Korora vs Sapphire Beach

Comparing Korora and Sapphire Beach, NSW: Sapphire Beach has higher household incomes ($106,912 vs $95,108); Korora sits further from the CBD (541 km vs 536.8 km); and Sapphire Beach skews older (46 vs 44).

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Sapphire Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($734,500 vs $1,040,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Sapphire Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (355 min vs 360 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (536.8 km vs 541 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Sapphire Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (27.6% vs 10.1%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.7% vs 4.8%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Korora Sapphire Beach
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.

Korora Sapphire Beach
Walkability 12 / 10
Korora — Walkability: 12/100 Sapphire Beach — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 49 / 52
Korora — Safety: 49/100 Sapphire Beach — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 59 / 57
Korora — Low fire risk: 59/100 Sapphire Beach — Low fire risk: 57/100

Demographics

Sapphire Beach has higher household incomes ($106,912 vs $95,108); Sapphire Beach skews older (46 vs 44).

Korora Sapphire Beach
Population 2,740
+3% vs other
 2,660
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.1% +27.6%
Median age 44 46
Median household income $95,108/yr $106,912/yr
+12% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $475/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Korora Sapphire Beach
0-4 4.8% / 5.8%
Korora — 0-4: 4.8% Sapphire Beach — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 12.9% / 13.7%
Korora — 5-14: 12.9% Sapphire Beach — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 6.4% / 4.8%
Korora — 15-19: 6.4% Sapphire Beach — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 3.5% / 2.5%
Korora — 20-24: 3.5% Sapphire Beach — 20-24: 2.5%
25-34 10.5% / 8.2%
Korora — 25-34: 10.5% Sapphire Beach — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 12.4% / 13.2%
Korora — 35-44: 12.4% Sapphire Beach — 35-44: 13.2%
45-54 13.3% / 13.8%
Korora — 45-54: 13.3% Sapphire Beach — 45-54: 13.8%
55-64 13.9% / 16.1%
Korora — 55-64: 13.9% Sapphire Beach — 55-64: 16.1%
65-74 14.7% / 14.6%
Korora — 65-74: 14.7% Sapphire Beach — 65-74: 14.6%
75-84 6.4% / 6.2%
Korora — 75-84: 6.4% Sapphire Beach — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 1.2% / 1.4%
Korora — 85+: 1.2% Sapphire Beach — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Korora 45.7% couple families
Korora — Couple Families: 45.7% Korora — Lone Person: 30.2% Korora — One Parent Families: 18.2% Korora — Group Household: 4.5% Korora — Other Families: 1.4%
Sapphire Beach 52.6% couple families
Sapphire Beach — Couple Families: 52.6% Sapphire Beach — Lone Person: 32.6% Sapphire Beach — One Parent Families: 11.7% Sapphire Beach — Group Household: 2.6% Sapphire Beach — Other Families: 0.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Korora 22.4% renting
Korora — Owned Outright: 43.4% Korora — Mortgage: 34.1% Korora — Renting: 22.4%
Sapphire Beach 17.7% renting
Sapphire Beach — Owned Outright: 45.4% Sapphire Beach — Mortgage: 36.9% Sapphire Beach — Renting: 17.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Korora Sapphire Beach
Bachelor Degree 16.3% / 17.6%
Korora — Bachelor Degree: 16.3% Sapphire Beach — Bachelor Degree: 17.6%
Certificate III & IV 15.2% / 15.5%
Korora — Certificate III & IV: 15.2% Sapphire Beach — Certificate III & IV: 15.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.2% / 9.2%
Korora — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.2% Sapphire Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 5.3%
Korora — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% Sapphire Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 2.7%
Korora — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Sapphire Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

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.

Korora Sapphire Beach
England 4.2% / 4.2%
Korora — England: 4.2% Sapphire Beach — England: 4.2%
South Africa 1.8% / 1.5%
Korora — South Africa: 1.8% Sapphire Beach — South Africa: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.7%
Korora — New Zealand: 1.6% Sapphire Beach — New Zealand: 1.7%
India 0.9% / 1.4%
Korora — India: 0.9% Sapphire Beach — India: 1.4%
Malaysia 1.3% / —
Korora — Malaysia: 1.3% Sapphire Beach — Malaysia: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / 0.5%
Korora — Scotland: 0.4% Sapphire Beach — Scotland: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Korora 78.7% houses
Korora — Houses: 78.7% Korora — Townhouses: 15.9% Korora — Flats / Apartments: 5.3%
Sapphire Beach 84.0% houses
Sapphire Beach — Houses: 84.0% Sapphire Beach — Townhouses: 6.5% Sapphire Beach — Flats / Apartments: 9.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Korora Sapphire Beach
Median house price $1,125,000 $1,190,000
Median unit price $558,000 $603,500
Median land price $1,040,500 $734,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 41 days
from 16 sales
 36 days
from 33 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Korora Sapphire Beach
3 bed $945K / $1.14M
Korora — 3 bed: $945K (15 sales) Sapphire Beach — 3 bed: $1.14M (19 sales)

15 vs 19 sales

4 bed $1.18M / $1.2M
Korora — 4 bed: $1.18M (30 sales) Sapphire Beach — 4 bed: $1.2M (39 sales)

30 vs 39 sales

5 bed $1.21M / $1.77M
Korora — 5 bed: $1.21M (5 sales) Sapphire Beach — 5 bed: $1.77M (5 sales)

5 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Sapphire Beach has more rural and farming land (67% vs 25%); Korora has more land zoned for conservation (29% vs 10%).

Korora Sapphire Beach
Rural and farming 25% 67%
Residential 41% 16%
Environmental 29% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 5%
Parks and recreation 1%
same for both
Planning zones cover 100% of Korora and 99% of Sapphire Beach. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Korora Sapphire Beach
New dwellings approved 356
across Coffs Harbour
same for both
Approvals change year on year +61%
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.

Korora Sapphire Beach
Houses 2.8%
$670/wk on $1.24M
 2.7%
$750/wk on $1.43M
Units 4.8%
$525/wk on $569K
 5.7%
$550/wk on $500K

Ranking within NSW

Korora Sapphire Beach
House price Higher than 62% of NSW
same for both
Income Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 55% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 15% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW

Liveability

Korora Sapphire Beach
Grade C
same for both
Score 40/100 44/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Korora Sapphire Beach
Bushfire Moderate
41/100
 Moderate
43/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
48/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
57/100
 Moderate
42/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Korora Sapphire Beach
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Korora

  • Kororo Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Sapphire Beach

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

Amenities in the suburb

Korora Sapphire Beach
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 2 0
Beaches 2 0
Waterways 4 5

Mobility

Korora sits further from the CBD (541 km vs 536.8 km).

Korora Sapphire Beach
Walkability score 12/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 541 km 536.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 360 min 355 min
Public transport score 29/100
Bus
 36/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 9.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 11.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2450
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2450
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.

Korora Sapphire Beach
Car (driver) 73.9% / 75.1%
Korora — Car (driver): 73.9% Sapphire Beach — Car (driver): 75.1%
Worked from Home 16.7% / 17.6%
Korora — Worked from Home: 16.7% Sapphire Beach — Worked from Home: 17.6%
Car (passenger) 6.7% / 5.2%
Korora — Car (passenger): 6.7% Sapphire Beach — Car (passenger): 5.2%
Walked Only 2.1% / 1.0%
Korora — Walked Only: 2.1% Sapphire Beach — Walked Only: 1.0%
Bus 0.3% / 0.7%
Korora — Bus: 0.3% Sapphire Beach — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.1%).

Setting

Korora Sapphire Beach
Elevation 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 67 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.3 km
2.4 km to a named beach
 1.6 km
2.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Korora Sapphire Beach
Connectivity score 83/100 91/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 75%
1,269 premises
 88%
1,307 premises

Climate

Korora Sapphire Beach
Annual rainfall 1,827 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Korora Sapphire Beach
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 10.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.22 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Korora Sapphire Beach
Average residential rate $1,437/yr
same for both
Council Coffs Harbour
same for both

Federal electorate

Korora Sapphire Beach
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Korora Sapphire Beach
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Korora

Coastal River

Sapphire Beach

Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Korora

Korora vs Coffs Harbour Korora vs Bucca Korora vs Karangi

Other comparisons with Sapphire Beach

Sapphire Beach vs Moonee Beach Sapphire Beach vs Bucca
Full data on Korora Full data on Sapphire Beach
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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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