Main Arm vs Mullumbimby Creek

Main Arm is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 48 in Mullumbimby Creek. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Main Arm, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Main Arm: a median of $2.05 million, against $1.32 million in Mullumbimby Creek. On these figures, Mullumbimby Creek 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

Mullumbimby Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • 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

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Main Arm leaves households under less mortgage stress (28% vs 34%)
  • Mullumbimby Creek has cheaper houses ($1,320,000 vs $2,050,000)

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

Main Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (16/100 vs 8/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Main Arm is more walkable (16/100 vs 8/100)
  • Mullumbimby Creek has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 16%)

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

Investors

Main Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.2% vs -6.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
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.

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Walkability 16 / 8
Main Arm — Walkability: 16/100 Mullumbimby Creek — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 42 / 51
Main Arm — Safety: 42/100 Mullumbimby Creek — Safety: 51/100
Low fire risk 40 / 44
Main Arm — Low fire risk: 40/100 Mullumbimby Creek — Low fire risk: 44/100

Demographics

Main Arm has more residents (640 vs 512); Mullumbimby Creek skews older (48 vs 45).

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Population 640
+20% vs other
 512
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.2% -6.6%
Median age 45 48
Median household income $72,956/yr $77,376/yr
+6% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+2% vs other
 $440/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
0-4 4.5% / 3.5%
Main Arm — 0-4: 4.5% Mullumbimby Creek — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 12.0% / 13.5%
Main Arm — 5-14: 12.0% Mullumbimby Creek — 5-14: 13.5%
15-19 5.6% / 4.1%
Main Arm — 15-19: 5.6% Mullumbimby Creek — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 2.5% / 3.1%
Main Arm — 20-24: 2.5% Mullumbimby Creek — 20-24: 3.1%
25-34 10.3% / 8.4%
Main Arm — 25-34: 10.3% Mullumbimby Creek — 25-34: 8.4%
35-44 12.5% / 13.7%
Main Arm — 35-44: 12.5% Mullumbimby Creek — 35-44: 13.7%
45-54 15.6% / 14.1%
Main Arm — 45-54: 15.6% Mullumbimby Creek — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 19.8% / 18.0%
Main Arm — 55-64: 19.8% Mullumbimby Creek — 55-64: 18.0%
65-74 13.3% / 18.4%
Main Arm — 65-74: 13.3% Mullumbimby Creek — 65-74: 18.4%
75-84 2.5% / 3.3%
Main Arm — 75-84: 2.5% Mullumbimby Creek — 75-84: 3.3%
85+ 0.6% / —
Main Arm — 85+: 0.6% Mullumbimby Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Main Arm 50.9% couple families
Main Arm — Couple Families: 50.9% Main Arm — Lone Person: 26.7% Main Arm — One Parent Families: 15.5% Main Arm — Group Household: 6.9%
Mullumbimby Creek 42.5% couple families
Mullumbimby Creek — Couple Families: 42.5% Mullumbimby Creek — Lone Person: 27.5% Mullumbimby Creek — One Parent Families: 22.5% Mullumbimby Creek — Group Household: 7.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Main Arm 20.0% renting
Main Arm — Owned Outright: 52.6% Main Arm — Mortgage: 27.4% Main Arm — Renting: 20.0%
Mullumbimby Creek 19.2% renting
Mullumbimby Creek — Owned Outright: 51.7% Mullumbimby Creek — Mortgage: 29.1% Mullumbimby Creek — Renting: 19.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Bachelor Degree 13.8% / 15.6%
Main Arm — Bachelor Degree: 13.8% Mullumbimby Creek — Bachelor Degree: 15.6%
Certificate III & IV 13.0% / 13.1%
Main Arm — Certificate III & IV: 13.0% Mullumbimby Creek — Certificate III & IV: 13.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 9.6%
Main Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Mullumbimby Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 9.8%
Main Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% Mullumbimby Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 9.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 3.3%
Main Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Mullumbimby Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

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.

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
England 3.1% / 9.2%
Main Arm — England: 3.1% Mullumbimby Creek — England: 9.2%
New Zealand 2.5% / 1.8%
Main Arm — New Zealand: 2.5% Mullumbimby Creek — New Zealand: 1.8%
Germany 1.2% / 1.4%
Main Arm — Germany: 1.2% Mullumbimby Creek — Germany: 1.4%
France 1.2% / 0.8%
Main Arm — France: 1.2% Mullumbimby Creek — France: 0.8%
Canada 0.6% / 1.0%
Main Arm — Canada: 0.6% Mullumbimby Creek — Canada: 1.0%
Malaysia 0.8% / —
Main Arm — Malaysia: 0.8% Mullumbimby Creek — Malaysia: not among its largest
Brazil — / 0.8%
Main Arm — Brazil: not among its largest Mullumbimby Creek — Brazil: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Main Arm 96.6% houses
Main Arm — Houses: 96.6% Main Arm — Townhouses: 3.4%
Mullumbimby Creek 98.3% houses
Mullumbimby Creek — Houses: 98.3% Mullumbimby Creek — Townhouses: 2.9%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Median house price $2,050,000 $1,320,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Rural and farming 69% 76%
Environmental 26% 16%
Other and special use 6% 3%
Residential 0% 4%
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

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
New dwellings approved 129
across Byron
same for both
Approvals change year on year -65%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
House price Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 6% of NSW
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 89% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW

Liveability

Main Arm is more walkable (16 vs 8).

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Grade D C
Score 28/100 32/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Bushfire Moderate
60/100
 Moderate
56/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
49/100
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

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
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 Main Arm

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

Schools in Mullumbimby Creek

  • Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School Independent · Combined above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 4 3

Mobility

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Walkability score 16/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 772.4 km 770.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 499 min
same for both
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 21/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 2482
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 89
postcode 2482
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.

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Car (driver) 64.0% / 59.7%
Main Arm — Car (driver): 64.0% Mullumbimby Creek — Car (driver): 59.7%
Worked from Home 28.0% / 34.9%
Main Arm — Worked from Home: 28.0% Mullumbimby Creek — Worked from Home: 34.9%
Walked Only 3.7% / 2.2%
Main Arm — Walked Only: 3.7% Mullumbimby Creek — Walked Only: 2.2%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 1.6%
Main Arm — Car (passenger): 4.2% Mullumbimby Creek — Car (passenger): 1.6%
Bicycle — / 1.6%
Main Arm — Bicycle: not among its largest Mullumbimby Creek — Bicycle: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.0%).

Setting

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.2 km 10.6 km

NBN connectivity

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Connectivity score 29/100 49/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
222 premises
 19%
224 premises

Climate

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
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

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Average residential rate $1,577/yr
same for both
Council Byron
same for both

Federal electorate

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Main Arm Mullumbimby Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Main Arm

Acreage

Mullumbimby Creek

Acreage River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Main Arm

Main Arm vs Mullumbimby Main Arm vs Upper Burringbar Main Arm vs Upper Main Arm Main Arm vs The Pocket Main Arm vs Middle Pocket Main Arm vs Palmwoods

Other comparisons with Mullumbimby Creek

Mullumbimby Creek vs Mullumbimby Mullumbimby Creek vs Wilsons Creek
Full data on Main Arm Full data on Mullumbimby Creek
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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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