Sawtell vs Bundagen

Sawtell is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 52 in Bundagen. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Bundagen, about half of households are 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

They split

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

  • Sawtell has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)
  • Bundagen has more separate houses rather than flats (94% vs 69%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Bundagen

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($30/wk vs $380/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (4% vs 27%)

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

Commuting to the city

Sawtell

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (340 min vs 345 min)
  • But Bundagen sits closer to the CBD (514.8 km vs 521.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sawtell

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (31% vs 6%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 19%)

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

Investors

Sawtell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.9% vs -28.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sawtell Bundagen
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.

Sawtell Bundagen
Walkability 56 / 0
Sawtell — Walkability: 56/100 Bundagen — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 27 / 25
Sawtell — Safety: 27/100 Bundagen — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 50 / 33
Sawtell — Low fire risk: 50/100 Bundagen — Low fire risk: 33/100

Demographics

Sawtell has more residents (3,788 vs 96); Sawtell rents higher ($380/wk vs $30/wk).

Sawtell Bundagen
Population 3,788
+97% vs other
 96
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.9% -28.9%
Median age 47 52
Median household income $73,060/yr
+48% vs other
 $37,700/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+92% vs other
 $30/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sawtell Bundagen
0-4 4.7% / 6.2%
Sawtell — 0-4: 4.7% Bundagen — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 11.6% / 12.5%
Sawtell — 5-14: 11.6% Bundagen — 5-14: 12.5%
15-19 5.4% / 7.3%
Sawtell — 15-19: 5.4% Bundagen — 15-19: 7.3%
20-24 3.4% / —
Sawtell — 20-24: 3.4% Bundagen — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 9.5% / 4.2%
Sawtell — 25-34: 9.5% Bundagen — 25-34: 4.2%
35-44 11.5% / 18.8%
Sawtell — 35-44: 11.5% Bundagen — 35-44: 18.8%
45-54 14.1% / 17.7%
Sawtell — 45-54: 14.1% Bundagen — 45-54: 17.7%
55-64 14.6% / 16.7%
Sawtell — 55-64: 14.6% Bundagen — 55-64: 16.7%
65-74 15.1% / 15.6%
Sawtell — 65-74: 15.1% Bundagen — 65-74: 15.6%
75-84 7.6% / 3.1%
Sawtell — 75-84: 7.6% Bundagen — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ 2.6% / —
Sawtell — 85+: 2.6% Bundagen — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sawtell 44.9% lone person
Sawtell — Lone Person: 44.9% Sawtell — Couple Families: 32.9% Sawtell — One Parent Families: 16.4% Sawtell — Other Families: 1.1% Sawtell — Group Household: 4.7%
Bundagen 50.0% lone person
Bundagen — Lone Person: 50.0% Bundagen — Couple Families: 22.2% Bundagen — One Parent Families: 19.4% Bundagen — Other Families: 8.3% Bundagen — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sawtell 33.3% renting
Sawtell — Owned Outright: 43.2% Sawtell — Mortgage: 23.6% Sawtell — Renting: 33.3%
Bundagen 25.0% renting
Bundagen — Owned Outright: 66.7% Bundagen — Mortgage: 8.3% Bundagen — Renting: 25.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sawtell Bundagen
Bachelor Degree 14.6% / 18.8%
Sawtell — Bachelor Degree: 14.6% Bundagen — Bachelor Degree: 18.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 16.7%
Sawtell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Bundagen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 16.7%
Certificate III & IV 15.0% / 10.4%
Sawtell — Certificate III & IV: 15.0% Bundagen — Certificate III & IV: 10.4%
Postgraduate Degree 4.9% / 5.2%
Sawtell — Postgraduate Degree: 4.9% Bundagen — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 3.1%
Sawtell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Bundagen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

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.

Sawtell Bundagen
England 3.6% / 5.2%
Sawtell — England: 3.6% Bundagen — England: 5.2%
South Africa 0.7% / 5.2%
Sawtell — South Africa: 0.7% Bundagen — South Africa: 5.2%
Netherlands 0.3% / 3.1%
Sawtell — Netherlands: 0.3% Bundagen — Netherlands: 3.1%
New Zealand 1.5% / —
Sawtell — New Zealand: 1.5% Bundagen — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / —
Sawtell — Scotland: 0.4% Bundagen — Scotland: not among its largest
Thailand 0.3% / —
Sawtell — Thailand: 0.3% Bundagen — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sawtell 68.6% houses
Sawtell — Houses: 68.6% Sawtell — Flats / Apartments: 18.9% Sawtell — Townhouses: 12.4%
Bundagen 94.3% houses
Bundagen — Houses: 94.3% Bundagen — Flats / Apartments: 5.7% Bundagen — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Sawtell Bundagen
Median house price $1,240,000 —
Median unit price $675,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 74 days
from 35 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Bundagen has more land zoned for conservation (90% vs 14%).

Sawtell Bundagen
Environmental 14% 90%
Residential 42% 0%
Parks and recreation 41% 0%
Rural and farming 0% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
Planning zones cover 99% of Sawtell and 100% of Bundagen. 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

Sawtell Bundagen
New dwellings approved 356
across Coffs Harbour
same for both
Approvals change year on year +61%
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.

Sawtell Bundagen
Houses 3.0%
$695/wk on $1.23M
 —
Units 4.5%
$575/wk on $660K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Sawtell Bundagen
House price Higher than 63% of NSW —
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 19% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 28% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 20% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 45% of NSW —

Liveability

Sawtell is more walkable (56 vs 0).

Sawtell Bundagen
Grade C —
Score 36/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Bundagen carries more bushfire risk (67 vs 50).

Sawtell Bundagen
Bushfire Moderate
50/100
 Moderate
67/100
Crime High
73/100
 High
75/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
67/100
 High
73/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Sawtell Bundagen
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Sawtell

  • Sawtell Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Bundagen

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

Amenities in the suburb

Sawtell Bundagen
Cafes & restaurants 7 0
Parks & reserves 4 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 1 6

Mobility

Sawtell sits further from the CBD (521.7 km vs 514.8 km).

Sawtell Bundagen
Walkability score 56/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 521.7 km
+1% vs other
 514.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 340 min 345 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2452
 0.9%
postcode 2454
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 2452
 70
postcode 2454

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.

Sawtell Bundagen
Car (driver) 72.8% / 100.0%
Sawtell — Car (driver): 72.8% Bundagen — Car (driver): 100.0%
Worked from Home 17.0% / —
Sawtell — Worked from Home: 17.0% Bundagen — Worked from Home: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 5.2% / —
Sawtell — Car (passenger): 5.2% Bundagen — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 3.3% / —
Sawtell — Walked Only: 3.3% Bundagen — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 1.4% / —
Sawtell — Bicycle: 1.4% Bundagen — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (100.0%).

Setting

Sawtell Bundagen
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 736 m
801 m to a named beach
 1.5 km
2.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Sawtell Bundagen
Connectivity score 100/100 20/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
2,149 premises
 0%
35 premises

Climate

Sawtell Bundagen
Annual rainfall 1,827 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Sawtell Bundagen
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 10.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.22 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Sawtell Bundagen
Average residential rate $1,437/yr
same for both
Council Coffs Harbour
same for both

Federal electorate

Sawtell Bundagen
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sawtell Bundagen
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sawtell

Beach Coastal Parks Retirees River

Bundagen

Coastal River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sawtell

Sawtell vs Coffs Harbour Sawtell vs Toormina Sawtell vs Bonville

Other comparisons with Bundagen

Bundagen vs Bonville Bundagen vs Repton Bundagen vs Valery
Full data on Sawtell Full data on Bundagen
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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