Medowie vs Swan Bay

Medowie is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 52 in Swan Bay. 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 $825,000 in Swan Bay, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Medowie tends to suit families with children and couples, while Swan Bay suits share households, 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 4 of the 5 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 2)

Weighs schools, house stock, 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 28%)
  • Swan Bay has cheaper houses ($825,000 vs $995,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Medowie leaves renters under less rental stress (21% vs 30%)
  • Swan Bay has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $430/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Medowie

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (48/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (190.2 km vs 196.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Medowie

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (48/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • But Swan Bay has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 15%)

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

Investors

Medowie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.8% vs -1.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Medowie and Swan Bay 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 Swan Bay
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 Swan Bay
Walkability 48 / 0
Medowie — Walkability: 48/100 Swan Bay — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 17 / 16
Medowie — Low fire risk: 17/100 Swan Bay — Low fire risk: 16/100

Demographics

Medowie has more residents (10,879 vs 310); Medowie has higher household incomes ($106,288 vs $60,112).

Medowie Swan Bay
Population 10,879
+97% vs other
 310
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.8% -1.9%
Median age 37 52
Median household income $106,288/yr
+43% vs other
 $60,112/yr
Median weekly rent $430/wk
+19% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Medowie Swan Bay
0-4 6.8% / 1.3%
Medowie — 0-4: 6.8% Swan Bay — 0-4: 1.3%
5-14 16.4% / 7.4%
Medowie — 5-14: 16.4% Swan Bay — 5-14: 7.4%
15-19 6.6% / 6.8%
Medowie — 15-19: 6.6% Swan Bay — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 5.4% / 4.2%
Medowie — 20-24: 5.4% Swan Bay — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 11.3% / 7.4%
Medowie — 25-34: 11.3% Swan Bay — 25-34: 7.4%
35-44 13.4% / 12.6%
Medowie — 35-44: 13.4% Swan Bay — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 13.7% / 18.4%
Medowie — 45-54: 13.7% Swan Bay — 45-54: 18.4%
55-64 12.1% / 15.8%
Medowie — 55-64: 12.1% Swan Bay — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 9.4% / 20.0%
Medowie — 65-74: 9.4% Swan Bay — 65-74: 20.0%
75-84 4.4% / 7.1%
Medowie — 75-84: 4.4% Swan Bay — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 0.8% / 1.0%
Medowie — 85+: 0.8% Swan Bay — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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%
Swan Bay 43.2% couple families
Swan Bay — Couple Families: 43.2% Swan Bay — Lone Person: 21.6% Swan Bay — One Parent Families: 18.9% Swan Bay — Group Household: 12.2% Swan Bay — Other Families: 4.1%
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%
Swan Bay 15.5% renting
Swan Bay — Owned Outright: 44.7% Swan Bay — Mortgage: 39.8% Swan Bay — Renting: 15.5%
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 Swan Bay
England 3.3% / 2.6%
Medowie — England: 3.3% Swan Bay — England: 2.6%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.9%
Medowie — New Zealand: 0.9% Swan Bay — New Zealand: 1.9%
Netherlands 0.3% / 1.0%
Medowie — Netherlands: 0.3% Swan Bay — Netherlands: 1.0%
South Africa 0.5% / —
Medowie — South Africa: 0.5% Swan Bay — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland 0.3% / —
Medowie — Scotland: 0.3% Swan Bay — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

Qualifications

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

Medowie Swan Bay
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 17.4%
Medowie — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Swan Bay — Certificate III & IV: 17.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 7.7%
Medowie — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Swan Bay — Bachelor Degree: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 6.5%
Medowie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Swan Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 2.6%
Medowie — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Swan Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.0%
Medowie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Swan Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

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%
Swan Bay 89.1% houses
Swan Bay — Houses: 89.1% Swan Bay — Flats / Apartments: 10.9% Swan Bay — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Medowie Swan Bay
Median house price $995,000 $825,000
Median unit price $597,500 —
Median land price $1,100,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 164 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Swan Bay has more rural and farming land (40% vs 18%); Swan Bay has more land zoned for conservation (39% vs 17%).

Medowie Swan Bay
Rural and farming 18% 40%
Environmental 17% 39%
Residential 31% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 30% 20%
Parks and recreation 3% 0%
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 Swan Bay
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 Swan Bay
Houses 3.6%
$700/wk on $1.02M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Medowie Swan Bay
House price Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
Income Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
Schools Higher than 29% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 48% of NSW —

Liveability

Medowie is more walkable (48 vs 0).

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

Risk profile

Medowie Swan Bay
Bushfire High
83/100
 High
84/100
Crime Moderate
42/100
 —
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
100/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Medowie Swan Bay
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 Swan Bay

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

Amenities in the suburb

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

Mobility

Swan Bay sits further from the CBD (196.3 km vs 190.2 km).

Medowie Swan Bay
Walkability score 48/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 190.2 km 196.3 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 142 min 145 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2318
 0.5%
postcode 2324
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2318
 54
postcode 2324

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 Swan Bay
Car (driver) 68.7% / 63.5%
Medowie — Car (driver): 68.7% Swan Bay — Car (driver): 63.5%
Worked from Home 26.1% / 28.8%
Medowie — Worked from Home: 26.1% Swan Bay — Worked from Home: 28.8%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 3.8%
Medowie — Car (passenger): 3.7% Swan Bay — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 1.0% / 3.8%
Medowie — Walked Only: 1.0% Swan Bay — Walked Only: 3.8%
Bus 0.3% / —
Medowie — Bus: 0.3% Swan Bay — Bus: not among its largest

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

Setting

Medowie Swan Bay
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.4 km 1.8 km

NBN connectivity

Medowie Swan Bay
Connectivity score 84/100 26/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 61%
4,445 premises
 0%
136 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

Medowie Swan Bay
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Medowie Swan Bay
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

Swan Bay

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Medowie

Medowie vs Salt Ash Medowie vs Ferodale Medowie vs Oyster Cove

Other comparisons with Swan Bay

Swan Bay vs Karuah Swan Bay vs Twelve Mile Creek Swan Bay vs Ferodale
Full data on Medowie Full data on Swan Bay
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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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