Sutton Forest vs Exeter

Sutton Forest is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 53 in Exeter. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families.

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

Exeter

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (40/100 vs 58/100)

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

Sutton Forest

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Exeter

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (103 min vs 108 min)
  • But Sutton Forest sits closer to the CBD (139 km vs 145.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Exeter

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (40/100 vs 58/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (32% vs 26%)

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

Investors

Exeter

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.5% vs 5.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sutton Forest Exeter
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.

Sutton Forest Exeter
Walkability 0 / 14
Sutton Forest — Walkability: 0/100 Exeter — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 42 / 60
Sutton Forest — Safety: 42/100 Exeter — Safety: 60/100
Low fire risk 86 / 17
Sutton Forest — Low fire risk: 86/100 Exeter — Low fire risk: 17/100

Demographics

Exeter has more residents (1,087 vs 504); Exeter rents higher ($400/wk vs $300/wk).

Sutton Forest Exeter
Population 504 1,087
+116% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.7% +14.5%
Median age 50 53
Median household income $107,588/yr
+7% vs other
 $99,528/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $400/wk
+33% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest Exeter
0-4 2.8% / 5.1%
Sutton Forest — 0-4: 2.8% Exeter — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 11.3% / 11.9%
Sutton Forest — 5-14: 11.3% Exeter — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 6.0% / 3.7%
Sutton Forest — 15-19: 6.0% Exeter — 15-19: 3.7%
20-24 4.8% / 2.9%
Sutton Forest — 20-24: 4.8% Exeter — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 4.6% / 5.5%
Sutton Forest — 25-34: 4.6% Exeter — 25-34: 5.5%
35-44 8.3% / 9.5%
Sutton Forest — 35-44: 8.3% Exeter — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 17.7% / 12.5%
Sutton Forest — 45-54: 17.7% Exeter — 45-54: 12.5%
55-64 16.3% / 15.4%
Sutton Forest — 55-64: 16.3% Exeter — 55-64: 15.4%
65-74 16.1% / 18.7%
Sutton Forest — 65-74: 16.1% Exeter — 65-74: 18.7%
75-84 8.5% / 12.2%
Sutton Forest — 75-84: 8.5% Exeter — 75-84: 12.2%
85+ 1.8% / 1.5%
Sutton Forest — 85+: 1.8% Exeter — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest 47.7% couple families
Sutton Forest — Couple Families: 47.7% Sutton Forest — Lone Person: 35.5% Sutton Forest — One Parent Families: 8.4% Sutton Forest — Other Families: 4.7% Sutton Forest — Group Household: 3.7%
Exeter 47.1% couple families
Exeter — Couple Families: 47.1% Exeter — Lone Person: 38.5% Exeter — One Parent Families: 11.1% Exeter — Other Families: 1.2% Exeter — Group Household: 2.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest 19.4% renting
Sutton Forest — Owned Outright: 51.2% Sutton Forest — Mortgage: 29.4% Sutton Forest — Renting: 19.4%
Exeter 11.0% renting
Exeter — Owned Outright: 55.3% Exeter — Mortgage: 33.7% Exeter — Renting: 11.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sutton Forest Exeter
Bachelor Degree 16.7% / 19.2%
Sutton Forest — Bachelor Degree: 16.7% Exeter — Bachelor Degree: 19.2%
Certificate III & IV 15.1% / 12.1%
Sutton Forest — Certificate III & IV: 15.1% Exeter — Certificate III & IV: 12.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 11.0%
Sutton Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Exeter — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.0%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 7.5%
Sutton Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% Exeter — Postgraduate Degree: 7.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 3.3%
Sutton Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Exeter — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

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.

Sutton Forest Exeter
England 6.7% / 6.5%
Sutton Forest — England: 6.7% Exeter — England: 6.5%
New Zealand 1.8% / 1.8%
Sutton Forest — New Zealand: 1.8% Exeter — New Zealand: 1.8%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.7%
Sutton Forest — South Africa: 1.0% Exeter — South Africa: 0.7%
Egypt 0.6% / —
Sutton Forest — Egypt: 0.6% Exeter — Egypt: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.6%
Sutton Forest — Scotland: not among its largest Exeter — Scotland: 0.6%
Philippines — / 0.5%
Sutton Forest — Philippines: not among its largest Exeter — Philippines: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest 95.7% houses
Sutton Forest — Houses: 95.7% Sutton Forest — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Exeter 99.8% houses
Exeter — Houses: 99.8% Exeter — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sutton Forest Exeter
Median house price $1,973,750 $2,112,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,842,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 85 days
from 3 sales
 45 days
from 9 sales

Zoning mix

Sutton Forest has more land zoned for conservation (90% vs 73%); Exeter has more rural and farming land (23% vs 6%).

Sutton Forest Exeter
Environmental 90% 73%
Rural and farming 6% 23%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 1%
Residential 0% 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

Sutton Forest Exeter
New dwellings approved 335
across Wingecarribee
same for both
Approvals change year on year +6%
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.

Sutton Forest Exeter
Houses — 3.1%
$1,300/wk on $2.19M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Sutton Forest Exeter
House price Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Income Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 18% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 25% of NSW

Liveability

Exeter is more walkable (14 vs 0); Sutton Forest scores higher overall (52 vs 43).

Sutton Forest Exeter
Grade B C
Score 52/100 43/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Exeter carries more bushfire risk (83 vs 14); Sutton Forest carries more crime risk (58 vs 40).

Sutton Forest Exeter
Bushfire Low
14/100
 High
83/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
40/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Sutton Forest Exeter
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Sutton Forest

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

Schools in Exeter

  • Exeter Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sutton Forest Exeter
Cafes & restaurants 2 3
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 1
same for both
Waterways 13
same for both

Mobility

Exeter sits further from the CBD (145.8 km vs 139 km).

Sutton Forest Exeter
Walkability score 0/100 14/100
Distance to Sydney 139 km 145.8 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 108 min 103 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 38/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2577
 1.0%
postcode 2579
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2577
 65
postcode 2579

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.

Sutton Forest Exeter
Car (driver) 58.6% / 54.8%
Sutton Forest — Car (driver): 58.6% Exeter — Car (driver): 54.8%
Worked from Home 35.8% / 36.0%
Sutton Forest — Worked from Home: 35.8% Exeter — Worked from Home: 36.0%
Walked Only 4.2% / 6.2%
Sutton Forest — Walked Only: 4.2% Exeter — Walked Only: 6.2%
Car (passenger) 1.4% / 3.0%
Sutton Forest — Car (passenger): 1.4% Exeter — Car (passenger): 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.6%).

Setting

Sutton Forest Exeter
Elevation 681 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 702 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Sutton Forest Exeter
Connectivity score 28/100 32/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
221 premises
 4%
556 premises

Climate

Sutton Forest Exeter
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Sutton Forest Exeter
Average residential rate $2,072/yr
same for both
Council Wingecarribee
same for both

Federal electorate

Sutton Forest Exeter
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sutton Forest Exeter
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sutton Forest

Premium Retirees Rural

Exeter

Acreage Premium Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sutton Forest

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Other comparisons with Exeter

Exeter vs Bundanoon Exeter vs Penrose Exeter vs Werai
Full data on Sutton Forest Full data on Exeter
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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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