Otford vs Stanwell Tops

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 Stanwell Tops: a median of $1.53 million, against $1.4 million in Otford, and rent is higher there too.

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

Stanwell Tops

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 50/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (79% vs 69%)
  • But Otford has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Otford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($550/wk vs $650/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Stanwell Tops

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (41/100 vs 33/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (62 min vs 69 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (56.8 km vs 61.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Stanwell Tops

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (16% vs 10%)
  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 50/100)
  • is more walkable (41/100 vs 33/100)

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

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

Otford Stanwell Tops
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.

Otford Stanwell Tops
Walkability 33 / 41
Otford — Walkability: 33/100 Stanwell Tops — Walkability: 41/100
Safety 50 / 66
Otford — Safety: 50/100 Stanwell Tops — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 9 / 8
Otford — Low fire risk: 9/100 Stanwell Tops — Low fire risk: 8/100

Demographics

Stanwell Tops has more residents (517 vs 396); Stanwell Tops rents higher ($650/wk vs $550/wk).

Otford Stanwell Tops
Population 396 517
+31% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.3% +4.4%
Median age 40 38
Median household income $143,000/yr
+3% vs other
 $138,476/yr
Median weekly rent $550/wk $650/wk
+18% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Otford Stanwell Tops
0-4 7.6% / 7.5%
Otford — 0-4: 7.6% Stanwell Tops — 0-4: 7.5%
5-14 14.6% / 15.7%
Otford — 5-14: 14.6% Stanwell Tops — 5-14: 15.7%
15-19 3.3% / 5.2%
Otford — 15-19: 3.3% Stanwell Tops — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 4.3% / 6.2%
Otford — 20-24: 4.3% Stanwell Tops — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 10.6% / 10.1%
Otford — 25-34: 10.6% Stanwell Tops — 25-34: 10.1%
35-44 16.7% / 13.2%
Otford — 35-44: 16.7% Stanwell Tops — 35-44: 13.2%
45-54 15.2% / 14.5%
Otford — 45-54: 15.2% Stanwell Tops — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 16.7% / 13.2%
Otford — 55-64: 16.7% Stanwell Tops — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 7.3% / 11.4%
Otford — 65-74: 7.3% Stanwell Tops — 65-74: 11.4%
75-84 2.3% / 3.7%
Otford — 75-84: 2.3% Stanwell Tops — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ — / 0.8%
Otford — 85+: not among its largest Stanwell Tops — 85+: 0.8%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Otford 64.9% couple families
Otford — Couple Families: 64.9% Otford — Lone Person: 23.4% Otford — One Parent Families: 4.3% Otford — Group Household: 7.4%
Stanwell Tops 67.5% couple families
Stanwell Tops — Couple Families: 67.5% Stanwell Tops — Lone Person: 21.1% Stanwell Tops — One Parent Families: 11.4% Stanwell Tops — 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.

Otford 11.9% renting
Otford — Owned Outright: 38.1% Otford — Mortgage: 50.0% Otford — Renting: 11.9%
Stanwell Tops 14.9% renting
Stanwell Tops — Owned Outright: 42.9% Stanwell Tops — Mortgage: 42.2% Stanwell Tops — Renting: 14.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Otford Stanwell Tops
Certificate III & IV 13.6% / 16.6%
Otford — Certificate III & IV: 13.6% Stanwell Tops — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 15.2% / 14.7%
Otford — Bachelor Degree: 15.2% Stanwell Tops — Bachelor Degree: 14.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 10.6%
Otford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Stanwell Tops — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.6%
Postgraduate Degree 12.6% / 4.8%
Otford — Postgraduate Degree: 12.6% Stanwell Tops — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 2.5%
Otford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Stanwell Tops — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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.

Otford Stanwell Tops
England 6.8% / 4.3%
Otford — England: 6.8% Stanwell Tops — England: 4.3%
Germany 0.8% / 0.8%
Otford — Germany: 0.8% Stanwell Tops — Germany: 0.8%
Ireland 0.8% / 0.8%
Otford — Ireland: 0.8% Stanwell Tops — Ireland: 0.8%
South Africa 1.0% / —
Otford — South Africa: 1.0% Stanwell Tops — South Africa: not among its largest
Canada — / 1.0%
Otford — Canada: not among its largest Stanwell Tops — Canada: 1.0%
New Zealand 0.8% / —
Otford — New Zealand: 0.8% Stanwell Tops — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.8% / —
Otford — Scotland: 0.8% Stanwell Tops — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Otford 99.2% houses
Otford — Houses: 99.2% Otford — Townhouses: 4.0% Otford — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Stanwell Tops 98.8% houses
Stanwell Tops — Houses: 98.8% Stanwell Tops — Townhouses: 0.0% Stanwell Tops — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Otford Stanwell Tops
Median house price $1,400,000 $1,530,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 11 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Otford Stanwell Tops
Environmental 93% 90%
Infrastructure and transport 5%
same for both
Residential 0% 3%
Planning zones cover 99% of Otford and 99% of Stanwell Tops. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Otford Stanwell Tops
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Otford Stanwell Tops
House price Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Income Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 85% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW

Liveability

Stanwell Tops is more walkable (41 vs 33).

Otford Stanwell Tops
Grade — B
Score — 51/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Otford carries more crime risk (50 vs 34).

Otford Stanwell Tops
Bushfire High
91/100
 High
92/100
Crime Moderate
50/100
 Low
34/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
60/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Otford Stanwell Tops
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Otford

  • Otford Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Stanwell Tops

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

Amenities in the suburb

Otford Stanwell Tops
Cafes & restaurants 1
same for both
Parks & reserves 1 2
Beaches 2 0
Waterways 6 8

Mobility

Otford sits further from the CBD (61.8 km vs 56.8 km).

Otford Stanwell Tops
Walkability score 33/100 41/100
Distance to Sydney 61.8 km
+8% vs other
 56.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 69 min 62 min
Public transport score 35/100
Rail · Bus
 40/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 2.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 20 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 2508
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 43
postcode 2508
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.

Otford Stanwell Tops
Worked from Home 53.4% / 47.6%
Otford — Worked from Home: 53.4% Stanwell Tops — Worked from Home: 47.6%
Car (driver) 38.8% / 46.2%
Otford — Car (driver): 38.8% Stanwell Tops — Car (driver): 46.2%
Walked Only 4.5% / 3.8%
Otford — Walked Only: 4.5% Stanwell Tops — Walked Only: 3.8%
Car (passenger) 1.7% / 2.4%
Otford — Car (passenger): 1.7% Stanwell Tops — Car (passenger): 2.4%
Train 1.7% / —
Otford — Train: 1.7% Stanwell Tops — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.4%).

Setting

Otford Stanwell Tops
Elevation 173 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 264 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.1 km
1.2 km to a named beach
 1.9 km
3.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Otford Stanwell Tops
Connectivity score 47/100 54/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 5%
148 premises
 17%
181 premises

Climate

Otford Stanwell Tops
Annual rainfall 1,038 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Otford Stanwell Tops
PM2.5 5.8 µg/m³ 6.2 µg/m³
PM10 14.8 µg/m³ 18.2 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.97 pphm 0.66 pphm

Council rates

Otford Stanwell Tops
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Otford Stanwell Tops
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Otford Stanwell Tops
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Otford

Acreage Beach Coastal Family Outer Professionals Quiet River Trains

Stanwell Tops

Acreage Coastal Family Outer River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Otford

Otford vs Helensburgh

Other comparisons with Stanwell Tops

Stanwell Tops vs Helensburgh Stanwell Tops vs Stanwell Park Stanwell Tops vs Darkes Forest
Full data on Otford Full data on Stanwell Tops
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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