Ferodale vs Medowie

Medowie is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 43 in Ferodale. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Medowie tends to suit families with children.

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

Medowie

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (10 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Medowie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (48/100 vs 10/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Medowie

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (48/100 vs 10/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 96/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Ferodale Medowie
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.

Ferodale Medowie
Walkability 10 / 48
Ferodale — Walkability: 10/100 Medowie — Walkability: 48/100
Safety 4 / 58
Ferodale — Safety: 4/100 Medowie — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 22 / 17
Ferodale — Low fire risk: 22/100 Medowie — Low fire risk: 17/100

Demographics

Medowie has more residents (10,879 vs 98); Medowie has higher household incomes ($106,288 vs $81,224).

Ferodale Medowie
Population 98 10,879
+11001% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +18.1% +13.8%
Median age 43 37
Median household income $81,224/yr $106,288/yr
+31% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $430/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ferodale Medowie
0-4 3.1% / 6.8%
Ferodale — 0-4: 3.1% Medowie — 0-4: 6.8%
5-14 10.2% / 16.4%
Ferodale — 5-14: 10.2% Medowie — 5-14: 16.4%
15-19 9.2% / 6.6%
Ferodale — 15-19: 9.2% Medowie — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 10.2% / 5.4%
Ferodale — 20-24: 10.2% Medowie — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 5.1% / 11.3%
Ferodale — 25-34: 5.1% Medowie — 25-34: 11.3%
35-44 12.2% / 13.4%
Ferodale — 35-44: 12.2% Medowie — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 14.3% / 13.7%
Ferodale — 45-54: 14.3% Medowie — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 15.3% / 12.1%
Ferodale — 55-64: 15.3% Medowie — 55-64: 12.1%
65-74 13.3% / 9.4%
Ferodale — 65-74: 13.3% Medowie — 65-74: 9.4%
75-84 5.1% / 4.4%
Ferodale — 75-84: 5.1% Medowie — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ — / 0.8%
Ferodale — 85+: not among its largest Medowie — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ferodale 61.9% couple families
Ferodale — Couple Families: 61.9% Ferodale — Lone Person: 23.8% Ferodale — One Parent Families: 14.3% Ferodale — Group Household: 0.0% Ferodale — Other Families: 0.0%
Medowie 59.3% couple families
Medowie — Couple Families: 59.3% Medowie — Lone Person: 20.3% Medowie — One Parent Families: 18.0% Medowie — Group Household: 1.9% Medowie — Other Families: 0.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ferodale 0.0% renting
Ferodale — Owned Outright: 46.4% Ferodale — Mortgage: 53.6% Ferodale — Renting: 0.0%
Medowie 22.3% renting
Medowie — Owned Outright: 30.5% Medowie — Mortgage: 47.2% Medowie — Renting: 22.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ferodale 100.0% houses
Ferodale — Houses: 100.0% Ferodale — Townhouses: 0.0% Ferodale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Medowie 97.5% houses
Medowie — Houses: 97.5% Medowie — Townhouses: 2.1% Medowie — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Ferodale Medowie
Certificate III & IV 22.4% / 21.9%
Ferodale — Certificate III & IV: 22.4% Medowie — Certificate III & IV: 21.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 8.9%
Ferodale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Medowie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Bachelor Degree 3.1% / 7.9%
Ferodale — Bachelor Degree: 3.1% Medowie — Bachelor Degree: 7.9%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 1.9%
Ferodale — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Medowie — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.3%
Ferodale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Medowie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

Property market

Ferodale Medowie
Median house price — $995,000
Median unit price — $597,500
Median land price — $1,100,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 28 days
from 164 sales

Zoning mix

Ferodale Medowie
Infrastructure and transport 59% 30%
Residential 0% 31%
Environmental 22% 17%
Rural and farming 19% 18%
Parks and recreation 0% 3%
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

Ferodale Medowie
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
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.

Ferodale Medowie
Houses — 3.6%
$700/wk on $1.02M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Ferodale Medowie
House price — Higher than 44% of NSW
Income Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 29% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 75% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 59% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 48% of NSW

Liveability

Medowie is more walkable (48 vs 10).

Ferodale Medowie
Grade — C
Score — 31/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Ferodale carries more crime risk (96 vs 42).

Ferodale Medowie
Bushfire High
78/100
 High
83/100
Crime High
96/100
 Moderate
42/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
83/100
 High
100/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Ferodale Medowie
Inside the suburb 0 5
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Ferodale

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

Schools in Medowie

  • Catherine McAuley Catholic College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Medowie Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Wirreanda Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Medowie Christian School Independent · Combined below peers
  • Medowie Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Ferodale Medowie
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 5
Parks & reserves 1 5
Childcare 0 10
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 11 2

Mobility

Ferodale Medowie
Walkability score 10/100 48/100
Distance to Sydney 188.7 km 190.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 142 min
same for both
Public transport score 25/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 279.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2318
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2318
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.

Ferodale Medowie
Car (driver) 60.0% / 68.7%
Ferodale — Car (driver): 60.0% Medowie — Car (driver): 68.7%
Worked from Home 25.0% / 26.1%
Ferodale — Worked from Home: 25.0% Medowie — Worked from Home: 26.1%
Walked Only 15.0% / 1.0%
Ferodale — Walked Only: 15.0% Medowie — Walked Only: 1.0%
Car (passenger) — / 3.7%
Ferodale — Car (passenger): not among its largest Medowie — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Bus — / 0.3%
Ferodale — Bus: not among its largest Medowie — Bus: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.7%).

Setting

Ferodale Medowie
Elevation 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.4 km 5.4 km

NBN connectivity

Ferodale Medowie
Connectivity score 21/100 84/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
24 premises
 61%
4,445 premises

Climate

Ferodale Medowie
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Ferodale Medowie
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³ 7.5 µg/m³
PM10 17.5 µg/m³ 30.4 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.72 pphm 0.73 pphm

Council rates

Ferodale Medowie
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Ferodale Medowie
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ferodale Medowie
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ferodale

Rural

Medowie

Family Quiet Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ferodale

Ferodale vs Raymond Terrace Ferodale vs Swan Bay Ferodale vs Eagleton Ferodale vs Twelve Mile Creek

Other comparisons with Medowie

Medowie vs Salt Ash Medowie vs Swan Bay Medowie vs Oyster Cove
Full data on Ferodale Full data on Medowie
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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