Goonellabah vs Monaltrie

Goonellabah is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 48 in Monaltrie. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Goonellabah: a median of $742,000, against $225,000 in Monaltrie, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Goonellabah tends to suit people living alone, while Monaltrie suits 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

  • Goonellabah has more parks and reserves (19 vs 1)
  • Monaltrie carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 80/100)

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

First-home buyers

Monaltrie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($225,000 vs $742,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Monaltrie

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (469 min vs 478 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (720.2 km vs 727.9 km)
  • But Goonellabah is more walkable (83/100 vs 19/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Goonellabah

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (22% vs 2%)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (83/100 vs 19/100)
  • But Monaltrie carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 80/100)

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

Investors

Monaltrie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (20.5% vs 3.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Goonellabah Monaltrie
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.

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Walkability 83 / 19
Goonellabah — Walkability: 83/100 Monaltrie — Walkability: 19/100
Safety 20 / 45
Goonellabah — Safety: 20/100 Monaltrie — Safety: 45/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Goonellabah — Low fire risk: 100/100 Monaltrie — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Goonellabah has more residents (13,351 vs 235); Monaltrie skews older (48 vs 41).

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Population 13,351
+98% vs other
 235
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.5% +20.5%
Median age 41 48
Median household income $68,536/yr $76,492/yr
+12% vs other
Median weekly rent $320/wk
+6% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Goonellabah Monaltrie
0-4 5.9% / 2.1%
Goonellabah — 0-4: 5.9% Monaltrie — 0-4: 2.1%
5-14 12.4% / 12.8%
Goonellabah — 5-14: 12.4% Monaltrie — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 5.8% / 4.7%
Goonellabah — 15-19: 5.8% Monaltrie — 15-19: 4.7%
20-24 5.3% / 6.0%
Goonellabah — 20-24: 5.3% Monaltrie — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 12.2% / 10.6%
Goonellabah — 25-34: 12.2% Monaltrie — 25-34: 10.6%
35-44 11.8% / 7.7%
Goonellabah — 35-44: 11.8% Monaltrie — 35-44: 7.7%
45-54 11.8% / 15.7%
Goonellabah — 45-54: 11.8% Monaltrie — 45-54: 15.7%
55-64 12.3% / 17.0%
Goonellabah — 55-64: 12.3% Monaltrie — 55-64: 17.0%
65-74 11.5% / 12.3%
Goonellabah — 65-74: 11.5% Monaltrie — 65-74: 12.3%
75-84 7.4% / 6.8%
Goonellabah — 75-84: 7.4% Monaltrie — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 3.5% / 3.4%
Goonellabah — 85+: 3.5% Monaltrie — 85+: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Goonellabah 41.7% lone person
Goonellabah — Lone Person: 41.7% Goonellabah — Couple Families: 32.6% Goonellabah — One Parent Families: 19.8% Goonellabah — Group Household: 4.7% Goonellabah — Other Families: 1.2%
Monaltrie 32.8% lone person
Monaltrie — Lone Person: 32.8% Monaltrie — Couple Families: 34.5% Monaltrie — One Parent Families: 32.8% Monaltrie — Group Household: 0.0% Monaltrie — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Goonellabah 29.8% renting
Goonellabah — Owned Outright: 37.1% Goonellabah — Mortgage: 33.1% Goonellabah — Renting: 29.8%
Monaltrie 20.0% renting
Monaltrie — Owned Outright: 51.2% Monaltrie — Mortgage: 28.7% Monaltrie — Renting: 20.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 15.7%
Goonellabah — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Monaltrie — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 10.4% / 10.6%
Goonellabah — Bachelor Degree: 10.4% Monaltrie — Bachelor Degree: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 7.7%
Goonellabah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Monaltrie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 1.3%
Goonellabah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Monaltrie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.7% / —
Goonellabah — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7% Monaltrie — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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.

Goonellabah Monaltrie
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.3%
Goonellabah — New Zealand: 0.9% Monaltrie — New Zealand: 1.3%
Netherlands — / 2.1%
Goonellabah — Netherlands: not among its largest Monaltrie — Netherlands: 2.1%
England 2.0% / —
Goonellabah — England: 2.0% Monaltrie — England: not among its largest
South Africa 0.3% / 1.3%
Goonellabah — South Africa: 0.3% Monaltrie — South Africa: 1.3%
Philippines 0.7% / —
Goonellabah — Philippines: 0.7% Monaltrie — Philippines: not among its largest
India 0.6% / —
Goonellabah — India: 0.6% Monaltrie — India: not among its largest
Italy 0.4% / —
Goonellabah — Italy: 0.4% Monaltrie — Italy: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Goonellabah 77.7% houses
Goonellabah — Houses: 77.7% Goonellabah — Townhouses: 18.0% Goonellabah — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Monaltrie 97.6% houses
Monaltrie — Houses: 97.6% Monaltrie — Townhouses: 0.0% Monaltrie — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Median house price $742,500 $225,000
Median unit price $530,000 —
Median land price $375,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 187 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Monaltrie has more rural and farming land (94% vs 45%).

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Rural and farming 45% 94%
Residential 40% 0%
Parks and recreation 4% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 4%
Environmental 4% 1%
Industrial 3% 1%
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

Goonellabah Monaltrie
New dwellings approved 138
across Lismore
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.

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Houses 4.6%
$720/wk on $814K
 —
Units 3.7%
$430/wk on $597K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Goonellabah Monaltrie
House price Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
Income Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Schools Higher than 84% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 92% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 16% of NSW —

Liveability

Goonellabah is more walkable (83 vs 19).

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Grade B —
Score 55/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Goonellabah carries more crime risk (80 vs 55).

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
80/100
 Moderate
55/100
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
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Lismore, 4.2 km
 1
Lismore, 3.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 0.8% 0.0%

Schools in Goonellabah

  • Goonellabah Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Summerland Christian College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Blue Hills College Independent · Combined below peers
  • The Rivers Secondary College, Kadina High Campus Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Monaltrie

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

Amenities in the suburb

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Supermarkets 4 0
Parks & reserves 19 1
Childcare 9 0
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 2 3

Mobility

Goonellabah sits further from the CBD (727.9 km vs 720.2 km).

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Walkability score 83/100 19/100
Distance to Sydney 727.9 km
+1% vs other
 720.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 478 min 469 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2480
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2480
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.

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Car (driver) 79.2% / 74.4%
Goonellabah — Car (driver): 79.2% Monaltrie — Car (driver): 74.4%
Worked from Home 12.8% / 11.6%
Goonellabah — Worked from Home: 12.8% Monaltrie — Worked from Home: 11.6%
Car (passenger) 6.1% / 9.3%
Goonellabah — Car (passenger): 6.1% Monaltrie — Car (passenger): 9.3%
Walked Only 1.2% / 4.7%
Goonellabah — Walked Only: 1.2% Monaltrie — Walked Only: 4.7%
Bus 0.5% / —
Goonellabah — Bus: 0.5% Monaltrie — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.2%).

Setting

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Elevation 145 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 20.5 km 23.8 km

NBN connectivity

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Connectivity score 70/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 43%
6,896 premises
 0%
103 premises

Council rates

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Average residential rate $1,487/yr
same for both
Council Lismore
same for both

Federal electorate

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Goonellabah Monaltrie
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Goonellabah

Parks Regional Centre

Monaltrie

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Goonellabah

Goonellabah vs East Lismore Goonellabah vs Lismore Goonellabah vs Lismore Heights Goonellabah vs Richmond Hill Goonellabah vs Wyrallah Goonellabah vs Tregeagle

Other comparisons with Monaltrie

Monaltrie vs East Lismore Monaltrie vs Wyrallah Monaltrie vs South Gundurimba Monaltrie vs Loftville
Full data on Goonellabah Full data on Monaltrie
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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