Gosford vs West Gosford

Gosford is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 44 in West Gosford. In both, most households are people living alone. In Gosford, most households rent and the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. In West Gosford, about half of households rent. Houses cost more in West Gosford: a median of $1.15 million, against $576,000 in Gosford. On these figures, Gosford tends to suit renters, young adults, and buyers on a tighter budget, while West Gosford suits older residents.

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

  • Gosford has more schools inside the suburb (8 vs 0)
  • West Gosford has more separate houses rather than flats (22% vs 4%)

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

First-home buyers

Gosford

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($576,500 vs $1,152,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 34%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Gosford

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (67% vs 54%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (27% vs 32%)

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

Commuting to the city

Gosford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 63/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Gosford

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 63/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (96% vs 78%)
  • But West Gosford has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Gosford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (39.3% vs 20.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gosford West Gosford
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.

Gosford West Gosford
Walkability 89 / 63
Gosford — Walkability: 89/100 West Gosford — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 2 / 2
Gosford — Safety: 2/100 West Gosford — Safety: 2/100
Low fire risk 47 / 6
Gosford — Low fire risk: 47/100 West Gosford — Low fire risk: 6/100

Demographics

Gosford has more residents (4,873 vs 1,602); West Gosford skews older (44 vs 35).

Gosford West Gosford
Population 4,873
+67% vs other
 1,602
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +39.3% +20.0%
Median age 35 44
Median household income $73,892/yr
+18% vs other
 $60,788/yr
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+3% vs other
 $380/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gosford West Gosford
0-4 5.0% / 4.4%
Gosford — 0-4: 5.0% West Gosford — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 6.4% / 8.2%
Gosford — 5-14: 6.4% West Gosford — 5-14: 8.2%
15-19 3.2% / 4.3%
Gosford — 15-19: 3.2% West Gosford — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 8.9% / 6.4%
Gosford — 20-24: 8.9% West Gosford — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 26.4% / 15.0%
Gosford — 25-34: 26.4% West Gosford — 25-34: 15.0%
35-44 15.6% / 11.7%
Gosford — 35-44: 15.6% West Gosford — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 11.5% / 11.2%
Gosford — 45-54: 11.5% West Gosford — 45-54: 11.2%
55-64 10.2% / 10.1%
Gosford — 55-64: 10.2% West Gosford — 55-64: 10.1%
65-74 8.5% / 9.3%
Gosford — 65-74: 8.5% West Gosford — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 3.7% / 9.2%
Gosford — 75-84: 3.7% West Gosford — 75-84: 9.2%
85+ 0.9% / 10.7%
Gosford — 85+: 0.9% West Gosford — 85+: 10.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gosford 58.7% lone person
Gosford — Lone Person: 58.7% Gosford — Couple Families: 16.7% Gosford — One Parent Families: 12.9% Gosford — Group Household: 9.7% Gosford — Other Families: 2.0%
West Gosford 59.0% lone person
West Gosford — Lone Person: 59.0% West Gosford — Couple Families: 16.6% West Gosford — One Parent Families: 15.6% West Gosford — Group Household: 7.7% West Gosford — Other Families: 1.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gosford 66.7% renting
Gosford — Owned Outright: 13.9% Gosford — Mortgage: 19.3% Gosford — Renting: 66.7%
West Gosford 54.5% renting
West Gosford — Owned Outright: 23.0% West Gosford — Mortgage: 22.4% West Gosford — Renting: 54.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Gosford West Gosford
Bachelor Degree 18.3% / 12.2%
Gosford — Bachelor Degree: 18.3% West Gosford — Bachelor Degree: 12.2%
Certificate III & IV 13.9% / 13.4%
Gosford — Certificate III & IV: 13.9% West Gosford — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 8.1%
Gosford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% West Gosford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 8.1% / 4.3%
Gosford — Postgraduate Degree: 8.1% West Gosford — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 1.4%
Gosford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% West Gosford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

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.

Gosford West Gosford
England 3.1% / 4.8%
Gosford — England: 3.1% West Gosford — England: 4.8%
India 5.0% / 1.9%
Gosford — India: 5.0% West Gosford — India: 1.9%
Philippines 3.2% / 1.4%
Gosford — Philippines: 3.2% West Gosford — Philippines: 1.4%
China 2.7% / 1.7%
Gosford — China: 2.7% West Gosford — China: 1.7%
Nepal 4.1% / —
Gosford — Nepal: 4.1% West Gosford — Nepal: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.7% / 2.1%
Gosford — New Zealand: 1.7% West Gosford — New Zealand: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gosford 89.2% flats / apartments
Gosford — Flats / Apartments: 89.2% Gosford — Townhouses: 6.7% Gosford — Houses: 4.0%
West Gosford 36.6% flats / apartments
West Gosford — Flats / Apartments: 36.6% West Gosford — Townhouses: 41.1% West Gosford — Houses: 22.3%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Gosford West Gosford
Median house price $576,500 $1,152,500
Median unit price $585,000 $625,000
Median land price — $448,210
Typical days to sell (houses) 43 days
from 6 sales
 37 days
from 3 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Gosford West Gosford
1 bed $510K / $480K
Gosford — 1 bed: $510K (31 sales) West Gosford — 1 bed: $480K (9 sales)

31 vs 9 sales

2 bed $585K / $630K
Gosford — 2 bed: $585K (138 sales) West Gosford — 2 bed: $630K (33 sales)

138 vs 33 sales

3 bed $688K / $865K
Gosford — 3 bed: $688K (50 sales) West Gosford — 3 bed: $865K (10 sales)

50 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

West Gosford has more industrially zoned land (37% vs 5%); Gosford has more commercially zoned land (22% vs 5%).

Gosford West Gosford
Industrial 5% 37%
Parks and recreation 29% 22%
Environmental 16% 24%
Commercial 22% 5%
Residential 17% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 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

Gosford West Gosford
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
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.

Gosford West Gosford
Houses —
same for both
Units 5.4%
$650/wk on $625K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Gosford West Gosford
House price Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Income Higher than 41% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 53% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 35% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 83% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 82% of NSW —

Liveability

Gosford scores higher overall (45 vs 30); Gosford is more walkable (89 vs 63).

Gosford West Gosford
Grade C D
Score 45/100 30/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

West Gosford carries more bushfire risk (94 vs 53).

Gosford West Gosford
Bushfire Moderate
53/100
 High
94/100
Crime High
98/100
same for both
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 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Gosford West Gosford
Inside the suburb 8 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Gosford

  • Gosford High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Gosford Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Henry Kendall High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • ET Australia Secondary College Independent · Secondary · Special school at peers
  • Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre Government · Combined
  • ET Australia Secondary College Senior Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in West Gosford

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

Amenities in the suburb

Gosford West Gosford
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 19 3
Parks & reserves 10 5
Childcare 3 6
GPs 6 1
Pharmacies 2
same for both
Hospitals 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 1
Fuel stations 0 5
Waterways 1 3

Mobility

Gosford West Gosford
Walkability score 89/100 63/100
Distance to Sydney 75.9 km
+2% vs other
 74.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 67 min 66 min
Public transport score 91/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 322.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 71.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 2250
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2250
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.

Gosford West Gosford
Car (driver) 47.6% / 55.0%
Gosford — Car (driver): 47.6% West Gosford — Car (driver): 55.0%
Worked from Home 32.1% / 30.3%
Gosford — Worked from Home: 32.1% West Gosford — Worked from Home: 30.3%
Train 6.2% / 5.1%
Gosford — Train: 6.2% West Gosford — Train: 5.1%
Walked Only 6.8% / 3.9%
Gosford — Walked Only: 6.8% West Gosford — Walked Only: 3.9%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 4.1%
Gosford — Car (passenger): 3.7% West Gosford — Car (passenger): 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.0%).

Setting

Gosford West Gosford
Elevation 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.2 km 9.6 km

NBN connectivity

Gosford West Gosford
Connectivity score 100/100 98/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
3,834 premises
 96%
2,319 premises

Climate

Gosford West Gosford
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Gosford West Gosford
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Gosford West Gosford
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Gosford West Gosford
Division Robertson
same for both
Member Gordon Reid
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gosford West Gosford
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gosford

Affordable Apartments Easy Commute Gentrifying Parks Transport Hub

West Gosford

Affordable Apartments Retirees River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gosford

Gosford vs Wyoming Gosford vs Narara Gosford vs East Gosford Gosford vs Springfield Gosford vs North Gosford Gosford vs Point Clare

Other comparisons with West Gosford

West Gosford vs Narara West Gosford vs Kariong West Gosford vs Point Clare West Gosford vs Somersby
Full data on Gosford Full data on West Gosford
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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