North Willoughby vs Willoughby East

In both, most households own their home. In North Willoughby, about half of households are couple families. In Willoughby East, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in North Willoughby: a median of $4 million, against $3 million in Willoughby East, though rent is higher in Willoughby East. On these figures, Willoughby East tends to suit couples 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

Willoughby East

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (15/100 vs 36/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 52%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (85% vs 68%)
  • But North Willoughby has more childcare (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Willoughby East

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper houses ($3,000,000 vs $4,000,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

North Willoughby

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 12%)
  • has cheaper rent ($590/wk vs $873/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • North Willoughby has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 4%)
  • Willoughby East carries lower crime risk (15/100 vs 36/100)

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

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

North Willoughby Willoughby East
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.

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Walkability 83 / 76
North Willoughby — Walkability: 83/100 Willoughby East — Walkability: 76/100
Safety 64 / 85
North Willoughby — Safety: 64/100 Willoughby East — Safety: 85/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
North Willoughby — Low fire risk: 100/100 Willoughby East — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

North Willoughby has more residents (4,161 vs 1,864); Willoughby East has higher household incomes ($235,872 vs $129,376).

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Population 4,161
+55% vs other
 1,864
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.3% +2.3%
Median age 40 42
Median household income $129,376/yr $235,872/yr
+82% vs other
Median weekly rent $590/wk $873/wk
+48% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

North Willoughby Willoughby East
0-4 5.7% / 5.6%
North Willoughby — 0-4: 5.7% Willoughby East — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 16.0% / 19.3%
North Willoughby — 5-14: 16.0% Willoughby East — 5-14: 19.3%
15-19 5.6% / 8.2%
North Willoughby — 15-19: 5.6% Willoughby East — 15-19: 8.2%
20-24 4.9% / 4.4%
North Willoughby — 20-24: 4.9% Willoughby East — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 9.3% / 4.8%
North Willoughby — 25-34: 9.3% Willoughby East — 25-34: 4.8%
35-44 15.7% / 13.7%
North Willoughby — 35-44: 15.7% Willoughby East — 35-44: 13.7%
45-54 15.2% / 17.5%
North Willoughby — 45-54: 15.2% Willoughby East — 45-54: 17.5%
55-64 11.2% / 11.7%
North Willoughby — 55-64: 11.2% Willoughby East — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 8.4% / 9.2%
North Willoughby — 65-74: 8.4% Willoughby East — 65-74: 9.2%
75-84 5.5% / 4.2%
North Willoughby — 75-84: 5.5% Willoughby East — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 2.4% / 1.7%
North Willoughby — 85+: 2.4% Willoughby East — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

North Willoughby 51.0% couple families
North Willoughby — Couple Families: 51.0% North Willoughby — Lone Person: 27.4% North Willoughby — One Parent Families: 16.7% North Willoughby — Group Household: 3.5% North Willoughby — Other Families: 1.4%
Willoughby East 74.8% couple families
Willoughby East — Couple Families: 74.8% Willoughby East — Lone Person: 12.1% Willoughby East — One Parent Families: 10.3% Willoughby East — Group Household: 1.3% Willoughby East — Other Families: 1.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

North Willoughby 33.5% renting
North Willoughby — Owned Outright: 39.1% North Willoughby — Mortgage: 27.3% North Willoughby — Renting: 33.5%
Willoughby East 11.9% renting
Willoughby East — Owned Outright: 44.2% Willoughby East — Mortgage: 43.9% Willoughby East — Renting: 11.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Bachelor Degree 24.9% / 24.9%
North Willoughby — Bachelor Degree: 24.9% Willoughby East — Bachelor Degree: 24.9%
Postgraduate Degree 9.6% / 9.8%
North Willoughby — Postgraduate Degree: 9.6% Willoughby East — Postgraduate Degree: 9.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 7.4%
North Willoughby — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Willoughby East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Certificate III & IV 5.5% / 4.2%
North Willoughby — Certificate III & IV: 5.5% Willoughby East — Certificate III & IV: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 3.1%
North Willoughby — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Willoughby East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.9%).

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.

North Willoughby Willoughby East
China 6.0% / 2.7%
North Willoughby — China: 6.0% Willoughby East — China: 2.7%
England 3.4% / 3.7%
North Willoughby — England: 3.4% Willoughby East — England: 3.7%
New Zealand 1.7% / 2.4%
North Willoughby — New Zealand: 1.7% Willoughby East — New Zealand: 2.4%
Japan 1.4% / 0.8%
North Willoughby — Japan: 1.4% Willoughby East — Japan: 0.8%
Philippines 1.6% / —
North Willoughby — Philippines: 1.6% Willoughby East — Philippines: not among its largest
South Africa — / 1.2%
North Willoughby — South Africa: not among its largest Willoughby East — South Africa: 1.2%
Malaysia — / 1.1%
North Willoughby — Malaysia: not among its largest Willoughby East — Malaysia: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

North Willoughby 52.2% houses
North Willoughby — Houses: 52.2% North Willoughby — Flats / Apartments: 30.8% North Willoughby — Townhouses: 16.9%
Willoughby East 95.6% houses
Willoughby East — Houses: 95.6% Willoughby East — Flats / Apartments: 0.5% Willoughby East — Townhouses: 3.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Median house price $4,000,000 $3,000,000
Median unit price $1,062,500 —
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Residential 89% 85%
Parks and recreation 5% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 6%
Commercial 4% 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

North Willoughby Willoughby East
New dwellings approved 249
across Willoughby
same for both
Approvals change year on year +458%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

North Willoughby Willoughby East
House price Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Income Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 8% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 99% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW

Liveability

Willoughby East scores higher overall (93 vs 87).

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Grade A+
same for both
Score 87/100 93/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

North Willoughby carries more crime risk (36 vs 15).

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
36/100
 Low
15/100
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 3
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 4.7 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 4.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.5% 3.9%

Schools in North Willoughby

  • St Thomas' Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers

Schools in Willoughby East

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

Amenities in the suburb

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Cafes & restaurants 10 0
Parks & reserves 3 2
Childcare 5 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Walkability score 83/100 76/100
Distance to Sydney 9.4 km
+4% vs other
 9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 15 min 14 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 161.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 54.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 4.5%
postcode 2068
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 2068
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.

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Worked from Home 60.6% / 67.1%
North Willoughby — Worked from Home: 60.6% Willoughby East — Worked from Home: 67.1%
Car (driver) 27.9% / 25.5%
North Willoughby — Car (driver): 27.9% Willoughby East — Car (driver): 25.5%
Bus 4.1% / 2.0%
North Willoughby — Bus: 4.1% Willoughby East — Bus: 2.0%
Walked Only 3.5% / 2.1%
North Willoughby — Walked Only: 3.5% Willoughby East — Walked Only: 2.1%
Car (passenger) 2.4% / 2.1%
North Willoughby — Car (passenger): 2.4% Willoughby East — Car (passenger): 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.1%).

Setting

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Elevation 95 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 76 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.6 km
2.7 km to a named beach
 4.0 km
2.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Connectivity score 80/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
1,837 premises
 0%
618 premises

Climate

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

North Willoughby Willoughby East
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³ 6.3 µg/m³
PM10 14.2 µg/m³ 13.8 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.23 pphm 0.84 pphm

Council rates

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Average residential rate $1,275/yr
same for both
Council Willoughby
same for both

Federal electorate

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Division Bradfield
same for both
Member Nicolette Boele
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

North Willoughby Willoughby East
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

North Willoughby

Luxury Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Urban

Willoughby East

Family Inner Parks Premium Professionals River Urban

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Willoughby East

Willoughby East vs Willoughby Willoughby East vs Castlecrag Willoughby East vs Middle Cove
Full data on North Willoughby Full data on Willoughby East
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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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