Gundagai vs Coolac

Coolac is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 45 in Gundagai. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Gundagai, about half of households are people living alone. In Coolac, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Gundagai: a median of $500,000, against $398,000 in Coolac, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Gundagai tends to suit people living alone, while Coolac suits families with children, 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

Gundagai

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • But Coolac is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 47%)

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

First-home buyers

Coolac

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper houses ($397,500 vs $500,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Coolac

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (8% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($125/wk vs $230/wk)
  • But Gundagai has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 8%)

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

Commuting to the city

Coolac

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (353.4 km vs 372.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (220 min vs 231 min)
  • But Gundagai is more walkable (32/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Gundagai

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (32/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 18%)

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

Investors

Coolac

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.0% vs 1.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gundagai Coolac
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.

Gundagai Coolac
Walkability 32 / 0
Gundagai — Walkability: 32/100 Coolac — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 24 / 24
Gundagai — Safety: 24/100 Coolac — Safety: 24/100
Low fire risk 100 / 74
Gundagai — Low fire risk: 100/100 Coolac — Low fire risk: 74/100

Demographics

Gundagai has more residents (1,699 vs 244); Gundagai rents higher ($230/wk vs $125/wk).

Gundagai Coolac
Population 1,699
+86% vs other
 244
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.4% +13.0%
Median age 45 37
Median household income $63,700/yr $84,500/yr
+33% vs other
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+46% vs other
 $125/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gundagai Coolac
0-4 5.8% / 9.8%
Gundagai — 0-4: 5.8% Coolac — 0-4: 9.8%
5-14 11.1% / 12.7%
Gundagai — 5-14: 11.1% Coolac — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 5.6% / 9.8%
Gundagai — 15-19: 5.6% Coolac — 15-19: 9.8%
20-24 5.1% / 2.9%
Gundagai — 20-24: 5.1% Coolac — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 11.6% / 7.0%
Gundagai — 25-34: 11.6% Coolac — 25-34: 7.0%
35-44 11.1% / 15.2%
Gundagai — 35-44: 11.1% Coolac — 35-44: 15.2%
45-54 10.7% / 14.3%
Gundagai — 45-54: 10.7% Coolac — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 13.9% / 9.4%
Gundagai — 55-64: 13.9% Coolac — 55-64: 9.4%
65-74 12.8% / 12.7%
Gundagai — 65-74: 12.8% Coolac — 65-74: 12.7%
75-84 8.2% / 5.7%
Gundagai — 75-84: 8.2% Coolac — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ 4.5% / —
Gundagai — 85+: 4.5% Coolac — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gundagai 33.4% couple families
Gundagai — Couple Families: 33.4% Gundagai — Lone Person: 47.3% Gundagai — One Parent Families: 13.2% Gundagai — Group Household: 4.6% Gundagai — Other Families: 1.5%
Coolac 50.9% couple families
Coolac — Couple Families: 50.9% Coolac — Lone Person: 32.7% Coolac — One Parent Families: 16.4% Coolac — Group Household: 0.0% Coolac — 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.

Gundagai 24.3% renting
Gundagai — Owned Outright: 48.3% Gundagai — Mortgage: 27.3% Gundagai — Renting: 24.3%
Coolac 7.6% renting
Coolac — Owned Outright: 71.2% Coolac — Mortgage: 21.2% Coolac — Renting: 7.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gundagai 86.8% houses
Gundagai — Houses: 86.8% Gundagai — Flats / Apartments: 11.8% Gundagai — Townhouses: 1.4%
Coolac 100.0% houses
Coolac — Houses: 100.0% Coolac — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Coolac — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Qualifications

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

Gundagai Coolac
Certificate III & IV 14.2% / 11.1%
Gundagai — Certificate III & IV: 14.2% Coolac — Certificate III & IV: 11.1%
Bachelor Degree 6.8% / 12.3%
Gundagai — Bachelor Degree: 6.8% Coolac — Bachelor Degree: 12.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.2% / 2.9%
Gundagai — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2% Coolac — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 3.3%
Gundagai — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Coolac — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 2.0%
Gundagai — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Coolac — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.2%).

Property market

Gundagai Coolac
Median house price $500,000 $397,500
Median unit price $316,500 —
Median land price $179,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 56 days
from 21 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Coolac has more rural and farming land (99% vs 82%).

Gundagai Coolac
Rural and farming 82% 99%
Residential 9% 0%
Parks and recreation 5% 0%
Environmental 2% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 0%
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

Gundagai Coolac
New dwellings approved 26
across Cootamundra-Gundagai
same for both
Approvals change year on year +167%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Gundagai Coolac
House price Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Schools Higher than 94% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 4% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 19% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW

Liveability

Gundagai is more walkable (32 vs 0).

Gundagai Coolac
Grade B —
Score 50/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Coolac carries more bushfire risk (26 vs 0).

Gundagai Coolac
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
26/100
Crime High
76/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Gundagai Coolac
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Gundagai

  • Gundagai Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Patrick's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Gundagai High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Coolac

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

Amenities in the suburb

Gundagai Coolac
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 7 0
Parks & reserves 10 1
Childcare 4 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 3 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2
same for both
EV chargers 2 1
Waterways 18 31

Mobility

Gundagai sits further from the CBD (372.2 km vs 353.4 km).

Gundagai Coolac
Walkability score 32/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 372.2 km
+5% vs other
 353.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 231 min 220 min
Public transport score 50/100
Bus
 22/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 22.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 3 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2722
 0.0%
postcode 2727
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 57
postcode 2722
 49
postcode 2727

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.

Gundagai Coolac
Car (driver) 75.9% / 62.2%
Gundagai — Car (driver): 75.9% Coolac — Car (driver): 62.2%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 29.7%
Gundagai — Worked from Home: 7.5% Coolac — Worked from Home: 29.7%
Car (passenger) 11.0% / 2.7%
Gundagai — Car (passenger): 11.0% Coolac — Car (passenger): 2.7%
Walked Only 5.6% / 5.4%
Gundagai — Walked Only: 5.6% Coolac — Walked Only: 5.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.9%).

Setting

Gundagai Coolac
Elevation 331 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 423 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Gundagai Coolac
Connectivity score 49/100 26/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
955 premises
 0%
59 premises

Climate

Gundagai Coolac
Annual rainfall 889 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.9°C
same for both

Council rates

Gundagai Coolac
Average residential rate $974/yr
same for both
Council Cootamundra-Gundagai
same for both

Federal electorate

Gundagai Coolac
Division Riverina
same for both
Member Michael Mccormack
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gundagai Coolac
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gundagai

Acreage Affordable Retirees

Coolac

Affordable Family Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gundagai

Gundagai vs South Gundagai Gundagai vs Nangus Gundagai vs Reno

Other comparisons with Coolac

Coolac vs Cootamundra Coolac vs South Gundagai Coolac vs Jugiong Coolac vs Muttama Coolac vs Reno Coolac vs Burra Creek
Full data on Gundagai Full data on Coolac
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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