Maclean vs Harwood

Harwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 56 in Maclean. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Maclean, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Maclean tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Harwood suits families with children.

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

Harwood

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (53% vs 44%)
  • carries lower crime risk (74/100 vs 88/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 87%)
  • But Maclean has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Harwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 33%)

Weighs house 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

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Maclean

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (13% vs 1%)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (36% vs 21%)
  • But Harwood carries lower crime risk (74/100 vs 88/100)

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

Investors

Harwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (18.9% vs 5.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Maclean Harwood
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.

Maclean Harwood
Walkability 21 / 15
Maclean — Walkability: 21/100 Harwood — Walkability: 15/100
Safety 12 / 26
Maclean — Safety: 12/100 Harwood — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 72 / 88
Maclean — Low fire risk: 72/100 Harwood — Low fire risk: 88/100

Demographics

Maclean has more residents (2,778 vs 346); Maclean skews older (56 vs 45).

Maclean Harwood
Population 2,778
+88% vs other
 346
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.7% +18.9%
Median age 56 45
Median household income $50,180/yr $57,252/yr
+14% vs other
Median weekly rent $330/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Maclean Harwood
0-4 4.7% / 6.6%
Maclean — 0-4: 4.7% Harwood — 0-4: 6.6%
5-14 9.4% / 11.6%
Maclean — 5-14: 9.4% Harwood — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 4.0% / 7.5%
Maclean — 15-19: 4.0% Harwood — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 3.2% / 3.2%
Maclean — 20-24: 3.2% Harwood — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 7.9% / 9.5%
Maclean — 25-34: 7.9% Harwood — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 8.6% / 10.4%
Maclean — 35-44: 8.6% Harwood — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 10.8% / 14.2%
Maclean — 45-54: 10.8% Harwood — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 15.1% / 14.7%
Maclean — 55-64: 15.1% Harwood — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 15.7% / 11.8%
Maclean — 65-74: 15.7% Harwood — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 13.4% / 7.5%
Maclean — 75-84: 13.4% Harwood — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 7.2% / 1.4%
Maclean — 85+: 7.2% Harwood — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Maclean 50.6% lone person
Maclean — Lone Person: 50.6% Maclean — Couple Families: 24.4% Maclean — One Parent Families: 19.4% Maclean — Group Household: 3.7% Maclean — Other Families: 2.0%
Harwood 37.9% lone person
Harwood — Lone Person: 37.9% Harwood — Couple Families: 31.1% Harwood — One Parent Families: 22.3% Harwood — Group Household: 8.7% Harwood — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Maclean 32.2% renting
Maclean — Owned Outright: 47.7% Maclean — Mortgage: 20.1% Maclean — Renting: 32.2%
Harwood 28.7% renting
Harwood — Owned Outright: 43.4% Harwood — Mortgage: 27.9% Harwood — Renting: 28.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Maclean Harwood
Certificate III & IV 16.0% / 19.9%
Maclean — Certificate III & IV: 16.0% Harwood — Certificate III & IV: 19.9%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 5.2%
Maclean — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Harwood — Bachelor Degree: 5.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.8% / 4.9%
Maclean — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8% Harwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 1.4%
Maclean — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Harwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.8% / 0.9%
Maclean — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8% Harwood — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

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.

Maclean Harwood
Philippines 1.0% / 3.5%
Maclean — Philippines: 1.0% Harwood — Philippines: 3.5%
England 3.2% / —
Maclean — England: 3.2% Harwood — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.5% / —
Maclean — New Zealand: 1.5% Harwood — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.9%
Maclean — Germany: not among its largest Harwood — Germany: 0.9%
Scotland 0.7% / —
Maclean — Scotland: 0.7% Harwood — Scotland: not among its largest
India 0.4% / —
Maclean — India: 0.4% Harwood — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Maclean 86.8% houses
Maclean — Houses: 86.8% Maclean — Flats / Apartments: 6.4% Maclean — Townhouses: 6.8%
Harwood 99.3% houses
Harwood — Houses: 99.3% Harwood — Flats / Apartments: 0.7% Harwood — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Maclean Harwood
Median house price $678,500 $705,000
Median unit price $447,500 —
Median land price $287,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 35 days
from 57 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Harwood has more rural and farming land (73% vs 26%); Maclean has more land zoned for conservation (40% vs 25%).

Maclean Harwood
Rural and farming 26% 73%
Environmental 40% 25%
Residential 21% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 2%
Parks and recreation 3% 0%
Commercial 1% 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

Maclean Harwood
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
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.

Maclean Harwood
Houses 4.8%
$640/wk on $699K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Maclean Harwood
House price Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Income Higher than 11% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools Higher than 15% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 94% of NSW —

Liveability

Maclean Harwood
Grade D —
Score 18/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Maclean carries more bushfire risk (28 vs 12); Maclean carries more crime risk (88 vs 74).

Maclean Harwood
Bushfire Low
28/100
 Low
12/100
Crime High
88/100
 High
74/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
33/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Maclean Harwood
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Maclean

  • Maclean High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Maclean Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Harwood

  • Harwood Island Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Maclean Harwood
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 10 0
Parks & reserves 10 0
Childcare 1
same for both
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 1
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1
same for both
Waterways 0 6

Mobility

Maclean Harwood
Walkability score 21/100 15/100
Distance to Sydney 648.3 km 648.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 421 min
same for both
Public transport score 61/100
Bus
 20/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 25.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2463
 1.1%
postcode 2465
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 2463
 43
postcode 2465

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.

Maclean Harwood
Car (driver) 74.1% / 72.8%
Maclean — Car (driver): 74.1% Harwood — Car (driver): 72.8%
Walked Only 10.1% / 11.2%
Maclean — Walked Only: 10.1% Harwood — Walked Only: 11.2%
Worked from Home 10.3% / 6.4%
Maclean — Worked from Home: 10.3% Harwood — Worked from Home: 6.4%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 9.6%
Maclean — Car (passenger): 4.8% Harwood — Car (passenger): 9.6%
Bus 0.7% / —
Maclean — Bus: 0.7% Harwood — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.1%).

Setting

Maclean Harwood
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.3 km 3.0 km

NBN connectivity

Maclean Harwood
Connectivity score 68/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
1,583 premises
 0%
163 premises

Climate

Maclean Harwood
Annual rainfall 1,408 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Maclean Harwood
Average residential rate $1,380/yr
same for both
Council Clarence Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Maclean Harwood
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Maclean Harwood
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Maclean

Acreage Affordable Retirees

Harwood

Coastal Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Maclean

Maclean vs Gulmarrad Maclean vs Townsend Maclean vs Ashby Maclean vs James Creek Maclean vs South Arm

Other comparisons with Harwood

Harwood vs Palmers Island Harwood vs Ashby Harwood vs Ashby Heights Harwood vs James Creek Harwood vs Chatsworth Harwood vs Palmers Channel
Full data on Maclean Full data on Harwood
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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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