Nabiac vs Firefly

Nabiac is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 51 in Firefly. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Firefly, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Firefly: a median of $1 million, against $630,000 in Nabiac, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Nabiac tends to suit 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

Nabiac

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • But Firefly carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 79/100)

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

First-home buyers

Nabiac

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($630,000 vs $1,005,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Nabiac

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($330/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Nabiac

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (16/100 vs 6/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (198 min vs 212 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (283.9 km vs 298.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Firefly

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 79/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 23%)
  • But Nabiac is more walkable (16/100 vs 6/100)

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

Investors

Nabiac

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.4% vs -9.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Nabiac Firefly
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.

Nabiac Firefly
Walkability 16 / 6
Nabiac — Walkability: 16/100 Firefly — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 21 / 71
Nabiac — Safety: 21/100 Firefly — Safety: 71/100
Low fire risk 28 / 56
Nabiac — Low fire risk: 28/100 Firefly — Low fire risk: 56/100

Demographics

Nabiac has more residents (1,294 vs 247); Firefly rents higher ($380/wk vs $330/wk).

Nabiac Firefly
Population 1,294
+81% vs other
 247
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.4% -9.2%
Median age 48 51
Median household income $65,156/yr $71,500/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $330/wk $380/wk
+15% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nabiac Firefly
0-4 4.6% / 2.8%
Nabiac — 0-4: 4.6% Firefly — 0-4: 2.8%
5-14 13.0% / 11.7%
Nabiac — 5-14: 13.0% Firefly — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 6.0% / 4.5%
Nabiac — 15-19: 6.0% Firefly — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 3.8% / 3.2%
Nabiac — 20-24: 3.8% Firefly — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 8.0% / 7.7%
Nabiac — 25-34: 8.0% Firefly — 25-34: 7.7%
35-44 11.0% / 8.9%
Nabiac — 35-44: 11.0% Firefly — 35-44: 8.9%
45-54 12.8% / 16.2%
Nabiac — 45-54: 12.8% Firefly — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 17.2% / 15.8%
Nabiac — 55-64: 17.2% Firefly — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 14.8% / 19.4%
Nabiac — 65-74: 14.8% Firefly — 65-74: 19.4%
75-84 7.1% / 9.7%
Nabiac — 75-84: 7.1% Firefly — 75-84: 9.7%
85+ 1.5% / —
Nabiac — 85+: 1.5% Firefly — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nabiac 42.7% couple families
Nabiac — Couple Families: 42.7% Nabiac — Lone Person: 29.0% Nabiac — One Parent Families: 21.3% Nabiac — Group Household: 5.1% Nabiac — Other Families: 1.9%
Firefly 50.0% couple families
Firefly — Couple Families: 50.0% Firefly — Lone Person: 31.0% Firefly — One Parent Families: 19.0% Firefly — Group Household: 0.0% Firefly — 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.

Nabiac 15.0% renting
Nabiac — Owned Outright: 46.5% Nabiac — Mortgage: 38.5% Nabiac — Renting: 15.0%
Firefly 6.7% renting
Firefly — Owned Outright: 52.2% Firefly — Mortgage: 41.1% Firefly — Renting: 6.7%
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.

Nabiac Firefly
England 3.5% / 4.9%
Nabiac — England: 3.5% Firefly — England: 4.9%
New Zealand 1.1% / —
Nabiac — New Zealand: 1.1% Firefly — New Zealand: not among its largest
India 0.4% / —
Nabiac — India: 0.4% Firefly — India: not among its largest
Germany 0.3% / —
Nabiac — Germany: 0.3% Firefly — Germany: not among its largest
South Africa 0.2% / —
Nabiac — South Africa: 0.2% Firefly — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.9%).

Qualifications

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

Nabiac Firefly
Certificate III & IV 22.9% / 21.5%
Nabiac — Certificate III & IV: 22.9% Firefly — Certificate III & IV: 21.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 8.1%
Nabiac — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Firefly — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Bachelor Degree 5.6% / 7.7%
Nabiac — Bachelor Degree: 5.6% Firefly — Bachelor Degree: 7.7%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 2.4%
Nabiac — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Firefly — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / —
Nabiac — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Firefly — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nabiac 98.3% houses
Nabiac — Houses: 98.3% Nabiac — Flats / Apartments: 1.7%
Firefly 100.0% houses
Firefly — Houses: 100.0% Firefly — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Nabiac Firefly
Median house price $630,000 $1,005,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $802,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 61 days
from 11 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Firefly has more rural and farming land (100% vs 84%); Nabiac has more land zoned for conservation (12% vs 0%).

Nabiac Firefly
Rural and farming 84% 100%
Environmental 12% 0%
Residential 2% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 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

Nabiac Firefly
New dwellings approved 743
across Mid-Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +327%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Nabiac Firefly
House price Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Income Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW

Liveability

Nabiac is more walkable (16 vs 6).

Nabiac Firefly
Grade D —
Score 16/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Nabiac carries more crime risk (79 vs 29); Nabiac carries more bushfire risk (72 vs 44).

Nabiac Firefly
Bushfire High
72/100
 Moderate
44/100
Crime High
79/100
 Low
29/100
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

Nabiac Firefly
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Nabiac

  • Nabiac Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Firefly

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

Amenities in the suburb

Nabiac Firefly
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 3 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 21 18

Mobility

Firefly sits further from the CBD (298.8 km vs 283.9 km).

Nabiac Firefly
Walkability score 16/100 6/100
Distance to Sydney 283.9 km 298.8 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 198 min 212 min
Public transport score 39/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 18.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 6.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2312
 0.2%
postcode 2429
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 67
postcode 2312
 62
postcode 2429

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.

Nabiac Firefly
Car (driver) 75.5% / 67.6%
Nabiac — Car (driver): 75.5% Firefly — Car (driver): 67.6%
Worked from Home 15.1% / 20.6%
Nabiac — Worked from Home: 15.1% Firefly — Worked from Home: 20.6%
Car (passenger) 5.2% / 5.9%
Nabiac — Car (passenger): 5.2% Firefly — Car (passenger): 5.9%
Bus 0.9% / 5.9%
Nabiac — Bus: 0.9% Firefly — Bus: 5.9%
Walked Only 3.4% / —
Nabiac — Walked Only: 3.4% Firefly — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.5%).

Setting

Nabiac Firefly
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 70 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.7 km 26.9 km

NBN connectivity

Nabiac Firefly
Connectivity score 44/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 13%
617 premises
 0%
133 premises

Climate

Nabiac Firefly
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Nabiac Firefly
Average residential rate $1,560/yr
same for both
Council Mid-Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Nabiac Firefly
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Nabiac Firefly
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Nabiac

Affordable Rural

Firefly

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nabiac

Nabiac vs Tuncurry Nabiac vs Failford Nabiac vs Darawank Nabiac vs Dyers Crossing Nabiac vs Minimbah Nabiac vs Possum Brush

Other comparisons with Firefly

Firefly vs Krambach Firefly vs Dyers Crossing Firefly vs Bunyah Firefly vs Wang Wauk Firefly vs Bucca Wauka
Full data on Nabiac Full data on Firefly
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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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