Dungog vs Sugarloaf

Dungog is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 57 in Sugarloaf. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Sugarloaf: a median of $1.75 million, against $665,000 in Dungog, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Dungog tends to suit older residents and buyers on a tighter budget, while Sugarloaf 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

Dungog

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • But Sugarloaf carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 66/100)

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

First-home buyers

Dungog

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($665,000 vs $1,745,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dungog

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $335/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dungog

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (163 min vs 175 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (214.3 km vs 223.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dungog

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 25%)
  • But Sugarloaf carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 66/100)

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

Investors

Dungog

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-2.1% vs -8.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dungog Sugarloaf
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.

Dungog Sugarloaf
Walkability 82 / 0
Dungog — Walkability: 82/100 Sugarloaf — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 34 / 75
Dungog — Safety: 34/100 Sugarloaf — Safety: 75/100
Low fire risk 77 / 100
Dungog — Low fire risk: 77/100 Sugarloaf — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Dungog has more residents (1,983 vs 65); Sugarloaf has higher household incomes ($71,500 vs $54,340).

Dungog Sugarloaf
Population 1,983
+97% vs other
 65
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.1% -8.5%
Median age 52 57
Median household income $54,340/yr $71,500/yr
+32% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $335/wk
+12% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dungog Sugarloaf
0-4 3.8% / 7.7%
Dungog — 0-4: 3.8% Sugarloaf — 0-4: 7.7%
5-14 11.2% / 12.3%
Dungog — 5-14: 11.2% Sugarloaf — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 5.4% / —
Dungog — 15-19: 5.4% Sugarloaf — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 4.3% / —
Dungog — 20-24: 4.3% Sugarloaf — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 7.7% / 4.6%
Dungog — 25-34: 7.7% Sugarloaf — 25-34: 4.6%
35-44 8.7% / 10.8%
Dungog — 35-44: 8.7% Sugarloaf — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 11.1% / 4.6%
Dungog — 45-54: 11.1% Sugarloaf — 45-54: 4.6%
55-64 15.3% / 32.3%
Dungog — 55-64: 15.3% Sugarloaf — 55-64: 32.3%
65-74 15.4% / 15.4%
Dungog — 65-74: 15.4% Sugarloaf — 65-74: 15.4%
75-84 12.4% / 9.2%
Dungog — 75-84: 12.4% Sugarloaf — 75-84: 9.2%
85+ 4.8% / —
Dungog — 85+: 4.8% Sugarloaf — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (32.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dungog 50.8% lone person
Dungog — Lone Person: 50.8% Dungog — Couple Families: 28.0% Dungog — One Parent Families: 17.8% Dungog — Group Household: 2.1% Dungog — Other Families: 1.3%
Sugarloaf 47.4% lone person
Sugarloaf — Lone Person: 47.4% Sugarloaf — Couple Families: 52.6% Sugarloaf — One Parent Families: 0.0% Sugarloaf — Group Household: 0.0% Sugarloaf — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dungog 24.8% renting
Dungog — Owned Outright: 46.5% Dungog — Mortgage: 28.7% Dungog — Renting: 24.8%
Sugarloaf 16.1% renting
Sugarloaf — Owned Outright: 41.9% Sugarloaf — Mortgage: 41.9% Sugarloaf — Renting: 16.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Dungog Sugarloaf
England 1.6% / 4.6%
Dungog — England: 1.6% Sugarloaf — England: 4.6%
Germany 0.5% / —
Dungog — Germany: 0.5% Sugarloaf — Germany: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / —
Dungog — Scotland: 0.4% Sugarloaf — Scotland: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.3% / —
Dungog — New Zealand: 0.3% Sugarloaf — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 0.3% / —
Dungog — Philippines: 0.3% Sugarloaf — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.6%).

Qualifications

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

Dungog Sugarloaf
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 24.6%
Dungog — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Sugarloaf — Certificate III & IV: 24.6%
Bachelor Degree 7.3% / 15.4%
Dungog — Bachelor Degree: 7.3% Sugarloaf — Bachelor Degree: 15.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 4.6%
Dungog — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% Sugarloaf — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 6.2%
Dungog — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Sugarloaf — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.2%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 4.6%
Dungog — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Sugarloaf — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dungog 94.4% houses
Dungog — Houses: 94.4% Dungog — Townhouses: 4.3% Dungog — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Sugarloaf 103.4% houses
Sugarloaf — Houses: 103.4% Sugarloaf — Townhouses: 0.0% Sugarloaf — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Dungog Sugarloaf
Median house price $665,000 $1,745,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $315,000 $320,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 56 days
from 20 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Sugarloaf has more rural and farming land (99% vs 11%); Dungog has more land zoned for conservation (20% vs 1%).

Dungog Sugarloaf
Rural and farming 11% 99%
Residential 57% 0%
Environmental 20% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 0%
Parks and recreation 4% 0%
Industrial 2% 0%
Commercial 2% 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

Dungog Sugarloaf
New dwellings approved 55
across Dungog
same for both
Approvals change year on year -23%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dungog Sugarloaf
House price Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Income Higher than 14% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 65% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 54% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW

Liveability

Dungog is more walkable (82 vs 0).

Dungog Sugarloaf
Grade C —
Score 48/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Dungog carries more bushfire risk (23 vs 0); Dungog carries more crime risk (66 vs 25).

Dungog Sugarloaf
Bushfire Low
23/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
66/100
 Low
25/100
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
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Dungog Sugarloaf
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Dungog

  • Dungog Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Dungog High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Sugarloaf

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

Amenities in the suburb

Dungog Sugarloaf
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Waterways 2 8

Mobility

Sugarloaf sits further from the CBD (223.1 km vs 214.3 km).

Dungog Sugarloaf
Walkability score 82/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 214.3 km 223.1 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 163 min 175 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2420
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2420
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.

Dungog Sugarloaf
Car (driver) 74.3% / 65.5%
Dungog — Car (driver): 74.3% Sugarloaf — Car (driver): 65.5%
Worked from Home 14.2% / 34.5%
Dungog — Worked from Home: 14.2% Sugarloaf — Worked from Home: 34.5%
Car (passenger) 6.5% / —
Dungog — Car (passenger): 6.5% Sugarloaf — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 3.6% / —
Dungog — Walked Only: 3.6% Sugarloaf — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.8% / —
Dungog — Bicycle: 0.8% Sugarloaf — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.3%).

Setting

Dungog Sugarloaf
Elevation 59 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 192 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 34.4 km 40.0 km

NBN connectivity

Dungog Sugarloaf
Connectivity score 70/100 28/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
1,221 premises
 0%
36 premises

Climate

Dungog Sugarloaf
Annual rainfall 1,327 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Dungog Sugarloaf
Average residential rate $1,646/yr
same for both
Council Dungog
same for both

Federal electorate

Dungog Sugarloaf
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dungog Sugarloaf
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dungog

Acreage Affordable Parks Retirees Village Feel

Sugarloaf

Professionals Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dungog

Dungog vs Bendolba Dungog vs Alison Dungog vs Fosterton Dungog vs Tabbil Creek

Other comparisons with Sugarloaf

Sugarloaf vs Bendolba Sugarloaf vs Tabbil Creek
Full data on Dungog Full data on Sugarloaf
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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