Tarro vs Tomago

Tarro is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 60 in Tomago. In both, most households own their home. In Tarro, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are people living alone. In Tomago, about half of homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Tomago: a median of $2 million, against $730,000 in Tarro, though rent is higher in Tarro. On these figures, Tarro tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Tomago suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Tarro

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (47% vs 26%)
  • carries lower crime risk (54/100 vs 97/100)

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

First-home buyers

Tarro

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($730,000 vs $2,000,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (30% vs 67%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Tomago

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $340/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Tarro

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (28/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (116 min vs 122 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (159.4 km vs 164.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Tarro is more walkable (28/100 vs 0/100)
  • Tomago has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 7%)

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

Investors

Tarro

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.5% vs -2.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Tarro Tomago
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.

Tarro Tomago
Walkability 28 / 0
Tarro — Walkability: 28/100 Tomago — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 46 / 3
Tarro — Safety: 46/100 Tomago — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 100 / 32
Tarro — Low fire risk: 100/100 Tomago — Low fire risk: 32/100

Demographics

Tarro has more residents (1,703 vs 269); Tarro has higher household incomes ($60,684 vs $40,976).

Tarro Tomago
Population 1,703
+84% vs other
 269
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.5% -2.9%
Median age 45 60
Median household income $60,684/yr
+32% vs other
 $40,976/yr
Median weekly rent $340/wk
+26% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Tarro Tomago
0-4 5.2% / 4.1%
Tarro — 0-4: 5.2% Tomago — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 10.6% / 6.7%
Tarro — 5-14: 10.6% Tomago — 5-14: 6.7%
15-19 4.2% / 1.1%
Tarro — 15-19: 4.2% Tomago — 15-19: 1.1%
20-24 5.9% / 3.0%
Tarro — 20-24: 5.9% Tomago — 20-24: 3.0%
25-34 12.9% / 4.1%
Tarro — 25-34: 12.9% Tomago — 25-34: 4.1%
35-44 10.5% / 4.1%
Tarro — 35-44: 10.5% Tomago — 35-44: 4.1%
45-54 11.2% / 18.2%
Tarro — 45-54: 11.2% Tomago — 45-54: 18.2%
55-64 12.7% / 17.8%
Tarro — 55-64: 12.7% Tomago — 55-64: 17.8%
65-74 14.9% / 25.3%
Tarro — 65-74: 14.9% Tomago — 65-74: 25.3%
75-84 9.6% / 12.3%
Tarro — 75-84: 9.6% Tomago — 75-84: 12.3%
85+ 2.5% / 1.9%
Tarro — 85+: 2.5% Tomago — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Tarro 47.0% lone person
Tarro — Lone Person: 47.0% Tarro — Couple Families: 30.3% Tarro — One Parent Families: 16.6% Tarro — Group Household: 4.8% Tarro — Other Families: 1.3%
Tomago 71.2% lone person
Tomago — Lone Person: 71.2% Tomago — Couple Families: 7.7% Tomago — One Parent Families: 18.3% Tomago — Group Household: 2.9% Tomago — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Tarro 22.1% renting
Tarro — Owned Outright: 46.5% Tarro — Mortgage: 31.3% Tarro — Renting: 22.1%
Tomago 32.5% renting
Tomago — Owned Outright: 58.5% Tomago — Mortgage: 8.9% Tomago — Renting: 32.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Tarro Tomago
Certificate III & IV 19.3% / 13.4%
Tarro — Certificate III & IV: 19.3% Tomago — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 4.8%
Tarro — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Tomago — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.8%
Bachelor Degree 5.2% / 1.9%
Tarro — Bachelor Degree: 5.2% Tomago — Bachelor Degree: 1.9%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 1.1%
Tarro — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Tomago — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.5% / 1.1%
Tarro — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5% Tomago — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

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.

Tarro Tomago
England 2.4% / 1.5%
Tarro — England: 2.4% Tomago — England: 1.5%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.5%
Tarro — New Zealand: 0.7% Tomago — New Zealand: 1.5%
Germany — / 1.9%
Tarro — Germany: not among its largest Tomago — Germany: 1.9%
China 0.8% / —
Tarro — China: 0.8% Tomago — China: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.6% / —
Tarro — Netherlands: 0.6% Tomago — Netherlands: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / —
Tarro — Scotland: 0.5% Tomago — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Tarro 93.3% houses
Tarro — Houses: 93.3% Tarro — Flats / Apartments: 0.1% Tarro — Townhouses: 6.5%
Tomago 52.0% houses
Tomago — Houses: 52.0% Tomago — Flats / Apartments: 48.0% Tomago — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Tarro Tomago
Median house price $730,000 $2,000,000
Median unit price $380,000 $385,000
Median land price — $1,895,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 7 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Tarro has more land zoned for conservation (84% vs 29%); Tomago has more industrially zoned land (33% vs 0%).

Tarro Tomago
Environmental 84% 29%
Industrial 0% 33%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 32%
Residential 10% 0%
Rural and farming 0% 7%
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

Tarro Tomago
New dwellings approved 912
across Newcastle
 495
across Port Stephens
Approvals change year on year +77% -72%

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.

Tarro Tomago
Houses 4.7%
$665/wk on $729K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Tarro Tomago
House price Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Income — Higher than 5% of NSW
Schools Higher than 30% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 1% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 94% of NSW —

Liveability

Tarro is more walkable (28 vs 0).

Tarro Tomago
Grade C —
Score 33/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Tomago carries more bushfire risk (68 vs 0); Tomago carries more crime risk (97 vs 54).

Tarro Tomago
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
68/100
Crime Moderate
54/100
 High
97/100
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 10
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Tarro Tomago
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 9.6 km
 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 8.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.1% 0.0%

Schools in Tarro

  • Tarro Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Aspect Hunter School, Tarro Satellite Independent · Primary · Special school

Schools in Tomago

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

Amenities in the suburb

Tarro Tomago
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 1 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Tomago sits further from the CBD (164.6 km vs 159.4 km).

Tarro Tomago
Walkability score 28/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 159.4 km 164.6 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 116 min 122 min
Public transport score 63/100
Rail · Bus
 43/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 14.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2322
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 2322
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.

Tarro Tomago
Car (driver) 81.6% / 85.7%
Tarro — Car (driver): 81.6% Tomago — Car (driver): 85.7%
Worked from Home 10.4% / 14.3%
Tarro — Worked from Home: 10.4% Tomago — Worked from Home: 14.3%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / —
Tarro — Car (passenger): 4.9% Tomago — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Train 1.9% / —
Tarro — Train: 1.9% Tomago — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 1.2% / —
Tarro — Walked Only: 1.2% Tomago — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.7%).

Setting

Tarro Tomago
Elevation 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.9 km 3.7 km

NBN connectivity

Tarro Tomago
Connectivity score 62/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 32%
790 premises
 40%
553 premises

Climate

Tarro Tomago
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Tarro Tomago
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³ 6.6 µg/m³
PM10 17.5 µg/m³ 21.1 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.72 pphm 0.75 pphm

Council rates

Tarro Tomago
Average residential rate $1,783/yr $1,359/yr
Council Newcastle Port Stephens

Federal electorate

Tarro Tomago
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Tarro Tomago
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Tarro

Acreage Retirees Trains

Tomago

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Tarro

Tarro vs Beresfield Tarro vs Woodberry Tarro vs Black Hill Tarro vs Hexham

Other comparisons with Tomago

Tomago vs Raymond Terrace Tomago vs Woodberry Tomago vs Williamtown Tomago vs Fullerton Cove Tomago vs Heatherbrae
Full data on Tarro Full data on Tomago
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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