Failford vs Rainbow Flat

Rainbow Flat is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 58 in Failford. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Rainbow Flat, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Failford tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Rainbow Flat suits 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

Rainbow Flat

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 72%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 51%)

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

First-home buyers

Rainbow Flat

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (30% vs 40%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Rainbow Flat

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (31% vs 42%)

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

Commuting to the city

Failford

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 10/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (199 min vs 211 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (290.2 km vs 302.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Failford

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (28% vs 3%)
  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 10/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (35% vs 27%)

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

Investors

Failford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (45.0% vs 3.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Failford Rainbow Flat
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.

Failford Rainbow Flat
Walkability 20 / 10
Failford — Walkability: 20/100 Rainbow Flat — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 54 / 53
Failford — Safety: 54/100 Rainbow Flat — Safety: 53/100
Low fire risk 12 / 18
Failford — Low fire risk: 12/100 Rainbow Flat — Low fire risk: 18/100

Demographics

Rainbow Flat has higher household incomes ($67,548 vs $52,260); Failford skews older (58 vs 51).

Failford Rainbow Flat
Population 748
+7% vs other
 693
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +45.0% +3.3%
Median age 58 51
Median household income $52,260/yr $67,548/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+5% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Failford Rainbow Flat
0-4 4.5% / 3.2%
Failford — 0-4: 4.5% Rainbow Flat — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 12.0% / 12.6%
Failford — 5-14: 12.0% Rainbow Flat — 5-14: 12.6%
15-19 3.3% / 7.1%
Failford — 15-19: 3.3% Rainbow Flat — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 1.2% / 3.2%
Failford — 20-24: 1.2% Rainbow Flat — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 6.6% / 5.2%
Failford — 25-34: 6.6% Rainbow Flat — 25-34: 5.2%
35-44 8.4% / 9.2%
Failford — 35-44: 8.4% Rainbow Flat — 35-44: 9.2%
45-54 9.5% / 14.1%
Failford — 45-54: 9.5% Rainbow Flat — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 19.5% / 18.5%
Failford — 55-64: 19.5% Rainbow Flat — 55-64: 18.5%
65-74 24.2% / 18.9%
Failford — 65-74: 24.2% Rainbow Flat — 65-74: 18.9%
75-84 9.1% / 6.5%
Failford — 75-84: 9.1% Rainbow Flat — 75-84: 6.5%
85+ 2.1% / 1.7%
Failford — 85+: 2.1% Rainbow Flat — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Failford 38.2% couple families
Failford — Couple Families: 38.2% Failford — Lone Person: 43.9% Failford — One Parent Families: 12.7% Failford — Group Household: 3.2% Failford — Other Families: 1.9%
Rainbow Flat 48.7% couple families
Rainbow Flat — Couple Families: 48.7% Rainbow Flat — Lone Person: 29.2% Rainbow Flat — One Parent Families: 16.9% Rainbow Flat — Group Household: 5.2% Rainbow Flat — 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.

Failford 5.8% renting
Failford — Owned Outright: 69.9% Failford — Mortgage: 24.3% Failford — Renting: 5.8%
Rainbow Flat 7.5% renting
Rainbow Flat — Owned Outright: 54.4% Rainbow Flat — Mortgage: 38.1% Rainbow Flat — Renting: 7.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Failford Rainbow Flat
Certificate III & IV 23.4% / 23.4%
Failford — Certificate III & IV: 23.4% Rainbow Flat — Certificate III & IV: 23.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 8.9%
Failford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Rainbow Flat — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Bachelor Degree 6.6% / 9.1%
Failford — Bachelor Degree: 6.6% Rainbow Flat — Bachelor Degree: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 2.2%
Failford — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Rainbow Flat — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 1.3%
Failford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Rainbow Flat — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.4%).

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.

Failford Rainbow Flat
England 4.0% / 4.6%
Failford — England: 4.0% Rainbow Flat — England: 4.6%
New Zealand 1.1% / 0.9%
Failford — New Zealand: 1.1% Rainbow Flat — New Zealand: 0.9%
Philippines 0.4% / 0.6%
Failford — Philippines: 0.4% Rainbow Flat — Philippines: 0.6%
Ireland — / 0.7%
Failford — Ireland: not among its largest Rainbow Flat — Ireland: 0.7%
Scotland — / 0.6%
Failford — Scotland: not among its largest Rainbow Flat — Scotland: 0.6%
Iraq 0.4% / —
Failford — Iraq: 0.4% Rainbow Flat — Iraq: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Failford 71.7% houses
Failford — Houses: 71.7% Failford — Flats / Apartments: 28.3%
Rainbow Flat 97.3% houses
Rainbow Flat — Houses: 97.3% Rainbow Flat — Flats / Apartments: 2.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Failford Rainbow Flat
Median house price $1,230,000 $1,138,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,150,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 97 days
from 7 sales
 44 days
from 5 sales

Zoning mix

Rainbow Flat has more rural and farming land (81% vs 61%).

Failford Rainbow Flat
Rural and farming 61% 81%
Residential 23% 11%
Environmental 15% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 1%
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

Failford Rainbow Flat
New dwellings approved 743
across Mid-Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +327%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Failford Rainbow Flat
House price Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Income Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 30% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 36% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW

Liveability

Failford is more walkable (20 vs 10); Rainbow Flat scores higher overall (25 vs 20).

Failford Rainbow Flat
Grade D
same for both
Score 20/100 25/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Failford Rainbow Flat
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
82/100
Crime Moderate
46/100
 Moderate
47/100
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
same for both

Schools

Failford Rainbow Flat
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Failford Rainbow Flat
Waterways 1 17

Mobility

Rainbow Flat sits further from the CBD (302.2 km vs 290.2 km).

Failford Rainbow Flat
Walkability score 20/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 290.2 km 302.2 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 199 min 211 min
Public transport score 30/100
Bus
 28/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 5.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2430
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2430
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.

Failford Rainbow Flat
Car (driver) 73.4% / 75.5%
Failford — Car (driver): 73.4% Rainbow Flat — Car (driver): 75.5%
Worked from Home 16.7% / 18.0%
Failford — Worked from Home: 16.7% Rainbow Flat — Worked from Home: 18.0%
Car (passenger) 7.8% / 5.0%
Failford — Car (passenger): 7.8% Rainbow Flat — Car (passenger): 5.0%
Walked Only 2.1% / 1.5%
Failford — Walked Only: 2.1% Rainbow Flat — Walked Only: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.5%).

Setting

Failford Rainbow Flat
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.3 km 5.1 km

NBN connectivity

Failford Rainbow Flat
Connectivity score 51/100 37/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 18%
354 premises
 10%
330 premises

Climate

Failford Rainbow Flat
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Failford Rainbow Flat
Average residential rate $1,560/yr
same for both
Council Mid-Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Failford Rainbow Flat
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Failford Rainbow Flat
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Failford

Retirees Rural

Rainbow Flat

Acreage Retirees River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Failford

Failford vs Nabiac Failford vs Darawank Failford vs Possum Brush

Other comparisons with Rainbow Flat

Rainbow Flat vs Diamond Beach Rainbow Flat vs Tallwoods Village Rainbow Flat vs Hallidays Point Rainbow Flat vs Darawank Rainbow Flat vs Koorainghat Rainbow Flat vs Possum Brush
Full data on Failford Full data on Rainbow Flat
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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