Kariong vs West Gosford

Kariong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 44 in West Gosford. In Kariong, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. In West Gosford, about half of households rent and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in West Gosford: a median of $1.15 million, against $1.05 million in Kariong, though rent is higher in Kariong. On these figures, Kariong tends to suit families with children and couples, while West Gosford suits renters, people living alone, and 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

Kariong

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (92% vs 22%)
  • has more parks and reserves (20 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Kariong leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 34%)
  • West Gosford has cheaper units ($625,000 vs $772,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

West Gosford

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (54% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $450/wk)
  • But Kariong leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 32%)

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

Commuting to the city

West Gosford

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (66 min vs 71 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

West Gosford

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (78% vs 8%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 10%)
  • But Kariong carries lower crime risk (80/100 vs 98/100)

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

Investors

West Gosford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (20.0% vs 1.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Kariong 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.

Kariong 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.

Kariong West Gosford
Walkability 0 / 63
Kariong — Walkability: 0/100 West Gosford — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 20 / 2
Kariong — Safety: 20/100 West Gosford — Safety: 2/100
Low fire risk 12 / 6
Kariong — Low fire risk: 12/100 West Gosford — Low fire risk: 6/100

Demographics

Kariong has more residents (6,485 vs 1,602); Kariong has higher household incomes ($114,400 vs $60,788).

Kariong West Gosford
Population 6,485
+75% vs other
 1,602
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.6% +20.0%
Median age 36 44
Median household income $114,400/yr
+47% vs other
 $60,788/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+16% vs other
 $380/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kariong West Gosford
0-4 6.4% / 4.4%
Kariong — 0-4: 6.4% West Gosford — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 15.6% / 8.2%
Kariong — 5-14: 15.6% West Gosford — 5-14: 8.2%
15-19 8.0% / 4.3%
Kariong — 15-19: 8.0% West Gosford — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 6.2% / 6.4%
Kariong — 20-24: 6.2% West Gosford — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 11.7% / 15.0%
Kariong — 25-34: 11.7% West Gosford — 25-34: 15.0%
35-44 14.4% / 11.7%
Kariong — 35-44: 14.4% West Gosford — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 14.9% / 11.2%
Kariong — 45-54: 14.9% West Gosford — 45-54: 11.2%
55-64 12.4% / 10.1%
Kariong — 55-64: 12.4% West Gosford — 55-64: 10.1%
65-74 6.4% / 9.3%
Kariong — 65-74: 6.4% West Gosford — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 3.0% / 9.2%
Kariong — 75-84: 3.0% West Gosford — 75-84: 9.2%
85+ 1.1% / 10.7%
Kariong — 85+: 1.1% West Gosford — 85+: 10.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kariong 19.7% lone person
Kariong — Lone Person: 19.7% Kariong — Couple Families: 58.8% Kariong — One Parent Families: 18.3% Kariong — Group Household: 2.6% Kariong — Other Families: 0.6%
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.

Kariong 22.8% renting
Kariong — Owned Outright: 25.0% Kariong — Mortgage: 52.2% Kariong — Renting: 22.8%
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

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 West Gosford
England 4.4% / 4.8%
Kariong — England: 4.4% West Gosford — England: 4.8%
New Zealand 2.0% / 2.1%
Kariong — New Zealand: 2.0% West Gosford — New Zealand: 2.1%
India 1.0% / 1.9%
Kariong — India: 1.0% West Gosford — India: 1.9%
China 0.8% / 1.7%
Kariong — China: 0.8% West Gosford — China: 1.7%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.4%
Kariong — Philippines: 0.9% West Gosford — Philippines: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

Qualifications

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

Kariong West Gosford
Certificate III & IV 17.8% / 13.4%
Kariong — Certificate III & IV: 17.8% West Gosford — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Bachelor Degree 10.7% / 12.2%
Kariong — Bachelor Degree: 10.7% West Gosford — Bachelor Degree: 12.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 8.1%
Kariong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% West Gosford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 4.3%
Kariong — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% West Gosford — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.4%
Kariong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% West Gosford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

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%
West Gosford 22.3% houses
West Gosford — Houses: 22.3% West Gosford — Townhouses: 41.1% West Gosford — Flats / Apartments: 36.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kariong West Gosford
Median house price $1,050,000 $1,152,500
Median unit price $772,500 $625,000
Median land price — $448,210
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 36 sales
 37 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Kariong has more land zoned for conservation (75% vs 24%); West Gosford has more industrially zoned land (37% vs 0%).

Kariong West Gosford
Environmental 75% 24%
Industrial 0% 37%
Parks and recreation 8% 22%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 6%
Residential 7%
same for both
Commercial 0% 5%
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 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.

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

Ranking within NSW

Kariong West Gosford
House price Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Income Higher than 79% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 41% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 69% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 83% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 47% of NSW —

Liveability

West Gosford is more walkable (63 vs 0).

Kariong West Gosford
Grade C D
Score 31/100 30/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

West Gosford carries more crime risk (98 vs 80).

Kariong West Gosford
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
94/100
Crime High
80/100
 High
98/100
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 West Gosford
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

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 West Gosford

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

Amenities in the suburb

Kariong West Gosford
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 3
same for both
Parks & reserves 20 5
Childcare 6
same for both
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1 5
Waterways 10 3

Mobility

Kariong West Gosford
Walkability score 0/100 63/100
Distance to Sydney 74.4 km 74.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 71 min 66 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 95.0
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.

Kariong West Gosford
Car (driver) 61.6% / 55.0%
Kariong — Car (driver): 61.6% West Gosford — Car (driver): 55.0%
Worked from Home 30.9% / 30.3%
Kariong — Worked from Home: 30.9% West Gosford — Worked from Home: 30.3%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 4.1%
Kariong — Car (passenger): 4.4% West Gosford — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Train 1.1% / 5.1%
Kariong — Train: 1.1% West Gosford — Train: 5.1%
Walked Only 1.1% / 3.9%
Kariong — Walked Only: 1.1% West Gosford — Walked Only: 3.9%

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

Setting

Kariong West Gosford
Elevation 168 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.9 km 9.6 km

NBN connectivity

Kariong West Gosford
Connectivity score 61/100 98/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
2,314 premises
 96%
2,319 premises

Climate

Kariong 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)

Kariong 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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Kariong

Acreage Outer

West Gosford

Affordable Apartments Retirees River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kariong

Kariong vs Woy Woy Kariong vs Point Clare Kariong vs Tascott Kariong vs Somersby Kariong vs Woy Woy Bay

Other comparisons with West Gosford

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