Emu Swamp vs Orange

Orange is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 51 in Emu Swamp. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Emu Swamp, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Emu Swamp: a median of $1.06 million, against $730,000 in Orange, though rent is higher in Orange. On these figures, Emu Swamp tends to suit couples, while Orange suits people living alone, families with children, 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

  • Emu Swamp carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 85/100)
  • Orange has more parks and reserves (68 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 3 things we measure here

  • Emu Swamp has cheaper land ($7,400 vs $372,500)
  • Orange has cheaper houses ($730,000 vs $1,060,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Emu Swamp

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (9% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $330/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Emu Swamp sits closer to the CBD (255.1 km vs 268.8 km)
  • Orange is more walkable (27/100 vs 5/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Orange

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (16 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 5/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (14% vs 4%)
  • But Emu Swamp carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 85/100)

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

Investors

Orange

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.2% vs -3.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Emu Swamp Orange
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.

Emu Swamp Orange
Walkability 5 / 27
Emu Swamp — Walkability: 5/100 Orange — Walkability: 27/100
Safety 86 / 15
Emu Swamp — Safety: 86/100 Orange — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 79 / 71
Emu Swamp — Low fire risk: 79/100 Orange — Low fire risk: 71/100

Demographics

Orange has more residents (41,232 vs 156); Emu Swamp has higher household incomes ($139,724 vs $85,332).

Emu Swamp Orange
Population 156 41,232
+26331% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.7% +8.2%
Median age 51 36
Median household income $139,724/yr
+39% vs other
 $85,332/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk $330/wk
+32% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Emu Swamp Orange
0-4 5.1% / 7.1%
Emu Swamp — 0-4: 5.1% Orange — 0-4: 7.1%
5-14 12.2% / 14.5%
Emu Swamp — 5-14: 12.2% Orange — 5-14: 14.5%
15-19 7.1% / 6.1%
Emu Swamp — 15-19: 7.1% Orange — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 1.9% / 5.6%
Emu Swamp — 20-24: 1.9% Orange — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 9.6% / 13.8%
Emu Swamp — 25-34: 9.6% Orange — 25-34: 13.8%
35-44 7.1% / 12.6%
Emu Swamp — 35-44: 7.1% Orange — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 16.0% / 11.6%
Emu Swamp — 45-54: 16.0% Orange — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 21.8% / 10.7%
Emu Swamp — 55-64: 21.8% Orange — 55-64: 10.7%
65-74 17.3% / 9.5%
Emu Swamp — 65-74: 17.3% Orange — 65-74: 9.5%
75-84 3.8% / 5.8%
Emu Swamp — 75-84: 3.8% Orange — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ — / 2.5%
Emu Swamp — 85+: not among its largest Orange — 85+: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Emu Swamp 59.4% couple families
Emu Swamp — Couple Families: 59.4% Emu Swamp — Lone Person: 28.1% Emu Swamp — One Parent Families: 12.5% Emu Swamp — Group Household: 0.0% Emu Swamp — Other Families: 0.0%
Orange 38.0% couple families
Orange — Couple Families: 38.0% Orange — Lone Person: 39.4% Orange — One Parent Families: 16.8% Orange — Group Household: 4.4% Orange — 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.

Emu Swamp 0.0% renting
Emu Swamp — Owned Outright: 51.9% Emu Swamp — Mortgage: 48.1% Emu Swamp — Renting: 0.0%
Orange 34.8% renting
Orange — Owned Outright: 31.0% Orange — Mortgage: 34.3% Orange — Renting: 34.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Emu Swamp Orange
Bachelor Degree 21.2% / 11.4%
Emu Swamp — Bachelor Degree: 21.2% Orange — Bachelor Degree: 11.4%
Certificate III & IV 10.3% / 15.5%
Emu Swamp — Certificate III & IV: 10.3% Orange — Certificate III & IV: 15.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.6% / 6.9%
Emu Swamp — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6% Orange — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 7.1% / 3.4%
Emu Swamp — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1% Orange — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.8% / 1.6%
Emu Swamp — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8% Orange — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

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.

Emu Swamp Orange
England 1.9% / 1.6%
Emu Swamp — England: 1.9% Orange — England: 1.6%
France 1.9% / —
Emu Swamp — France: 1.9% Orange — France: not among its largest
India — / 1.2%
Emu Swamp — India: not among its largest Orange — India: 1.2%
New Zealand — / 1.0%
Emu Swamp — New Zealand: not among its largest Orange — New Zealand: 1.0%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Emu Swamp — Philippines: not among its largest Orange — Philippines: 0.7%
Nepal — / 0.6%
Emu Swamp — Nepal: not among its largest Orange — Nepal: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Emu Swamp 96.1% houses
Emu Swamp — Houses: 96.1% Emu Swamp — Townhouses: 0.0% Emu Swamp — Flats / Apartments: 3.9%
Orange 85.6% houses
Orange — Houses: 85.6% Orange — Townhouses: 10.1% Orange — Flats / Apartments: 4.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Emu Swamp Orange
Median house price $1,060,000 $730,000
Median unit price — $513,000
Median land price $7,400 $372,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 38 days
from 524 sales

Zoning mix

Emu Swamp has more rural and farming land (81% vs 44%).

Emu Swamp Orange
Rural and farming 81% 44%
Residential 0% 25%
Environmental 19% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 8%
Parks and recreation 0% 6%
Industrial 0% 4%
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

Emu Swamp Orange
New dwellings approved 29
across Cabonne
 238
across Orange
Approvals change year on year -43% +56%

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.

Emu Swamp Orange
Houses — 3.9%
$600/wk on $799K
Units — 4.4%
$428/wk on $510K

Ranking within NSW

Emu Swamp Orange
House price Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 26% of NSW
Income Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 41% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 60% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 68% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 39% of NSW

Liveability

Orange is more walkable (27 vs 5).

Emu Swamp Orange
Grade — C
Score — 34/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Orange carries more crime risk (85 vs 14).

Emu Swamp Orange
Bushfire Low
21/100
 Low
29/100
Crime Low
14/100
 High
85/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Emu Swamp Orange
Inside the suburb 0 17
Rated above peers 0 3
Rated at peers 0 5
Rated below peers 0 7

Schools in Emu Swamp

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

Schools in Orange

  • Catherine McAuley Catholic Primary School Orange Catholic · Primary above peers
  • OneSchool Global NSW - Orange Independent · Combined above peers
  • Orange High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Bletchington Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • James Sheahan Catholic High School Orange Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Kinross Wolaroi School Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Emu Swamp Orange
Supermarkets 0 10
Cafes & restaurants 0 38
Parks & reserves 0 68
Childcare 0 33
GPs 0 16
Pharmacies 0 12
Hospitals 0 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 10
Fuel stations 0 14
EV chargers 0 3
Waterways 9 107

Mobility

Orange sits further from the CBD (268.8 km vs 255.1 km).

Emu Swamp Orange
Walkability score 5/100 27/100
Distance to Sydney 255.1 km 268.8 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 224 min 225 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2800
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 2800
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.

Emu Swamp Orange
Car (driver) 71.2% / 77.6%
Emu Swamp — Car (driver): 71.2% Orange — Car (driver): 77.6%
Worked from Home 28.7% / 11.5%
Emu Swamp — Worked from Home: 28.7% Orange — Worked from Home: 11.5%
Car (passenger) — / 6.8%
Emu Swamp — Car (passenger): not among its largest Orange — Car (passenger): 6.8%
Walked Only — / 3.0%
Emu Swamp — Walked Only: not among its largest Orange — Walked Only: 3.0%
Bus — / 0.6%
Emu Swamp — Bus: not among its largest Orange — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.6%).

Setting

Emu Swamp Orange
Elevation 831 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 845 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Emu Swamp Orange
Connectivity score 29/100 68/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
74 premises
 43%
21,826 premises

Climate

Emu Swamp Orange
Annual rainfall 894 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.3°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 2.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Emu Swamp Orange
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 10.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.4 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Emu Swamp Orange
Average residential rate $750/yr $1,668/yr
Council Cabonne Orange

Federal electorate

Emu Swamp Orange
Division Calare
same for both
Member Andrew Gee
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Emu Swamp Orange
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Emu Swamp

Professionals Rural

Orange

Regional Centre River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Emu Swamp

Emu Swamp vs Clifton Grove Emu Swamp vs Lucknow Emu Swamp vs Lewis Ponds Emu Swamp vs Byng

Other comparisons with Orange

Orange vs Molong Orange vs Clifton Grove Orange vs Canobolas Orange vs Borenore Orange vs Nashdale Orange vs Springside
Full data on Emu Swamp Full data on Orange
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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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