Middle Pocket vs Upper Burringbar

Middle Pocket is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 49 in Upper Burringbar. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Middle Pocket, about half of households are couple families. In Upper Burringbar, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Middle Pocket: a median of $1.83 million, against $1.65 million in Upper Burringbar, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Middle Pocket tends to suit families with children and couples, while Upper Burringbar suits people living alone.

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

Middle Pocket

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 42%)

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

First-home buyers

Upper Burringbar

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,650,000 vs $1,827,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Upper Burringbar

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $580/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Middle Pocket

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (499 min vs 515 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (778.6 km vs 784.7 km)
  • But Upper Burringbar is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Upper Burringbar

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 17%)

Weighs 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

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

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
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.

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Walkability 0 / 10
Middle Pocket — Walkability: 0/100 Upper Burringbar — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 72 / 80
Middle Pocket — Safety: 72/100 Upper Burringbar — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 34 / 29
Middle Pocket — Low fire risk: 34/100 Upper Burringbar — Low fire risk: 29/100

Demographics

Upper Burringbar has more residents (289 vs 141); Middle Pocket rents higher ($580/wk vs $350/wk).

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Population 141 289
+105% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.2% +3.6%
Median age 44 49
Median household income $89,336/yr
+39% vs other
 $54,184/yr
Median weekly rent $580/wk
+40% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
0-4 9.2% / 3.5%
Middle Pocket — 0-4: 9.2% Upper Burringbar — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 16.3% / 7.3%
Middle Pocket — 5-14: 16.3% Upper Burringbar — 5-14: 7.3%
15-19 — / 3.1%
Middle Pocket — 15-19: not among its largest Upper Burringbar — 15-19: 3.1%
20-24 2.8% / 5.9%
Middle Pocket — 20-24: 2.8% Upper Burringbar — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 9.2% / 17.3%
Middle Pocket — 25-34: 9.2% Upper Burringbar — 25-34: 17.3%
35-44 16.3% / 9.0%
Middle Pocket — 35-44: 16.3% Upper Burringbar — 35-44: 9.0%
45-54 14.9% / 12.8%
Middle Pocket — 45-54: 14.9% Upper Burringbar — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 17.0% / 20.1%
Middle Pocket — 55-64: 17.0% Upper Burringbar — 55-64: 20.1%
65-74 14.9% / 18.3%
Middle Pocket — 65-74: 14.9% Upper Burringbar — 65-74: 18.3%
75-84 2.1% / 6.2%
Middle Pocket — 75-84: 2.1% Upper Burringbar — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ — / —
Middle Pocket — 85+: not among its largest Upper Burringbar — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Middle Pocket 53.6% couple families
Middle Pocket — Couple Families: 53.6% Middle Pocket — Lone Person: 32.1% Middle Pocket — One Parent Families: 14.3% Middle Pocket — Group Household: 0.0%
Upper Burringbar 28.8% couple families
Upper Burringbar — Couple Families: 28.8% Upper Burringbar — Lone Person: 46.6% Upper Burringbar — One Parent Families: 13.7% Upper Burringbar — Group Household: 11.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Middle Pocket 25.0% renting
Middle Pocket — Owned Outright: 43.2% Middle Pocket — Mortgage: 31.8% Middle Pocket — Renting: 25.0%
Upper Burringbar 26.4% renting
Upper Burringbar — Owned Outright: 40.6% Upper Burringbar — Mortgage: 33.0% Upper Burringbar — Renting: 26.4%
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.

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
England 8.5% / 3.5%
Middle Pocket — England: 8.5% Upper Burringbar — England: 3.5%
New Zealand 5.0% / 2.4%
Middle Pocket — New Zealand: 5.0% Upper Burringbar — New Zealand: 2.4%
Japan — / 2.1%
Middle Pocket — Japan: not among its largest Upper Burringbar — Japan: 2.1%
Italy — / 1.0%
Middle Pocket — Italy: not among its largest Upper Burringbar — Italy: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.5%).

Qualifications

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

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Certificate III & IV 12.1% / 14.5%
Middle Pocket — Certificate III & IV: 12.1% Upper Burringbar — Certificate III & IV: 14.5%
Bachelor Degree 11.3% / 13.1%
Middle Pocket — Bachelor Degree: 11.3% Upper Burringbar — Bachelor Degree: 13.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 8.7%
Middle Pocket — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Upper Burringbar — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 6.4% / 2.8%
Middle Pocket — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4% Upper Burringbar — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 3.1%
Middle Pocket — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Upper Burringbar — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Middle Pocket 100.0% houses
Middle Pocket — Houses: 100.0%
Upper Burringbar 100.0% houses
Upper Burringbar — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Median house price $1,827,500 $1,650,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Middle Pocket has more land zoned for conservation (36% vs 1%); Upper Burringbar has more rural and farming land (79% vs 62%).

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Rural and farming 62% 79%
Environmental 36% 1%
Other and special use 1% 21%
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

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
New dwellings approved 129
across Byron
 331
across Tweed
Approvals change year on year -65% -50%

Ranking within NSW

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
House price Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Income Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 14% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 85% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW

Liveability

Upper Burringbar is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Bushfire Moderate
66/100
 High
71/100
Crime Low
28/100
 Low
20/100
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

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 2 3

Mobility

Upper Burringbar sits further from the CBD (784.7 km vs 778.6 km).

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 778.6 km 784.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 499 min 515 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 2483
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 72
postcode 2483
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.

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Car (driver) 61.0% / 72.4%
Middle Pocket — Car (driver): 61.0% Upper Burringbar — Car (driver): 72.4%
Worked from Home 39.0% / 20.4%
Middle Pocket — Worked from Home: 39.0% Upper Burringbar — Worked from Home: 20.4%
Walked Only — / 4.1%
Middle Pocket — Walked Only: not among its largest Upper Burringbar — Walked Only: 4.1%
Car (passenger) — / 3.1%
Middle Pocket — Car (passenger): not among its largest Upper Burringbar — Car (passenger): 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.4%).

Setting

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Elevation 47 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 116 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km 12.9 km

NBN connectivity

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Connectivity score 27/100 20/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
77 premises
 0%
136 premises

Climate

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
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

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Average residential rate $1,577/yr $1,745/yr
Council Byron Tweed

Federal electorate

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Middle Pocket Upper Burringbar
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Middle Pocket

Family Rural Young Families

Upper Burringbar

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Middle Pocket

Middle Pocket vs Main Arm Middle Pocket vs Crabbes Creek Middle Pocket vs Billinudgel Middle Pocket vs The Pocket Middle Pocket vs Yelgun

Other comparisons with Upper Burringbar

Upper Burringbar vs Burringbar Upper Burringbar vs Stokers Siding Upper Burringbar vs Main Arm Upper Burringbar vs Smiths Creek Upper Burringbar vs Crabbes Creek Upper Burringbar vs Chowan Creek
Full data on Middle Pocket Full data on Upper Burringbar
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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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