Tempe vs Wolli Creek

Wolli Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 39 in Tempe. In Tempe, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. In Wolli Creek, most households rent and the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. Units cost more in Tempe: a median of $897,000, against $825,000 in Wolli Creek, and rent is higher there too. Wolli Creek is closer to the city centre: 17.1 km, against 32.7 km. On these figures, Tempe tends to suit families with children and couples, while Wolli Creek suits renters, young adults, and 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

Tempe

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (68% vs 1%)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Wolli Creek has more parks and reserves (8 vs 5)

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 unit prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wolli Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (65% vs 26%)
  • has cheaper rent ($540/wk vs $600/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Wolli Creek

ahead on 4 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (22% vs 8%)
  • sits closer to the CBD (17.1 km vs 32.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (22 min vs 33 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wolli Creek

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (99% vs 32%)
  • is more walkable (96/100 vs 86/100)
  • But Tempe has more residents already 65 and over (14% vs 3%)

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

Investors

Wolli Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (66.6% vs -0.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Tempe Wolli Creek
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.

Tempe Wolli Creek
Walkability 86 / 96
Tempe — Walkability: 86/100 Wolli Creek — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 30 / 35
Tempe — Safety: 30/100 Wolli Creek — Safety: 35/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Tempe — Low fire risk: 100/100 Wolli Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Wolli Creek has more residents (10,654 vs 3,550); Tempe skews older (39 vs 30).

Tempe Wolli Creek
Population 3,550 10,654
+200% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.2% +66.6%
Median age 39 30
Median household income $127,504/yr
+12% vs other
 $112,476/yr
Median weekly rent $600/wk
+10% vs other
 $540/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Tempe Wolli Creek
0-4 6.3% / 5.1%
Tempe — 0-4: 6.3% Wolli Creek — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 11.9% / 2.9%
Tempe — 5-14: 11.9% Wolli Creek — 5-14: 2.9%
15-19 4.8% / 1.6%
Tempe — 15-19: 4.8% Wolli Creek — 15-19: 1.6%
20-24 4.9% / 12.8%
Tempe — 20-24: 4.9% Wolli Creek — 20-24: 12.8%
25-34 14.8% / 46.7%
Tempe — 25-34: 14.8% Wolli Creek — 25-34: 46.7%
35-44 17.4% / 18.2%
Tempe — 35-44: 17.4% Wolli Creek — 35-44: 18.2%
45-54 14.6% / 5.6%
Tempe — 45-54: 14.6% Wolli Creek — 45-54: 5.6%
55-64 10.8% / 4.0%
Tempe — 55-64: 10.8% Wolli Creek — 55-64: 4.0%
65-74 8.6% / 2.3%
Tempe — 65-74: 8.6% Wolli Creek — 65-74: 2.3%
75-84 4.6% / 0.8%
Tempe — 75-84: 4.6% Wolli Creek — 75-84: 0.8%
85+ 1.3% / 0.1%
Tempe — 85+: 1.3% Wolli Creek — 85+: 0.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (46.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Tempe 46.7% couple families
Tempe — Couple Families: 46.7% Tempe — Lone Person: 24.7% Tempe — Group Household: 9.3% Tempe — One Parent Families: 17.0% Tempe — Other Families: 2.3%
Wolli Creek 22.8% couple families
Wolli Creek — Couple Families: 22.8% Wolli Creek — Lone Person: 41.8% Wolli Creek — Group Household: 24.8% Wolli Creek — One Parent Families: 6.1% Wolli Creek — Other Families: 4.6%
Couple Families Lone Person Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Tempe 26.1% renting
Tempe — Owned Outright: 30.8% Tempe — Mortgage: 43.1% Tempe — Renting: 26.1%
Wolli Creek 64.6% renting
Wolli Creek — Owned Outright: 7.3% Wolli Creek — Mortgage: 28.1% Wolli Creek — Renting: 64.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Tempe Wolli Creek
Bachelor Degree 21.0% / 32.3%
Tempe — Bachelor Degree: 21.0% Wolli Creek — Bachelor Degree: 32.3%
Postgraduate Degree 8.4% / 17.4%
Tempe — Postgraduate Degree: 8.4% Wolli Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 17.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 8.9%
Tempe — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Wolli Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Certificate III & IV 8.4% / 5.3%
Tempe — Certificate III & IV: 8.4% Wolli Creek — Certificate III & IV: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.0%
Tempe — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Wolli Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (32.3%).

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.

Tempe Wolli Creek
China 1.8% / 20.2%
Tempe — China: 1.8% Wolli Creek — China: 20.2%
Vietnam 3.4% / 2.3%
Tempe — Vietnam: 3.4% Wolli Creek — Vietnam: 2.3%
Philippines 1.9% / 2.6%
Tempe — Philippines: 1.9% Wolli Creek — Philippines: 2.6%
Indonesia — / 4.3%
Tempe — Indonesia: not among its largest Wolli Creek — Indonesia: 4.3%
Brazil — / 3.7%
Tempe — Brazil: not among its largest Wolli Creek — Brazil: 3.7%
India 0.9% / 2.5%
Tempe — India: 0.9% Wolli Creek — India: 2.5%
England 3.3% / —
Tempe — England: 3.3% Wolli Creek — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 2.1% / —
Tempe — New Zealand: 2.1% Wolli Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
Greece 1.9% / —
Tempe — Greece: 1.9% Wolli Creek — Greece: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Tempe 5.9% flats / apartments
Tempe — Flats / Apartments: 5.9% Tempe — Houses: 67.5% Tempe — Townhouses: 26.6%
Wolli Creek 99.1% flats / apartments
Wolli Creek — Flats / Apartments: 99.1% Wolli Creek — Houses: 0.7% Wolli Creek — Townhouses: 0.2%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Tempe Wolli Creek
Median house price $1,800,000 —
Median unit price $897,000 $825,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 19 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Tempe has more industrially zoned land (30% vs 0%).

Tempe Wolli Creek
Residential 28% 57%
Industrial 30% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 13% 22%
Parks and recreation 19% 18%
Environmental 9% 2%
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

Tempe Wolli Creek
New dwellings approved 849
across Inner West
 857
across Bayside (NSW)
Approvals change year on year -25% +98%

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.

Tempe Wolli Creek
Houses 4.1%
$1,275/wk on $1.6M
 —
Units — 5.4%
$890/wk on $850K

Ranking within NSW

Tempe Wolli Creek
House price Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Income Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 79% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 83% of NSW

Liveability

Wolli Creek is more walkable (96 vs 86); Wolli Creek scores higher overall (82 vs 74).

Tempe Wolli Creek
Grade A
same for both
Score 74/100 82/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Tempe Wolli Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
70/100
 Moderate
65/100
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 9
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Tempe Wolli Creek
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 4.4 km
 3
The University of Sydney, 5.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7% 5.7%

Schools in Tempe

  • Tempe High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Tempe Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Wolli Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Tempe Wolli Creek
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 3 19
Parks & reserves 5 8
Childcare 5 0
GPs 0 6
Pharmacies 0 1
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Tempe sits further from the CBD (32.7 km vs 17.1 km).

Tempe Wolli Creek
Walkability score 86/100 96/100
Distance to Sydney 32.7 km
+48% vs other
 17.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 33 min 22 min
Public transport score 80/100
Rail · Bus
 98/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 64.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 57.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2044
 1.6%
postcode 2205
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 2044
 8
postcode 2205

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.

Tempe Wolli Creek
Worked from Home 54.3% / 52.1%
Tempe — Worked from Home: 54.3% Wolli Creek — Worked from Home: 52.1%
Car (driver) 29.1% / 20.8%
Tempe — Car (driver): 29.1% Wolli Creek — Car (driver): 20.8%
Train 7.5% / 21.8%
Tempe — Train: 7.5% Wolli Creek — Train: 21.8%
Walked Only 3.7% / 1.7%
Tempe — Walked Only: 3.7% Wolli Creek — Walked Only: 1.7%
Car (passenger) 1.9% / 2.0%
Tempe — Car (passenger): 1.9% Wolli Creek — Car (passenger): 2.0%
Bus 1.9% / 0.9%
Tempe — Bus: 1.9% Wolli Creek — Bus: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.3%).

Setting

Tempe Wolli Creek
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.5 km 2.2 km

NBN connectivity

Tempe Wolli Creek
Connectivity score 75/100 85/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
1,533 premises
 59%
5,171 premises

Climate

Tempe Wolli Creek
Annual rainfall 1,129 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Tempe Wolli Creek
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.79 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Tempe Wolli Creek
Average residential rate $1,342/yr $1,217/yr
Council Inner West Bayside (NSW)

Federal electorate

Tempe Wolli Creek
Division Grayndler Barton
Member Anthony Albanese Ash Ambihaipahar
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Tempe Wolli Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Tempe

Coastal Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Trains Transport Hub

Wolli Creek

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Professionals River Trains Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Tempe

Tempe vs Marrickville Tempe vs Mascot Tempe vs Arncliffe Tempe vs St Peters Tempe vs Sydenham

Other comparisons with Wolli Creek

Wolli Creek vs Marrickville Wolli Creek vs Earlwood Wolli Creek vs Arncliffe Wolli Creek vs Turrella
Full data on Tempe Full data on Wolli Creek
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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