Swan Bay vs Woodburn

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Swan Bay, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Swan Bay: a median of $670,000, against $590,000 in Woodburn, though rent is higher in Woodburn. On these figures, Swan Bay tends to suit couples, while Woodburn suits 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

Swan Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (94% vs 58%)

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

First-home buyers

Woodburn

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($590,000 vs $670,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Swan Bay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $340/wk)
  • But Woodburn has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 13%)

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

Commuting to the city

Woodburn

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (443 min vs 450 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (689 km vs 697 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Swan Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (60.1% vs 0.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Swan Bay Woodburn
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.

Swan Bay Woodburn
Walkability 5 / 0
Swan Bay — Walkability: 5/100 Woodburn — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 16 / 15
Swan Bay — Low fire risk: 16/100 Woodburn — Low fire risk: 15/100

Demographics

Woodburn has more residents (743 vs 357); Swan Bay has higher household incomes ($95,316 vs $72,072).

Swan Bay Woodburn
Population 357 743
+108% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +60.1% +0.5%
Median age 43 41
Median household income $95,316/yr
+24% vs other
 $72,072/yr
Median weekly rent $310/wk $340/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay Woodburn
0-4 5.3% / 5.7%
Swan Bay — 0-4: 5.3% Woodburn — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 12.0% / 13.2%
Swan Bay — 5-14: 12.0% Woodburn — 5-14: 13.2%
15-19 11.8% / 7.0%
Swan Bay — 15-19: 11.8% Woodburn — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 5.0% / 5.5%
Swan Bay — 20-24: 5.0% Woodburn — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 7.3% / 11.4%
Swan Bay — 25-34: 7.3% Woodburn — 25-34: 11.4%
35-44 13.7% / 10.8%
Swan Bay — 35-44: 13.7% Woodburn — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 17.4% / 14.4%
Swan Bay — 45-54: 17.4% Woodburn — 45-54: 14.4%
55-64 12.0% / 13.2%
Swan Bay — 55-64: 12.0% Woodburn — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 11.8% / 10.4%
Swan Bay — 65-74: 11.8% Woodburn — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 2.0% / 7.5%
Swan Bay — 75-84: 2.0% Woodburn — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 1.7% / 1.6%
Swan Bay — 85+: 1.7% Woodburn — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay 62.9% couple families
Swan Bay — Couple Families: 62.9% Swan Bay — One Parent Families: 30.6% Swan Bay — Lone Person: 6.5% Swan Bay — Group Household: 0.0% Swan Bay — Other Families: 0.0%
Woodburn 38.1% couple families
Woodburn — Couple Families: 38.1% Woodburn — One Parent Families: 20.1% Woodburn — Lone Person: 32.0% Woodburn — Group Household: 8.2% Woodburn — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay 13.0% renting
Swan Bay — Owned Outright: 29.0% Swan Bay — Mortgage: 58.0% Swan Bay — Renting: 13.0%
Woodburn 24.4% renting
Woodburn — Owned Outright: 36.0% Woodburn — Mortgage: 39.7% Woodburn — Renting: 24.4%
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.

Swan Bay Woodburn
England 2.2% / 1.9%
Swan Bay — England: 2.2% Woodburn — England: 1.9%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.2%
Swan Bay — New Zealand: 1.1% Woodburn — New Zealand: 1.2%
South Africa 0.8% / —
Swan Bay — South Africa: 0.8% Woodburn — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.2%).

Qualifications

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

Swan Bay Woodburn
Certificate III & IV 18.5% / 19.7%
Swan Bay — Certificate III & IV: 18.5% Woodburn — Certificate III & IV: 19.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 5.5%
Swan Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Woodburn — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.5%
Bachelor Degree 6.4% / 5.9%
Swan Bay — Bachelor Degree: 6.4% Woodburn — Bachelor Degree: 5.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 0.5%
Swan Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Woodburn — Postgraduate Degree: 0.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 0.8%
Swan Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Woodburn — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay 97.1% houses
Swan Bay — Houses: 97.1% Swan Bay — Townhouses: 3.9% Swan Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Woodburn 90.8% houses
Woodburn — Houses: 90.8% Woodburn — Townhouses: 5.7% Woodburn — Flats / Apartments: 3.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Swan Bay Woodburn
Median house price $670,000 $590,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $285,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 80 days
from 11 sales

Zoning mix

Woodburn has more land zoned for conservation (26% vs 4%); Swan Bay has more rural and farming land (90% vs 71%).

Swan Bay Woodburn
Rural and farming 90% 71%
Environmental 4% 26%
Residential 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 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

Swan Bay Woodburn
New dwellings approved 24
across Richmond Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -78%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Swan Bay Woodburn
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
Income Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
EV adoption — Higher than 24% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW

Liveability

Swan Bay Woodburn
Grade — D
Score — 8/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Swan Bay Woodburn
Bushfire High
84/100
 High
85/100
Crime —
same for both
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

Swan Bay Woodburn
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Swan Bay

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

Schools in Woodburn

  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Woodburn Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Swan Bay Woodburn
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 7
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 6 15

Mobility

Swan Bay sits further from the CBD (697 km vs 689 km).

Swan Bay Woodburn
Walkability score 5/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 697 km
+1% vs other
 689 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 450 min 443 min
Public transport score 26/100
Bus
 41/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 14.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 2471
 0.2%
postcode 2472
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 73
postcode 2471
 79
postcode 2472

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.

Swan Bay Woodburn
Car (driver) 73.9% / 73.5%
Swan Bay — Car (driver): 73.9% Woodburn — Car (driver): 73.5%
Worked from Home 18.7% / 9.2%
Swan Bay — Worked from Home: 18.7% Woodburn — Worked from Home: 9.2%
Car (passenger) 7.5% / 10.1%
Swan Bay — Car (passenger): 7.5% Woodburn — Car (passenger): 10.1%
Walked Only — / 7.1%
Swan Bay — Walked Only: not among its largest Woodburn — Walked Only: 7.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.9%).

Setting

Swan Bay Woodburn
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.8 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 7.6 km
3.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Swan Bay Woodburn
Connectivity score 30/100 79/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
116 premises
 52%
367 premises

Climate

Swan Bay Woodburn
Annual rainfall 1,408 mm 1,557 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 27.4°C
Winter min (Jul) — 11.0°C

Council rates

Swan Bay Woodburn
Average residential rate $1,282/yr
same for both
Council Richmond Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Swan Bay Woodburn
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Swan Bay Woodburn
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Swan Bay

Affordable Rural

Woodburn

Affordable Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Swan Bay

Swan Bay vs New Italy Swan Bay vs East Coraki Swan Bay vs North Woodburn Swan Bay vs Bungawalbin

Other comparisons with Woodburn

Woodburn vs Evans Head Woodburn vs Broadwater Woodburn vs Doonbah Woodburn vs New Italy Woodburn vs Rileys Hill Woodburn vs North Woodburn
Full data on Swan Bay Full data on Woodburn
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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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