Herons Creek vs Wauchope

Wauchope is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 46 in Herons Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Herons Creek, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Herons Creek: a median of $852,000, against $688,000 in Wauchope. On these figures, Herons Creek tends to suit couples, while Wauchope 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

Wauchope

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • But Herons Creek is already more of a family suburb (63% vs 54%)

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

First-home buyers

Wauchope

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($688,000 vs $852,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wauchope

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 16%)

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

Commuting to the city

Herons Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (249 min vs 254 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (366.9 km vs 373.1 km)
  • But Wauchope is more walkable (47/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wauchope

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (47/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 20%)

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

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

Herons Creek Wauchope
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.

Herons Creek Wauchope
Walkability 0 / 47
Herons Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Wauchope — Walkability: 47/100
Safety 27 / 18
Herons Creek — Safety: 27/100 Wauchope — Safety: 18/100
Low fire risk 46 / 49
Herons Creek — Low fire risk: 46/100 Wauchope — Low fire risk: 49/100

Demographics

Wauchope has more residents (6,589 vs 246); Herons Creek has higher household incomes ($65,832 vs $57,928).

Herons Creek Wauchope
Population 246 6,589
+2578% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.4% +4.4%
Median age 46 43
Median household income $65,832/yr
+12% vs other
 $57,928/yr
Median weekly rent $360/wk
+3% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Herons Creek Wauchope
0-4 4.5% / 5.8%
Herons Creek — 0-4: 4.5% Wauchope — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 16.7% / 13.3%
Herons Creek — 5-14: 16.7% Wauchope — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 4.1% / 6.2%
Herons Creek — 15-19: 4.1% Wauchope — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 3.3% / 5.2%
Herons Creek — 20-24: 3.3% Wauchope — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 7.7% / 11.4%
Herons Creek — 25-34: 7.7% Wauchope — 25-34: 11.4%
35-44 12.6% / 9.5%
Herons Creek — 35-44: 12.6% Wauchope — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 15.4% / 11.7%
Herons Creek — 45-54: 15.4% Wauchope — 45-54: 11.7%
55-64 13.8% / 11.6%
Herons Creek — 55-64: 13.8% Wauchope — 55-64: 11.6%
65-74 13.8% / 12.4%
Herons Creek — 65-74: 13.8% Wauchope — 65-74: 12.4%
75-84 5.3% / 8.8%
Herons Creek — 75-84: 5.3% Wauchope — 75-84: 8.8%
85+ 1.2% / 4.3%
Herons Creek — 85+: 1.2% Wauchope — 85+: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Herons Creek 45.2% couple families
Herons Creek — Couple Families: 45.2% Herons Creek — Lone Person: 32.3% Herons Creek — One Parent Families: 17.7% Herons Creek — Group Household: 4.8% Herons Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Wauchope 29.6% couple families
Wauchope — Couple Families: 29.6% Wauchope — Lone Person: 40.9% Wauchope — One Parent Families: 23.9% Wauchope — Group Household: 4.0% Wauchope — 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.

Herons Creek 16.0% renting
Herons Creek — Owned Outright: 52.0% Herons Creek — Mortgage: 32.0% Herons Creek — Renting: 16.0%
Wauchope 33.4% renting
Wauchope — Owned Outright: 37.4% Wauchope — Mortgage: 29.2% Wauchope — Renting: 33.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Herons Creek Wauchope
England 4.1% / 2.4%
Herons Creek — England: 4.1% Wauchope — England: 2.4%
New Zealand 3.3% / 1.2%
Herons Creek — New Zealand: 3.3% Wauchope — New Zealand: 1.2%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Herons Creek — Philippines: not among its largest Wauchope — Philippines: 0.4%
Germany — / 0.2%
Herons Creek — Germany: not among its largest Wauchope — Germany: 0.2%
Thailand — / 0.2%
Herons Creek — Thailand: not among its largest Wauchope — Thailand: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

Qualifications

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

Herons Creek Wauchope
Certificate III & IV 18.7% / 19.3%
Herons Creek — Certificate III & IV: 18.7% Wauchope — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 6.5%
Herons Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Wauchope — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Bachelor Degree 6.1% / 4.8%
Herons Creek — Bachelor Degree: 6.1% Wauchope — Bachelor Degree: 4.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 0.8%
Herons Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Wauchope — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.8%
Herons Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Wauchope — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Herons Creek 100.0% houses
Herons Creek — Houses: 100.0% Herons Creek — Townhouses: 0.0% Herons Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Wauchope 85.4% houses
Wauchope — Houses: 85.4% Wauchope — Townhouses: 12.4% Wauchope — Flats / Apartments: 2.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Herons Creek Wauchope
Median house price $852,500 $688,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 26 days
from 81 sales

Zoning mix

Herons Creek has more rural and farming land (96% vs 53%).

Herons Creek Wauchope
Rural and farming 96% 53%
Residential 0% 22%
Parks and recreation 0% 7%
Industrial 1% 7%
Environmental 0% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 3%
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

Herons Creek Wauchope
New dwellings approved 546
across Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both
Approvals change year on year +33%
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.

Herons Creek Wauchope
Houses — 4.2%
$595/wk on $740K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Herons Creek Wauchope
House price Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Income Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 18% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 5% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 4% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 81% of NSW

Liveability

Wauchope is more walkable (47 vs 0).

Herons Creek Wauchope
Grade — D
Score — 18/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Herons Creek Wauchope
Bushfire Moderate
54/100
 Moderate
51/100
Crime High
73/100
 High
82/100
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 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Herons Creek Wauchope
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Herons Creek

  • Herons Creek Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Wauchope

  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Wauchope Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Wauchope High School Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Herons Creek Wauchope
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 6
Parks & reserves 0 15
Childcare 0 8
GPs 0 3
Pharmacies 0 3
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 7
Waterways 25 7

Mobility

Wauchope sits further from the CBD (373.1 km vs 366.9 km).

Herons Creek Wauchope
Walkability score 0/100 47/100
Distance to Sydney 366.9 km 373.1 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 249 min 254 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2439
 0.5%
postcode 2446
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 86
postcode 2439
 69
postcode 2446

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.

Herons Creek Wauchope
Car (driver) 66.0% / 83.2%
Herons Creek — Car (driver): 66.0% Wauchope — Car (driver): 83.2%
Worked from Home 16.5% / 7.3%
Herons Creek — Worked from Home: 16.5% Wauchope — Worked from Home: 7.3%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 5.6%
Herons Creek — Car (passenger): 6.2% Wauchope — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Walked Only 6.2% / 3.2%
Herons Creek — Walked Only: 6.2% Wauchope — Walked Only: 3.2%
Bicycle 5.2% / 0.2%
Herons Creek — Bicycle: 5.2% Wauchope — Bicycle: 0.2%
Bus — / 0.4%
Herons Creek — Bus: not among its largest Wauchope — Bus: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.2%).

Setting

Herons Creek Wauchope
Elevation 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.8 km 14.5 km

NBN connectivity

Herons Creek Wauchope
Connectivity score 17/100 69/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
51 premises
 43%
3,497 premises

Climate

Herons Creek Wauchope
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm 2,842 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 29.0°C
Winter min (Jul) — 6.7°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Herons Creek Wauchope
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.92 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Herons Creek Wauchope
Average residential rate $1,325/yr
same for both
Council Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both

Federal electorate

Herons Creek Wauchope
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Herons Creek Wauchope
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Herons Creek

Rural

Wauchope

Acreage Affordable Parks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Herons Creek

Herons Creek vs King Creek Herons Creek vs Kew Herons Creek vs Kendall Herons Creek vs Lake Innes Herons Creek vs Logans Crossing Herons Creek vs Bobs Creek

Other comparisons with Wauchope

Wauchope vs King Creek Wauchope vs Yippin Creek Wauchope vs Crosslands Wauchope vs Sancrox Wauchope vs Redbank Wauchope vs Rosewood
Full data on Herons Creek Full data on Wauchope
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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