Kielvale vs South Murwillumbah

Kielvale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 48 in South Murwillumbah. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Kielvale, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Kielvale tends to suit couples, while South Murwillumbah suits people living alone.

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

Kielvale

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 91/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 51%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 90%)
  • But South Murwillumbah has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Kielvale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper rent ($295/wk vs $390/wk)
  • But South Murwillumbah has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 13%)

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

Commuting to the city

South Murwillumbah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (798.9 km vs 803.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kielvale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 91/100)

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

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

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
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.

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Walkability 21 / 19
Kielvale — Walkability: 21/100 South Murwillumbah — Walkability: 19/100
Safety 62 / 9
Kielvale — Safety: 62/100 South Murwillumbah — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 55 / 100
Kielvale — Low fire risk: 55/100 South Murwillumbah — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

South Murwillumbah has more residents (1,064 vs 251); South Murwillumbah rents higher ($390/wk vs $295/wk).

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Population 251 1,064
+324% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.7% -4.5%
Median age 45 48
Median household income $79,612/yr
+16% vs other
 $67,184/yr
Median weekly rent $295/wk $390/wk
+32% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
0-4 7.2% / 4.8%
Kielvale — 0-4: 7.2% South Murwillumbah — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 10.4% / 9.8%
Kielvale — 5-14: 10.4% South Murwillumbah — 5-14: 9.8%
15-19 6.0% / 6.9%
Kielvale — 15-19: 6.0% South Murwillumbah — 15-19: 6.9%
20-24 5.6% / 5.0%
Kielvale — 20-24: 5.6% South Murwillumbah — 20-24: 5.0%
25-34 8.8% / 7.4%
Kielvale — 25-34: 8.8% South Murwillumbah — 25-34: 7.4%
35-44 10.8% / 12.0%
Kielvale — 35-44: 10.8% South Murwillumbah — 35-44: 12.0%
45-54 13.5% / 15.2%
Kielvale — 45-54: 13.5% South Murwillumbah — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 15.5% / 14.8%
Kielvale — 55-64: 15.5% South Murwillumbah — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 15.5% / 14.0%
Kielvale — 65-74: 15.5% South Murwillumbah — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 6.0% / 6.4%
Kielvale — 75-84: 6.0% South Murwillumbah — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 1.2% / 3.6%
Kielvale — 85+: 1.2% South Murwillumbah — 85+: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kielvale 51.6% couple families
Kielvale — Couple Families: 51.6% Kielvale — Lone Person: 21.9% Kielvale — One Parent Families: 21.9% Kielvale — Other Families: 4.7% Kielvale — Group Household: 0.0%
South Murwillumbah 31.7% couple families
South Murwillumbah — Couple Families: 31.7% South Murwillumbah — Lone Person: 41.0% South Murwillumbah — One Parent Families: 19.7% South Murwillumbah — Other Families: 1.6% South Murwillumbah — Group Household: 6.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kielvale 12.9% renting
Kielvale — Owned Outright: 55.3% Kielvale — Mortgage: 31.8% Kielvale — Renting: 12.9%
South Murwillumbah 26.2% renting
South Murwillumbah — Owned Outright: 40.2% South Murwillumbah — Mortgage: 33.6% South Murwillumbah — Renting: 26.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Certificate III & IV 22.3% / 19.2%
Kielvale — Certificate III & IV: 22.3% South Murwillumbah — Certificate III & IV: 19.2%
Bachelor Degree 10.4% / 7.2%
Kielvale — Bachelor Degree: 10.4% South Murwillumbah — Bachelor Degree: 7.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.0% / 6.6%
Kielvale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0% South Murwillumbah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.1%
Kielvale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% South Murwillumbah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%
Postgraduate Degree — / 2.2%
Kielvale — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest South Murwillumbah — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.3%).

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.

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
England 2.8% / 2.9%
Kielvale — England: 2.8% South Murwillumbah — England: 2.9%
New Zealand 1.6% / 2.6%
Kielvale — New Zealand: 1.6% South Murwillumbah — New Zealand: 2.6%
Italy 2.0% / —
Kielvale — Italy: 2.0% South Murwillumbah — Italy: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.7%
Kielvale — South Africa: not among its largest South Murwillumbah — South Africa: 0.7%
Philippines — / 0.5%
Kielvale — Philippines: not among its largest South Murwillumbah — Philippines: 0.5%
Thailand — / 0.5%
Kielvale — Thailand: not among its largest South Murwillumbah — Thailand: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kielvale 100.0% houses
Kielvale — Houses: 100.0% Kielvale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
South Murwillumbah 89.6% houses
South Murwillumbah — Houses: 89.6% South Murwillumbah — Flats / Apartments: 10.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Median house price — $835,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 48 days
from 14 sales

Zoning mix

Kielvale has more rural and farming land (89% vs 73%); South Murwillumbah has more industrially zoned land (15% vs 0%).

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Rural and farming 89% 73%
Industrial 0% 15%
Residential 11% 5%
Environmental 0% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
Other and special use 0% 1%
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

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
House price — Higher than 29% of NSW
Income Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 30% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 64% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW

Liveability

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Grade — D
Score — 25/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Kielvale carries more bushfire risk (45 vs 0); South Murwillumbah carries more crime risk (91 vs 38).

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Bushfire Moderate
45/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
38/100
 High
91/100
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

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Kielvale

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

Schools in South Murwillumbah

  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 5
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 6
Waterways 2 1

Mobility

Kielvale sits further from the CBD (803.6 km vs 798.9 km).

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Walkability score 21/100 19/100
Distance to Sydney 803.6 km 798.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 518 min 520 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2484
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 76
postcode 2484
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.

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Car (driver) 82.7% / 74.9%
Kielvale — Car (driver): 82.7% South Murwillumbah — Car (driver): 74.9%
Worked from Home 11.5% / 13.4%
Kielvale — Worked from Home: 11.5% South Murwillumbah — Worked from Home: 13.4%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 4.9%
Kielvale — Car (passenger): 5.8% South Murwillumbah — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Walked Only — / 5.7%
Kielvale — Walked Only: not among its largest South Murwillumbah — Walked Only: 5.7%
Bicycle — / 1.1%
Kielvale — Bicycle: not among its largest South Murwillumbah — Bicycle: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.7%).

Setting

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.1 km 15.2 km

NBN connectivity

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Connectivity score 52/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
98 premises
 47%
956 premises

Climate

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Annual rainfall 1,569 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kielvale South Murwillumbah
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kielvale

Rural

South Murwillumbah

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kielvale

Kielvale vs Nunderi Kielvale vs Condong Kielvale vs Clothiers Creek Kielvale vs Reserve Creek Kielvale vs Wardrop Valley

Other comparisons with South Murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah vs Murwillumbah South Murwillumbah vs Dunbible South Murwillumbah vs Condong South Murwillumbah vs Fernvale South Murwillumbah vs Tygalgah South Murwillumbah vs Wardrop Valley
Full data on Kielvale Full data on South Murwillumbah
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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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