Russell Vale vs Bellambi

In Russell Vale, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. In Bellambi, about half of households rent. On these figures, Russell Vale tends to suit families with children and couples, while Bellambi suits renters and people living alone.

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

Russell Vale

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (80% vs 51%)
  • carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 88/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 52%)

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

  • Russell Vale leaves households under less mortgage stress (29% vs 38%)
  • Bellambi has cheaper units ($620,000 vs $1,045,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bellambi

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (55% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($252/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bellambi

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (70/100 vs 52/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Bellambi

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 20%)
  • is more walkable (70/100 vs 52/100)
  • But Russell Vale carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 88/100)

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

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

Russell Vale Bellambi
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.

Russell Vale Bellambi
Walkability 52 / 70
Russell Vale — Walkability: 52/100 Bellambi — Walkability: 70/100
Safety 35 / 12
Russell Vale — Safety: 35/100 Bellambi — Safety: 12/100
Low fire risk 13 / 100
Russell Vale — Low fire risk: 13/100 Bellambi — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bellambi has more residents (4,039 vs 1,593); Russell Vale rents higher ($400/wk vs $252/wk).

Russell Vale Bellambi
Population 1,593 4,039
+154% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.0% +2.3%
Median age 39 38
Median household income $89,180/yr
+31% vs other
 $61,516/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+37% vs other
 $252/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Russell Vale Bellambi
0-4 6.3% / 6.5%
Russell Vale — 0-4: 6.3% Bellambi — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 17.1% / 11.6%
Russell Vale — 5-14: 17.1% Bellambi — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 6.2% / 5.8%
Russell Vale — 15-19: 6.2% Bellambi — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 4.5% / 6.4%
Russell Vale — 20-24: 4.5% Bellambi — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 9.7% / 14.3%
Russell Vale — 25-34: 9.7% Bellambi — 25-34: 14.3%
35-44 14.4% / 12.3%
Russell Vale — 35-44: 14.4% Bellambi — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 12.9% / 12.4%
Russell Vale — 45-54: 12.9% Bellambi — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 10.8% / 13.1%
Russell Vale — 55-64: 10.8% Bellambi — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 9.5% / 10.2%
Russell Vale — 65-74: 9.5% Bellambi — 65-74: 10.2%
75-84 6.2% / 5.6%
Russell Vale — 75-84: 6.2% Bellambi — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 2.4% / 1.6%
Russell Vale — 85+: 2.4% Bellambi — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Russell Vale 48.1% couple families
Russell Vale — Couple Families: 48.1% Russell Vale — Lone Person: 29.5% Russell Vale — One Parent Families: 18.2% Russell Vale — Group Household: 3.5% Russell Vale — Other Families: 0.7%
Bellambi 26.7% couple families
Bellambi — Couple Families: 26.7% Bellambi — Lone Person: 41.5% Bellambi — One Parent Families: 25.8% Bellambi — Group Household: 4.0% Bellambi — Other Families: 2.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Russell Vale 21.6% renting
Russell Vale — Owned Outright: 35.6% Russell Vale — Mortgage: 42.8% Russell Vale — Renting: 21.6%
Bellambi 54.6% renting
Bellambi — Owned Outright: 20.4% Bellambi — Mortgage: 25.0% Bellambi — Renting: 54.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Russell Vale Bellambi
Certificate III & IV 20.0% / 16.9%
Russell Vale — Certificate III & IV: 20.0% Bellambi — Certificate III & IV: 16.9%
Bachelor Degree 9.5% / 8.8%
Russell Vale — Bachelor Degree: 9.5% Bellambi — Bachelor Degree: 8.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 6.8%
Russell Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Bellambi — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.4% / 2.6%
Russell Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4% Bellambi — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.4%
Russell Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Bellambi — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Russell Vale Bellambi
England 2.2% / 4.0%
Russell Vale — England: 2.2% Bellambi — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.5%
Russell Vale — New Zealand: 1.0% Bellambi — New Zealand: 1.5%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.7%
Russell Vale — Scotland: 0.5% Bellambi — Scotland: 0.7%
Philippines 0.3% / 0.8%
Russell Vale — Philippines: 0.3% Bellambi — Philippines: 0.8%
Vietnam — / 0.6%
Russell Vale — Vietnam: not among its largest Bellambi — Vietnam: 0.6%
Thailand 0.3% / —
Russell Vale — Thailand: 0.3% Bellambi — Thailand: not among its largest
Fiji 0.3% / —
Russell Vale — Fiji: 0.3% Bellambi — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Russell Vale 80.1% houses
Russell Vale — Houses: 80.1% Russell Vale — Townhouses: 15.4% Russell Vale — Flats / Apartments: 4.5%
Bellambi 51.4% houses
Bellambi — Houses: 51.4% Bellambi — Townhouses: 38.4% Bellambi — Flats / Apartments: 10.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Russell Vale Bellambi
Median house price $1,350,000 $1,300,000
Median unit price $1,045,000 $620,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 16 days
from 4 sales
 21 days
from 14 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.

Russell Vale Bellambi
3 bed $1.3M / $1.27M
Russell Vale — 3 bed: $1.3M (17 sales) Bellambi — 3 bed: $1.27M (22 sales)

17 vs 22 sales

4 bed $1.58M / $1.38M
Russell Vale — 4 bed: $1.58M (9 sales) Bellambi — 4 bed: $1.38M (8 sales)

9 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Russell Vale has more land zoned for conservation (40% vs 14%).

Russell Vale Bellambi
Residential 24% 48%
Environmental 40% 14%
Parks and recreation 24% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 14%
Industrial 6% 7%
Planning zones cover 100% of Russell Vale and 97% of Bellambi. 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

Russell Vale Bellambi
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.

Russell Vale Bellambi
Houses — 3.2%
$775/wk on $1.27M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Russell Vale Bellambi
House price Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Income Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 100% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 29% of NSW

Liveability

Bellambi is more walkable (70 vs 52); Bellambi scores higher overall (40 vs 34).

Russell Vale Bellambi
Grade C
same for both
Score 34/100 40/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Russell Vale carries more bushfire risk (87 vs 0); Bellambi carries more crime risk (88 vs 65).

Russell Vale Bellambi
Bushfire High
87/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
65/100
 High
88/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
28/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Russell Vale Bellambi
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 8.0 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 7.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.8% 1.0%

Schools in Russell Vale

  • Russell Vale Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Bellambi

  • Bellambi Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Holy Spirit College Catholic · Secondary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Russell Vale Bellambi
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 3 2
Childcare 2 3
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Russell Vale Bellambi
Walkability score 52/100 70/100
Distance to Sydney 76.6 km 77.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 77 min 78 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 33.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 80.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 2517
 0.8%
postcode 2518
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2517
 29
postcode 2518

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.

Russell Vale Bellambi
Car (driver) 62.7% / 61.4%
Russell Vale — Car (driver): 62.7% Bellambi — Car (driver): 61.4%
Worked from Home 31.5% / 27.3%
Russell Vale — Worked from Home: 31.5% Bellambi — Worked from Home: 27.3%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 5.5%
Russell Vale — Car (passenger): 4.1% Bellambi — Car (passenger): 5.5%
Train 0.7% / 2.0%
Russell Vale — Train: 0.7% Bellambi — Train: 2.0%
Walked Only 0.5% / 1.6%
Russell Vale — Walked Only: 0.5% Bellambi — Walked Only: 1.6%
Bus 0.5% / 1.1%
Russell Vale — Bus: 0.5% Bellambi — Bus: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.7%).

Setting

Russell Vale Bellambi
Elevation 55 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.2 km
2.3 km to a named beach
 610 m
674 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Russell Vale Bellambi
Connectivity score 100/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
681 premises
 100%
1,989 premises

Climate

Russell Vale Bellambi
Annual rainfall 1,038 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Russell Vale Bellambi
PM2.5 6.2 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.66 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Russell Vale Bellambi
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Russell Vale Bellambi
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Russell Vale Bellambi
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Russell Vale

Coastal Family

Bellambi

Beach Coastal Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Russell Vale

Russell Vale vs Woonona Russell Vale vs Corrimal

Other comparisons with Bellambi

Bellambi vs Woonona Bellambi vs Corrimal Bellambi vs East Corrimal
Full data on Russell Vale Full data on Bellambi
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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