Dunbible vs Murwillumbah

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dunbible, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Dunbible: a median of $1.51 million, against $940,000 in Murwillumbah. On these figures, Dunbible tends to suit couples, while Murwillumbah 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Dunbible carries lower crime risk (50/100 vs 73/100)
  • Murwillumbah has more parks and reserves (10 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

  • Dunbible leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 35%)
  • Murwillumbah has cheaper houses ($940,000 vs $1,512,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Dunbible leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 30%)
  • Murwillumbah has a bigger rental market to choose from (31% vs 16%)

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

  • Dunbible sits closer to the CBD (792.3 km vs 798.1 km)
  • Murwillumbah is more walkable (52/100 vs 14/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Murwillumbah

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (24% vs 3%)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (52/100 vs 14/100)
  • But Dunbible carries lower crime risk (50/100 vs 73/100)

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

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

Dunbible Murwillumbah
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.

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Walkability 14 / 52
Dunbible — Walkability: 14/100 Murwillumbah — Walkability: 52/100
Safety 50 / 27
Dunbible — Safety: 50/100 Murwillumbah — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 48 / 100
Dunbible — Low fire risk: 48/100 Murwillumbah — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Murwillumbah has more residents (7,616 vs 380); Dunbible has higher household incomes ($101,348 vs $59,644).

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Population 380 7,616
+1904% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.3% +8.3%
Median age 47 46
Median household income $101,348/yr
+41% vs other
 $59,644/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+1% vs other
 $346/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dunbible Murwillumbah
0-4 5.5% / 4.8%
Dunbible — 0-4: 5.5% Murwillumbah — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 15.5% / 13.5%
Dunbible — 5-14: 15.5% Murwillumbah — 5-14: 13.5%
15-19 3.2% / 5.8%
Dunbible — 15-19: 3.2% Murwillumbah — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 3.7% / 3.8%
Dunbible — 20-24: 3.7% Murwillumbah — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 7.6% / 8.8%
Dunbible — 25-34: 7.6% Murwillumbah — 25-34: 8.8%
35-44 11.8% / 11.7%
Dunbible — 35-44: 11.8% Murwillumbah — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 12.1% / 12.3%
Dunbible — 45-54: 12.1% Murwillumbah — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 15.0% / 13.9%
Dunbible — 55-64: 15.0% Murwillumbah — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 15.5% / 12.3%
Dunbible — 65-74: 15.5% Murwillumbah — 65-74: 12.3%
75-84 4.5% / 8.1%
Dunbible — 75-84: 4.5% Murwillumbah — 75-84: 8.1%
85+ 3.2% / 5.0%
Dunbible — 85+: 3.2% Murwillumbah — 85+: 5.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dunbible 48.8% couple families
Dunbible — Couple Families: 48.8% Dunbible — Lone Person: 21.2% Dunbible — One Parent Families: 25.0% Dunbible — Group Household: 5.0% Dunbible — Other Families: 0.0%
Murwillumbah 32.0% couple families
Murwillumbah — Couple Families: 32.0% Murwillumbah — Lone Person: 41.3% Murwillumbah — One Parent Families: 21.4% Murwillumbah — Group Household: 3.8% Murwillumbah — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dunbible 15.7% renting
Dunbible — Owned Outright: 50.4% Dunbible — Mortgage: 33.9% Dunbible — Renting: 15.7%
Murwillumbah 31.4% renting
Murwillumbah — Owned Outright: 35.9% Murwillumbah — Mortgage: 32.6% Murwillumbah — Renting: 31.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Certificate III & IV 15.8% / 16.6%
Dunbible — Certificate III & IV: 15.8% Murwillumbah — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 12.1% / 9.6%
Dunbible — Bachelor Degree: 12.1% Murwillumbah — Bachelor Degree: 9.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 7.1%
Dunbible — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Murwillumbah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 2.2%
Dunbible — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Murwillumbah — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 1.8%
Dunbible — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Murwillumbah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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.

Dunbible Murwillumbah
England 3.9% / 3.5%
Dunbible — England: 3.9% Murwillumbah — England: 3.5%
New Zealand 3.4% / 1.9%
Dunbible — New Zealand: 3.4% Murwillumbah — New Zealand: 1.9%
India 1.8% / 1.3%
Dunbible — India: 1.8% Murwillumbah — India: 1.3%
South Africa 1.8% / 0.4%
Dunbible — South Africa: 1.8% Murwillumbah — South Africa: 0.4%
Germany — / 0.5%
Dunbible — Germany: not among its largest Murwillumbah — Germany: 0.5%
Philippines — / 0.5%
Dunbible — Philippines: not among its largest Murwillumbah — Philippines: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dunbible 96.9% houses
Dunbible — Houses: 96.9% Dunbible — Flats / Apartments: 3.1% Dunbible — Townhouses: 0.0%
Murwillumbah 75.8% houses
Murwillumbah — Houses: 75.8% Murwillumbah — Flats / Apartments: 16.9% Murwillumbah — Townhouses: 7.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Median house price $1,512,500 $940,000
Median unit price — $626,000
Median land price — $875,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 37 days
from 86 sales

Zoning mix

Dunbible has more rural and farming land (84% vs 46%).

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Rural and farming 84% 46%
Residential 9% 33%
Parks and recreation 0% 11%
Other and special use 5% 0%
Environmental 2% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
Commercial 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

Dunbible Murwillumbah
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
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.

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Houses — 4.3%
$885/wk on $1.06M
Units — 3.6%
$470/wk on $674K

Ranking within NSW

Dunbible Murwillumbah
House price Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Income Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 48% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 87% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 13% of NSW

Liveability

Murwillumbah is more walkable (52 vs 14).

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Grade — C
Score — 40/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Dunbible carries more bushfire risk (52 vs 0); Murwillumbah carries more crime risk (73 vs 50).

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Bushfire Moderate
52/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
50/100
 High
73/100
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 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Inside the suburb 0 9
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0 3

Schools in Dunbible

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

Schools in Murwillumbah

  • Murwillumbah Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Sathya Sai College Independent · Primary above peers
  • Mount St Patrick College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Murwillumbah East Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Tweed Valley Adventist College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Mount St Patrick Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 10
Parks & reserves 0 10
Childcare 0 7
GPs 0 3
Pharmacies 0 4
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 6 10

Mobility

Murwillumbah sits further from the CBD (798.1 km vs 792.3 km).

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Walkability score 14/100 52/100
Distance to Sydney 792.3 km 798.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 520 min 521 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2484
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 76
postcode 2484
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.

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Car (driver) 65.9% / 77.9%
Dunbible — Car (driver): 65.9% Murwillumbah — Car (driver): 77.9%
Worked from Home 24.4% / 11.8%
Dunbible — Worked from Home: 24.4% Murwillumbah — Worked from Home: 11.8%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 5.1%
Dunbible — Car (passenger): 5.7% Murwillumbah — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only 4.1% / 4.1%
Dunbible — Walked Only: 4.1% Murwillumbah — Walked Only: 4.1%
Bus — / 0.6%
Dunbible — Bus: not among its largest Murwillumbah — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.9%).

Setting

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 17.1 km 18.5 km

NBN connectivity

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Connectivity score 46/100 62/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 18%
137 premises
 28%
3,811 premises

Climate

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Annual rainfall 1,569 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dunbible Murwillumbah
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dunbible

Acreage River

Murwillumbah

Parks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dunbible

Dunbible vs South Murwillumbah Dunbible vs Stokers Siding Dunbible vs Fernvale Dunbible vs Byangum Dunbible vs Dum Dum

Other comparisons with Murwillumbah

Murwillumbah vs South Murwillumbah Murwillumbah vs Bray Park Murwillumbah vs Eungella Murwillumbah vs Nobbys Creek Murwillumbah vs Byangum Murwillumbah vs North Arm
Full data on Dunbible Full data on Murwillumbah
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or