James Creek vs Harwood

Harwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 52 in James Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In James Creek, the large majority of households are couple families. Houses cost more in James Creek: a median of $1.26 million, against $705,000 in Harwood, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, James Creek tends to suit couples and older residents, while Harwood 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

James Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 74/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (88% vs 53%)

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

First-home buyers

Harwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($705,000 vs $1,257,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • James Creek leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 30%)
  • Harwood has cheaper rent ($330/wk vs $423/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

James Creek

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 74/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 21%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

James Creek Harwood
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.

James Creek Harwood
Walkability 8 / 15
James Creek — Walkability: 8/100 Harwood — Walkability: 15/100
Safety 72 / 26
James Creek — Safety: 72/100 Harwood — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 79 / 88
James Creek — Low fire risk: 79/100 Harwood — Low fire risk: 88/100

Demographics

James Creek has higher household incomes ($92,248 vs $57,252); Harwood has more residents (346 vs 257).

James Creek Harwood
Population 257 346
+35% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +21.8% +18.9%
Median age 52 45
Median household income $92,248/yr
+38% vs other
 $57,252/yr
Median weekly rent $423/wk
+22% vs other
 $330/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

James Creek Harwood
0-4 5.1% / 6.6%
James Creek — 0-4: 5.1% Harwood — 0-4: 6.6%
5-14 13.6% / 11.6%
James Creek — 5-14: 13.6% Harwood — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 2.3% / 7.5%
James Creek — 15-19: 2.3% Harwood — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 5.4% / 3.2%
James Creek — 20-24: 5.4% Harwood — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 5.4% / 9.5%
James Creek — 25-34: 5.4% Harwood — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 12.5% / 10.4%
James Creek — 35-44: 12.5% Harwood — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 12.1% / 14.2%
James Creek — 45-54: 12.1% Harwood — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 18.7% / 14.7%
James Creek — 55-64: 18.7% Harwood — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 20.2% / 11.8%
James Creek — 65-74: 20.2% Harwood — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 5.4% / 7.5%
James Creek — 75-84: 5.4% Harwood — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 3.5% / 1.4%
James Creek — 85+: 3.5% Harwood — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

James Creek 76.2% couple families
James Creek — Couple Families: 76.2% James Creek — Lone Person: 11.9% James Creek — One Parent Families: 11.9% James Creek — Group Household: 0.0%
Harwood 31.1% couple families
Harwood — Couple Families: 31.1% Harwood — Lone Person: 37.9% Harwood — One Parent Families: 22.3% Harwood — Group Household: 8.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

James Creek 0.0% renting
James Creek — Owned Outright: 66.3% James Creek — Mortgage: 33.7% James Creek — Renting: 0.0%
Harwood 28.7% renting
Harwood — Owned Outright: 43.4% Harwood — Mortgage: 27.9% Harwood — Renting: 28.7%
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.

James Creek Harwood
Philippines — / 3.5%
James Creek — Philippines: not among its largest Harwood — Philippines: 3.5%
England 3.1% / —
James Creek — England: 3.1% Harwood — England: not among its largest
Germany 1.6% / 0.9%
James Creek — Germany: 1.6% Harwood — Germany: 0.9%
South Africa 2.3% / —
James Creek — South Africa: 2.3% Harwood — South Africa: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.6% / —
James Creek — New Zealand: 1.6% Harwood — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

Qualifications

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

James Creek Harwood
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 19.9%
James Creek — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Harwood — Certificate III & IV: 19.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.1% / 5.2%
James Creek — Bachelor Degree: 10.1% Harwood — Bachelor Degree: 5.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 4.9%
James Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Harwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.4%
James Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Harwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.7% / 0.9%
James Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7% Harwood — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

James Creek 97.6% houses
James Creek — Houses: 97.6% James Creek — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Harwood 99.3% houses
Harwood — Houses: 99.3% Harwood — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

James Creek Harwood
Median house price $1,257,500 $705,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $545,000 —

Zoning mix

Harwood has more rural and farming land (73% vs 41%); James Creek has more land zoned for conservation (35% vs 25%).

James Creek Harwood
Rural and farming 41% 73%
Environmental 35% 25%
Residential 22% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 2%
same for both
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

James Creek Harwood
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

James Creek Harwood
House price Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Income Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW

Liveability

James Creek Harwood
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Harwood carries more crime risk (74 vs 28).

James Creek Harwood
Bushfire Low
21/100
 Low
12/100
Crime Low
28/100
 High
74/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
33/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

James Creek Harwood
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in James Creek

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

Schools in Harwood

  • Harwood Island Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

James Creek Harwood
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 1 6

Mobility

James Creek Harwood
Walkability score 8/100 15/100
Distance to Sydney 649.3 km 648.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 421 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2463
 1.1%
postcode 2465
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 2463
 43
postcode 2465

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.

James Creek Harwood
Car (driver) 75.6% / 72.8%
James Creek — Car (driver): 75.6% Harwood — Car (driver): 72.8%
Worked from Home 15.9% / 6.4%
James Creek — Worked from Home: 15.9% Harwood — Worked from Home: 6.4%
Walked Only 3.7% / 11.2%
James Creek — Walked Only: 3.7% Harwood — Walked Only: 11.2%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 9.6%
James Creek — Car (passenger): 4.9% Harwood — Car (passenger): 9.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.6%).

Setting

James Creek Harwood
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.7 km 3.0 km

NBN connectivity

James Creek Harwood
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
89 premises
 0%
163 premises

Climate

James Creek Harwood
Annual rainfall 1,408 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

James Creek Harwood
Average residential rate $1,380/yr
same for both
Council Clarence Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

James Creek Harwood
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

James Creek

Retirees Rural

Harwood

Coastal Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with James Creek

James Creek vs Maclean James Creek vs Gulmarrad James Creek vs Townsend James Creek vs Palmers Channel

Other comparisons with Harwood

Harwood vs Maclean Harwood vs Palmers Island Harwood vs Ashby Harwood vs Ashby Heights Harwood vs Chatsworth Harwood vs Palmers Channel
Full data on James Creek Full data on Harwood
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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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