Kariong vs Somersby

Kariong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 47 in Somersby. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Somersby: a median of $2.06 million, against $1.05 million in Kariong, though rent is higher in Kariong. On these figures, Kariong tends to suit families with children 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

Kariong

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (20 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

Kariong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,050,000 vs $2,062,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 29%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Somersby

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $450/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Somersby

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Somersby

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 10%)

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

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

Kariong Somersby
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.

Kariong Somersby
Walkability 0 / 8
Kariong — Walkability: 0/100 Somersby — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 20 / 11
Kariong — Safety: 20/100 Somersby — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 12 / 22
Kariong — Low fire risk: 12/100 Somersby — Low fire risk: 22/100

Demographics

Kariong has more residents (6,485 vs 1,087); Somersby skews older (47 vs 36).

Kariong Somersby
Population 6,485
+83% vs other
 1,087
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.6% +2.0%
Median age 36 47
Median household income $114,400/yr $115,180/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+16% vs other
 $380/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kariong Somersby
0-4 6.4% / 4.1%
Kariong — 0-4: 6.4% Somersby — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 15.6% / 9.8%
Kariong — 5-14: 15.6% Somersby — 5-14: 9.8%
15-19 8.0% / 7.8%
Kariong — 15-19: 8.0% Somersby — 15-19: 7.8%
20-24 6.2% / 6.7%
Kariong — 20-24: 6.2% Somersby — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 11.7% / 9.0%
Kariong — 25-34: 11.7% Somersby — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 14.4% / 10.0%
Kariong — 35-44: 14.4% Somersby — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 14.9% / 16.3%
Kariong — 45-54: 14.9% Somersby — 45-54: 16.3%
55-64 12.4% / 16.7%
Kariong — 55-64: 12.4% Somersby — 55-64: 16.7%
65-74 6.4% / 10.9%
Kariong — 65-74: 6.4% Somersby — 65-74: 10.9%
75-84 3.0% / 6.3%
Kariong — 75-84: 3.0% Somersby — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ 1.1% / 1.9%
Kariong — 85+: 1.1% Somersby — 85+: 1.9%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kariong 58.8% couple families
Kariong — Couple Families: 58.8% Kariong — Lone Person: 19.7% Kariong — One Parent Families: 18.3% Kariong — Group Household: 2.6% Kariong — Other Families: 0.6%
Somersby 58.1% couple families
Somersby — Couple Families: 58.1% Somersby — Lone Person: 23.6% Somersby — One Parent Families: 12.2% Somersby — Group Household: 2.4% Somersby — Other Families: 3.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kariong 22.8% renting
Kariong — Owned Outright: 25.0% Kariong — Mortgage: 52.2% Kariong — Renting: 22.8%
Somersby 27.2% renting
Somersby — Owned Outright: 44.4% Somersby — Mortgage: 28.4% Somersby — Renting: 27.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kariong Somersby
Certificate III & IV 17.8% / 18.9%
Kariong — Certificate III & IV: 17.8% Somersby — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.7% / 12.5%
Kariong — Bachelor Degree: 10.7% Somersby — Bachelor Degree: 12.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 9.4%
Kariong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Somersby — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 2.9%
Kariong — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Somersby — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.1%
Kariong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Somersby — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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.

Kariong Somersby
England 4.4% / 3.9%
Kariong — England: 4.4% Somersby — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 2.0% / 1.3%
Kariong — New Zealand: 2.0% Somersby — New Zealand: 1.3%
India 1.0% / 0.6%
Kariong — India: 1.0% Somersby — India: 0.6%
China 0.8% / 0.7%
Kariong — China: 0.8% Somersby — China: 0.7%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.7%
Kariong — South Africa: 0.8% Somersby — South Africa: 0.7%
Thailand 0.3% / 0.8%
Kariong — Thailand: 0.3% Somersby — Thailand: 0.8%
Philippines 0.9% / —
Kariong — Philippines: 0.9% Somersby — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kariong 91.9% houses
Kariong — Houses: 91.9% Kariong — Townhouses: 7.2% Kariong — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Somersby 97.6% houses
Somersby — Houses: 97.6% Somersby — Townhouses: 0.0% Somersby — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kariong Somersby
Median house price $1,050,000 $2,062,500
Median unit price $772,500 $770,000
Median land price — $1,702,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 36 sales
 30 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Somersby has more rural and farming land (43% vs 0%); Kariong has more land zoned for conservation (75% vs 42%).

Kariong Somersby
Environmental 75% 42%
Rural and farming 0% 43%
Infrastructure and transport 9%
same for both
Parks and recreation 8% 2%
Residential 7% 0%
Industrial 0% 4%
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

Kariong Somersby
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.

Kariong Somersby
Houses 3.5%
$730/wk on $1.07M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Kariong Somersby
House price Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Income Higher than 79% of NSW
same for both
Schools Higher than 41% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 83% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 47% of NSW —

Liveability

Somersby is more walkable (8 vs 0).

Kariong Somersby
Grade C
same for both
Score 31/100 33/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Kariong carries more bushfire risk (88 vs 78).

Kariong Somersby
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
78/100
Crime High
80/100
 High
89/100
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 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kariong Somersby
Inside the suburb 5 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km None 1
The University of Newcastle (Central Coast), 9.0 km

Schools in Kariong

  • Kariong Mountains High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Kariong Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Central Coast Sports College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Girrakool School Government · Secondary · Special school
  • Ngaruki Gulgul Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Somersby

  • Somersby Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Kariong Somersby
Cafes & restaurants 3 1
Parks & reserves 20 5
Childcare 6 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 10 33

Mobility

Kariong Somersby
Walkability score 0/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 74.4 km 75.3 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 71 min 67 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 56/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 95.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 45.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
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.

Kariong Somersby
Car (driver) 61.6% / 54.5%
Kariong — Car (driver): 61.6% Somersby — Car (driver): 54.5%
Worked from Home 30.9% / 34.1%
Kariong — Worked from Home: 30.9% Somersby — Worked from Home: 34.1%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 4.2%
Kariong — Car (passenger): 4.4% Somersby — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 1.1% / 5.1%
Kariong — Walked Only: 1.1% Somersby — Walked Only: 5.1%
Bus 0.9% / 1.3%
Kariong — Bus: 0.9% Somersby — Bus: 1.3%
Train 1.1% / —
Kariong — Train: 1.1% Somersby — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.6%).

Setting

Kariong Somersby
Elevation 168 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 260 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.9 km 15.6 km

NBN connectivity

Kariong Somersby
Connectivity score 61/100 47/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
2,314 premises
 16%
784 premises

Climate

Kariong Somersby
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)

Kariong Somersby
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

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

Federal electorate

Kariong Somersby
Division Robertson
same for both
Member Gordon Reid
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kariong Somersby
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kariong

Acreage Outer

Somersby

Premium Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kariong

Kariong vs Woy Woy Kariong vs Point Clare Kariong vs Tascott Kariong vs West Gosford Kariong vs Woy Woy Bay

Other comparisons with Somersby

Somersby vs Narara Somersby vs Ourimbah Somersby vs Niagara Park Somersby vs West Gosford Somersby vs Peats Ridge Somersby vs Central Mangrove
Full data on Kariong Full data on Somersby
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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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