Googong vs Karabar

Googong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 38 in Karabar. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Googong, the large majority of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Googong: a median of $1.12 million, against $835,000 in Karabar, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Googong tends to suit families with children and couples, while Karabar suits people living alone 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

Googong

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 70/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (86% vs 63%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (94% vs 80%)
  • But Karabar has more childcare (6 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Karabar

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($835,000 vs $1,120,000)
  • has cheaper units ($448,250 vs $500,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Karabar

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $525/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Karabar

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (193 min vs 203 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (292 km vs 299.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Karabar

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (20% vs 6%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (14% vs 6%)
  • But Googong carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 70/100)

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

Investors

Googong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (176.7% vs 3.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Googong Karabar
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.

Googong Karabar
Walkability 0 / 63
Googong — Walkability: 0/100 Karabar — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 76 / 30
Googong — Safety: 76/100 Karabar — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 29 / 12
Googong — Low fire risk: 29/100 Karabar — Low fire risk: 12/100

Demographics

Googong has higher household incomes ($175,292 vs $103,428); Googong rents higher ($525/wk vs $350/wk).

Googong Karabar
Population 7,444 8,517
+14% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +176.7% +3.3%
Median age 32 38
Median household income $175,292/yr
+41% vs other
 $103,428/yr
Median weekly rent $525/wk
+33% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Googong Karabar
0-4 12.1% / 6.2%
Googong — 0-4: 12.1% Karabar — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 15.9% / 12.8%
Googong — 5-14: 15.9% Karabar — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 4.7% / 5.8%
Googong — 15-19: 4.7% Karabar — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 4.1% / 6.0%
Googong — 20-24: 4.1% Karabar — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 18.8% / 14.9%
Googong — 25-34: 18.8% Karabar — 25-34: 14.9%
35-44 19.8% / 13.3%
Googong — 35-44: 19.8% Karabar — 35-44: 13.3%
45-54 12.0% / 13.5%
Googong — 45-54: 12.0% Karabar — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 6.7% / 12.8%
Googong — 55-64: 6.7% Karabar — 55-64: 12.8%
65-74 4.1% / 8.8%
Googong — 65-74: 4.1% Karabar — 65-74: 8.8%
75-84 1.5% / 4.5%
Googong — 75-84: 1.5% Karabar — 75-84: 4.5%
85+ 0.2% / 1.2%
Googong — 85+: 0.2% Karabar — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Googong 75.8% couple families
Googong — Couple Families: 75.8% Googong — Lone Person: 11.8% Googong — One Parent Families: 10.6% Googong — Group Household: 1.1% Googong — Other Families: 0.7%
Karabar 43.8% couple families
Karabar — Couple Families: 43.8% Karabar — Lone Person: 32.2% Karabar — One Parent Families: 19.4% Karabar — Group Household: 2.9% Karabar — 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.

Googong 18.4% renting
Googong — Owned Outright: 12.6% Googong — Mortgage: 69.0% Googong — Renting: 18.4%
Karabar 29.2% renting
Karabar — Owned Outright: 29.7% Karabar — Mortgage: 41.1% Karabar — Renting: 29.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Googong Karabar
Certificate III & IV 12.4% / 15.8%
Googong — Certificate III & IV: 12.4% Karabar — Certificate III & IV: 15.8%
Bachelor Degree 15.3% / 8.5%
Googong — Bachelor Degree: 15.3% Karabar — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 7.4%
Googong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Karabar — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.7% / 3.7%
Googong — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7% Karabar — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.6%
Googong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Karabar — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

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.

Googong Karabar
India 3.7% / 1.6%
Googong — India: 3.7% Karabar — India: 1.6%
England 2.7% / 1.5%
Googong — England: 2.7% Karabar — England: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.4%
Googong — New Zealand: 1.1% Karabar — New Zealand: 1.4%
Philippines 1.2% / 1.0%
Googong — Philippines: 1.2% Karabar — Philippines: 1.0%
Italy 0.4% / 1.0%
Googong — Italy: 0.4% Karabar — Italy: 1.0%
South Africa 1.0% / —
Googong — South Africa: 1.0% Karabar — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Googong 94.4% houses
Googong — Houses: 94.4% Googong — Townhouses: 4.7% Googong — Flats / Apartments: 1.0%
Karabar 80.4% houses
Karabar — Houses: 80.4% Karabar — Townhouses: 16.8% Karabar — Flats / Apartments: 2.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Googong Karabar
Median house price $1,120,000 $835,000
Median unit price $500,000 $448,250
Median land price $709,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 109 sales
 45 days
from 33 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.

Googong Karabar
3 bed $920K / $785K
Googong — 3 bed: $920K (18 sales) Karabar — 3 bed: $785K (45 sales)

18 vs 45 sales

4 bed $1.12M / $915K
Googong — 4 bed: $1.12M (139 sales) Karabar — 4 bed: $915K (23 sales)

139 vs 23 sales

5 bed $1.33M / $1.03M
Googong — 5 bed: $1.33M (21 sales) Karabar — 5 bed: $1.03M (10 sales)

21 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Googong has more rural and farming land (27% vs 4%).

Googong Karabar
Environmental 49% 41%
Residential 7% 45%
Rural and farming 27% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 4%
Parks and recreation 1% 6%
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

Googong Karabar
New dwellings approved 510
across Queanbeyan-Palerang
same for both
Approvals change year on year +231%
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.

Googong Karabar
Houses 3.7%
$840/wk on $1.18M
 3.9%
$650/wk on $869K
Units 6.0%
$600/wk on $516K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Googong Karabar
House price Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
Income Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 27% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 100% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 95% of NSW —

Liveability

Karabar is more walkable (63 vs 0); Googong scores higher overall (49 vs 27).

Googong Karabar
Grade B D
Score 49/100 27/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Karabar carries more crime risk (70 vs 24); Karabar carries more bushfire risk (88 vs 71).

Googong Karabar
Bushfire High
71/100
 High
88/100
Crime Low
24/100
 High
70/100
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 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Googong Karabar
Inside the suburb 2 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 2 1

Schools in Googong

  • Googong Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • The Anglican School Googong Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Karabar

  • Karabar High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Queanbeyan South Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Tirriwirri School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Googong Karabar
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 12 20
Childcare 3 6
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 16 9

Mobility

Googong sits further from the CBD (299.4 km vs 292 km).

Googong Karabar
Walkability score 0/100 63/100
Distance to Sydney 299.4 km
+2% vs other
 292 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 203 min 193 min
Public transport score 74/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 39.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 91.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 2620
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.

Googong Karabar
Car (driver) 81.2% / 82.3%
Googong — Car (driver): 81.2% Karabar — Car (driver): 82.3%
Worked from Home 12.3% / 7.6%
Googong — Worked from Home: 12.3% Karabar — Worked from Home: 7.6%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 7.3%
Googong — Car (passenger): 4.2% Karabar — Car (passenger): 7.3%
Walked Only 1.2% / 1.3%
Googong — Walked Only: 1.2% Karabar — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 0.9% / 1.2%
Googong — Bus: 0.9% Karabar — Bus: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.3%).

Setting

Googong Karabar
Elevation 793 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 615 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Googong Karabar
Connectivity score 98/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 97%
3,473 premises
 100%
3,501 premises

Climate

Googong Karabar
Annual rainfall 686 mm 622 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.2°C 28.5°C
Winter min (Jul) 0.9°C 0.8°C

Council rates

Googong Karabar
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Queanbeyan-Palerang
same for both

Federal electorate

Googong Karabar
Division Eden-monaro
same for both
Member Kristy Mcbain
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Googong Karabar
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Googong

Acreage Family Young Families

Karabar

Parks Regional Centre River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Googong

Googong vs Jerrabomberra Googong vs Carwoola Googong vs Royalla Googong vs Burra Googong vs Greenleigh

Other comparisons with Karabar

Karabar vs Jerrabomberra Karabar vs Queanbeyan Karabar vs Queanbeyan West Karabar vs Carwoola Karabar vs Greenleigh
Full data on Googong Full data on Karabar
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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