Main Arm vs Upper Main Arm

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Main Arm, about half of households are couple families. In Upper Main Arm, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Main Arm: a median of $2.05 million, against $900,000 in Upper Main Arm, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Main Arm tends to suit couples, while Upper Main Arm suits people living alone and 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

Main Arm

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 36%)
  • carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 88/100)
  • But Upper Main Arm 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 51%)
  • Upper Main Arm has cheaper houses ($900,000 vs $2,050,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Upper Main Arm

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($390/wk vs $450/wk)
  • But Main Arm leaves renters under less rental stress (32% vs 46%)

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

Commuting to the city

Main Arm

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (499 min vs 511 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (772.4 km vs 778.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Main Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 88/100)

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

Investors

Upper Main Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (25.8% vs 9.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Main Arm and Upper Main Arm 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 Upper Main Arm
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 Upper Main Arm
Walkability 16 / 12
Main Arm — Walkability: 16/100 Upper Main Arm — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 42 / 12
Main Arm — Safety: 42/100 Upper Main Arm — Safety: 12/100
Low fire risk 40 / 53
Main Arm — Low fire risk: 40/100 Upper Main Arm — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

Main Arm has more residents (640 vs 283); Main Arm has higher household incomes ($72,956 vs $44,200).

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Population 640
+56% vs other
 283
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.2% +25.8%
Median age 45 44
Median household income $72,956/yr
+39% vs other
 $44,200/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+13% vs other
 $390/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
0-4 4.5% / 6.0%
Main Arm — 0-4: 4.5% Upper Main Arm — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 12.0% / 9.5%
Main Arm — 5-14: 12.0% Upper Main Arm — 5-14: 9.5%
15-19 5.6% / 2.8%
Main Arm — 15-19: 5.6% Upper Main Arm — 15-19: 2.8%
20-24 2.5% / 7.1%
Main Arm — 20-24: 2.5% Upper Main Arm — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 10.3% / 14.8%
Main Arm — 25-34: 10.3% Upper Main Arm — 25-34: 14.8%
35-44 12.5% / 9.2%
Main Arm — 35-44: 12.5% Upper Main Arm — 35-44: 9.2%
45-54 15.6% / 18.7%
Main Arm — 45-54: 15.6% Upper Main Arm — 45-54: 18.7%
55-64 19.8% / 14.1%
Main Arm — 55-64: 19.8% Upper Main Arm — 55-64: 14.1%
65-74 13.3% / 11.3%
Main Arm — 65-74: 13.3% Upper Main Arm — 65-74: 11.3%
75-84 2.5% / 3.9%
Main Arm — 75-84: 2.5% Upper Main Arm — 75-84: 3.9%
85+ 0.6% / 1.1%
Main Arm — 85+: 0.6% Upper Main Arm — 85+: 1.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Main Arm 26.7% lone person
Main Arm — Lone Person: 26.7% Main Arm — Couple Families: 50.9% Main Arm — One Parent Families: 15.5% Main Arm — Group Household: 6.9% Main Arm — Other Families: 0.0%
Upper Main Arm 53.2% lone person
Upper Main Arm — Lone Person: 53.2% Upper Main Arm — Couple Families: 22.3% Upper Main Arm — One Parent Families: 13.8% Upper Main Arm — Group Household: 7.4% Upper Main Arm — Other Families: 3.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

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%
Upper Main Arm 32.1% renting
Upper Main Arm — Owned Outright: 42.9% Upper Main Arm — Mortgage: 25.0% Upper Main Arm — Renting: 32.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Certificate III & IV 13.0% / 17.7%
Main Arm — Certificate III & IV: 13.0% Upper Main Arm — Certificate III & IV: 17.7%
Bachelor Degree 13.8% / 15.2%
Main Arm — Bachelor Degree: 13.8% Upper Main Arm — Bachelor Degree: 15.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 4.6%
Main Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Upper Main Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 4.6%
Main Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% Upper Main Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.1%
Main Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Upper Main Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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 Upper Main Arm
England 3.1% / 2.5%
Main Arm — England: 3.1% Upper Main Arm — England: 2.5%
Germany 1.2% / 3.9%
Main Arm — Germany: 1.2% Upper Main Arm — Germany: 3.9%
New Zealand 2.5% / 1.1%
Main Arm — New Zealand: 2.5% Upper Main Arm — New Zealand: 1.1%
Canada 0.6% / 1.1%
Main Arm — Canada: 0.6% Upper Main Arm — Canada: 1.1%
France 1.2% / —
Main Arm — France: 1.2% Upper Main Arm — France: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.8% / —
Main Arm — Malaysia: 0.8% Upper Main Arm — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

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%
Upper Main Arm 91.2% houses
Upper Main Arm — Houses: 91.2% Upper Main Arm — Flats / Apartments: 8.8% Upper Main Arm — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Median house price $2,050,000 $900,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Upper Main Arm has more land zoned for conservation (62% vs 26%); Main Arm has more rural and farming land (69% vs 33%).

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Rural and farming 69% 33%
Environmental 26% 62%
Other and special use 6% 5%
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 Upper Main Arm
New dwellings approved 129
across Byron
same for both
Approvals change year on year -65%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
House price Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 6% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 6% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 89% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW

Liveability

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Grade D —
Score 28/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Upper Main Arm carries more crime risk (88 vs 58); Main Arm carries more bushfire risk (60 vs 47).

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Bushfire Moderate
60/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 High
88/100
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 Upper Main Arm
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 Upper Main Arm

  • Main Arm Upper Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Waterways 4 2

Mobility

Upper Main Arm sits further from the CBD (778.2 km vs 772.4 km).

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Walkability score 16/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 772.4 km 778.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 499 min 511 min
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 19/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 3.5 min
scheduled, not actual
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 Upper Main Arm
Car (driver) 64.0% / 77.6%
Main Arm — Car (driver): 64.0% Upper Main Arm — Car (driver): 77.6%
Worked from Home 28.0% / 18.4%
Main Arm — Worked from Home: 28.0% Upper Main Arm — Worked from Home: 18.4%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 3.9%
Main Arm — Car (passenger): 4.2% Upper Main Arm — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Walked Only 3.7% / —
Main Arm — Walked Only: 3.7% Upper Main Arm — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.6%).

Setting

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 99 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.2 km 15.4 km

NBN connectivity

Main Arm Upper Main Arm
Connectivity score 29/100 22/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
222 premises
 0%
90 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Main Arm

Acreage

Upper Main Arm

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 The Pocket Main Arm vs Middle Pocket Main Arm vs Palmwoods

Other comparisons with Upper Main Arm

Upper Main Arm vs Rowlands Creek Upper Main Arm vs Upper Wilsons Creek Upper Main Arm vs Palmwoods Upper Main Arm vs Chowan Creek
Full data on Main Arm Full data on Upper Main Arm
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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