Matcham vs Wamberal

Wamberal is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 44 in Matcham. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Matcham: a median of $2.52 million, against $1.55 million in Wamberal, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Matcham tends to suit couples, while Wamberal suits 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

Matcham

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 45/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (81% vs 73%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 87%)
  • But Wamberal has more childcare (8 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Wamberal

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,550,000 vs $2,525,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wamberal

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (18% vs 6%)
  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $550/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Wamberal

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (49/100 vs 12/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Matcham carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 45/100)
  • Wamberal is more walkable (49/100 vs 12/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Matcham Wamberal
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.

Matcham Wamberal
Walkability 12 / 49
Matcham — Walkability: 12/100 Wamberal — Walkability: 49/100
Safety 69 / 55
Matcham — Safety: 69/100 Wamberal — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 33 / 33
Matcham — Low fire risk: 33/100 Wamberal — Low fire risk: 33/100

Demographics

Wamberal has more residents (6,991 vs 1,038); Matcham has higher household incomes ($174,720 vs $125,164).

Matcham Wamberal
Population 1,038 6,991
+574% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.2% +6.7%
Median age 44 40
Median household income $174,720/yr
+28% vs other
 $125,164/yr
Median weekly rent $550/wk
+9% vs other
 $500/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Matcham Wamberal
0-4 4.0% / 5.7%
Matcham — 0-4: 4.0% Wamberal — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 16.6% / 14.9%
Matcham — 5-14: 16.6% Wamberal — 5-14: 14.9%
15-19 8.2% / 7.5%
Matcham — 15-19: 8.2% Wamberal — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 4.4% / 5.1%
Matcham — 20-24: 4.4% Wamberal — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 6.3% / 8.9%
Matcham — 25-34: 6.3% Wamberal — 25-34: 8.9%
35-44 11.2% / 13.1%
Matcham — 35-44: 11.2% Wamberal — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 15.6% / 14.9%
Matcham — 45-54: 15.6% Wamberal — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 15.1% / 12.9%
Matcham — 55-64: 15.1% Wamberal — 55-64: 12.9%
65-74 13.1% / 10.2%
Matcham — 65-74: 13.1% Wamberal — 65-74: 10.2%
75-84 3.9% / 5.1%
Matcham — 75-84: 3.9% Wamberal — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 1.3% / 1.9%
Matcham — 85+: 1.3% Wamberal — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Matcham 70.0% couple families
Matcham — Couple Families: 70.0% Matcham — Lone Person: 14.8% Matcham — One Parent Families: 11.4% Matcham — Group Household: 3.8% Matcham — Other Families: 0.0%
Wamberal 58.4% couple families
Wamberal — Couple Families: 58.4% Wamberal — Lone Person: 22.9% Wamberal — One Parent Families: 14.2% Wamberal — Group Household: 4.0% Wamberal — Other Families: 0.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Matcham 6.1% renting
Matcham — Owned Outright: 49.5% Matcham — Mortgage: 44.4% Matcham — Renting: 6.1%
Wamberal 17.6% renting
Wamberal — Owned Outright: 37.9% Wamberal — Mortgage: 44.6% Wamberal — Renting: 17.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Matcham Wamberal
England 6.8% / 5.1%
Matcham — England: 6.8% Wamberal — England: 5.1%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.9%
Matcham — New Zealand: 1.5% Wamberal — New Zealand: 1.9%
South Africa 1.5% / 0.9%
Matcham — South Africa: 1.5% Wamberal — South Africa: 0.9%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.5%
Matcham — Scotland: 0.8% Wamberal — Scotland: 0.5%
India 0.7% / 0.5%
Matcham — India: 0.7% Wamberal — India: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

Qualifications

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

Matcham Wamberal
Bachelor Degree 18.4% / 16.0%
Matcham — Bachelor Degree: 18.4% Wamberal — Bachelor Degree: 16.0%
Certificate III & IV 11.1% / 13.8%
Matcham — Certificate III & IV: 11.1% Wamberal — Certificate III & IV: 13.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 9.4%
Matcham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Wamberal — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.6% / 4.5%
Matcham — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6% Wamberal — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 2.1%
Matcham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Wamberal — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Matcham 97.2% houses
Matcham — Houses: 97.2% Matcham — Flats / Apartments: 1.3% Matcham — Townhouses: 1.6%
Wamberal 87.1% houses
Wamberal — Houses: 87.1% Wamberal — Flats / Apartments: 8.1% Wamberal — Townhouses: 4.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Matcham Wamberal
Median house price $2,525,000 $1,550,000
Median unit price — $1,100,000
Median land price $2,850,000 $2,750,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 40 days
from 97 sales

Zoning mix

Matcham has more land zoned for conservation (99% vs 69%).

Matcham Wamberal
Environmental 99% 69%
Residential 0% 21%
Parks and recreation 0% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 4%
Planning zones cover 100% of Matcham and 99% of Wamberal. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Matcham Wamberal
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
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.

Matcham Wamberal
Houses — 3.7%
$908/wk on $1.27M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Matcham Wamberal
House price Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Income Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 58% of NSW

Liveability

Wamberal is more walkable (49 vs 12).

Matcham Wamberal
Grade B
same for both
Score 55/100 53/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Wamberal carries more crime risk (45 vs 31).

Matcham Wamberal
Bushfire Moderate
67/100
same for both
Crime Low
31/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Moderate
52/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Matcham Wamberal
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Matcham

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

Schools in Wamberal

  • Wamberal Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Matcham Wamberal
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 1 5
Childcare 0 8
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 2
Waterways 17 3

Mobility

Matcham Wamberal
Walkability score 12/100 49/100
Distance to Sydney 87 km 88.3 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 84 min
same for both
Public transport score 26/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 185.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 2250
 1.4%
postcode 2260
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2250
 37
postcode 2260

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.

Matcham Wamberal
Car (driver) 51.3% / 55.5%
Matcham — Car (driver): 51.3% Wamberal — Car (driver): 55.5%
Worked from Home 43.8% / 38.9%
Matcham — Worked from Home: 43.8% Wamberal — Worked from Home: 38.9%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 3.3%
Matcham — Car (passenger): 3.2% Wamberal — Car (passenger): 3.3%
Walked Only 0.7% / 0.9%
Matcham — Walked Only: 0.7% Wamberal — Walked Only: 0.9%
Train 1.0% / 0.3%
Matcham — Train: 1.0% Wamberal — Train: 0.3%
Bus — / 0.8%
Matcham — Bus: not among its largest Wamberal — Bus: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.5%).

Setting

Matcham Wamberal
Elevation 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 70 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.2 km
3.3 km to a named beach
 1.3 km
1.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Matcham Wamberal
Connectivity score 44/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
378 premises
 42%
2,829 premises

Climate

Matcham Wamberal
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Matcham Wamberal
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Matcham Wamberal
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Matcham Wamberal
Division Dobell
same for both
Member Emma Mcbride
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Matcham Wamberal
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Matcham

Acreage Premium Professionals River

Wamberal

Beach Coastal Large Blocks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Matcham

Matcham vs Tumbi Umbi Matcham vs Holgate Matcham vs Erina Heights

Other comparisons with Wamberal

Wamberal vs Terrigal Wamberal vs Tumbi Umbi Wamberal vs Forresters Beach Wamberal vs Erina Heights
Full data on Matcham Full data on Wamberal
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or