Fairy Meadow vs Fernhill

Fairy Meadow is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 45 in Fernhill. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Fairy Meadow, most households own their home. In Fernhill, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Fairy Meadow tends to suit young adults and share households, while Fernhill suits renters.

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

Fairy Meadow

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Fairy Meadow

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($600,000 vs $940,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (36% vs 45%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Fernhill

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($190/wk vs $390/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 28%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 42%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Fairy Meadow is more walkable (89/100 vs 81/100)
  • Fernhill sits closer to the CBD (78.9 km vs 83 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Fairy Meadow is more walkable (89/100 vs 81/100)
  • Fernhill has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 20%)

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

Where they sit

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

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
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.

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Walkability 89 / 81
Fairy Meadow — Walkability: 89/100 Fernhill — Walkability: 81/100
Safety 23 / 20
Fairy Meadow — Safety: 23/100 Fernhill — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Fairy Meadow — Low fire risk: 100/100 Fernhill — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Fairy Meadow has more residents (7,512 vs 987); Fairy Meadow rents higher ($390/wk vs $190/wk).

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Population 7,512
+87% vs other
 987
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.4% —
Median age 38 45
Median household income $73,164/yr
+21% vs other
 $57,564/yr
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+51% vs other
 $190/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
0-4 4.6% / 6.7%
Fairy Meadow — 0-4: 4.6% Fernhill — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 10.4% / 9.4%
Fairy Meadow — 5-14: 10.4% Fernhill — 5-14: 9.4%
15-19 5.1% / 5.3%
Fairy Meadow — 15-19: 5.1% Fernhill — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 10.5% / 6.4%
Fairy Meadow — 20-24: 10.5% Fernhill — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 14.8% / 9.8%
Fairy Meadow — 25-34: 14.8% Fernhill — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 11.6% / 12.0%
Fairy Meadow — 35-44: 11.6% Fernhill — 35-44: 12.0%
45-54 12.0% / 12.4%
Fairy Meadow — 45-54: 12.0% Fernhill — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 11.4% / 12.6%
Fairy Meadow — 55-64: 11.4% Fernhill — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 9.4% / 15.3%
Fairy Meadow — 65-74: 9.4% Fernhill — 65-74: 15.3%
75-84 7.2% / 8.5%
Fairy Meadow — 75-84: 7.2% Fernhill — 75-84: 8.5%
85+ 3.1% / 2.6%
Fairy Meadow — 85+: 3.1% Fernhill — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fairy Meadow 39.9% lone person
Fairy Meadow — Lone Person: 39.9% Fairy Meadow — Couple Families: 31.3% Fairy Meadow — One Parent Families: 16.7% Fairy Meadow — Group Household: 10.3% Fairy Meadow — Other Families: 1.8%
Fernhill 46.7% lone person
Fernhill — Lone Person: 46.7% Fernhill — Couple Families: 27.8% Fernhill — One Parent Families: 19.5% Fernhill — Group Household: 4.2% Fernhill — Other Families: 1.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fairy Meadow 42.3% renting
Fairy Meadow — Owned Outright: 35.3% Fairy Meadow — Mortgage: 22.4% Fairy Meadow — Renting: 42.3%
Fernhill 52.4% renting
Fernhill — Owned Outright: 25.1% Fernhill — Mortgage: 22.6% Fernhill — Renting: 52.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Certificate III & IV 15.7% / 16.1%
Fairy Meadow — Certificate III & IV: 15.7% Fernhill — Certificate III & IV: 16.1%
Bachelor Degree 13.1% / 10.2%
Fairy Meadow — Bachelor Degree: 13.1% Fernhill — Bachelor Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 7.0%
Fairy Meadow — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Fernhill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 6.1% / 4.3%
Fairy Meadow — Postgraduate Degree: 6.1% Fernhill — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.9%
Fairy Meadow — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Fernhill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

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.

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
England 3.0% / 3.5%
Fairy Meadow — England: 3.0% Fernhill — England: 3.5%
Italy 2.4% / 1.9%
Fairy Meadow — Italy: 2.4% Fernhill — Italy: 1.9%
India 2.5% / 0.9%
Fairy Meadow — India: 2.5% Fernhill — India: 0.9%
Vietnam 1.7% / 0.6%
Fairy Meadow — Vietnam: 1.7% Fernhill — Vietnam: 0.6%
New Zealand 1.0% / 0.9%
Fairy Meadow — New Zealand: 1.0% Fernhill — New Zealand: 0.9%
China 1.7% / —
Fairy Meadow — China: 1.7% Fernhill — China: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.9%
Fairy Meadow — Scotland: not among its largest Fernhill — Scotland: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fairy Meadow 57.4% houses
Fairy Meadow — Houses: 57.4% Fairy Meadow — Townhouses: 19.5% Fairy Meadow — Flats / Apartments: 23.1%
Fernhill 65.1% houses
Fernhill — Houses: 65.1% Fernhill — Townhouses: 23.8% Fernhill — Flats / Apartments: 11.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Median house price $1,360,000 $1,292,500
Median unit price $600,000 $940,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 38 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.

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
3 bed $1.25M / $1.2M
Fairy Meadow — 3 bed: $1.25M (38 sales) Fernhill — 3 bed: $1.2M (9 sales)

38 vs 9 sales

4 bed $1.5M / $1.41M
Fairy Meadow — 4 bed: $1.5M (28 sales) Fernhill — 4 bed: $1.41M (5 sales)

28 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Residential 52% 84%
Parks and recreation 20% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 13% 1%
Industrial 11% 12%
Commercial 2% 0%
Planning zones cover 99% of Fairy Meadow and 100% of Fernhill. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
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.

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Houses 2.9%
$765/wk on $1.35M
 —
Units 4.0%
$570/wk on $745K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
House price Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools Higher than 7% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 14% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 86% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 19% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 23% of NSW —

Liveability

Fairy Meadow is more walkable (89 vs 81).

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Grade C B
Score 48/100 51/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
77/100
 High
80/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
17/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 4 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 3.8 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 4.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.7% 2.1%

Schools in Fairy Meadow

  • Fairy Meadow Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Mount Ousley Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Towradgi Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Fernhill

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

Amenities in the suburb

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 0
Parks & reserves 8 1
Childcare 5 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 7 0

Mobility

Fairy Meadow sits further from the CBD (83 km vs 78.9 km).

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Walkability score 89/100 81/100
Distance to Sydney 83 km
+5% vs other
 78.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 79 min 81 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 42/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 256.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 9.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 3.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 2519
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 30
postcode 2519
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.

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Car (driver) 57.9% / 57.1%
Fairy Meadow — Car (driver): 57.9% Fernhill — Car (driver): 57.1%
Worked from Home 30.8% / 34.4%
Fairy Meadow — Worked from Home: 30.8% Fernhill — Worked from Home: 34.4%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 2.7%
Fairy Meadow — Car (passenger): 3.9% Fernhill — Car (passenger): 2.7%
Walked Only 3.0% / 2.7%
Fairy Meadow — Walked Only: 3.0% Fernhill — Walked Only: 2.7%
Train 1.2% / 1.7%
Fairy Meadow — Train: 1.2% Fernhill — Train: 1.7%
Bus 2.5% / —
Fairy Meadow — Bus: 2.5% Fernhill — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.9%).

Setting

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.2 km
1.2 km to a named beach
 2.0 km
2.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Connectivity score 69/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
3,773 premises
 100%
508 premises

Climate

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Annual rainfall 1,038 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
PM2.5 6.2 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.66 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Fairy Meadow Fernhill
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Fairy Meadow

Beach Coastal Parks River

Fernhill

Coastal Parks Quiet Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Fairy Meadow

Fairy Meadow vs Balgownie Fairy Meadow vs Towradgi Fairy Meadow vs North Wollongong Fairy Meadow vs Mount Ousley Fairy Meadow vs Mount Pleasant

Other comparisons with Fernhill

Fernhill vs Corrimal Fernhill vs Balgownie Fernhill vs Towradgi Fernhill vs Tarrawanna
Full data on Fairy Meadow Full data on Fernhill
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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