Pillar Valley vs Brooms Head

Pillar Valley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 59 in Brooms Head. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Brooms Head, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Brooms Head: a median of $1.28 million, against $845,000 in Pillar Valley, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Pillar Valley tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Brooms Head 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

Pillar Valley

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (57% vs 29%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (102% vs 73%)
  • But Brooms Head carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 82/100)

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

First-home buyers

Pillar Valley

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($845,000 vs $1,280,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (32% vs 44%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Pillar Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 34%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $280/wk)
  • But Brooms Head has a bigger rental market to choose from (25% vs 14%)

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

Commuting to the city

Pillar Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (617.3 km vs 666.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (410 min vs 442 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Brooms Head

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (38% vs 20%)
  • carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 82/100)

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

Investors

Brooms Head

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.8% vs 12.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Pillar Valley and Brooms Head drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
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.

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Walkability 0 / 0
Pillar Valley — Walkability: 0/100 Brooms Head — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 18 / 47
Pillar Valley — Safety: 18/100 Brooms Head — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 27 / 14
Pillar Valley — Low fire risk: 27/100 Brooms Head — Low fire risk: 14/100

Demographics

Pillar Valley has more residents (352 vs 271); Pillar Valley has higher household incomes ($51,584 vs $42,796).

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Population 352
+23% vs other
 271
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.1% +27.8%
Median age 50 59
Median household income $51,584/yr
+17% vs other
 $42,796/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk $280/wk
+12% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
0-4 2.8% / 4.1%
Pillar Valley — 0-4: 2.8% Brooms Head — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 12.2% / 7.4%
Pillar Valley — 5-14: 12.2% Brooms Head — 5-14: 7.4%
15-19 4.5% / 2.2%
Pillar Valley — 15-19: 4.5% Brooms Head — 15-19: 2.2%
20-24 4.8% / 1.5%
Pillar Valley — 20-24: 4.8% Brooms Head — 20-24: 1.5%
25-34 6.8% / 7.4%
Pillar Valley — 25-34: 6.8% Brooms Head — 25-34: 7.4%
35-44 10.5% / 5.5%
Pillar Valley — 35-44: 10.5% Brooms Head — 35-44: 5.5%
45-54 18.8% / 13.7%
Pillar Valley — 45-54: 18.8% Brooms Head — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 21.3% / 20.7%
Pillar Valley — 55-64: 21.3% Brooms Head — 55-64: 20.7%
65-74 15.9% / 18.5%
Pillar Valley — 65-74: 15.9% Brooms Head — 65-74: 18.5%
75-84 4.0% / 11.1%
Pillar Valley — 75-84: 4.0% Brooms Head — 75-84: 11.1%
85+ — / 8.1%
Pillar Valley — 85+: not among its largest Brooms Head — 85+: 8.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Pillar Valley 42.5% lone person
Pillar Valley — Lone Person: 42.5% Pillar Valley — Couple Families: 35.6% Pillar Valley — One Parent Families: 21.8% Pillar Valley — Group Household: 0.0%
Brooms Head 67.5% lone person
Brooms Head — Lone Person: 67.5% Brooms Head — Couple Families: 20.0% Brooms Head — One Parent Families: 8.8% Brooms Head — Group Household: 3.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Pillar Valley 13.6% renting
Pillar Valley — Owned Outright: 50.8% Pillar Valley — Mortgage: 35.6% Pillar Valley — Renting: 13.6%
Brooms Head 25.4% renting
Brooms Head — Owned Outright: 56.8% Brooms Head — Mortgage: 17.8% Brooms Head — Renting: 25.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Certificate III & IV 20.5% / 15.1%
Pillar Valley — Certificate III & IV: 20.5% Brooms Head — Certificate III & IV: 15.1%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 10.7%
Pillar Valley — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Brooms Head — Bachelor Degree: 10.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 7.7%
Pillar Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Brooms Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 3.0%
Pillar Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Brooms Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 3.0%
Pillar Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Brooms Head — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.5%).

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.

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
England 6.0% / 2.2%
Pillar Valley — England: 6.0% Brooms Head — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.1%
Pillar Valley — New Zealand: 1.1% Brooms Head — New Zealand: 1.1%
China — / 1.8%
Pillar Valley — China: not among its largest Brooms Head — China: 1.8%
South Africa — / 1.8%
Pillar Valley — South Africa: not among its largest Brooms Head — South Africa: 1.8%
Germany 1.1% / —
Pillar Valley — Germany: 1.1% Brooms Head — Germany: not among its largest
Philippines 0.9% / —
Pillar Valley — Philippines: 0.9% Brooms Head — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Pillar Valley 101.5% houses
Pillar Valley — Houses: 101.5% Pillar Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Brooms Head 72.9% houses
Brooms Head — Houses: 72.9% Brooms Head — Flats / Apartments: 27.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Median house price $845,000 $1,280,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $632,500 —

Zoning mix

Pillar Valley has more rural and farming land (95% vs 21%); Brooms Head has more land zoned for conservation (78% vs 4%).

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Rural and farming 95% 21%
Environmental 4% 78%
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

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
House price Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Income Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 26% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW

Liveability

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Pillar Valley carries more crime risk (82 vs 53); Brooms Head carries more bushfire risk (86 vs 73).

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Bushfire High
73/100
 High
86/100
Crime High
82/100
 Moderate
53/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Moderate
61/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
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

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Parks & reserves 0 1
Waterways 12 8

Mobility

Brooms Head sits further from the CBD (666.7 km vs 617.3 km).

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 617.3 km 666.7 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 410 min 442 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2462
 0.2%
postcode 2463
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 2462
 70
postcode 2463

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.

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Car (driver) 76.6% / 71.8%
Pillar Valley — Car (driver): 76.6% Brooms Head — Car (driver): 71.8%
Worked from Home 15.3% / 18.8%
Pillar Valley — Worked from Home: 15.3% Brooms Head — Worked from Home: 18.8%
Car (passenger) 5.6% / 4.7%
Pillar Valley — Car (passenger): 5.6% Brooms Head — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only 2.4% / 4.7%
Pillar Valley — Walked Only: 2.4% Brooms Head — Walked Only: 4.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.6%).

Setting

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Elevation 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 29 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.5 km 3.8 km
4.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Connectivity score 18/100 30/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
120 premises
 0%
178 premises

Climate

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Annual rainfall 1,060 mm 1,557 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C 27.4°C
Winter min (Jul) 8.3°C 11.0°C

Council rates

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Average residential rate $1,380/yr
same for both
Council Clarence Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Pillar Valley Brooms Head
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Pillar Valley

Rural

Brooms Head

Professionals Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Pillar Valley

Pillar Valley vs Glenugie Pillar Valley vs Tucabia Pillar Valley vs Tyndale

Other comparisons with Brooms Head

Brooms Head vs Taloumbi
Full data on Pillar Valley Full data on Brooms Head
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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