Tarago vs Lake George

Tarago is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 46 in Lake George. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Lake George: a median of $1.2 million, against $788,000 in Tarago. On these figures, Tarago tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Tarago

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Tarago

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($787,500 vs $1,200,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Lake George

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 20%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Tarago sits closer to the CBD (248.2 km vs 251.8 km)
  • Lake George has a shorter drive in (163 min vs 201 min)

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 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

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

Tarago Lake George
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.

Tarago Lake George
Walkability 0 / 0
Tarago — Walkability: 0/100 Lake George — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 74 / 73
Tarago — Safety: 74/100 Lake George — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 60 / 41
Tarago — Low fire risk: 60/100 Lake George — Low fire risk: 41/100

Demographics

Tarago has more residents (510 vs 118); Lake George has higher household incomes ($195,000 vs $105,404).

Tarago Lake George
Population 510
+77% vs other
 118
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +19.7% +20.4%
Median age 40 46
Median household income $105,404/yr $195,000/yr
+85% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+3% vs other
 $388/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Tarago Lake George
0-4 5.9% / 5.1%
Tarago — 0-4: 5.9% Lake George — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 15.3% / 12.7%
Tarago — 5-14: 15.3% Lake George — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 5.3% / 5.9%
Tarago — 15-19: 5.3% Lake George — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 4.9% / 5.1%
Tarago — 20-24: 4.9% Lake George — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 11.8% / 9.3%
Tarago — 25-34: 11.8% Lake George — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 13.7% / 9.3%
Tarago — 35-44: 13.7% Lake George — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 13.1% / 19.5%
Tarago — 45-54: 13.1% Lake George — 45-54: 19.5%
55-64 13.9% / 15.3%
Tarago — 55-64: 13.9% Lake George — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 12.2% / 15.3%
Tarago — 65-74: 12.2% Lake George — 65-74: 15.3%
75-84 5.5% / 2.5%
Tarago — 75-84: 5.5% Lake George — 75-84: 2.5%
85+ — / —
Tarago — 85+: not among its largest Lake George — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Tarago 57.4% couple families
Tarago — Couple Families: 57.4% Tarago — Lone Person: 28.7% Tarago — Group Household: 5.6% Tarago — One Parent Families: 4.6% Tarago — Other Families: 3.7%
Lake George 63.6% couple families
Lake George — Couple Families: 63.6% Lake George — Lone Person: 36.4% Lake George — Group Household: 0.0% Lake George — One Parent Families: 0.0% Lake George — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Tarago 12.0% renting
Tarago — Owned Outright: 38.0% Tarago — Mortgage: 50.0% Tarago — Renting: 12.0%
Lake George 20.5% renting
Lake George — Owned Outright: 28.2% Lake George — Mortgage: 51.3% Lake George — Renting: 20.5%
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.

Tarago Lake George
New Zealand 0.6% / 3.4%
Tarago — New Zealand: 0.6% Lake George — New Zealand: 3.4%
England 3.9% / —
Tarago — England: 3.9% Lake George — England: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.8% / 2.5%
Tarago — Netherlands: 0.8% Lake George — Netherlands: 2.5%
South Africa 0.8% / —
Tarago — South Africa: 0.8% Lake George — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

Qualifications

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

Tarago Lake George
Bachelor Degree 11.0% / 27.1%
Tarago — Bachelor Degree: 11.0% Lake George — Bachelor Degree: 27.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 13.6%
Tarago — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Lake George — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.6%
Certificate III & IV 15.5% / 5.1%
Tarago — Certificate III & IV: 15.5% Lake George — Certificate III & IV: 5.1%
Postgraduate Degree 4.7% / 14.4%
Tarago — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7% Lake George — Postgraduate Degree: 14.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 4.2%
Tarago — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Lake George — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Tarago 97.2% houses
Tarago — Houses: 97.2% Tarago — Flats / Apartments: 2.8%
Lake George 100.0% houses
Lake George — Houses: 100.0% Lake George — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Tarago Lake George
Median house price $787,500 $1,200,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $550,000 —

Zoning mix

Lake George has more land zoned for conservation (79% vs 26%); Tarago has more rural and farming land (63% vs 21%).

Tarago Lake George
Environmental 26% 79%
Rural and farming 63% 21%
Industrial 10% 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

Tarago Lake George
New dwellings approved 332
across Goulburn Mulwaree
 510
across Queanbeyan-Palerang
Approvals change year on year -1% +231%

Ranking within NSW

Tarago Lake George
House price Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Income Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 1% of NSW Higher than 6% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 1% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW

Liveability

Tarago Lake George
Grade C —
Score 47/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Lake George carries more bushfire risk (59 vs 40).

Tarago Lake George
Bushfire Moderate
40/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime Low
26/100
 Low
27/100
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
same for both

Schools

Tarago Lake George
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 Tarago

  • Tarago Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Lake George

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

Amenities in the suburb

Tarago Lake George
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Police stations 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 11 9

Mobility

Lake George sits further from the CBD (251.8 km vs 248.2 km).

Tarago Lake George
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 248.2 km 251.8 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 201 min 163 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2580
 1.0%
postcode 2581
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2580
 67
postcode 2581

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.

Tarago Lake George
Car (driver) 66.2% / 59.7%
Tarago — Car (driver): 66.2% Lake George — Car (driver): 59.7%
Worked from Home 24.8% / 27.4%
Tarago — Worked from Home: 24.8% Lake George — Worked from Home: 27.4%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 4.8%
Tarago — Car (passenger): 5.9% Lake George — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Walked Only 1.4% / 8.1%
Tarago — Walked Only: 1.4% Lake George — Walked Only: 8.1%
Bus 1.8% / —
Tarago — Bus: 1.8% Lake George — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.2%).

Setting

Tarago Lake George
Elevation 764 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 673 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Tarago Lake George
Connectivity score 15/100
same for both
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
72 premises
 0%
15 premises

Climate

Tarago Lake George
Annual rainfall 620 mm 622 mm
Summer max (Jan) 27.1°C 28.5°C
Winter min (Jul) 0.9°C 0.8°C

Council rates

Tarago Lake George
Average residential rate $1,370/yr $1,751/yr
Council Goulburn Mulwaree Queanbeyan-Palerang

Federal electorate

Tarago Lake George
Division Eden-monaro
same for both
Member Kristy Mcbain
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Tarago Lake George
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Tarago

Rural

Lake George

Professionals Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Tarago

Tarago vs Mount Fairy Tarago vs Lake Bathurst Tarago vs Lower Boro Tarago vs Currawang Tarago vs Boro

Other comparisons with Lake George

Lake George vs Bungendore Lake George vs Bywong Lake George vs Gundaroo Lake George vs Collector Lake George vs Mount Fairy Lake George vs Currawang
Full data on Tarago Full data on Lake George
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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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