Farley vs Rutherford

Farley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 35 in Rutherford. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Farley, about half of households rent. In Rutherford, most households own their home. On these figures, Farley tends to suit renters and share households, while Rutherford suits people living alone.

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

Rutherford

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (10 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Farley has cheaper land ($475,000 vs $835,000)
  • Rutherford has cheaper units ($565,000 vs $683,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Farley has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 36%)
  • Rutherford has cheaper rent ($360/wk vs $440/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Rutherford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (28/100 vs 5/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Rutherford

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (28/100 vs 5/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 10%)
  • But Farley has more units and townhouses to downsize into (33% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Farley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (177.5% vs 10.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Farley Rutherford
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.

Farley Rutherford
Walkability 5 / 28
Farley — Walkability: 5/100 Rutherford — Walkability: 28/100
Safety 4 / 14
Farley — Safety: 4/100 Rutherford — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Farley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Rutherford — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Rutherford has more residents (13,091 vs 605); Farley has higher household incomes ($104,780 vs $76,700).

Farley Rutherford
Population 605 13,091
+2064% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +177.5% +10.2%
Median age 30 35
Median household income $104,780/yr
+27% vs other
 $76,700/yr
Median weekly rent $440/wk
+18% vs other
 $360/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Farley Rutherford
0-4 8.9% / 7.5%
Farley — 0-4: 8.9% Rutherford — 0-4: 7.5%
5-14 12.9% / 14.4%
Farley — 5-14: 12.9% Rutherford — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 5.6% / 5.7%
Farley — 15-19: 5.6% Rutherford — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 11.6% / 5.9%
Farley — 20-24: 11.6% Rutherford — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 17.7% / 15.9%
Farley — 25-34: 17.7% Rutherford — 25-34: 15.9%
35-44 13.4% / 12.7%
Farley — 35-44: 13.4% Rutherford — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 9.9% / 10.5%
Farley — 45-54: 9.9% Rutherford — 45-54: 10.5%
55-64 9.1% / 9.3%
Farley — 55-64: 9.1% Rutherford — 55-64: 9.3%
65-74 6.3% / 9.7%
Farley — 65-74: 6.3% Rutherford — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 2.1% / 6.1%
Farley — 75-84: 2.1% Rutherford — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 1.3% / 2.3%
Farley — 85+: 1.3% Rutherford — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Farley 36.7% couple families
Farley — Couple Families: 36.7% Farley — Lone Person: 22.7% Farley — One Parent Families: 26.7% Farley — Group Household: 10.0% Farley — Other Families: 4.0%
Rutherford 38.9% couple families
Rutherford — Couple Families: 38.9% Rutherford — Lone Person: 34.7% Rutherford — One Parent Families: 21.5% Rutherford — Group Household: 3.4% Rutherford — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Farley 51.8% renting
Farley — Owned Outright: 19.1% Farley — Mortgage: 29.1% Farley — Renting: 51.8%
Rutherford 36.0% renting
Rutherford — Owned Outright: 25.5% Rutherford — Mortgage: 38.5% Rutherford — Renting: 36.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Farley Rutherford
Certificate III & IV 18.8% / 20.3%
Farley — Certificate III & IV: 18.8% Rutherford — Certificate III & IV: 20.3%
Bachelor Degree 10.1% / 5.0%
Farley — Bachelor Degree: 10.1% Rutherford — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 5.8%
Farley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% Rutherford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 0.8%
Farley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Rutherford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%
Postgraduate Degree 0.5% / 1.1%
Farley — Postgraduate Degree: 0.5% Rutherford — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

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.

Farley Rutherford
England 1.5% / 1.6%
Farley — England: 1.5% Rutherford — England: 1.6%
India 2.0% / 0.8%
Farley — India: 2.0% Rutherford — India: 0.8%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.1%
Farley — New Zealand: 0.7% Rutherford — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.4%
Farley — South Africa: 0.8% Rutherford — South Africa: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.8%
Farley — Philippines: not among its largest Rutherford — Philippines: 0.8%
Ireland 0.5% / —
Farley — Ireland: 0.5% Rutherford — Ireland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Farley 67.3% houses
Farley — Houses: 67.3% Farley — Townhouses: 33.2% Farley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Rutherford 86.9% houses
Rutherford — Houses: 86.9% Rutherford — Townhouses: 10.9% Rutherford — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Farley Rutherford
Median house price $732,500 $755,000
Median unit price $683,000 $565,000
Median land price $475,000 $835,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 35 days
from 30 sales
 23 days
from 192 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.

Farley Rutherford
3 bed $705K / $725K
Farley — 3 bed: $705K (17 sales) Rutherford — 3 bed: $725K (198 sales)

17 vs 198 sales

4 bed $750K / $815K
Farley — 4 bed: $750K (59 sales) Rutherford — 4 bed: $815K (158 sales)

59 vs 158 sales

5 bed $1.03M / $950K
Farley — 5 bed: $1.03M (6 sales) Rutherford — 5 bed: $950K (15 sales)

6 vs 15 sales

Zoning mix

Farley has more rural and farming land (75% vs 1%); Rutherford has more industrially zoned land (31% vs 0%).

Farley Rutherford
Rural and farming 75% 1%
Residential 12% 38%
Industrial 0% 31%
Parks and recreation 0% 13%
Environmental 12% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 10%
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

Farley Rutherford
New dwellings approved 1,413
across Maitland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +20%
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.

Farley Rutherford
Houses 4.2%
$630/wk on $785K
 4.2%
$655/wk on $808K
Units — 4.2%
$500/wk on $625K

Ranking within NSW

Farley Rutherford
House price Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
Income Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 30% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 29% of NSW

Liveability

Rutherford is more walkable (28 vs 5).

Farley Rutherford
Grade C D
Score 32/100 28/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Farley carries more crime risk (96 vs 86).

Farley Rutherford
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
96/100
 High
86/100
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 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Farley Rutherford
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Farley

  • Hunter Trade College Independent · Secondary

Schools in Rutherford

  • Rutherford Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Rutherford Technology High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Paul's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Farley Rutherford
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 7
Parks & reserves 0 6
Childcare 0 10
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 8
Waterways 2 9

Mobility

Farley Rutherford
Walkability score 5/100 28/100
Distance to Sydney 172.5 km 171.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 132 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2320
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2320
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.

Farley Rutherford
Car (driver) 78.5% / 78.4%
Farley — Car (driver): 78.5% Rutherford — Car (driver): 78.4%
Worked from Home 16.5% / 13.3%
Farley — Worked from Home: 16.5% Rutherford — Worked from Home: 13.3%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 5.3%
Farley — Car (passenger): 3.7% Rutherford — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Walked Only 1.2% / 1.5%
Farley — Walked Only: 1.2% Rutherford — Walked Only: 1.5%
Train — / 0.6%
Farley — Train: not among its largest Rutherford — Train: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.5%).

Setting

Farley Rutherford
Elevation 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 28.1 km 28.2 km

NBN connectivity

Farley Rutherford
Connectivity score 92/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 88%
686 premises
 53%
6,279 premises

Climate

Farley Rutherford
Annual rainfall 996 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Farley Rutherford
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Farley Rutherford
Average residential rate $1,908/yr
same for both
Council Maitland
same for both

Federal electorate

Farley Rutherford
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Farley Rutherford
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Farley

Rural Townhouses Young Families

Rutherford

Large Blocks Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Farley

Farley vs Gillieston Heights Farley vs Telarah Farley vs Lochinvar Farley vs Bishops Bridge

Other comparisons with Rutherford

Rutherford vs Aberglasslyn Rutherford vs Telarah Rutherford vs Maitland Rutherford vs Lochinvar Rutherford vs Windella Rutherford vs Oakhampton
Full data on Farley Full data on Rutherford
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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