Maroubra vs Pagewood

Maroubra is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 42 in Pagewood. In both, most households own their home. In Maroubra, about half of homes are flats or apartments. In Pagewood, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Pagewood is closer to the city centre: 10.8 km, against 14.5 km. On these figures, Maroubra tends to suit people living alone, while Pagewood 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Maroubra has more childcare (24 vs 2)
  • Pagewood has more separate houses rather than flats (76% vs 30%)

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

First-home buyers

Pagewood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($886,000 vs $1,095,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Pagewood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($460/wk vs $540/wk)
  • But Maroubra has a bigger rental market to choose from (44% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Pagewood

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (15 min vs 22 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (10.8 km vs 14.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Maroubra

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (7 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (70% vs 24%)
  • But Pagewood carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 69/100)

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

Investors

Pagewood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.4% vs 2.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Maroubra Pagewood
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.

Maroubra Pagewood
Walkability 92 / 86
Maroubra — Walkability: 92/100 Pagewood — Walkability: 86/100
Safety 31 / 43
Maroubra — Safety: 31/100 Pagewood — Safety: 43/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Maroubra — Low fire risk: 100/100 Pagewood — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Maroubra has more residents (30,722 vs 3,885); Maroubra rents higher ($540/wk vs $460/wk).

Maroubra Pagewood
Population 30,722
+87% vs other
 3,885
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.1% +2.1%
Median age 39 42
Median household income $111,332/yr $118,612/yr
+7% vs other
Median weekly rent $540/wk
+15% vs other
 $460/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Maroubra Pagewood
0-4 5.2% / 5.0%
Maroubra — 0-4: 5.2% Pagewood — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 10.8% / 13.1%
Maroubra — 5-14: 10.8% Pagewood — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 4.8% / 7.7%
Maroubra — 15-19: 4.8% Pagewood — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.7% / 6.1%
Maroubra — 20-24: 5.7% Pagewood — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 15.8% / 8.5%
Maroubra — 25-34: 15.8% Pagewood — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 15.3% / 12.3%
Maroubra — 35-44: 15.3% Pagewood — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 13.2% / 15.2%
Maroubra — 45-54: 13.2% Pagewood — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 11.1% / 13.5%
Maroubra — 55-64: 11.1% Pagewood — 55-64: 13.5%
65-74 8.8% / 8.7%
Maroubra — 65-74: 8.8% Pagewood — 65-74: 8.7%
75-84 6.1% / 7.4%
Maroubra — 75-84: 6.1% Pagewood — 75-84: 7.4%
85+ 3.0% / 2.5%
Maroubra — 85+: 3.0% Pagewood — 85+: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Maroubra 40.1% couple families
Maroubra — Couple Families: 40.1% Maroubra — Lone Person: 36.9% Maroubra — One Parent Families: 13.8% Maroubra — Group Household: 7.3% Maroubra — Other Families: 1.9%
Pagewood 53.4% couple families
Pagewood — Couple Families: 53.4% Pagewood — Lone Person: 27.2% Pagewood — One Parent Families: 15.0% Pagewood — Group Household: 2.6% Pagewood — Other Families: 1.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Maroubra 44.1% renting
Maroubra — Owned Outright: 30.8% Maroubra — Mortgage: 25.0% Maroubra — Renting: 44.1%
Pagewood 26.2% renting
Pagewood — Owned Outright: 39.0% Pagewood — Mortgage: 34.9% Pagewood — Renting: 26.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Maroubra Pagewood
Bachelor Degree 21.9% / 15.1%
Maroubra — Bachelor Degree: 21.9% Pagewood — Bachelor Degree: 15.1%
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 11.1%
Maroubra — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% Pagewood — Certificate III & IV: 11.1%
Postgraduate Degree 10.0% / 8.0%
Maroubra — Postgraduate Degree: 10.0% Pagewood — Postgraduate Degree: 8.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 8.0%
Maroubra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Pagewood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.5%
Maroubra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Pagewood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

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.

Maroubra Pagewood
England 4.0% / 2.3%
Maroubra — England: 4.0% Pagewood — England: 2.3%
China 3.4% / 2.8%
Maroubra — China: 3.4% Pagewood — China: 2.8%
Indonesia 2.2% / 2.1%
Maroubra — Indonesia: 2.2% Pagewood — Indonesia: 2.1%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.7%
Maroubra — New Zealand: 1.6% Pagewood — New Zealand: 1.7%
Brazil 3.2% / —
Maroubra — Brazil: 3.2% Pagewood — Brazil: not among its largest
Ireland 1.9% / 1.1%
Maroubra — Ireland: 1.9% Pagewood — Ireland: 1.1%
Greece — / 2.9%
Maroubra — Greece: not among its largest Pagewood — Greece: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Maroubra 29.6% houses
Maroubra — Houses: 29.6% Maroubra — Flats / Apartments: 49.5% Maroubra — Townhouses: 20.9%
Pagewood 75.6% houses
Pagewood — Houses: 75.6% Pagewood — Flats / Apartments: 12.7% Pagewood — Townhouses: 11.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Maroubra Pagewood
Median house price $2,850,000 $2,845,000
Median unit price $1,095,000 $886,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 116 sales
 33 days
from 8 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Maroubra Pagewood
3 bed $2.55M / $2.83M
Maroubra — 3 bed: $2.55M (68 sales) Pagewood — 3 bed: $2.83M (10 sales)

68 vs 10 sales

4 bed $3.19M / $2.85M
Maroubra — 4 bed: $3.19M (52 sales) Pagewood — 4 bed: $2.85M (8 sales)

52 vs 8 sales

5 bed $3.62M / $3M
Maroubra — 5 bed: $3.62M (22 sales) Pagewood — 5 bed: $3M (5 sales)

22 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Maroubra Pagewood
Residential 71% 40%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 56%
Parks and recreation 17% 3%
Commercial 4% 1%
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

Maroubra Pagewood
New dwellings approved 455
across Randwick
 857
across Bayside (NSW)
Approvals change year on year -26% +98%

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.

Maroubra Pagewood
Houses 2.6%
$1,372/wk on $2.7M
 5.4%
$1,600/wk on $1.55M
Units 4.8%
$850/wk on $922K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Maroubra Pagewood
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Income Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Schools Higher than 82% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 7% of NSW Higher than 14% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 92% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 57% of NSW —

Liveability

Maroubra Pagewood
Grade A
same for both
Score 79/100 78/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Maroubra carries more crime risk (69 vs 57).

Maroubra Pagewood
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
69/100
 Moderate
57/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
23/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 24
within 5 km
 28
within 5 km

Schools

Maroubra Pagewood
Inside the suburb 11 1
Rated above peers 5 0
Rated at peers 4 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of New South Wales, 4.1 km
 3
The University of New South Wales, 2.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.1% 3.8%

Schools in Maroubra

  • Lycee Condorcet The International French School Of Sydney Independent · Combined above peers
  • Maroubra Bay Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Mount Sinai College Independent · Primary above peers
  • St Aidan's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • St Mary - St Joseph Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Corpus Christi College Maroubra Catholic · Secondary at peers

Schools in Pagewood

  • Pagewood Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Maroubra Pagewood
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 24 0
Parks & reserves 18 7
Childcare 24 2
GPs 7 0
Pharmacies 12 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 2 0

Mobility

Maroubra sits further from the CBD (14.5 km vs 10.8 km).

Maroubra Pagewood
Walkability score 92/100 86/100
Distance to Sydney 14.5 km
+26% vs other
 10.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 22 min 15 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 1098.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 105.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 2035
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 16
postcode 2035
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.

Maroubra Pagewood
Worked from Home 49.4% / 43.4%
Maroubra — Worked from Home: 49.4% Pagewood — Worked from Home: 43.4%
Car (driver) 36.8% / 45.4%
Maroubra — Car (driver): 36.8% Pagewood — Car (driver): 45.4%
Bus 5.5% / 2.7%
Maroubra — Bus: 5.5% Pagewood — Bus: 2.7%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 4.5%
Maroubra — Car (passenger): 3.2% Pagewood — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only 3.2% / 2.5%
Maroubra — Walked Only: 3.2% Pagewood — Walked Only: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (49.4%).

Setting

Maroubra Pagewood
Elevation 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.3 km
2.3 km to a named beach
 2.7 km
4.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Maroubra Pagewood
Connectivity score 76/100 82/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the curb
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
15,109 premises
 25%
1,451 premises

Climate

Maroubra Pagewood
Annual rainfall 1,129 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Maroubra Pagewood
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Maroubra Pagewood
Average residential rate $1,641/yr $1,217/yr
Council Randwick Bayside (NSW)

Federal electorate

Maroubra Pagewood
Division Kingsford Smith
same for both
Member Matt Thistlethwaite
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Maroubra Pagewood
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Maroubra

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Urban

Pagewood

Coastal Inner Parks Premium Professionals River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Maroubra

Maroubra vs Randwick Maroubra vs Kingsford Maroubra vs Matraville Maroubra vs Hillsdale Maroubra vs South Coogee Maroubra vs Malabar

Other comparisons with Pagewood

Pagewood vs Mascot Pagewood vs Kingsford Pagewood vs Botany Pagewood vs Eastlakes Pagewood vs Eastgardens Pagewood vs Daceyville
Full data on Maroubra Full data on Pagewood
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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