Medowie vs Oyster Cove

Medowie is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 56 in Oyster Cove. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Medowie, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Medowie: a median of $995,000, against $340,000 in Oyster Cove, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Medowie tends to suit families with children and couples, while Oyster Cove suits people living alone, older residents, 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

Medowie

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (10 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 1)
  • But Oyster Cove carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 42/100)

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

  • Medowie leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 31%)
  • Oyster Cove has cheaper houses ($340,000 vs $995,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Oyster Cove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($228/wk vs $430/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Medowie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (48/100 vs 6/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Oyster Cove

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (19% vs 2%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (31% vs 15%)
  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 42/100)
  • But Medowie is more walkable (48/100 vs 6/100)

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

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

Medowie Oyster Cove
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.

Medowie Oyster Cove
Walkability 48 / 6
Medowie — Walkability: 48/100 Oyster Cove — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 58 / 74
Medowie — Safety: 58/100 Oyster Cove — Safety: 74/100
Low fire risk 17 / 19
Medowie — Low fire risk: 17/100 Oyster Cove — Low fire risk: 19/100

Demographics

Medowie has more residents (10,879 vs 91); Medowie rents higher ($430/wk vs $228/wk).

Medowie Oyster Cove
Population 10,879
+99% vs other
 91
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.8% +12.3%
Median age 37 56
Median household income $106,288/yr
+42% vs other
 $61,724/yr
Median weekly rent $430/wk
+47% vs other
 $228/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Medowie Oyster Cove
0-4 6.8% / 6.6%
Medowie — 0-4: 6.8% Oyster Cove — 0-4: 6.6%
5-14 16.4% / 6.6%
Medowie — 5-14: 16.4% Oyster Cove — 5-14: 6.6%
15-19 6.6% / 3.3%
Medowie — 15-19: 6.6% Oyster Cove — 15-19: 3.3%
20-24 5.4% / 11.0%
Medowie — 20-24: 5.4% Oyster Cove — 20-24: 11.0%
25-34 11.3% / 3.3%
Medowie — 25-34: 11.3% Oyster Cove — 25-34: 3.3%
35-44 13.4% / 7.7%
Medowie — 35-44: 13.4% Oyster Cove — 35-44: 7.7%
45-54 13.7% / 12.1%
Medowie — 45-54: 13.7% Oyster Cove — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 12.1% / 22.0%
Medowie — 55-64: 12.1% Oyster Cove — 55-64: 22.0%
65-74 9.4% / 22.0%
Medowie — 65-74: 9.4% Oyster Cove — 65-74: 22.0%
75-84 4.4% / 8.8%
Medowie — 75-84: 4.4% Oyster Cove — 75-84: 8.8%
85+ 0.8% / —
Medowie — 85+: 0.8% Oyster Cove — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Medowie 59.3% couple families
Medowie — Couple Families: 59.3% Medowie — Lone Person: 20.3% Medowie — One Parent Families: 18.0% Medowie — Group Household: 1.9% Medowie — Other Families: 0.5%
Oyster Cove 38.9% couple families
Oyster Cove — Couple Families: 38.9% Oyster Cove — Lone Person: 44.4% Oyster Cove — One Parent Families: 16.7% Oyster Cove — Group Household: 0.0% Oyster Cove — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Medowie 22.3% renting
Medowie — Owned Outright: 30.5% Medowie — Mortgage: 47.2% Medowie — Renting: 22.3%
Oyster Cove 15.2% renting
Oyster Cove — Owned Outright: 57.6% Oyster Cove — Mortgage: 27.3% Oyster Cove — Renting: 15.2%
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.

Medowie Oyster Cove
New Zealand 0.9% / 5.5%
Medowie — New Zealand: 0.9% Oyster Cove — New Zealand: 5.5%
England 3.3% / —
Medowie — England: 3.3% Oyster Cove — England: not among its largest
South Africa 0.5% / —
Medowie — South Africa: 0.5% Oyster Cove — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland 0.3% / —
Medowie — Scotland: 0.3% Oyster Cove — Scotland: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.3% / —
Medowie — Netherlands: 0.3% Oyster Cove — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.5%).

Qualifications

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

Medowie Oyster Cove
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 15.4%
Medowie — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Oyster Cove — Certificate III & IV: 15.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 16.5%
Medowie — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Oyster Cove — Bachelor Degree: 16.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 7.7%
Medowie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Oyster Cove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / —
Medowie — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Oyster Cove — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / —
Medowie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Oyster Cove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Medowie 97.5% houses
Medowie — Houses: 97.5% Medowie — Flats / Apartments: 0.4% Medowie — Townhouses: 2.1%
Oyster Cove 81.1% houses
Oyster Cove — Houses: 81.1% Oyster Cove — Flats / Apartments: 18.9% Oyster Cove — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Medowie Oyster Cove
Median house price $995,000 $340,000
Median unit price $597,500 —
Median land price $1,100,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 164 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Oyster Cove has more land zoned for conservation (74% vs 17%).

Medowie Oyster Cove
Environmental 17% 74%
Residential 31% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 30% 1%
Rural and farming 18% 24%
Parks and recreation 3% 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

Medowie Oyster Cove
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
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.

Medowie Oyster Cove
Houses 3.6%
$700/wk on $1.02M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Medowie Oyster Cove
House price Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
Income Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
Schools Higher than 29% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 59% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 48% of NSW —

Liveability

Medowie is more walkable (48 vs 6).

Medowie Oyster Cove
Grade C —
Score 31/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Medowie carries more crime risk (42 vs 26).

Medowie Oyster Cove
Bushfire High
83/100
 High
81/100
Crime Moderate
42/100
 Low
26/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
17/100
Aircraft noise High
100/100
 Moderate
50/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Medowie Oyster Cove
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Medowie

  • Catherine McAuley Catholic College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Medowie Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Wirreanda Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Medowie Christian School Independent · Combined below peers
  • Medowie Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary

Schools in Oyster Cove

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

Amenities in the suburb

Medowie Oyster Cove
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 0
Parks & reserves 5 1
Childcare 10 0
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Medowie Oyster Cove
Walkability score 48/100 6/100
Distance to Sydney 190.2 km 190.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 142 min 146 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2318
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2318
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.

Medowie Oyster Cove
Car (driver) 68.7% / 54.8%
Medowie — Car (driver): 68.7% Oyster Cove — Car (driver): 54.8%
Worked from Home 26.1% / 16.1%
Medowie — Worked from Home: 26.1% Oyster Cove — Worked from Home: 16.1%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 16.1%
Medowie — Car (passenger): 3.7% Oyster Cove — Car (passenger): 16.1%
Walked Only 1.0% / 12.9%
Medowie — Walked Only: 1.0% Oyster Cove — Walked Only: 12.9%
Bus 0.3% / —
Medowie — Bus: 0.3% Oyster Cove — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.7%).

Setting

Medowie Oyster Cove
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.4 km 845 m

NBN connectivity

Medowie Oyster Cove
Connectivity score 84/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 61%
4,445 premises
 0%
41 premises

Climate

Medowie Oyster Cove
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Medowie Oyster Cove
PM2.5 7.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 30.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.73 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Medowie Oyster Cove
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Medowie Oyster Cove
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Medowie Oyster Cove
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Medowie

Family Quiet Regional Centre

Oyster Cove

Affordable Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Medowie

Medowie vs Salt Ash Medowie vs Swan Bay Medowie vs Ferodale

Other comparisons with Oyster Cove

Oyster Cove vs Tanilba Bay Oyster Cove vs Salt Ash
Full data on Medowie Full data on Oyster Cove
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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