Narara vs Somersby

Narara is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 47 in Somersby. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Narara, about half of households are couple families. In Somersby, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Somersby: a median of $2.06 million, against $1.02 million in Narara, though rent is higher in Narara. On these figures, Narara tends to suit families with children 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

Narara

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (17 vs 5)
  • But Somersby has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 87%)

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

First-home buyers

Narara

ahead on 4 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,020,000 vs $2,062,500)
  • has cheaper land ($1,167,500 vs $1,702,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 29%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Somersby

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Somersby

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (67 min vs 72 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (75.3 km vs 78.8 km)
  • But Narara is more walkable (63/100 vs 8/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Narara

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 8/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (13% vs 2%)
  • carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 89/100)

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

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

Narara Somersby
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.

Narara Somersby
Walkability 63 / 8
Narara — Walkability: 63/100 Somersby — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 51 / 11
Narara — Safety: 51/100 Somersby — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 44 / 22
Narara — Low fire risk: 44/100 Somersby — Low fire risk: 22/100

Demographics

Narara has more residents (8,471 vs 1,087); Somersby skews older (47 vs 38).

Narara Somersby
Population 8,471
+87% vs other
 1,087
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.8% +2.0%
Median age 38 47
Median household income $98,592/yr $115,180/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+10% vs other
 $380/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Narara Somersby
0-4 6.5% / 4.1%
Narara — 0-4: 6.5% Somersby — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 14.4% / 9.8%
Narara — 5-14: 14.4% Somersby — 5-14: 9.8%
15-19 6.1% / 7.8%
Narara — 15-19: 6.1% Somersby — 15-19: 7.8%
20-24 5.1% / 6.7%
Narara — 20-24: 5.1% Somersby — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 12.4% / 9.0%
Narara — 25-34: 12.4% Somersby — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 14.2% / 10.0%
Narara — 35-44: 14.2% Somersby — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 13.6% / 16.3%
Narara — 45-54: 13.6% Somersby — 45-54: 16.3%
55-64 12.6% / 16.7%
Narara — 55-64: 12.6% Somersby — 55-64: 16.7%
65-74 9.9% / 10.9%
Narara — 65-74: 9.9% Somersby — 65-74: 10.9%
75-84 4.1% / 6.3%
Narara — 75-84: 4.1% Somersby — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ 1.1% / 1.9%
Narara — 85+: 1.1% Somersby — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Narara 50.2% couple families
Narara — Couple Families: 50.2% Narara — Lone Person: 26.0% Narara — One Parent Families: 19.5% Narara — Group Household: 3.4% Narara — Other Families: 0.9%
Somersby 58.1% couple families
Somersby — Couple Families: 58.1% Somersby — Lone Person: 23.6% Somersby — One Parent Families: 12.2% Somersby — Group Household: 2.4% Somersby — Other Families: 3.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Narara 20.5% renting
Narara — Owned Outright: 31.8% Narara — Mortgage: 47.7% Narara — Renting: 20.5%
Somersby 27.2% renting
Somersby — Owned Outright: 44.4% Somersby — Mortgage: 28.4% Somersby — Renting: 27.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Narara Somersby
Certificate III & IV 17.0% / 18.9%
Narara — Certificate III & IV: 17.0% Somersby — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 12.7% / 12.5%
Narara — Bachelor Degree: 12.7% Somersby — Bachelor Degree: 12.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 9.4%
Narara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Somersby — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.4% / 2.9%
Narara — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4% Somersby — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.1%
Narara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Somersby — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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.

Narara Somersby
England 4.8% / 3.9%
Narara — England: 4.8% Somersby — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.3%
Narara — New Zealand: 1.6% Somersby — New Zealand: 1.3%
India 1.7% / 0.6%
Narara — India: 1.7% Somersby — India: 0.6%
China 1.1% / 0.7%
Narara — China: 1.1% Somersby — China: 0.7%
South Africa 0.7% / 0.7%
Narara — South Africa: 0.7% Somersby — South Africa: 0.7%
Philippines 1.0% / —
Narara — Philippines: 1.0% Somersby — Philippines: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.8%
Narara — Thailand: not among its largest Somersby — Thailand: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Narara 87.4% houses
Narara — Houses: 87.4% Narara — Townhouses: 11.8% Narara — Flats / Apartments: 0.8%
Somersby 97.6% houses
Somersby — Houses: 97.6% Somersby — Townhouses: 0.0% Somersby — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Narara Somersby
Median house price $1,020,000 $2,062,500
Median unit price $635,000 $770,000
Median land price $1,167,500 $1,702,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 74 sales
 30 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Somersby has more rural and farming land (43% vs 6%).

Narara Somersby
Environmental 45% 42%
Rural and farming 6% 43%
Residential 36% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 9%
Parks and recreation 7% 2%
Industrial 0% 4%
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

Narara Somersby
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
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.

Narara Somersby
Houses 3.6%
$700/wk on $1M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Narara Somersby
House price Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Income Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Schools Higher than 54% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 83% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 52% of NSW —

Liveability

Narara is more walkable (63 vs 8); Narara scores higher overall (49 vs 33).

Narara Somersby
Grade B C
Score 49/100 33/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Somersby carries more crime risk (89 vs 49); Somersby carries more bushfire risk (78 vs 56).

Narara Somersby
Bushfire Moderate
56/100
 High
78/100
Crime Moderate
49/100
 High
89/100
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 5
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Narara Somersby
Inside the suburb 4 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Central Coast), 9.2 km
 1
The University of Newcastle (Central Coast), 9.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.5%
same for both

Schools in Narara

  • Narara Valley High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • St Philip's Christian College - Gosford Independent · Combined below peers
  • Glenvale School Government · Combined · Special school
  • St Philip's Christian College Dynamic Learning - Gosford Independent · Combined · Special school

Schools in Somersby

  • Somersby Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Narara Somersby
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 17 5
Childcare 5 0
Waterways 11 33

Mobility

Narara sits further from the CBD (78.8 km vs 75.3 km).

Narara Somersby
Walkability score 63/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 78.8 km
+4% vs other
 75.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 72 min 67 min
Public transport score 87/100
Rail · Bus
 56/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 162.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 45.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 2250
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2250
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.

Narara Somersby
Car (driver) 59.5% / 54.5%
Narara — Car (driver): 59.5% Somersby — Car (driver): 54.5%
Worked from Home 32.0% / 34.1%
Narara — Worked from Home: 32.0% Somersby — Worked from Home: 34.1%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 4.2%
Narara — Car (passenger): 4.5% Somersby — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 0.6% / 5.1%
Narara — Walked Only: 0.6% Somersby — Walked Only: 5.1%
Train 2.2% / —
Narara — Train: 2.2% Somersby — Train: not among its largest
Bus 0.8% / 1.3%
Narara — Bus: 0.8% Somersby — Bus: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (59.5%).

Setting

Narara Somersby
Elevation 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 260 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.0 km 15.6 km

NBN connectivity

Narara Somersby
Connectivity score 79/100 47/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 61%
3,312 premises
 16%
784 premises

Climate

Narara Somersby
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Narara Somersby
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Narara Somersby
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Narara Somersby
Division Robertson
same for both
Member Gordon Reid
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Narara Somersby
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Narara

Large Blocks Parks Quiet Regional Centre River Transport Hub

Somersby

Premium Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Narara

Narara vs Wyoming Narara vs Gosford Narara vs Niagara Park Narara vs West Gosford

Other comparisons with Somersby

Somersby vs Kariong Somersby vs Ourimbah Somersby vs Niagara Park Somersby vs West Gosford Somersby vs Peats Ridge Somersby vs Central Mangrove
Full data on Narara Full data on Somersby
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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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