Murwillumbah vs Tygalgah

Tygalgah is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 46 in Murwillumbah. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Murwillumbah, most households own their home. In Tygalgah, about half of households rent and about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Murwillumbah tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Tygalgah suits renters, families with children, and 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

  • Murwillumbah has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)
  • Tygalgah is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 53%)

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

First-home buyers

Tygalgah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (11% vs 35%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Tygalgah

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 30%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (49% vs 31%)
  • But Murwillumbah has cheaper rent ($346/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Murwillumbah

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (52/100 vs 26/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (798.1 km vs 806.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Murwillumbah

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (52/100 vs 26/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 17%)
  • But Tygalgah carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 73/100)

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

Investors

Murwillumbah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.3% vs -7.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
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.

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Walkability 52 / 26
Murwillumbah — Walkability: 52/100 Tygalgah — Walkability: 26/100
Safety 27 / 37
Murwillumbah — Safety: 27/100 Tygalgah — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Murwillumbah — Low fire risk: 100/100 Tygalgah — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Murwillumbah has more residents (7,616 vs 116); Tygalgah has higher household incomes ($119,548 vs $59,644).

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Population 7,616
+98% vs other
 116
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.3% -7.9%
Median age 46 39
Median household income $59,644/yr $119,548/yr
+100% vs other
Median weekly rent $346/wk $400/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
0-4 4.8% / 3.4%
Murwillumbah — 0-4: 4.8% Tygalgah — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 13.5% / 25.0%
Murwillumbah — 5-14: 13.5% Tygalgah — 5-14: 25.0%
15-19 5.8% / 5.2%
Murwillumbah — 15-19: 5.8% Tygalgah — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 3.8% / 4.3%
Murwillumbah — 20-24: 3.8% Tygalgah — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 8.8% / 11.2%
Murwillumbah — 25-34: 8.8% Tygalgah — 25-34: 11.2%
35-44 11.7% / 12.1%
Murwillumbah — 35-44: 11.7% Tygalgah — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 12.3% / 12.9%
Murwillumbah — 45-54: 12.3% Tygalgah — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 13.9% / 16.4%
Murwillumbah — 55-64: 13.9% Tygalgah — 55-64: 16.4%
65-74 12.3% / 12.1%
Murwillumbah — 65-74: 12.3% Tygalgah — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 8.1% / 5.2%
Murwillumbah — 75-84: 8.1% Tygalgah — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 5.0% / —
Murwillumbah — 85+: 5.0% Tygalgah — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Murwillumbah 32.0% couple families
Murwillumbah — Couple Families: 32.0% Murwillumbah — Lone Person: 41.3% Murwillumbah — One Parent Families: 21.4% Murwillumbah — Group Household: 3.8% Murwillumbah — Other Families: 1.4%
Tygalgah 48.3% couple families
Tygalgah — Couple Families: 48.3% Tygalgah — Lone Person: 17.2% Tygalgah — One Parent Families: 34.5% Tygalgah — Group Household: 0.0% Tygalgah — 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.

Murwillumbah 31.4% renting
Murwillumbah — Owned Outright: 35.9% Murwillumbah — Mortgage: 32.6% Murwillumbah — Renting: 31.4%
Tygalgah 48.6% renting
Tygalgah — Owned Outright: 22.9% Tygalgah — Mortgage: 28.6% Tygalgah — Renting: 48.6%
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.

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
England 3.5% / 2.6%
Murwillumbah — England: 3.5% Tygalgah — England: 2.6%
New Zealand 1.9% / 2.6%
Murwillumbah — New Zealand: 1.9% Tygalgah — New Zealand: 2.6%
India 1.3% / —
Murwillumbah — India: 1.3% Tygalgah — India: not among its largest
Germany 0.5% / —
Murwillumbah — Germany: 0.5% Tygalgah — Germany: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / —
Murwillumbah — Philippines: 0.5% Tygalgah — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

Qualifications

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

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 20.7%
Murwillumbah — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% Tygalgah — Certificate III & IV: 20.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 8.6%
Murwillumbah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Tygalgah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Bachelor Degree 9.6% / 3.4%
Murwillumbah — Bachelor Degree: 9.6% Tygalgah — Bachelor Degree: 3.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 4.3%
Murwillumbah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Tygalgah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / —
Murwillumbah — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Tygalgah — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Murwillumbah 75.8% houses
Murwillumbah — Houses: 75.8% Murwillumbah — Flats / Apartments: 16.9% Murwillumbah — Townhouses: 7.2%
Tygalgah 100.0% houses
Tygalgah — Houses: 100.0% Tygalgah — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Tygalgah — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Median house price $940,000 —
Median unit price $626,000 —
Median land price $875,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 86 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Tygalgah has more rural and farming land (92% vs 46%).

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Rural and farming 46% 92%
Residential 33% 0%
Parks and recreation 11% 2%
Environmental 5% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 0%
Commercial 2% 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

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
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.

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Houses 4.3%
$885/wk on $1.06M
 —
Units 3.6%
$470/wk on $674K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
House price Higher than 46% of NSW —
Income Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Schools Higher than 48% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 31% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 65% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 13% of NSW —

Liveability

Murwillumbah is more walkable (52 vs 26).

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Grade C —
Score 40/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Murwillumbah carries more crime risk (73 vs 63).

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
73/100
 Moderate
63/100
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 2
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Inside the suburb 9 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 3 0

Schools in Murwillumbah

  • Murwillumbah Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Sathya Sai College Independent · Primary above peers
  • Mount St Patrick College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Murwillumbah East Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Tweed Valley Adventist College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Mount St Patrick Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Schools in Tygalgah

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

Amenities in the suburb

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 10 0
Parks & reserves 10 0
Childcare 7 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 10 0

Mobility

Tygalgah sits further from the CBD (806.1 km vs 798.1 km).

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Walkability score 52/100 26/100
Distance to Sydney 798.1 km 806.1 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 521 min 522 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2484
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 76
postcode 2484
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.

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Car (driver) 77.9% / 63.0%
Murwillumbah — Car (driver): 77.9% Tygalgah — Car (driver): 63.0%
Worked from Home 11.8% / 19.6%
Murwillumbah — Worked from Home: 11.8% Tygalgah — Worked from Home: 19.6%
Bicycle 0.5% / 10.9%
Murwillumbah — Bicycle: 0.5% Tygalgah — Bicycle: 10.9%
Walked Only 4.1% / 6.5%
Murwillumbah — Walked Only: 4.1% Tygalgah — Walked Only: 6.5%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / —
Murwillumbah — Car (passenger): 5.1% Tygalgah — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.6% / —
Murwillumbah — Bus: 0.6% Tygalgah — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.9%).

Setting

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Elevation 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 18.5 km 14.5 km

NBN connectivity

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Connectivity score 62/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 28%
3,811 premises
 0%
51 premises

Climate

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
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

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Murwillumbah Tygalgah
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Murwillumbah

Parks Retirees

Tygalgah

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Murwillumbah

Murwillumbah vs South Murwillumbah Murwillumbah vs Bray Park Murwillumbah vs Dunbible Murwillumbah vs Eungella Murwillumbah vs Nobbys Creek Murwillumbah vs Byangum

Other comparisons with Tygalgah

Tygalgah vs South Murwillumbah Tygalgah vs Tumbulgum Tygalgah vs Condong Tygalgah vs North Tumbulgum Tygalgah vs Eviron Tygalgah vs Urliup
Full data on Murwillumbah Full data on Tygalgah
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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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