Nowra Hill vs Parma

Nowra Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 53 in Parma. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Nowra Hill: a median of $1.34 million, against $1.2 million in Parma, though rent is higher in Parma. On these figures, Nowra Hill tends to suit young adults, while Parma suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Nowra Hill

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 40/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (76% vs 62%)

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

First-home buyers

Parma

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,200,000 vs $1,342,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Nowra Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($285/wk vs $375/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Nowra Hill

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 10/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (143 min vs 153 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (171.3 km vs 180.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Nowra Hill

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 10/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (30/100 vs 40/100)
  • But Parma has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 11%)

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

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

Nowra Hill Parma
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.

Nowra Hill Parma
Walkability 21 / 10
Nowra Hill — Walkability: 21/100 Parma — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 70 / 60
Nowra Hill — Safety: 70/100 Parma — Safety: 60/100
Low fire risk 56 / 8
Nowra Hill — Low fire risk: 56/100 Parma — Low fire risk: 8/100

Demographics

Nowra Hill has more residents (2,141 vs 167); Parma skews older (53 vs 37).

Nowra Hill Parma
Population 2,141
+92% vs other
 167
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.2% -1.2%
Median age 37 53
Median household income $98,904/yr
+15% vs other
 $84,448/yr
Median weekly rent $285/wk $375/wk
+32% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nowra Hill Parma
0-4 2.0% / —
Nowra Hill — 0-4: 2.0% Parma — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 6.6% / 10.2%
Nowra Hill — 5-14: 6.6% Parma — 5-14: 10.2%
15-19 6.9% / 9.0%
Nowra Hill — 15-19: 6.9% Parma — 15-19: 9.0%
20-24 12.5% / 4.2%
Nowra Hill — 20-24: 12.5% Parma — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 19.1% / 1.8%
Nowra Hill — 25-34: 19.1% Parma — 25-34: 1.8%
35-44 16.9% / 8.4%
Nowra Hill — 35-44: 16.9% Parma — 35-44: 8.4%
45-54 13.6% / 18.6%
Nowra Hill — 45-54: 13.6% Parma — 45-54: 18.6%
55-64 12.0% / 26.9%
Nowra Hill — 55-64: 12.0% Parma — 55-64: 26.9%
65-74 7.5% / 13.8%
Nowra Hill — 65-74: 7.5% Parma — 65-74: 13.8%
75-84 2.8% / 7.8%
Nowra Hill — 75-84: 2.8% Parma — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 0.7% / 1.8%
Nowra Hill — 85+: 0.7% Parma — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nowra Hill 57.1% couple families
Nowra Hill — Couple Families: 57.1% Nowra Hill — Lone Person: 21.2% Nowra Hill — One Parent Families: 18.7% Nowra Hill — Group Household: 2.9%
Parma 62.5% couple families
Parma — Couple Families: 62.5% Parma — Lone Person: 37.5% Parma — One Parent Families: 0.0% Parma — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Nowra Hill 11.2% renting
Nowra Hill — Owned Outright: 43.3% Nowra Hill — Mortgage: 45.5% Nowra Hill — Renting: 11.2%
Parma 6.9% renting
Parma — Owned Outright: 60.3% Parma — Mortgage: 32.8% Parma — Renting: 6.9%
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.

Nowra Hill Parma
England 3.3% / 2.4%
Nowra Hill — England: 3.3% Parma — England: 2.4%
New Zealand 2.0% / —
Nowra Hill — New Zealand: 2.0% Parma — New Zealand: not among its largest
India 0.4% / —
Nowra Hill — India: 0.4% Parma — India: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.4% / —
Nowra Hill — Vietnam: 0.4% Parma — Vietnam: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / —
Nowra Hill — Philippines: 0.4% Parma — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

Qualifications

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

Nowra Hill Parma
Certificate III & IV 14.6% / 19.2%
Nowra Hill — Certificate III & IV: 14.6% Parma — Certificate III & IV: 19.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.6% / 12.0%
Nowra Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.6% Parma — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.0%
Bachelor Degree 4.3% / 11.4%
Nowra Hill — Bachelor Degree: 4.3% Parma — Bachelor Degree: 11.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 2.4%
Nowra Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Parma — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / —
Nowra Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Parma — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nowra Hill 96.3% houses
Nowra Hill — Houses: 96.3% Nowra Hill — Flats / Apartments: 3.7%
Parma 100.0% houses
Parma — Houses: 100.0% Parma — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Nowra Hill Parma
Median house price $1,342,500 $1,200,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,213,750 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 64 days
from 6 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Parma has more rural and farming land (85% vs 57%).

Nowra Hill Parma
Rural and farming 57% 85%
Infrastructure and transport 22% 15%
Residential 13% 0%
Environmental 5% 0%
Industrial 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

Nowra Hill Parma
New dwellings approved 854
across Shoalhaven
same for both
Approvals change year on year -10%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Nowra Hill Parma
House price Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Income Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW

Liveability

Nowra Hill is more walkable (21 vs 10).

Nowra Hill Parma
Grade C —
Score 46/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Parma carries more bushfire risk (92 vs 44); Parma carries more crime risk (40 vs 30).

Nowra Hill Parma
Bushfire Moderate
44/100
 High
92/100
Crime Low
30/100
 Moderate
40/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
91/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Nowra Hill Parma
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Nowra Hill

  • Nowra Hill Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • William Campbell College Independent · Combined · Special school below peers

Schools in Parma

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

Amenities in the suburb

Nowra Hill Parma
Childcare 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Waterways 17 1

Mobility

Parma sits further from the CBD (180.1 km vs 171.3 km).

Nowra Hill Parma
Walkability score 21/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 171.3 km 180.1 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 143 min 153 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2540
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2540
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.

Nowra Hill Parma
Car (driver) 71.3% / 64.1%
Nowra Hill — Car (driver): 71.3% Parma — Car (driver): 64.1%
Worked from Home 10.5% / 29.7%
Nowra Hill — Worked from Home: 10.5% Parma — Worked from Home: 29.7%
Walked Only 9.1% / 6.2%
Nowra Hill — Walked Only: 9.1% Parma — Walked Only: 6.2%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / —
Nowra Hill — Car (passenger): 6.2% Parma — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 2.9% / —
Nowra Hill — Bicycle: 2.9% Parma — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.3%).

Setting

Nowra Hill Parma
Elevation 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 63 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 14.6 km 13.4 km

NBN connectivity

Nowra Hill Parma
Connectivity score 51/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
546 premises
 0%
67 premises

Climate

Nowra Hill Parma
Annual rainfall 695 mm 1,302 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.8°C 23.9°C
Winter min (Jul) 0.8°C 9.6°C

Council rates

Nowra Hill Parma
Average residential rate $1,501/yr
same for both
Council Shoalhaven
same for both

Federal electorate

Nowra Hill Parma
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Nowra Hill Parma
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Nowra Hill

Acreage Multicultural

Parma

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nowra Hill

Nowra Hill vs South Nowra Nowra Hill vs Falls Creek Nowra Hill vs Mundamia

Other comparisons with Parma

Parma vs Falls Creek
Full data on Nowra Hill Full data on Parma
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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