Palmers Channel vs Harwood

Harwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 52 in Palmers Channel. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Palmers Channel, most households are couple families. On these figures, Palmers Channel tends to suit couples and older residents, while Harwood suits families with children.

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

Palmers Channel

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 74/100)

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

First-home buyers

Harwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 33%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Harwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 6%)

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

Commuting to the city

Harwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (15/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Palmers Channel

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 74/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (31% vs 21%)
  • But Harwood is more walkable (15/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Harwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (18.9% vs -3.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Palmers Channel Harwood
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.

Palmers Channel Harwood
Walkability 0 / 15
Palmers Channel — Walkability: 0/100 Harwood — Walkability: 15/100
Safety 83 / 26
Palmers Channel — Safety: 83/100 Harwood — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 100 / 88
Palmers Channel — Low fire risk: 100/100 Harwood — Low fire risk: 88/100

Demographics

Harwood has more residents (346 vs 115); Palmers Channel skews older (52 vs 45).

Palmers Channel Harwood
Population 115 346
+201% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.4% +18.9%
Median age 52 45
Median household income $62,348/yr
+8% vs other
 $57,252/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+6% vs other
 $330/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Palmers Channel Harwood
0-4 — / 6.6%
Palmers Channel — 0-4: not among its largest Harwood — 0-4: 6.6%
5-14 12.2% / 11.6%
Palmers Channel — 5-14: 12.2% Harwood — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 8.7% / 7.5%
Palmers Channel — 15-19: 8.7% Harwood — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 — / 3.2%
Palmers Channel — 20-24: not among its largest Harwood — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 2.6% / 9.5%
Palmers Channel — 25-34: 2.6% Harwood — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 8.7% / 10.4%
Palmers Channel — 35-44: 8.7% Harwood — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 19.1% / 14.2%
Palmers Channel — 45-54: 19.1% Harwood — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 13.0% / 14.7%
Palmers Channel — 55-64: 13.0% Harwood — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 20.9% / 11.8%
Palmers Channel — 65-74: 20.9% Harwood — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 7.8% / 7.5%
Palmers Channel — 75-84: 7.8% Harwood — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 2.6% / 1.4%
Palmers Channel — 85+: 2.6% Harwood — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Palmers Channel 55.2% couple families
Palmers Channel — Couple Families: 55.2% Palmers Channel — Lone Person: 44.8% Palmers Channel — One Parent Families: 0.0% Palmers Channel — Group Household: 0.0%
Harwood 31.1% couple families
Harwood — Couple Families: 31.1% Harwood — Lone Person: 37.9% Harwood — One Parent Families: 22.3% Harwood — Group Household: 8.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Palmers Channel 6.0% renting
Palmers Channel — Owned Outright: 70.0% Palmers Channel — Mortgage: 24.0% Palmers Channel — Renting: 6.0%
Harwood 28.7% renting
Harwood — Owned Outright: 43.4% Harwood — Mortgage: 27.9% Harwood — Renting: 28.7%
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.

Palmers Channel Harwood
England 5.2% / —
Palmers Channel — England: 5.2% Harwood — England: not among its largest
Germany 3.5% / 0.9%
Palmers Channel — Germany: 3.5% Harwood — Germany: 0.9%
Philippines — / 3.5%
Palmers Channel — Philippines: not among its largest Harwood — Philippines: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.2%).

Qualifications

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

Palmers Channel Harwood
Certificate III & IV 22.6% / 19.9%
Palmers Channel — Certificate III & IV: 22.6% Harwood — Certificate III & IV: 19.9%
Bachelor Degree 7.8% / 5.2%
Palmers Channel — Bachelor Degree: 7.8% Harwood — Bachelor Degree: 5.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.2% / 4.9%
Palmers Channel — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2% Harwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.4%
Palmers Channel — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Harwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.9%
Palmers Channel — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Harwood — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Palmers Channel 100.0% houses
Palmers Channel — Houses: 100.0% Palmers Channel — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Harwood 99.3% houses
Harwood — Houses: 99.3% Harwood — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Palmers Channel Harwood
Median house price — $705,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Palmers Channel Harwood
Rural and farming 76% 73%
Environmental 24% 25%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
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

Palmers Channel Harwood
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Palmers Channel Harwood
House price — Higher than 23% of NSW
Income Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 14% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW

Liveability

Harwood is more walkable (15 vs 0).

Palmers Channel Harwood
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Harwood carries more bushfire risk (12 vs 0); Harwood carries more crime risk (74 vs 17).

Palmers Channel Harwood
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
12/100
Crime Low
17/100
 High
74/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
33/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Palmers Channel Harwood
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Palmers Channel

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

Schools in Harwood

  • Harwood Island Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Palmers Channel Harwood
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 6

Mobility

Palmers Channel Harwood
Walkability score 0/100 15/100
Distance to Sydney 647.3 km 648.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 423 min 421 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2463
 1.1%
postcode 2465
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 2463
 43
postcode 2465

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.

Palmers Channel Harwood
Car (driver) 58.0% / 72.8%
Palmers Channel — Car (driver): 58.0% Harwood — Car (driver): 72.8%
Worked from Home 34.0% / 6.4%
Palmers Channel — Worked from Home: 34.0% Harwood — Worked from Home: 6.4%
Walked Only 8.0% / 11.2%
Palmers Channel — Walked Only: 8.0% Harwood — Walked Only: 11.2%
Car (passenger) — / 9.6%
Palmers Channel — Car (passenger): not among its largest Harwood — Car (passenger): 9.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.8%).

Setting

Palmers Channel Harwood
Elevation 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.5 km 3.0 km

NBN connectivity

Palmers Channel Harwood
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
52 premises
 0%
163 premises

Climate

Palmers Channel Harwood
Annual rainfall 1,408 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Palmers Channel Harwood
Average residential rate $1,380/yr
same for both
Council Clarence Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Palmers Channel Harwood
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Palmers Channel Harwood
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Palmers Channel

Retirees Rural

Harwood

Coastal Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Palmers Channel

Palmers Channel vs Gulmarrad Palmers Channel vs Palmers Island Palmers Channel vs Wooloweyah Palmers Channel vs James Creek Palmers Channel vs Taloumbi

Other comparisons with Harwood

Harwood vs Maclean Harwood vs Palmers Island Harwood vs Ashby Harwood vs Ashby Heights Harwood vs James Creek Harwood vs Chatsworth
Full data on Palmers Channel Full data on Harwood
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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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