Lawrence vs Woodford Island

Woodford Island is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 54 in Lawrence. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Woodford Island, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Lawrence tends to suit older residents, while Woodford Island suits couples.

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

Woodford Island

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 55/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (69% vs 54%)

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

Woodford Island

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper rent ($290/wk vs $330/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Lawrence

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (645.9 km vs 653.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Lawrence has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 20%)
  • Woodford Island carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 55/100)

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

Investors

Woodford Island

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (24.9% vs 10.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lawrence Woodford Island
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.

Lawrence Woodford Island
Walkability 8 / 12
Lawrence — Walkability: 8/100 Woodford Island — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 45 / 70
Lawrence — Safety: 45/100 Woodford Island — Safety: 70/100
Low fire risk 43 / 62
Lawrence — Low fire risk: 43/100 Woodford Island — Low fire risk: 62/100

Demographics

Lawrence has more residents (1,159 vs 306); Woodford Island has higher household incomes ($77,116 vs $57,408).

Lawrence Woodford Island
Population 1,159
+74% vs other
 306
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.8% +24.9%
Median age 54 50
Median household income $57,408/yr $77,116/yr
+34% vs other
Median weekly rent $330/wk
+12% vs other
 $290/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lawrence Woodford Island
0-4 5.9% / 1.6%
Lawrence — 0-4: 5.9% Woodford Island — 0-4: 1.6%
5-14 10.7% / 11.4%
Lawrence — 5-14: 10.7% Woodford Island — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 3.9% / 6.2%
Lawrence — 15-19: 3.9% Woodford Island — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 2.8% / 7.2%
Lawrence — 20-24: 2.8% Woodford Island — 20-24: 7.2%
25-34 8.3% / 7.8%
Lawrence — 25-34: 8.3% Woodford Island — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 8.0% / 4.9%
Lawrence — 35-44: 8.0% Woodford Island — 35-44: 4.9%
45-54 11.0% / 16.0%
Lawrence — 45-54: 11.0% Woodford Island — 45-54: 16.0%
55-64 16.0% / 20.9%
Lawrence — 55-64: 16.0% Woodford Island — 55-64: 20.9%
65-74 19.3% / 11.1%
Lawrence — 65-74: 19.3% Woodford Island — 65-74: 11.1%
75-84 11.7% / 6.9%
Lawrence — 75-84: 11.7% Woodford Island — 75-84: 6.9%
85+ 2.2% / 2.3%
Lawrence — 85+: 2.2% Woodford Island — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lawrence 38.2% couple families
Lawrence — Couple Families: 38.2% Lawrence — Lone Person: 38.6% Lawrence — One Parent Families: 16.2% Lawrence — Group Household: 5.9% Lawrence — Other Families: 1.1%
Woodford Island 50.0% couple families
Woodford Island — Couple Families: 50.0% Woodford Island — Lone Person: 31.4% Woodford Island — One Parent Families: 18.6% Woodford Island — Group Household: 0.0% Woodford Island — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lawrence 9.4% renting
Lawrence — Owned Outright: 55.7% Lawrence — Mortgage: 34.9% Lawrence — Renting: 9.4%
Woodford Island 19.1% renting
Woodford Island — Owned Outright: 49.6% Woodford Island — Mortgage: 31.3% Woodford Island — Renting: 19.1%
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.

Lawrence Woodford Island
England 3.0% / 2.0%
Lawrence — England: 3.0% Woodford Island — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.0%
Lawrence — New Zealand: 1.4% Woodford Island — New Zealand: 1.0%
Germany 0.4% / —
Lawrence — Germany: 0.4% Woodford Island — Germany: not among its largest
Zimbabwe 0.3% / —
Lawrence — Zimbabwe: 0.3% Woodford Island — Zimbabwe: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.3% / —
Lawrence — Netherlands: 0.3% Woodford Island — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.0%).

Qualifications

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

Lawrence Woodford Island
Certificate III & IV 19.6% / 28.8%
Lawrence — Certificate III & IV: 19.6% Woodford Island — Certificate III & IV: 28.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 5.2%
Lawrence — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Woodford Island — Bachelor Degree: 5.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 6.5%
Lawrence — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Woodford Island — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 2.9%
Lawrence — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Woodford Island — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 1.6%
Lawrence — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Woodford Island — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lawrence 99.1% houses
Lawrence — Houses: 99.1% Lawrence — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Woodford Island 97.5% houses
Woodford Island — Houses: 97.5% Woodford Island — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Lawrence Woodford Island
Median house price $630,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $395,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 46 days
from 17 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Woodford Island has more rural and farming land (78% vs 65%).

Lawrence Woodford Island
Rural and farming 65% 78%
Environmental 32% 22%
Residential 2% 0%
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

Lawrence Woodford Island
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Lawrence Woodford Island
House price Higher than 19% of NSW —
Income Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 52% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 64% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW

Liveability

Lawrence Woodford Island
Grade D —
Score 19/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Lawrence carries more crime risk (55 vs 30); Lawrence carries more bushfire risk (57 vs 38).

Lawrence Woodford Island
Bushfire Moderate
57/100
 Low
38/100
Crime Moderate
55/100
 Low
30/100
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

Lawrence Woodford Island
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Lawrence

  • Lawrence Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Woodford Island

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

Amenities in the suburb

Lawrence Woodford Island
Parks & reserves 3 2
Childcare 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 17 8

Mobility

Woodford Island sits further from the CBD (653.6 km vs 645.9 km).

Lawrence Woodford Island
Walkability score 8/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 645.9 km 653.6 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 432 min 431 min
Public transport score 28/100
Bus
 23/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 5.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2460
 0.2%
postcode 2463
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 2460
 70
postcode 2463

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.

Lawrence Woodford Island
Car (driver) 77.8% / 76.4%
Lawrence — Car (driver): 77.8% Woodford Island — Car (driver): 76.4%
Worked from Home 12.5% / 19.4%
Lawrence — Worked from Home: 12.5% Woodford Island — Worked from Home: 19.4%
Walked Only 4.8% / 2.1%
Lawrence — Walked Only: 4.8% Woodford Island — Walked Only: 2.1%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 2.1%
Lawrence — Car (passenger): 3.9% Woodford Island — Car (passenger): 2.1%
Bus 1.0% / —
Lawrence — Bus: 1.0% Woodford Island — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.8%).

Setting

Lawrence Woodford Island
Elevation 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.9 km 17.9 km

NBN connectivity

Lawrence Woodford Island
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
502 premises
 0%
122 premises

Climate

Lawrence Woodford Island
Annual rainfall 1,408 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Lawrence Woodford Island
Average residential rate $1,380/yr
same for both
Council Clarence Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Lawrence Woodford Island
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lawrence Woodford Island
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lawrence

Affordable Retirees Rural

Woodford Island

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lawrence

Lawrence vs Ashby Lawrence vs Ashby Heights Lawrence vs Lower Southgate Lawrence vs Tullymorgan Lawrence vs Gurranang

Other comparisons with Woodford Island

Woodford Island vs Ashby Woodford Island vs Ilarwill Woodford Island vs South Arm Woodford Island vs Tyndale Woodford Island vs Brushgrove Woodford Island vs Lower Southgate
Full data on Lawrence Full data on Woodford Island
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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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