Larnook vs Rock Valley

Larnook is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 53 in Rock Valley. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Larnook, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Rock Valley: a median of $750,000, against $382,000 in Larnook, though rent is higher in Larnook. On these figures, Larnook tends to suit 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

Rock Valley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 75/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 63%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (59% vs 46%)
  • But Larnook has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Larnook

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($382,500 vs $750,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Rock Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 38%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $360/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Rock Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (493 min vs 503 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (744.4 km vs 755.2 km)
  • But Larnook is more walkable (25/100 vs 14/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Larnook

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (37% vs 2%)
  • is more walkable (25/100 vs 14/100)
  • But Rock Valley carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 75/100)

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

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

Larnook Rock Valley
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.

Larnook Rock Valley
Walkability 25 / 14
Larnook — Walkability: 25/100 Rock Valley — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 25 / 78
Larnook — Safety: 25/100 Rock Valley — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 58 / 70
Larnook — Low fire risk: 58/100 Rock Valley — Low fire risk: 70/100

Demographics

Larnook has more residents (394 vs 266); Rock Valley has higher household incomes ($69,992 vs $48,672).

Larnook Rock Valley
Population 394
+32% vs other
 266
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.8% +0.4%
Median age 50 53
Median household income $48,672/yr $69,992/yr
+44% vs other
Median weekly rent $360/wk
+11% vs other
 $320/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Larnook Rock Valley
0-4 3.6% / 4.9%
Larnook — 0-4: 3.6% Rock Valley — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 10.2% / 10.2%
Larnook — 5-14: 10.2% Rock Valley — 5-14: 10.2%
15-19 4.8% / 4.9%
Larnook — 15-19: 4.8% Rock Valley — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 2.0% / 3.8%
Larnook — 20-24: 2.0% Rock Valley — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 5.6% / 5.6%
Larnook — 25-34: 5.6% Rock Valley — 25-34: 5.6%
35-44 11.9% / 11.7%
Larnook — 35-44: 11.9% Rock Valley — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 16.2% / 10.9%
Larnook — 45-54: 16.2% Rock Valley — 45-54: 10.9%
55-64 21.6% / 26.7%
Larnook — 55-64: 21.6% Rock Valley — 55-64: 26.7%
65-74 18.8% / 13.9%
Larnook — 65-74: 18.8% Rock Valley — 65-74: 13.9%
75-84 2.8% / 5.6%
Larnook — 75-84: 2.8% Rock Valley — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 1.0% / 2.3%
Larnook — 85+: 1.0% Rock Valley — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Larnook 48.3% lone person
Larnook — Lone Person: 48.3% Larnook — Couple Families: 30.8% Larnook — One Parent Families: 15.0% Larnook — Group Household: 5.8%
Rock Valley 41.3% lone person
Rock Valley — Lone Person: 41.3% Rock Valley — Couple Families: 36.5% Rock Valley — One Parent Families: 22.2% Rock Valley — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Larnook 5.2% renting
Larnook — Owned Outright: 60.0% Larnook — Mortgage: 34.8% Larnook — Renting: 5.2%
Rock Valley 14.3% renting
Rock Valley — Owned Outright: 53.8% Rock Valley — Mortgage: 31.9% Rock Valley — Renting: 14.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Larnook Rock Valley
Certificate III & IV 15.2% / 18.8%
Larnook — Certificate III & IV: 15.2% Rock Valley — Certificate III & IV: 18.8%
Bachelor Degree 12.9% / 12.4%
Larnook — Bachelor Degree: 12.9% Rock Valley — Bachelor Degree: 12.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.4% / 8.3%
Larnook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4% Rock Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 7.1%
Larnook — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Rock Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 1.5%
Larnook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Rock Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

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.

Larnook Rock Valley
New Zealand 3.6% / 3.8%
Larnook — New Zealand: 3.6% Rock Valley — New Zealand: 3.8%
England 3.0% / 2.6%
Larnook — England: 3.0% Rock Valley — England: 2.6%
Germany 2.5% / 1.9%
Larnook — Germany: 2.5% Rock Valley — Germany: 1.9%
Netherlands 2.3% / 1.9%
Larnook — Netherlands: 2.3% Rock Valley — Netherlands: 1.9%
Malaysia — / 1.5%
Larnook — Malaysia: not among its largest Rock Valley — Malaysia: 1.5%
South Africa 1.0% / —
Larnook — South Africa: 1.0% Rock Valley — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Larnook 62.7% houses
Larnook — Houses: 62.7% Larnook — Flats / Apartments: 37.3%
Rock Valley 98.2% houses
Rock Valley — Houses: 98.2% Rock Valley — Flats / Apartments: 1.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Larnook Rock Valley
Median house price $382,500 $750,000
Median unit price $400,000 —
Median land price — $610,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 165 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Larnook Rock Valley
Rural and farming 99%
same for both
Environmental 1%
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

Larnook Rock Valley
New dwellings approved 138
across Lismore
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Larnook Rock Valley
House price Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
Income Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW

Liveability

Larnook is more walkable (25 vs 14).

Larnook Rock Valley
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Larnook carries more crime risk (75 vs 22); Larnook carries more bushfire risk (42 vs 30).

Larnook Rock Valley
Bushfire Moderate
42/100
 Low
30/100
Crime High
75/100
 Low
22/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Larnook Rock Valley
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Larnook

  • Larnook Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Rock Valley

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

Amenities in the suburb

Larnook Rock Valley
Waterways 12 1

Mobility

Larnook sits further from the CBD (755.2 km vs 744.4 km).

Larnook Rock Valley
Walkability score 25/100 14/100
Distance to Sydney 755.2 km
+1% vs other
 744.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 503 min 493 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2480
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2480
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.

Larnook Rock Valley
Car (driver) 68.3% / 72.3%
Larnook — Car (driver): 68.3% Rock Valley — Car (driver): 72.3%
Worked from Home 31.7% / 17.0%
Larnook — Worked from Home: 31.7% Rock Valley — Worked from Home: 17.0%
Walked Only — / 6.4%
Larnook — Walked Only: not among its largest Rock Valley — Walked Only: 6.4%
Car (passenger) — / 4.3%
Larnook — Car (passenger): not among its largest Rock Valley — Car (passenger): 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.3%).

Setting

Larnook Rock Valley
Elevation 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 44.6 km 39.5 km

NBN connectivity

Larnook Rock Valley
Connectivity score 25/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
212 premises
 0%
123 premises

Climate

Larnook Rock Valley
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

Larnook Rock Valley
Average residential rate $1,487/yr
same for both
Council Lismore
same for both

Federal electorate

Larnook Rock Valley
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Larnook Rock Valley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Larnook

Apartments Rural

Rock Valley

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Larnook

Larnook vs Georgica Larnook vs Bentley Larnook vs Cawongla Larnook vs Stony Chute Larnook vs Boorabee Park

Other comparisons with Rock Valley

Rock Valley vs Jiggi Rock Valley vs Georgica Rock Valley vs Bentley Rock Valley vs Leycester Rock Valley vs Blakebrook
Full data on Larnook Full data on Rock Valley
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or