South Murwillumbah vs Wardrop Valley

Wardrop Valley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 48 in South Murwillumbah. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Wardrop Valley, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, South Murwillumbah tends to suit older residents, while Wardrop Valley suits young adults and couples.

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

Wardrop Valley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 91/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 51%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 90%)
  • But South Murwillumbah has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wardrop Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper rent ($298/wk vs $390/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

South Murwillumbah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a shorter drive in (520 min vs 526 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • South Murwillumbah has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 10%)
  • Wardrop Valley carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

South Murwillumbah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-4.5% vs -10.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
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.

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Walkability 19 / 14
South Murwillumbah — Walkability: 19/100 Wardrop Valley — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 9 / 80
South Murwillumbah — Safety: 9/100 Wardrop Valley — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 100 / 50
South Murwillumbah — Low fire risk: 100/100 Wardrop Valley — Low fire risk: 50/100

Demographics

South Murwillumbah has more residents (1,064 vs 80); South Murwillumbah rents higher ($390/wk vs $298/wk).

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Population 1,064
+92% vs other
 80
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -4.5% -10.1%
Median age 48 39
Median household income $67,184/yr $68,224/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+24% vs other
 $298/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
0-4 4.8% / 11.2%
South Murwillumbah — 0-4: 4.8% Wardrop Valley — 0-4: 11.2%
5-14 9.8% / 6.2%
South Murwillumbah — 5-14: 9.8% Wardrop Valley — 5-14: 6.2%
15-19 6.9% / —
South Murwillumbah — 15-19: 6.9% Wardrop Valley — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 5.0% / 6.2%
South Murwillumbah — 20-24: 5.0% Wardrop Valley — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 7.4% / 20.0%
South Murwillumbah — 25-34: 7.4% Wardrop Valley — 25-34: 20.0%
35-44 12.0% / 15.0%
South Murwillumbah — 35-44: 12.0% Wardrop Valley — 35-44: 15.0%
45-54 15.2% / 18.8%
South Murwillumbah — 45-54: 15.2% Wardrop Valley — 45-54: 18.8%
55-64 14.8% / 15.0%
South Murwillumbah — 55-64: 14.8% Wardrop Valley — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 14.0% / 10.0%
South Murwillumbah — 65-74: 14.0% Wardrop Valley — 65-74: 10.0%
75-84 6.4% / —
South Murwillumbah — 75-84: 6.4% Wardrop Valley — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 3.6% / —
South Murwillumbah — 85+: 3.6% Wardrop Valley — 85+: not among its largest

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

South Murwillumbah 31.7% couple families
South Murwillumbah — Couple Families: 31.7% South Murwillumbah — Lone Person: 41.0% South Murwillumbah — One Parent Families: 19.7% South Murwillumbah — Group Household: 6.0% South Murwillumbah — Other Families: 1.6%
Wardrop Valley 45.8% couple families
Wardrop Valley — Couple Families: 45.8% Wardrop Valley — Lone Person: 33.3% Wardrop Valley — One Parent Families: 20.8% Wardrop Valley — Group Household: 0.0% Wardrop Valley — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

South Murwillumbah 26.2% renting
South Murwillumbah — Owned Outright: 40.2% South Murwillumbah — Mortgage: 33.6% South Murwillumbah — Renting: 26.2%
Wardrop Valley 34.5% renting
Wardrop Valley — Owned Outright: 27.6% Wardrop Valley — Mortgage: 37.9% Wardrop Valley — Renting: 34.5%
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.

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
New Zealand 2.6% / 7.5%
South Murwillumbah — New Zealand: 2.6% Wardrop Valley — New Zealand: 7.5%
England 2.9% / —
South Murwillumbah — England: 2.9% Wardrop Valley — England: not among its largest
South Africa 0.7% / —
South Murwillumbah — South Africa: 0.7% Wardrop Valley — South Africa: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / —
South Murwillumbah — Philippines: 0.5% Wardrop Valley — Philippines: not among its largest
Thailand 0.5% / —
South Murwillumbah — Thailand: 0.5% Wardrop Valley — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

Qualifications

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

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Certificate III & IV 19.2% / 21.2%
South Murwillumbah — Certificate III & IV: 19.2% Wardrop Valley — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 7.2% / 7.5%
South Murwillumbah — Bachelor Degree: 7.2% Wardrop Valley — Bachelor Degree: 7.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 7.5%
South Murwillumbah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Wardrop Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 3.8%
South Murwillumbah — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Wardrop Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / —
South Murwillumbah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Wardrop Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

South Murwillumbah 89.6% houses
South Murwillumbah — Houses: 89.6% South Murwillumbah — Flats / Apartments: 10.4%
Wardrop Valley 100.0% houses
Wardrop Valley — Houses: 100.0% Wardrop Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Median house price $835,000 $850,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 48 days
from 14 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Wardrop Valley has more land zoned for conservation (45% vs 4%); South Murwillumbah has more rural and farming land (73% vs 55%).

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Rural and farming 73% 55%
Environmental 4% 45%
Industrial 15% 0%
Residential 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 0%
Other and special use 1% 0%
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

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
House price Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Income Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 64% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW

Liveability

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Grade D —
Score 25/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Wardrop Valley carries more bushfire risk (50 vs 0); South Murwillumbah carries more crime risk (91 vs 20).

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
50/100
Crime High
91/100
 Low
20/100
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 4
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in South Murwillumbah

  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers

Schools in Wardrop Valley

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

Amenities in the suburb

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 5 0
Childcare 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 6 0
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Walkability score 19/100 14/100
Distance to Sydney 798.9 km 797.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 520 min 526 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2484
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 76
postcode 2484
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.

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Car (driver) 74.9% / 88.2%
South Murwillumbah — Car (driver): 74.9% Wardrop Valley — Car (driver): 88.2%
Worked from Home 13.4% / 11.8%
South Murwillumbah — Worked from Home: 13.4% Wardrop Valley — Worked from Home: 11.8%
Walked Only 5.7% / —
South Murwillumbah — Walked Only: 5.7% Wardrop Valley — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 4.9% / —
South Murwillumbah — Car (passenger): 4.9% Wardrop Valley — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 1.1% / —
South Murwillumbah — Bicycle: 1.1% Wardrop Valley — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (88.2%).

Setting

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Elevation 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 117 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.2 km 11.2 km

NBN connectivity

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Connectivity score 71/100 28/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 47%
956 premises
 0%
34 premises

Climate

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Annual rainfall 1,569 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.1°C
same for both

Council rates

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

South Murwillumbah Wardrop Valley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

South Murwillumbah

Acreage

Wardrop Valley

Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with South Murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah vs Murwillumbah South Murwillumbah vs Dunbible South Murwillumbah vs Condong South Murwillumbah vs Fernvale South Murwillumbah vs Kielvale South Murwillumbah vs Tygalgah

Other comparisons with Wardrop Valley

Wardrop Valley vs Burringbar Wardrop Valley vs Stokers Siding Wardrop Valley vs Fernvale Wardrop Valley vs Kielvale Wardrop Valley vs Reserve Creek Wardrop Valley vs Palmvale
Full data on South Murwillumbah Full data on Wardrop Valley
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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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