Nowra vs West Nowra

West Nowra is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 40 in Nowra. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Nowra, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In West Nowra, most households own their home. Houses cost more in West Nowra: a median of $740,000, against $680,000 in Nowra, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Nowra tends to suit 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

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 2)
  • has more childcare (13 vs 3)
  • But West Nowra carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 97/100)

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

First-home buyers

Nowra

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($393,000 vs $665,000)
  • has cheaper land ($482,500 vs $600,000)
  • But West Nowra leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 33%)

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

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Nowra has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $350/wk)
  • West Nowra leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 29%)

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

Commuting to the city

Nowra

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 23/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (133 min vs 142 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (162.2 km vs 166.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Nowra

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (11 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 23/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 13%)
  • But West Nowra carries lower crime risk (55/100 vs 97/100)

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

Investors

West Nowra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.7% vs 4.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Nowra and West Nowra 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 West Nowra
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 West Nowra
Walkability 90 / 23
Nowra — Walkability: 90/100 West Nowra — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 3 / 45
Nowra — Safety: 3/100 West Nowra — Safety: 45/100
Low fire risk 72 / 53
Nowra — Low fire risk: 72/100 West Nowra — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

Nowra has more residents (9,956 vs 1,504); West Nowra has higher household incomes ($77,636 vs $53,924).

Nowra West Nowra
Population 9,956
+85% vs other
 1,504
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.3% +7.0%
Median age 40 33
Median household income $53,924/yr $77,636/yr
+44% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $350/wk
+17% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nowra West Nowra
0-4 6.3% / 7.8%
Nowra — 0-4: 6.3% West Nowra — 0-4: 7.8%
5-14 12.1% / 13.8%
Nowra — 5-14: 12.1% West Nowra — 5-14: 13.8%
15-19 5.8% / 6.1%
Nowra — 15-19: 5.8% West Nowra — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 5.7% / 7.6%
Nowra — 20-24: 5.7% West Nowra — 20-24: 7.6%
25-34 13.6% / 16.8%
Nowra — 25-34: 13.6% West Nowra — 25-34: 16.8%
35-44 10.4% / 11.4%
Nowra — 35-44: 10.4% West Nowra — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 11.1% / 10.0%
Nowra — 45-54: 11.1% West Nowra — 45-54: 10.0%
55-64 11.9% / 13.4%
Nowra — 55-64: 11.9% West Nowra — 55-64: 13.4%
65-74 10.9% / 8.1%
Nowra — 65-74: 10.9% West Nowra — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 7.7% / 4.1%
Nowra — 75-84: 7.7% West Nowra — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 4.5% / 1.0%
Nowra — 85+: 4.5% West Nowra — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nowra 46.3% lone person
Nowra — Lone Person: 46.3% Nowra — Couple Families: 24.5% Nowra — One Parent Families: 21.8% Nowra — Group Household: 5.1% Nowra — Other Families: 2.3%
West Nowra 30.4% lone person
West Nowra — Lone Person: 30.4% West Nowra — Couple Families: 37.6% West Nowra — One Parent Families: 25.6% West Nowra — Group Household: 4.4% West Nowra — Other Families: 2.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Nowra 47.8% renting
Nowra — Owned Outright: 29.5% Nowra — Mortgage: 22.8% Nowra — Renting: 47.8%
West Nowra 38.3% renting
West Nowra — Owned Outright: 26.4% West Nowra — Mortgage: 35.3% West Nowra — Renting: 38.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Nowra West Nowra
Certificate III & IV 16.1% / 19.5%
Nowra — Certificate III & IV: 16.1% West Nowra — Certificate III & IV: 19.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 8.0%
Nowra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% West Nowra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Bachelor Degree 6.2% / 4.9%
Nowra — Bachelor Degree: 6.2% West Nowra — Bachelor Degree: 4.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 1.4%
Nowra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% West Nowra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.0%
Nowra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% West Nowra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

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 West Nowra
England 3.2% / 2.7%
Nowra — England: 3.2% West Nowra — England: 2.7%
India 1.3% / 0.5%
Nowra — India: 1.3% West Nowra — India: 0.5%
New Zealand 0.9% / 0.9%
Nowra — New Zealand: 0.9% West Nowra — New Zealand: 0.9%
Philippines 0.9% / 0.8%
Nowra — Philippines: 0.9% West Nowra — Philippines: 0.8%
China 0.7% / —
Nowra — China: 0.7% West Nowra — China: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / 0.3%
Nowra — Scotland: 0.4% West Nowra — Scotland: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nowra 81.2% houses
Nowra — Houses: 81.2% Nowra — Townhouses: 13.6% Nowra — Flats / Apartments: 5.2%
West Nowra 88.2% houses
West Nowra — Houses: 88.2% West Nowra — Townhouses: 10.4% West Nowra — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Nowra West Nowra
Median house price $680,000 $740,000
Median unit price $393,000 $665,000
Median land price $482,500 $600,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 164 sales
 56 days
from 12 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Nowra West Nowra
2 bed $522K / $912K
Nowra — 2 bed: $522K (24 sales) West Nowra — 2 bed: $912K (5 sales)

24 vs 5 sales

3 bed $660K / $680K
Nowra — 3 bed: $660K (140 sales) West Nowra — 3 bed: $680K (26 sales)

140 vs 26 sales

4 bed $760K / $796K
Nowra — 4 bed: $760K (75 sales) West Nowra — 4 bed: $796K (10 sales)

75 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

West Nowra has more land zoned for conservation (64% vs 4%).

Nowra West Nowra
Environmental 4% 64%
Residential 52% 21%
Parks and recreation 22% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 4%
Rural and farming 6% 0%
Commercial 4% 0%
Industrial 0% 1%
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 West Nowra
New dwellings approved 854
across Shoalhaven
same for both
Approvals change year on year -10%
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.

Nowra West Nowra
Houses 4.0%
$565/wk on $732K
 4.7%
$600/wk on $665K
Units 4.2%
$385/wk on $472K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Nowra West Nowra
House price Higher than 25% of NSW
same for both
Income Higher than 14% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 3% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 45% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 45% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 33% of NSW —

Liveability

Nowra is more walkable (90 vs 23).

Nowra West Nowra
Grade D
same for both
Score 27/100 28/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Nowra carries more crime risk (97 vs 55); West Nowra carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 28).

Nowra West Nowra
Bushfire Low
28/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime High
97/100
 Moderate
55/100
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 10
within 5 km
 11
within 5 km

Schools

Nowra West Nowra
Inside the suburb 7 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 4 0

Schools in Nowra

  • St John the Evangelist Catholic High School Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • St Michael's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Nowra East Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Nowra High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Nowra Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Shoalhaven High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in West Nowra

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

Amenities in the suburb

Nowra West Nowra
Supermarkets 5 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 16 2
Childcare 13 3
GPs 11 0
Pharmacies 6 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 11 0
Fuel stations 5 0
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

West Nowra sits further from the CBD (166.5 km vs 162.2 km).

Nowra West Nowra
Walkability score 90/100 23/100
Distance to Sydney 162.2 km 166.5 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 133 min 142 min
Public transport score 75/100
Bus
 24/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 83.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2541
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2541
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 West Nowra
Car (driver) 75.7% / 85.5%
Nowra — Car (driver): 75.7% West Nowra — Car (driver): 85.5%
Car (passenger) 8.4% / 7.0%
Nowra — Car (passenger): 8.4% West Nowra — Car (passenger): 7.0%
Worked from Home 8.9% / 5.2%
Nowra — Worked from Home: 8.9% West Nowra — Worked from Home: 5.2%
Walked Only 5.6% / 1.0%
Nowra — Walked Only: 5.6% West Nowra — Walked Only: 1.0%
Bicycle 1.1% / 0.8%
Nowra — Bicycle: 1.1% West Nowra — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.5%).

Setting

Nowra West Nowra
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 62 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.7 km 13.7 km

NBN connectivity

Nowra West Nowra
Connectivity score 96/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 90%
6,369 premises
 100%
725 premises

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Nowra

Affordable Parks Regional Centre

West Nowra

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nowra

Nowra vs Bomaderry Nowra vs North Nowra Nowra vs Worrigee Nowra vs South Nowra Nowra vs Terara

Other comparisons with West Nowra

West Nowra vs North Nowra West Nowra vs South Nowra West Nowra vs Mundamia
Full data on Nowra Full data on West Nowra
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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