Gerringong vs Willow Vale

Gerringong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 50 in Willow Vale. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Gerringong, about half of households are couple families. In Willow Vale, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Gerringong: a median of $1.5 million, against $1.2 million in Willow Vale, though rent is higher in Willow Vale. On these figures, Gerringong tends to suit families with children, while Willow Vale suits couples and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Gerringong

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • But Willow Vale has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 79%)

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

First-home buyers

Willow Vale

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 26%)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,195,000 vs $1,500,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Gerringong

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (26% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $600/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Gerringong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (70/100 vs 8/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (131.2 km vs 134.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Gerringong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (70/100 vs 8/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Gerringong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (5.0% vs -7.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gerringong Willow Vale
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.

Gerringong Willow Vale
Walkability 70 / 8
Gerringong — Walkability: 70/100 Willow Vale — Walkability: 8/100
Low fire risk 100 / 15
Gerringong — Low fire risk: 100/100 Willow Vale — Low fire risk: 15/100

Demographics

Gerringong has more residents (4,165 vs 73); Willow Vale rents higher ($600/wk vs $500/wk).

Gerringong Willow Vale
Population 4,165
+98% vs other
 73
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.0% -7.6%
Median age 46 50
Median household income $98,748/yr
+3% vs other
 $95,316/yr
Median weekly rent $500/wk $600/wk
+20% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gerringong Willow Vale
0-4 5.5% / —
Gerringong — 0-4: 5.5% Willow Vale — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 12.9% / 9.6%
Gerringong — 5-14: 12.9% Willow Vale — 5-14: 9.6%
15-19 5.8% / 13.7%
Gerringong — 15-19: 5.8% Willow Vale — 15-19: 13.7%
20-24 3.9% / 4.1%
Gerringong — 20-24: 3.9% Willow Vale — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 8.9% / 4.1%
Gerringong — 25-34: 8.9% Willow Vale — 25-34: 4.1%
35-44 10.9% / 4.1%
Gerringong — 35-44: 10.9% Willow Vale — 35-44: 4.1%
45-54 12.5% / 8.2%
Gerringong — 45-54: 12.5% Willow Vale — 45-54: 8.2%
55-64 13.7% / 19.2%
Gerringong — 55-64: 13.7% Willow Vale — 55-64: 19.2%
65-74 13.3% / 16.4%
Gerringong — 65-74: 13.3% Willow Vale — 65-74: 16.4%
75-84 8.5% / —
Gerringong — 75-84: 8.5% Willow Vale — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 4.1% / 8.2%
Gerringong — 85+: 4.1% Willow Vale — 85+: 8.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gerringong 49.5% couple families
Gerringong — Couple Families: 49.5% Gerringong — Lone Person: 34.3% Gerringong — One Parent Families: 11.9% Gerringong — Group Household: 3.4% Gerringong — Other Families: 0.9%
Willow Vale 68.8% couple families
Willow Vale — Couple Families: 68.8% Willow Vale — Lone Person: 31.2% Willow Vale — One Parent Families: 0.0% Willow Vale — Group Household: 0.0% Willow Vale — 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.

Gerringong 20.5% renting
Gerringong — Owned Outright: 46.2% Gerringong — Mortgage: 33.3% Gerringong — Renting: 20.5%
Willow Vale 0.0% renting
Willow Vale — Owned Outright: 54.5% Willow Vale — Mortgage: 45.5% Willow Vale — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gerringong 78.8% houses
Gerringong — Houses: 78.8% Gerringong — Townhouses: 15.0% Gerringong — Flats / Apartments: 6.1%
Willow Vale 100.0% houses
Willow Vale — Houses: 100.0% Willow Vale — Townhouses: 0.0% Willow Vale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Gerringong Willow Vale
Bachelor Degree 16.2% / 17.8%
Gerringong — Bachelor Degree: 16.2% Willow Vale — Bachelor Degree: 17.8%
Certificate III & IV 14.3% / 12.3%
Gerringong — Certificate III & IV: 14.3% Willow Vale — Certificate III & IV: 12.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 4.1%
Gerringong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Willow Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.1%
Postgraduate Degree 5.3% / 5.5%
Gerringong — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3% Willow Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / —
Gerringong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% Willow Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

Property market

Gerringong Willow Vale
Median house price $1,500,000 $1,195,000
Median unit price $925,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 61 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Willow Vale has more rural and farming land (77% vs 35%); Gerringong has more land zoned for conservation (36% vs 20%).

Gerringong Willow Vale
Rural and farming 35% 77%
Environmental 36% 20%
Residential 15% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 3%
Parks and recreation 5% 0%
Planning zones cover 99% of Gerringong and 100% of Willow Vale. 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

Gerringong Willow Vale
New dwellings approved 159
across Kiama
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Gerringong Willow Vale
Houses 1.6%
$900/wk on $2.9M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Gerringong Willow Vale
House price Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Income Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 84% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 1% of NSW —

Liveability

Gerringong is more walkable (70 vs 8).

Gerringong Willow Vale
Grade A —
Score 75/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Willow Vale carries more bushfire risk (85 vs 0).

Gerringong Willow Vale
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
85/100
Crime Low
21/100
 —
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
31/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Gerringong Willow Vale
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 Gerringong

  • Gerringong Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Willow Vale

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

Amenities in the suburb

Gerringong Willow Vale
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 0
Parks & reserves 8 0
Childcare 4 0
GPs 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 5 1

Mobility

Willow Vale sits further from the CBD (134.1 km vs 131.2 km).

Gerringong Willow Vale
Walkability score 70/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 131.2 km 134.1 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 111 min 113 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 2534
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 46
postcode 2534
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.

Gerringong Willow Vale
Car (driver) 63.2% / 35.5%
Gerringong — Car (driver): 63.2% Willow Vale — Car (driver): 35.5%
Worked from Home 30.4% / 64.5%
Gerringong — Worked from Home: 30.4% Willow Vale — Worked from Home: 64.5%
Walked Only 3.0% / —
Gerringong — Walked Only: 3.0% Willow Vale — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 2.9% / —
Gerringong — Car (passenger): 2.9% Willow Vale — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 0.3% / —
Gerringong — Bicycle: 0.3% Willow Vale — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.5%).

Setting

Gerringong Willow Vale
Elevation 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 74 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 737 m
1.1 km to a named beach
 3.7 km
4.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Gerringong Willow Vale
Connectivity score 69/100 28/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
2,267 premises
 0%
33 premises

Climate

Gerringong Willow Vale
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Gerringong Willow Vale
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Gerringong Willow Vale
Average residential rate $1,898/yr
same for both
Council Kiama
same for both

Federal electorate

Gerringong Willow Vale
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gerringong Willow Vale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gerringong

Beach Coastal Parks Retirees River

Willow Vale

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gerringong

Gerringong vs Kiama Heights Gerringong vs Gerroa Gerringong vs Werri Beach Gerringong vs Toolijooa Gerringong vs Rose Valley Gerringong vs Saddleback Mountain

Other comparisons with Willow Vale

Willow Vale vs Foxground Willow Vale vs Toolijooa Willow Vale vs Broughton Village Willow Vale vs Rose Valley
Full data on Gerringong Full data on Willow Vale
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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