Palmers Island vs Yamba

Palmers Island is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 57 in Yamba. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Palmers Island, about half of households are couple families. In Yamba, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Palmers Island tends to suit couples, while Yamba 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

Palmers Island

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 79/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (63% vs 43%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (87% vs 75%)
  • But Yamba has more parks and reserves (19 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Palmers Island leaves households under less mortgage stress (28% vs 34%)
  • Yamba has cheaper land ($700,000 vs $880,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Palmers Island

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 36%)
  • has cheaper rent ($313/wk vs $400/wk)
  • But Yamba has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 12%)

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

Commuting to the city

Palmers Island

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (422 min vs 431 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (651.3 km vs 656.7 km)
  • But Yamba is more walkable (37/100 vs 21/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Yamba

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (25% vs 13%)
  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 21/100)
  • But Palmers Island carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 79/100)

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

Palmers Island and Yamba 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 Island Yamba
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 Island Yamba
Walkability 21 / 37
Palmers Island — Walkability: 21/100 Yamba — Walkability: 37/100
Safety 72 / 21
Palmers Island — Safety: 72/100 Yamba — Safety: 21/100
Low fire risk 77 / 62
Palmers Island — Low fire risk: 77/100 Yamba — Low fire risk: 62/100

Demographics

Yamba has more residents (6,405 vs 482); Yamba rents higher ($400/wk vs $313/wk).

Palmers Island Yamba
Population 482 6,405
+1229% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.2% +5.4%
Median age 49 57
Median household income $73,008/yr
+21% vs other
 $57,512/yr
Median weekly rent $313/wk $400/wk
+28% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Palmers Island Yamba
0-4 2.9% / 4.0%
Palmers Island — 0-4: 2.9% Yamba — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 14.3% / 9.0%
Palmers Island — 5-14: 14.3% Yamba — 5-14: 9.0%
15-19 4.8% / 3.8%
Palmers Island — 15-19: 4.8% Yamba — 15-19: 3.8%
20-24 3.1% / 3.6%
Palmers Island — 20-24: 3.1% Yamba — 20-24: 3.6%
25-34 7.1% / 8.0%
Palmers Island — 25-34: 7.1% Yamba — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 10.6% / 9.3%
Palmers Island — 35-44: 10.6% Yamba — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 12.9% / 9.8%
Palmers Island — 45-54: 12.9% Yamba — 45-54: 9.8%
55-64 18.9% / 14.9%
Palmers Island — 55-64: 18.9% Yamba — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 15.8% / 19.4%
Palmers Island — 65-74: 15.8% Yamba — 65-74: 19.4%
75-84 6.6% / 13.6%
Palmers Island — 75-84: 6.6% Yamba — 75-84: 13.6%
85+ 2.5% / 4.6%
Palmers Island — 85+: 2.5% Yamba — 85+: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Palmers Island 37.1% lone person
Palmers Island — Lone Person: 37.1% Palmers Island — Couple Families: 51.4% Palmers Island — One Parent Families: 11.4% Palmers Island — Group Household: 0.0% Palmers Island — Other Families: 0.0%
Yamba 51.1% lone person
Yamba — Lone Person: 51.1% Yamba — Couple Families: 26.9% Yamba — One Parent Families: 15.7% Yamba — Group Household: 5.0% Yamba — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Palmers Island 11.6% renting
Palmers Island — Owned Outright: 53.7% Palmers Island — Mortgage: 34.8% Palmers Island — Renting: 11.6%
Yamba 28.2% renting
Yamba — Owned Outright: 53.1% Yamba — Mortgage: 18.7% Yamba — Renting: 28.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Palmers Island Yamba
Certificate III & IV 20.7% / 16.4%
Palmers Island — Certificate III & IV: 20.7% Yamba — Certificate III & IV: 16.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 10.1%
Palmers Island — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Yamba — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.4% / 8.1%
Palmers Island — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4% Yamba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.7%
Palmers Island — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Yamba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%
Postgraduate Degree — / 2.4%
Palmers Island — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Yamba — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

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 Island Yamba
England 3.9% / 3.7%
Palmers Island — England: 3.9% Yamba — England: 3.7%
New Zealand 0.8% / 1.8%
Palmers Island — New Zealand: 0.8% Yamba — New Zealand: 1.8%
Netherlands 0.8% / 0.4%
Palmers Island — Netherlands: 0.8% Yamba — Netherlands: 0.4%
Taiwan 0.8% / —
Palmers Island — Taiwan: 0.8% Yamba — Taiwan: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.4%
Palmers Island — Germany: not among its largest Yamba — Germany: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Palmers Island — Philippines: not among its largest Yamba — Philippines: 0.4%
South Africa — / 0.4%
Palmers Island — South Africa: not among its largest Yamba — South Africa: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Palmers Island 86.9% houses
Palmers Island — Houses: 86.9% Palmers Island — Townhouses: 2.4% Palmers Island — Flats / Apartments: 10.7%
Yamba 75.1% houses
Yamba — Houses: 75.1% Yamba — Townhouses: 17.0% Yamba — Flats / Apartments: 7.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Palmers Island Yamba
Median house price $975,000 $932,000
Median unit price — $702,500
Median land price $880,000 $700,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 42 days
from 100 sales

Zoning mix

Palmers Island has more rural and farming land (72% vs 0%); Yamba has more land zoned for conservation (51% vs 28%).

Palmers Island Yamba
Rural and farming 72% 0%
Environmental 28% 51%
Residential 0% 31%
Parks and recreation 0% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 6%
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

Palmers Island Yamba
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
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.

Palmers Island Yamba
Houses — 3.9%
$740/wk on $999K
Units — 3.9%
$550/wk on $725K

Ranking within NSW

Palmers Island Yamba
House price Higher than 45% of NSW
same for both
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 66% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 22% of NSW

Liveability

Yamba is more walkable (37 vs 21).

Palmers Island Yamba
Grade — D
Score — 28/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Yamba carries more crime risk (79 vs 28); Yamba carries more bushfire risk (38 vs 23).

Palmers Island Yamba
Bushfire Low
23/100
 Low
38/100
Crime Low
28/100
 High
79/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
85/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Palmers Island Yamba
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Palmers Island

  • Palmers Island Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Yamba

  • St James' Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Yamba Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Palmers Island Yamba
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 12
Parks & reserves 0 19
Childcare 0 4
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 5
Beaches 0 5
Waterways 5 3

Mobility

Yamba sits further from the CBD (656.7 km vs 651.3 km).

Palmers Island Yamba
Walkability score 21/100 37/100
Distance to Sydney 651.3 km 656.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 422 min 431 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 58/100
Bus · Ferry
Peak arrivals per hour 4.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 20.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 4 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2463
 0.6%
postcode 2464
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 2463
 58
postcode 2464

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 Island Yamba
Car (driver) 76.1% / 69.5%
Palmers Island — Car (driver): 76.1% Yamba — Car (driver): 69.5%
Worked from Home 12.8% / 15.6%
Palmers Island — Worked from Home: 12.8% Yamba — Worked from Home: 15.6%
Walked Only 6.9% / 7.4%
Palmers Island — Walked Only: 6.9% Yamba — Walked Only: 7.4%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 5.0%
Palmers Island — Car (passenger): 4.3% Yamba — Car (passenger): 5.0%
Bicycle — / 2.2%
Palmers Island — Bicycle: not among its largest Yamba — Bicycle: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.1%).

Setting

Palmers Island Yamba
Elevation 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 491 m 150 m
1.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Palmers Island Yamba
Connectivity score 30/100 78/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
194 premises
 42%
4,772 premises

Climate

Palmers Island Yamba
Annual rainfall 1,408 mm 1,557 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 27.4°C
Winter min (Jul) — 11.0°C

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Palmers Island Yamba
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Palmers Island

Coastal Rural

Yamba

Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Palmers Island

Palmers Island vs Wooloweyah Palmers Island vs Harwood Palmers Island vs Palmers Channel Palmers Island vs Goodwood Island

Other comparisons with Yamba

Yamba vs Iluka Yamba vs Wooloweyah Yamba vs Angourie
Full data on Palmers Island Full data on Yamba
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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