Pearces Creek vs Mcleans Ridges

Pearces Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 45 in McLeans Ridges. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families.

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

Pearces Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 73%)

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

Pearces Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (18% vs 7%)

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

Commuting to the city

Pearces Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (741.6 km vs 744.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Where they sit

Pearces Creek and Mcleans Ridges drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
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.

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Walkability 16 / 18
Pearces Creek — Walkability: 16/100 Mcleans Ridges — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 72 / 72
Pearces Creek — Safety: 72/100 Mcleans Ridges — Safety: 72/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Pearces Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mcleans Ridges — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

McLeans Ridges has more residents (808 vs 210); McLeans Ridges skews older (45 vs 42).

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Population 210 808
+285% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.1% —
Median age 42 45
Median household income $118,820/yr $119,860/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk $400/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
0-4 3.8% / 3.7%
Pearces Creek — 0-4: 3.8% Mcleans Ridges — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 14.3% / 14.4%
Pearces Creek — 5-14: 14.3% Mcleans Ridges — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 5.2% / 7.7%
Pearces Creek — 15-19: 5.2% Mcleans Ridges — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.2% / 2.8%
Pearces Creek — 20-24: 5.2% Mcleans Ridges — 20-24: 2.8%
25-34 9.5% / 9.7%
Pearces Creek — 25-34: 9.5% Mcleans Ridges — 25-34: 9.7%
35-44 10.0% / 12.3%
Pearces Creek — 35-44: 10.0% Mcleans Ridges — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 11.4% / 14.7%
Pearces Creek — 45-54: 11.4% Mcleans Ridges — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 19.5% / 16.7%
Pearces Creek — 55-64: 19.5% Mcleans Ridges — 55-64: 16.7%
65-74 13.8% / 14.5%
Pearces Creek — 65-74: 13.8% Mcleans Ridges — 65-74: 14.5%
75-84 2.4% / 3.8%
Pearces Creek — 75-84: 2.4% Mcleans Ridges — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ — / 1.2%
Pearces Creek — 85+: not among its largest Mcleans Ridges — 85+: 1.2%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Pearces Creek 65.1% couple families
Pearces Creek — Couple Families: 65.1% Pearces Creek — One Parent Families: 18.6% Pearces Creek — Lone Person: 7.0% Pearces Creek — Group Household: 9.3% Pearces Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Mcleans Ridges 63.6% couple families
Mcleans Ridges — Couple Families: 63.6% Mcleans Ridges — One Parent Families: 9.7% Mcleans Ridges — Lone Person: 18.8% Mcleans Ridges — Group Household: 6.1% Mcleans Ridges — Other Families: 1.8%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Pearces Creek 18.2% renting
Pearces Creek — Owned Outright: 48.5% Pearces Creek — Mortgage: 33.3% Pearces Creek — Renting: 18.2%
Mcleans Ridges 7.4% renting
Mcleans Ridges — Owned Outright: 45.9% Mcleans Ridges — Mortgage: 46.7% Mcleans Ridges — Renting: 7.4%
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.

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
England 4.3% / 3.3%
Pearces Creek — England: 4.3% Mcleans Ridges — England: 3.3%
New Zealand 1.4% / 0.7%
Pearces Creek — New Zealand: 1.4% Mcleans Ridges — New Zealand: 0.7%
South Africa — / 1.4%
Pearces Creek — South Africa: not among its largest Mcleans Ridges — South Africa: 1.4%
China — / 0.6%
Pearces Creek — China: not among its largest Mcleans Ridges — China: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.5%
Pearces Creek — Germany: not among its largest Mcleans Ridges — Germany: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

Qualifications

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

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Bachelor Degree 12.9% / 18.3%
Pearces Creek — Bachelor Degree: 12.9% Mcleans Ridges — Bachelor Degree: 18.3%
Certificate III & IV 15.2% / 15.7%
Pearces Creek — Certificate III & IV: 15.2% Mcleans Ridges — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.0% / 6.9%
Pearces Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.0% Mcleans Ridges — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 9.5% / 6.4%
Pearces Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 9.5% Mcleans Ridges — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.3% / 2.6%
Pearces Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.3% Mcleans Ridges — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Pearces Creek 100.0% houses
Pearces Creek — Houses: 100.0% Pearces Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Pearces Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Mcleans Ridges 96.0% houses
Mcleans Ridges — Houses: 96.0% Mcleans Ridges — Flats / Apartments: 2.5% Mcleans Ridges — Townhouses: 1.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Median house price $1,600,000 $1,530,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 17 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Pearces Creek has more rural and farming land (99% vs 79%).

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Rural and farming 99% 79%
Residential 0% 13%
Other and special use 0% 7%
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

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
New dwellings approved 238
across Ballina
 138
across Lismore
Approvals change year on year +210% +0%

Ranking within NSW

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
House price Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Income Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW

Liveability

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Grade — B
Score — 60/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
28/100
same for both
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Waterways 6
same for both

Mobility

McLeans Ridges sits further from the CBD (744.3 km vs 741.6 km).

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Walkability score 16/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 741.6 km 744.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 480 min 479 min
Public transport score 20/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2477
 0.6%
postcode 2480
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 75
postcode 2477
 69
postcode 2480

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.

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Car (driver) 63.2% / 68.2%
Pearces Creek — Car (driver): 63.2% Mcleans Ridges — Car (driver): 68.2%
Worked from Home 36.8% / 26.3%
Pearces Creek — Worked from Home: 36.8% Mcleans Ridges — Worked from Home: 26.3%
Car (passenger) — / 4.2%
Pearces Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest Mcleans Ridges — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only — / 1.4%
Pearces Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest Mcleans Ridges — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.2%).

Setting

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Elevation 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 141 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.8 km 16.3 km

NBN connectivity

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
77 premises
 0%
287 premises

Council rates

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Average residential rate $1,264/yr $1,487/yr
Council Ballina Lismore

Federal electorate

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Division Richmond Page
Member Justine Elliot Kevin Hogan
Party Australian Labor Party The Nationals

First Home Owner Grant

Pearces Creek Mcleans Ridges
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Pearces Creek

River Rural

Mcleans Ridges

Acreage Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Pearces Creek

Pearces Creek vs Alstonvale Pearces Creek vs Eltham Pearces Creek vs Teven Pearces Creek vs Fernleigh Pearces Creek vs Nashua Pearces Creek vs Booyong

Other comparisons with Mcleans Ridges

Mcleans Ridges vs Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges vs Richmond Hill Mcleans Ridges vs Alstonvale Mcleans Ridges vs Eltham Mcleans Ridges vs Lindendale
Full data on Pearces Creek Full data on Mcleans Ridges
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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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