Frederickton vs Pola Creek

Pola Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 49 in Frederickton. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Pola Creek, the large majority of households are couple families. On these figures, Frederickton tends to suit people living alone, while Pola Creek suits families with children and 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

Pola Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 75/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (80% vs 55%)
  • But Frederickton has more childcare (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Pola Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 28%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Pola Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper rent ($280/wk vs $330/wk)
  • But Frederickton has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 12%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Frederickton is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • Pola Creek sits closer to the CBD (425.3 km vs 431.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Frederickton

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 27%)
  • But Pola Creek carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 75/100)

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

Investors

Pola Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (28.4% vs 4.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Frederickton Pola Creek
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.

Frederickton Pola Creek
Walkability 10 / 0
Frederickton — Walkability: 10/100 Pola Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 25 / 89
Frederickton — Safety: 25/100 Pola Creek — Safety: 89/100
Low fire risk 66 / 100
Frederickton — Low fire risk: 66/100 Pola Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Frederickton has more residents (1,452 vs 86); Pola Creek has higher household incomes ($121,316 vs $57,928).

Frederickton Pola Creek
Population 1,452
+94% vs other
 86
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% +28.4%
Median age 49 40
Median household income $57,928/yr $121,316/yr
+109% vs other
Median weekly rent $330/wk
+15% vs other
 $280/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Frederickton Pola Creek
0-4 5.2% / 4.7%
Frederickton — 0-4: 5.2% Pola Creek — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 11.3% / 16.3%
Frederickton — 5-14: 11.3% Pola Creek — 5-14: 16.3%
15-19 5.9% / 3.5%
Frederickton — 15-19: 5.9% Pola Creek — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 5.2% / 4.7%
Frederickton — 20-24: 5.2% Pola Creek — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 9.7% / 10.5%
Frederickton — 25-34: 9.7% Pola Creek — 25-34: 10.5%
35-44 7.8% / 10.5%
Frederickton — 35-44: 7.8% Pola Creek — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 10.8% / 10.5%
Frederickton — 45-54: 10.8% Pola Creek — 45-54: 10.5%
55-64 11.8% / 11.6%
Frederickton — 55-64: 11.8% Pola Creek — 55-64: 11.6%
65-74 14.9% / 15.1%
Frederickton — 65-74: 14.9% Pola Creek — 65-74: 15.1%
75-84 9.7% / 11.6%
Frederickton — 75-84: 9.7% Pola Creek — 75-84: 11.6%
85+ 8.2% / —
Frederickton — 85+: 8.2% Pola Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Frederickton 30.8% couple families
Frederickton — Couple Families: 30.8% Frederickton — Lone Person: 39.2% Frederickton — One Parent Families: 24.6% Frederickton — Group Household: 2.8% Frederickton — Other Families: 2.5%
Pola Creek 80.0% couple families
Pola Creek — Couple Families: 80.0% Pola Creek — Lone Person: 20.0% Pola Creek — One Parent Families: 0.0% Pola Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Pola Creek — 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.

Frederickton 24.2% renting
Frederickton — Owned Outright: 43.1% Frederickton — Mortgage: 32.7% Frederickton — Renting: 24.2%
Pola Creek 12.0% renting
Pola Creek — Owned Outright: 36.0% Pola Creek — Mortgage: 52.0% Pola Creek — Renting: 12.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Frederickton Pola Creek
Certificate III & IV 19.4% / 20.9%
Frederickton — Certificate III & IV: 19.4% Pola Creek — Certificate III & IV: 20.9%
Bachelor Degree 3.6% / 7.0%
Frederickton — Bachelor Degree: 3.6% Pola Creek — Bachelor Degree: 7.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 3.5%
Frederickton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% Pola Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / —
Frederickton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Pola Creek — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / —
Frederickton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Pola Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

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.

Frederickton Pola Creek
Thailand — / 4.7%
Frederickton — Thailand: not among its largest Pola Creek — Thailand: 4.7%
England 2.3% / —
Frederickton — England: 2.3% Pola Creek — England: not among its largest
India 1.1% / —
Frederickton — India: 1.1% Pola Creek — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.6% / —
Frederickton — New Zealand: 0.6% Pola Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / —
Frederickton — Scotland: 0.4% Pola Creek — Scotland: not among its largest
Brazil 0.4% / —
Frederickton — Brazil: 0.4% Pola Creek — Brazil: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Frederickton 94.2% houses
Frederickton — Houses: 94.2% Frederickton — Flats / Apartments: 3.3% Frederickton — Townhouses: 2.5%
Pola Creek 100.0% houses
Pola Creek — Houses: 100.0% Pola Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Pola Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Frederickton Pola Creek
Median house price $535,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 83 days
from 21 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Frederickton Pola Creek
Rural and farming 83% 88%
Residential 11% 0%
Environmental 2% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 3%
same for both
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

Frederickton Pola Creek
New dwellings approved 144
across Kempsey
same for both
Approvals change year on year +380%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Frederickton Pola Creek
House price Higher than 18% of NSW —
Income Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 68% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 7% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW

Liveability

Frederickton is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Frederickton Pola Creek
Grade D —
Score 19/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Frederickton carries more bushfire risk (34 vs 0); Frederickton carries more crime risk (75 vs 11).

Frederickton Pola Creek
Bushfire Low
34/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
75/100
 Low
11/100
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Frederickton Pola Creek
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Frederickton

  • Frederickton Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Pola Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Frederickton Pola Creek
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Childcare 4 0
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

Frederickton sits further from the CBD (431.5 km vs 425.3 km).

Frederickton Pola Creek
Walkability score 10/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 431.5 km
+1% vs other
 425.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 285 min
same for both
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 20/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 3 min
scheduled, not actual
 5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2440
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 2440
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.

Frederickton Pola Creek
Car (driver) 86.0% / 85.7%
Frederickton — Car (driver): 86.0% Pola Creek — Car (driver): 85.7%
Worked from Home 6.9% / 14.3%
Frederickton — Worked from Home: 6.9% Pola Creek — Worked from Home: 14.3%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / —
Frederickton — Car (passenger): 5.5% Pola Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 0.9% / —
Frederickton — Walked Only: 0.9% Pola Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.7% / —
Frederickton — Bus: 0.7% Pola Creek — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.0%).

Setting

Frederickton Pola Creek
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 16.9 km 14.8 km

NBN connectivity

Frederickton Pola Creek
Connectivity score 42/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
671 premises
 0%
29 premises

Council rates

Frederickton Pola Creek
Average residential rate $1,447/yr
same for both
Council Kempsey
same for both

Federal electorate

Frederickton Pola Creek
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Frederickton Pola Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Frederickton

Acreage Affordable Retirees

Pola Creek

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Frederickton

Frederickton vs West Kempsey Frederickton vs Collombatti Frederickton vs Kempsey Frederickton vs Austral Eden Frederickton vs Bellimbopinni

Other comparisons with Pola Creek

Pola Creek vs Kempsey Pola Creek vs Verges Creek Pola Creek vs Austral Eden Pola Creek vs Hampden Hall
Full data on Frederickton Full data on Pola Creek
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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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