Primbee vs Warrawong

Warrawong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 44 in Primbee. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Primbee, most households own their home. In Warrawong, about half of households rent. Houses cost more in Primbee: a median of $1.11 million, against $870,000 in Warrawong, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Warrawong tends to suit renters 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Primbee carries lower crime risk (69/100 vs 95/100)
  • Warrawong has more parks and reserves (5 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Primbee leaves households under less mortgage stress (33% vs 44%)
  • Warrawong has cheaper houses ($870,000 vs $1,110,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Warrawong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (50% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Warrawong

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 42/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (93 km vs 95.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Warrawong

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 42/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (35% vs 18%)
  • But Primbee carries lower crime risk (69/100 vs 95/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Primbee Warrawong
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.

Primbee Warrawong
Walkability 42 / 90
Primbee — Walkability: 42/100 Warrawong — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 31 / 5
Primbee — Safety: 31/100 Warrawong — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 65 / 100
Primbee — Low fire risk: 65/100 Warrawong — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Warrawong has more residents (4,659 vs 1,623); Primbee has higher household incomes ($69,732 vs $47,216).

Primbee Warrawong
Population 1,623 4,659
+187% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.0% -2.0%
Median age 44 41
Median household income $69,732/yr
+32% vs other
 $47,216/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+23% vs other
 $270/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Primbee Warrawong
0-4 5.9% / 6.2%
Primbee — 0-4: 5.9% Warrawong — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 11.3% / 12.3%
Primbee — 5-14: 11.3% Warrawong — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 5.4% / 5.0%
Primbee — 15-19: 5.4% Warrawong — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 5.7% / 5.6%
Primbee — 20-24: 5.7% Warrawong — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 11.6% / 12.9%
Primbee — 25-34: 11.6% Warrawong — 25-34: 12.9%
35-44 11.0% / 11.4%
Primbee — 35-44: 11.0% Warrawong — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 11.8% / 12.2%
Primbee — 45-54: 11.8% Warrawong — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 15.3% / 11.7%
Primbee — 55-64: 15.3% Warrawong — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 11.5% / 10.0%
Primbee — 65-74: 11.5% Warrawong — 65-74: 10.0%
75-84 7.8% / 8.1%
Primbee — 75-84: 7.8% Warrawong — 75-84: 8.1%
85+ 2.8% / 4.5%
Primbee — 85+: 2.8% Warrawong — 85+: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Primbee 42.2% lone person
Primbee — Lone Person: 42.2% Primbee — Couple Families: 35.5% Primbee — One Parent Families: 18.5% Primbee — Group Household: 2.8% Primbee — Other Families: 1.0%
Warrawong 44.9% lone person
Warrawong — Lone Person: 44.9% Warrawong — Couple Families: 28.4% Warrawong — One Parent Families: 22.7% Warrawong — Group Household: 3.0% Warrawong — Other Families: 1.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Primbee 31.5% renting
Primbee — Owned Outright: 42.3% Primbee — Mortgage: 26.1% Primbee — Renting: 31.5%
Warrawong 49.8% renting
Warrawong — Owned Outright: 34.1% Warrawong — Mortgage: 16.1% Warrawong — Renting: 49.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Primbee Warrawong
Certificate III & IV 19.0% / 12.6%
Primbee — Certificate III & IV: 19.0% Warrawong — Certificate III & IV: 12.6%
Bachelor Degree 8.0% / 4.6%
Primbee — Bachelor Degree: 8.0% Warrawong — Bachelor Degree: 4.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 4.4%
Primbee — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Warrawong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 1.5%
Primbee — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Warrawong — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 0.6%
Primbee — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Warrawong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

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.

Primbee Warrawong
Italy 1.5% / 4.2%
Primbee — Italy: 1.5% Warrawong — Italy: 4.2%
England 2.9% / 1.5%
Primbee — England: 2.9% Warrawong — England: 1.5%
Greece 2.0% / 0.6%
Primbee — Greece: 2.0% Warrawong — Greece: 0.6%
New Zealand 0.6% / 1.4%
Primbee — New Zealand: 0.6% Warrawong — New Zealand: 1.4%
Vietnam 0.5% / 1.0%
Primbee — Vietnam: 0.5% Warrawong — Vietnam: 1.0%
Philippines 0.3% / 1.1%
Primbee — Philippines: 0.3% Warrawong — Philippines: 1.1%
Germany 0.7% / —
Primbee — Germany: 0.7% Warrawong — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Primbee 81.6% houses
Primbee — Houses: 81.6% Primbee — Flats / Apartments: 7.8% Primbee — Townhouses: 10.6%
Warrawong 65.2% houses
Warrawong — Houses: 65.2% Warrawong — Flats / Apartments: 20.5% Warrawong — Townhouses: 14.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Primbee Warrawong
Median house price $1,110,000 $870,000
Median unit price — $449,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 15 sales
 28 days
from 21 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Primbee Warrawong
3 bed $1.01M / $852K
Primbee — 3 bed: $1.01M (14 sales) Warrawong — 3 bed: $852K (28 sales)

14 vs 28 sales

4 bed $1.11M / $985K
Primbee — 4 bed: $1.11M (18 sales) Warrawong — 4 bed: $985K (13 sales)

18 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Primbee has more land zoned for conservation (46% vs 3%).

Primbee Warrawong
Residential 24% 62%
Environmental 46% 3%
Parks and recreation 24% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 11%
Commercial 0% 6%
Industrial 0% 5%
Planning zones cover 98% of Primbee and 100% of Warrawong. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Primbee Warrawong
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
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.

Primbee Warrawong
Houses 3.8%
$780/wk on $1.06M
 4.0%
$650/wk on $850K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Primbee Warrawong
House price Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
Income Higher than 33% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 53% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 39% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW

Liveability

Warrawong is more walkable (90 vs 42); Warrawong scores higher overall (43 vs 35).

Primbee Warrawong
Grade C
same for both
Score 35/100 43/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Primbee carries more bushfire risk (35 vs 0); Warrawong carries more crime risk (95 vs 69).

Primbee Warrawong
Bushfire Low
35/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
69/100
 High
95/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
27/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 11
within 5 km
 17
within 5 km

Schools

Primbee Warrawong
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 8.8 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 6.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.0% 0.9%

Schools in Primbee

  • Primbee Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Warrawong

  • St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Kemblawarra Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Warrawong High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Warrawong Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Primbee Warrawong
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 1 5
Childcare 2 4
GPs 0 6
Pharmacies 0 4
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 3
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Primbee sits further from the CBD (95.1 km vs 93 km).

Primbee Warrawong
Walkability score 42/100 90/100
Distance to Sydney 95.1 km
+2% vs other
 93 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 88 min 87 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 71.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 139.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2502
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 2502
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.

Primbee Warrawong
Car (driver) 68.7% / 71.2%
Primbee — Car (driver): 68.7% Warrawong — Car (driver): 71.2%
Worked from Home 23.8% / 16.1%
Primbee — Worked from Home: 23.8% Warrawong — Worked from Home: 16.1%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 6.1%
Primbee — Car (passenger): 3.9% Warrawong — Car (passenger): 6.1%
Bus 1.6% / 2.5%
Primbee — Bus: 1.6% Warrawong — Bus: 2.5%
Walked Only 0.7% / 2.8%
Primbee — Walked Only: 0.7% Warrawong — Walked Only: 2.8%
Train 1.2% / 1.0%
Primbee — Train: 1.2% Warrawong — Train: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.2%).

Setting

Primbee Warrawong
Elevation 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 626 m
1.1 km to a named beach
 2.1 km
3.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Primbee Warrawong
Connectivity score 73/100 64/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 52%
772 premises
 35%
2,661 premises

Climate

Primbee Warrawong
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Primbee Warrawong
PM2.5 5.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.45 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Primbee Warrawong
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Primbee Warrawong
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Primbee Warrawong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Primbee

Beach Coastal

Warrawong

Coastal Multicultural Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Primbee

Primbee vs Port Kembla Primbee vs Windang

Other comparisons with Warrawong

Warrawong vs Port Kembla Warrawong vs Lake Heights Warrawong vs Cringila
Full data on Primbee Full data on Warrawong
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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