Gilgai vs Inverell

Inverell is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 45 in Gilgai. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Inverell: a median of $469,000, against $360,000 in Gilgai, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Gilgai tends to suit 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Gilgai has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Inverell has more childcare (10 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Gilgai

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($360,000 vs $469,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Gilgai has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $270/wk)
  • Inverell has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 14%)

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

Commuting to the city

Gilgai

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (429 min vs 440 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (563.4 km vs 572.4 km)
  • But Inverell is more walkable (55/100 vs 16/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Inverell

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 16/100)
  • But Gilgai carries lower crime risk (67/100 vs 88/100)

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

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

Gilgai Inverell
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.

Gilgai Inverell
Walkability 16 / 55
Gilgai — Walkability: 16/100 Inverell — Walkability: 55/100
Safety 33 / 12
Gilgai — Safety: 33/100 Inverell — Safety: 12/100
Low fire risk 27 / 61
Gilgai — Low fire risk: 27/100 Inverell — Low fire risk: 61/100

Demographics

Inverell has more residents (12,057 vs 740); Gilgai skews older (45 vs 41).

Gilgai Inverell
Population 740 12,057
+1529% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.8% +3.4%
Median age 45 41
Median household income $59,852/yr $61,724/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $270/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gilgai Inverell
0-4 5.7% / 5.9%
Gilgai — 0-4: 5.7% Inverell — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 12.4% / 13.7%
Gilgai — 5-14: 12.4% Inverell — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 7.4% / 6.1%
Gilgai — 15-19: 7.4% Inverell — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 4.3% / 5.6%
Gilgai — 20-24: 4.3% Inverell — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 10.9% / 12.0%
Gilgai — 25-34: 10.9% Inverell — 25-34: 12.0%
35-44 9.2% / 10.7%
Gilgai — 35-44: 9.2% Inverell — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 13.9% / 11.1%
Gilgai — 45-54: 13.9% Inverell — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 15.0% / 11.9%
Gilgai — 55-64: 15.0% Inverell — 55-64: 11.9%
65-74 13.4% / 11.7%
Gilgai — 65-74: 13.4% Inverell — 65-74: 11.7%
75-84 5.5% / 8.4%
Gilgai — 75-84: 5.5% Inverell — 75-84: 8.4%
85+ 1.8% / 3.1%
Gilgai — 85+: 1.8% Inverell — 85+: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gilgai 36.0% lone person
Gilgai — Lone Person: 36.0% Gilgai — Couple Families: 40.6% Gilgai — One Parent Families: 18.3% Gilgai — Group Household: 2.3% Gilgai — Other Families: 2.9%
Inverell 42.7% lone person
Inverell — Lone Person: 42.7% Inverell — Couple Families: 31.5% Inverell — One Parent Families: 20.1% Inverell — Group Household: 4.0% Inverell — Other Families: 1.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gilgai 14.4% renting
Gilgai — Owned Outright: 47.6% Gilgai — Mortgage: 38.0% Gilgai — Renting: 14.4%
Inverell 33.8% renting
Inverell — Owned Outright: 36.9% Inverell — Mortgage: 29.2% Inverell — Renting: 33.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Gilgai Inverell
Certificate III & IV 20.0% / 17.2%
Gilgai — Certificate III & IV: 20.0% Inverell — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Bachelor Degree 4.3% / 6.4%
Gilgai — Bachelor Degree: 4.3% Inverell — Bachelor Degree: 6.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 5.2%
Gilgai — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Inverell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 1.0%
Gilgai — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Inverell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 1.0%
Gilgai — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Inverell — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Gilgai Inverell
England 2.3% / 1.1%
Gilgai — England: 2.3% Inverell — England: 1.1%
Philippines 0.5% / 1.0%
Gilgai — Philippines: 0.5% Inverell — Philippines: 1.0%
New Zealand 0.7% / 0.7%
Gilgai — New Zealand: 0.7% Inverell — New Zealand: 0.7%
India 0.5% / 0.4%
Gilgai — India: 0.5% Inverell — India: 0.4%
Fiji — / 0.7%
Gilgai — Fiji: not among its largest Inverell — Fiji: 0.7%
Germany 0.5% / —
Gilgai — Germany: 0.5% Inverell — Germany: not among its largest
Brazil — / 0.4%
Gilgai — Brazil: not among its largest Inverell — Brazil: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gilgai 100.4% houses
Gilgai — Houses: 100.4% Gilgai — Townhouses: 0.0% Gilgai — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Inverell 87.3% houses
Inverell — Houses: 87.3% Inverell — Townhouses: 10.0% Inverell — Flats / Apartments: 2.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Gilgai Inverell
Median house price $360,000 $469,000
Median unit price — $329,000
Median land price $580,000 $652,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 42 days
from 110 sales

Zoning mix

Gilgai has more rural and farming land (83% vs 64%).

Gilgai Inverell
Rural and farming 83% 64%
Residential 2% 26%
Environmental 15% 6%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
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

Gilgai Inverell
New dwellings approved 31
across Inverell
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
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.

Gilgai Inverell
Houses — 3.8%
$460/wk on $629K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Gilgai Inverell
House price Higher than 23% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 5% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 1% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 62% of NSW

Liveability

Inverell is more walkable (55 vs 16); Inverell scores higher overall (20 vs 11).

Gilgai Inverell
Grade D
same for both
Score 11/100 20/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Gilgai carries more bushfire risk (73 vs 39); Inverell carries more crime risk (88 vs 67).

Gilgai Inverell
Bushfire High
73/100
 Low
39/100
Crime Moderate
67/100
 High
88/100
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

Gilgai Inverell
Inside the suburb 1 5
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 3

Schools in Gilgai

  • Gilgai Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Inverell

  • Holy Trinity School Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Inverell High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Inverell Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Macintyre High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Ross Hill Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Gilgai Inverell
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 13
Parks & reserves 3 18
Childcare 0 10
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 6
Fuel stations 1 6
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 7 8

Mobility

Inverell sits further from the CBD (572.4 km vs 563.4 km).

Gilgai Inverell
Walkability score 16/100 55/100
Distance to Sydney 563.4 km 572.4 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 429 min 440 min
Public transport score 33/100
Bus
 65/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 12.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 66.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 2360
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 2360
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.

Gilgai Inverell
Car (driver) 83.7% / 78.8%
Gilgai — Car (driver): 83.7% Inverell — Car (driver): 78.8%
Worked from Home 9.7% / 8.5%
Gilgai — Worked from Home: 9.7% Inverell — Worked from Home: 8.5%
Car (passenger) 6.6% / 8.2%
Gilgai — Car (passenger): 6.6% Inverell — Car (passenger): 8.2%
Walked Only — / 4.1%
Gilgai — Walked Only: not among its largest Inverell — Walked Only: 4.1%
Bicycle — / 0.2%
Gilgai — Bicycle: not among its largest Inverell — Bicycle: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.7%).

Setting

Gilgai Inverell
Elevation 790 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 595 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Gilgai Inverell
Connectivity score 29/100 70/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
276 premises
 35%
6,241 premises

Climate

Gilgai Inverell
Annual rainfall 803 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Gilgai Inverell
Average residential rate $1,170/yr
same for both
Council Inverell
same for both

Federal electorate

Gilgai Inverell
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gilgai Inverell
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gilgai

Rural

Inverell

Acreage Affordable

More comparisons

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Gilgai vs Tingha Gilgai vs Auburn Vale Gilgai vs Stannifer

Other comparisons with Inverell

Inverell vs Gum Flat Inverell vs Oakwood Inverell vs Nullamanna Inverell vs Auburn Vale Inverell vs Stannifer Inverell vs Rob Roy
Full data on Gilgai Full data on Inverell
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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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