Pillar Valley vs Tucabia

Pillar Valley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 55 in Tucabia. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Pillar Valley: a median of $845,000, against $570,000 in Tucabia, though rent is higher in Tucabia. On these figures, Tucabia tends to suit older residents and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Tucabia

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (48/100 vs 82/100)

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

First-home buyers

Tucabia

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper houses ($570,000 vs $845,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Pillar Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $320/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 31%)

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

Commuting to the city

Pillar Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (617.3 km vs 619.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Tucabia

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (48/100 vs 82/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Pillar Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.1% vs -3.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Pillar Valley and Tucabia 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 Tucabia
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 Tucabia
Walkability 0 / 5
Pillar Valley — Walkability: 0/100 Tucabia — Walkability: 5/100
Safety 18 / 52
Pillar Valley — Safety: 18/100 Tucabia — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 27 / 34
Pillar Valley — Low fire risk: 27/100 Tucabia — Low fire risk: 34/100

Demographics

Tucabia rents higher ($320/wk vs $250/wk); Tucabia skews older (55 vs 50).

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Population 352 354
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.1% -3.5%
Median age 50 55
Median household income $51,584/yr $54,340/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $320/wk
+28% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Pillar Valley Tucabia
0-4 2.8% / 2.3%
Pillar Valley — 0-4: 2.8% Tucabia — 0-4: 2.3%
5-14 12.2% / 10.5%
Pillar Valley — 5-14: 12.2% Tucabia — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 4.5% / 3.1%
Pillar Valley — 15-19: 4.5% Tucabia — 15-19: 3.1%
20-24 4.8% / 4.0%
Pillar Valley — 20-24: 4.8% Tucabia — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 6.8% / 7.1%
Pillar Valley — 25-34: 6.8% Tucabia — 25-34: 7.1%
35-44 10.5% / 9.3%
Pillar Valley — 35-44: 10.5% Tucabia — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 18.8% / 11.0%
Pillar Valley — 45-54: 18.8% Tucabia — 45-54: 11.0%
55-64 21.3% / 20.9%
Pillar Valley — 55-64: 21.3% Tucabia — 55-64: 20.9%
65-74 15.9% / 20.9%
Pillar Valley — 65-74: 15.9% Tucabia — 65-74: 20.9%
75-84 4.0% / 6.5%
Pillar Valley — 75-84: 4.0% Tucabia — 75-84: 6.5%
85+ — / 1.4%
Pillar Valley — 85+: not among its largest Tucabia — 85+: 1.4%

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% Pillar Valley — Other Families: 0.0%
Tucabia 38.7% lone person
Tucabia — Lone Person: 38.7% Tucabia — Couple Families: 33.3% Tucabia — One Parent Families: 20.4% Tucabia — Group Household: 4.3% Tucabia — Other Families: 3.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

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%
Tucabia 9.5% renting
Tucabia — Owned Outright: 60.1% Tucabia — Mortgage: 30.4% Tucabia — Renting: 9.5%
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.

Pillar Valley Tucabia
England 6.0% / 2.5%
Pillar Valley — England: 6.0% Tucabia — England: 2.5%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.1%
Pillar Valley — New Zealand: 1.1% Tucabia — New Zealand: 1.1%
Germany 1.1% / —
Pillar Valley — Germany: 1.1% Tucabia — Germany: not among its largest
Philippines 0.9% / —
Pillar Valley — Philippines: 0.9% Tucabia — Philippines: not among its largest

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

Qualifications

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

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Certificate III & IV 20.5% / 20.6%
Pillar Valley — Certificate III & IV: 20.5% Tucabia — Certificate III & IV: 20.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 6.5%
Pillar Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Tucabia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 5.4%
Pillar Valley — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Tucabia — Bachelor Degree: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 2.5%
Pillar Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Tucabia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 0.8%
Pillar Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Tucabia — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Pillar Valley 101.5% houses
Pillar Valley — Houses: 101.5% Pillar Valley — Townhouses: 0.0%
Tucabia 99.3% houses
Tucabia — Houses: 99.3% Tucabia — Townhouses: 2.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Median house price $845,000 $570,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $632,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) — 26 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Rural and farming 95% 93%
Environmental 4% 1%
Residential 0% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 3%
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 Tucabia
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Pillar Valley Tucabia
House price Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 20% of NSW
Income Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 21% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW

Liveability

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Pillar Valley carries more crime risk (82 vs 48).

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Bushfire High
73/100
 Moderate
66/100
Crime High
82/100
 Moderate
48/100
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

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Pillar Valley

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

Schools in Tucabia

  • Tucabia Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 12 6

Mobility

Tucabia sits further from the CBD (619.9 km vs 617.3 km).

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Walkability score 0/100 5/100
Distance to Sydney 617.3 km 619.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 410 min
same for both
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 21/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 5.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2462
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 2462
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.

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Car (driver) 76.6% / 78.6%
Pillar Valley — Car (driver): 76.6% Tucabia — Car (driver): 78.6%
Worked from Home 15.3% / 12.2%
Pillar Valley — Worked from Home: 15.3% Tucabia — Worked from Home: 12.2%
Car (passenger) 5.6% / 6.9%
Pillar Valley — Car (passenger): 5.6% Tucabia — Car (passenger): 6.9%
Walked Only 2.4% / 2.3%
Pillar Valley — Walked Only: 2.4% Tucabia — Walked Only: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.6%).

Setting

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Elevation 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.5 km 18.2 km

NBN connectivity

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

Climate

Pillar Valley Tucabia
Annual rainfall 1,060 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.3°C
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Pillar Valley

Rural

Tucabia

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Pillar Valley

Pillar Valley vs Glenugie Pillar Valley vs Brooms Head Pillar Valley vs Tyndale

Other comparisons with Tucabia

Tucabia vs Ulmarra Tucabia vs Tyndale Tucabia vs Coldstream
Full data on Pillar Valley Full data on Tucabia
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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