Main Arm vs The Pocket

Comparing Main Arm and The Pocket, NSW: Main Arm has more residents (640 vs 231); Main Arm carries more bushfire risk (60 vs 37); and The Pocket sits further from the CBD (778 km vs 772.4 km).

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

Main Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 80/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

The Pocket

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (26% vs 32%)

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

Commuting to the city

Main Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (772.4 km vs 778 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Main Arm carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 80/100)
  • The Pocket has more residents already 65 and over (23% 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 -14.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Main Arm and The Pocket 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 The Pocket
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 The Pocket
Walkability 16 / 17
Main Arm — Walkability: 16/100 The Pocket — Walkability: 17/100
Safety 42 / 20
Main Arm — Safety: 42/100 The Pocket — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 40 / 63
Main Arm — Low fire risk: 40/100 The Pocket — Low fire risk: 63/100

Demographics

Main Arm has more residents (640 vs 231); The Pocket has higher household incomes ($94,224 vs $72,956).

Main Arm The Pocket
Population 640
+64% vs other
 231
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.2% -14.8%
Median age 45 44
Median household income $72,956/yr $94,224/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $470/wk
+4% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Main Arm The Pocket
0-4 4.5% / 3.0%
Main Arm — 0-4: 4.5% The Pocket — 0-4: 3.0%
5-14 12.0% / 9.1%
Main Arm — 5-14: 12.0% The Pocket — 5-14: 9.1%
15-19 5.6% / 6.9%
Main Arm — 15-19: 5.6% The Pocket — 15-19: 6.9%
20-24 2.5% / 2.6%
Main Arm — 20-24: 2.5% The Pocket — 20-24: 2.6%
25-34 10.3% / 14.3%
Main Arm — 25-34: 10.3% The Pocket — 25-34: 14.3%
35-44 12.5% / 15.2%
Main Arm — 35-44: 12.5% The Pocket — 35-44: 15.2%
45-54 15.6% / 8.7%
Main Arm — 45-54: 15.6% The Pocket — 45-54: 8.7%
55-64 19.8% / 13.9%
Main Arm — 55-64: 19.8% The Pocket — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 13.3% / 16.0%
Main Arm — 65-74: 13.3% The Pocket — 65-74: 16.0%
75-84 2.5% / 7.4%
Main Arm — 75-84: 2.5% The Pocket — 75-84: 7.4%
85+ 0.6% / —
Main Arm — 85+: 0.6% The Pocket — 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%
The Pocket 50.0% couple families
The Pocket — Couple Families: 50.0% The Pocket — Lone Person: 23.8% The Pocket — One Parent Families: 16.7% The Pocket — Group Household: 9.5%
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%
The Pocket 18.2% renting
The Pocket — Owned Outright: 45.5% The Pocket — Mortgage: 36.4% The Pocket — Renting: 18.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Main Arm The Pocket
Bachelor Degree 13.8% / 16.5%
Main Arm — Bachelor Degree: 13.8% The Pocket — Bachelor Degree: 16.5%
Certificate III & IV 13.0% / 11.3%
Main Arm — Certificate III & IV: 13.0% The Pocket — Certificate III & IV: 11.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 8.7%
Main Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% The Pocket — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 2.6%
Main Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% The Pocket — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.7%
Main Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% The Pocket — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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 The Pocket
England 3.1% / 4.8%
Main Arm — England: 3.1% The Pocket — England: 4.8%
New Zealand 2.5% / 1.3%
Main Arm — New Zealand: 2.5% The Pocket — New Zealand: 1.3%
Germany 1.2% / 2.6%
Main Arm — Germany: 1.2% The Pocket — Germany: 2.6%
France 1.2% / 1.7%
Main Arm — France: 1.2% The Pocket — France: 1.7%
India — / 2.2%
Main Arm — India: not among its largest The Pocket — India: 2.2%
Malaysia 0.8% / —
Main Arm — Malaysia: 0.8% The Pocket — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Main Arm 96.6% houses
Main Arm — Houses: 96.6% Main Arm — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Main Arm — Townhouses: 3.4%
The Pocket 93.0% houses
The Pocket — Houses: 93.0% The Pocket — Flats / Apartments: 7.0% The Pocket — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Main Arm The Pocket
Median house price $2,050,000 $1,950,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $62,744

Zoning mix

Main Arm The Pocket
Rural and farming 69% 71%
Environmental 26% 17%
Other and special use 6% 11%
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 The Pocket
New dwellings approved 129
across Byron
same for both
Approvals change year on year -65%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Main Arm The Pocket
House price Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 6% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW

Liveability

Main Arm The Pocket
Grade D —
Score 28/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Main Arm carries more bushfire risk (60 vs 37); The Pocket carries more crime risk (80 vs 58).

Main Arm The Pocket
Bushfire Moderate
60/100
 Low
37/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 High
80/100
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 The Pocket
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
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 The Pocket

  • The Pocket Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Main Arm The Pocket
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Waterways 4
same for both

Mobility

The Pocket sits further from the CBD (778 km vs 772.4 km).

Main Arm The Pocket
Walkability score 16/100 17/100
Distance to Sydney 772.4 km 778 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 499 min 498 min
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 2482
 1.2%
postcode 2483
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 89
postcode 2482
 72
postcode 2483

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 The Pocket
Car (driver) 64.0% / 53.6%
Main Arm — Car (driver): 64.0% The Pocket — Car (driver): 53.6%
Worked from Home 28.0% / 39.3%
Main Arm — Worked from Home: 28.0% The Pocket — Worked from Home: 39.3%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 3.6%
Main Arm — Car (passenger): 4.2% The Pocket — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Walked Only 3.7% / 3.6%
Main Arm — Walked Only: 3.7% The Pocket — Walked Only: 3.6%

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

Setting

Main Arm The Pocket
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.2 km 7.9 km

NBN connectivity

Main Arm The Pocket
Connectivity score 29/100 28/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
222 premises
 0%
108 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

Main Arm The Pocket
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Main Arm

Acreage

The Pocket

Premium River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Main Arm

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

Other comparisons with The Pocket

The Pocket vs Mullumbimby The Pocket vs Billinudgel The Pocket vs Middle Pocket
Full data on Main Arm Full data on The Pocket
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.

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