1.9%
Bicycle 0.6% / 0.7%
Dudley — Bicycle: 0.6% Redhead — Bicycle: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.1%).

Setting

Dudley Redhead
Elevation 75 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 689 m
2.5 km to a named beach
 1.0 km
1.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Dudley Redhead
Connectivity score 65/100 63/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 36%
973 premises
 33%
1,923 premises

Climate

Dudley Redhead
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Dudley Redhead
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 21.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Dudley Redhead
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Dudley Redhead
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dudley Redhead
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dudley

Acreage Coastal Family Professionals Quiet River

Redhead

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Parks Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dudley

Dudley vs Gateshead Dudley vs Whitebridge

Other comparisons with Redhead

Redhead vs Belmont Redhead vs Belmont North Redhead vs Gateshead Redhead vs Whitebridge Redhead vs Jewells
Full data on Dudley Full data on Redhead
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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