Terara vs Nowra

Nowra is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 59 in Terara. In Terara, the large majority of households own their home, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Nowra, about half of households rent, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Terara: a median of $1.69 million, against $680,000 in Nowra, though rent is higher in Nowra. On these figures, Terara tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Nowra suits renters, families with children, and 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

Nowra

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (13 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 1)
  • But Terara carries lower crime risk (78/100 vs 97/100)

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

First-home buyers

Nowra

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($680,000 vs $1,690,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (33% vs 45%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Terara has cheaper rent ($210/wk vs $300/wk)
  • Nowra has a bigger rental market to choose from (48% vs 16%)

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

Commuting to the city

Nowra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 28/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Terara

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (55% vs 19%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (40% vs 23%)
  • carries lower crime risk (78/100 vs 97/100)
  • But Nowra has more GPs (11 vs 0)

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

Investors

Terara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (30.3% vs 8.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Terara Nowra
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.

Terara Nowra
Walkability 28 / 90
Terara — Walkability: 28/100 Nowra — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 22 / 3
Terara — Safety: 22/100 Nowra — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 72 / 72
Terara — Low fire risk: 72/100 Nowra — Low fire risk: 72/100

Demographics

Nowra has more residents (9,956 vs 305); Terara skews older (59 vs 40).

Terara Nowra
Population 305 9,956
+3164% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +30.3% +8.3%
Median age 59 40
Median household income $42,900/yr $53,924/yr
+26% vs other
Median weekly rent $210/wk $300/wk
+43% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Terara Nowra
0-4 3.3% / 6.3%
Terara — 0-4: 3.3% Nowra — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 9.2% / 12.1%
Terara — 5-14: 9.2% Nowra — 5-14: 12.1%
15-19 2.0% / 5.8%
Terara — 15-19: 2.0% Nowra — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 2.0% / 5.7%
Terara — 20-24: 2.0% Nowra — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 9.5% / 13.6%
Terara — 25-34: 9.5% Nowra — 25-34: 13.6%
35-44 6.2% / 10.4%
Terara — 35-44: 6.2% Nowra — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 11.5% / 11.1%
Terara — 45-54: 11.5% Nowra — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 20.3% / 11.9%
Terara — 55-64: 20.3% Nowra — 55-64: 11.9%
65-74 23.6% / 10.9%
Terara — 65-74: 23.6% Nowra — 65-74: 10.9%
75-84 12.8% / 7.7%
Terara — 75-84: 12.8% Nowra — 75-84: 7.7%
85+ 3.3% / 4.5%
Terara — 85+: 3.3% Nowra — 85+: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Terara 67.3% lone person
Terara — Lone Person: 67.3% Terara — Couple Families: 14.2% Terara — One Parent Families: 15.0% Terara — Group Household: 3.5% Terara — Other Families: 0.0%
Nowra 46.3% lone person
Nowra — Lone Person: 46.3% Nowra — Couple Families: 24.5% Nowra — One Parent Families: 21.8% Nowra — Group Household: 5.1% Nowra — Other Families: 2.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Terara 15.7% renting
Terara — Owned Outright: 74.0% Terara — Mortgage: 10.2% Terara — Renting: 15.7%
Nowra 47.8% renting
Nowra — Owned Outright: 29.5% Nowra — Mortgage: 22.8% Nowra — Renting: 47.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Terara Nowra
Certificate III & IV 16.1% / 16.1%
Terara — Certificate III & IV: 16.1% Nowra — Certificate III & IV: 16.1%
Bachelor Degree 6.9% / 6.2%
Terara — Bachelor Degree: 6.9% Nowra — Bachelor Degree: 6.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 5.4%
Terara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Nowra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 1.9%
Terara — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Nowra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.2%
Terara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Nowra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

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.

Terara Nowra
England 5.9% / 3.2%
Terara — England: 5.9% Nowra — England: 3.2%
New Zealand 1.6% / 0.9%
Terara — New Zealand: 1.6% Nowra — New Zealand: 0.9%
Thailand 1.0% / 0.4%
Terara — Thailand: 1.0% Nowra — Thailand: 0.4%
India — / 1.3%
Terara — India: not among its largest Nowra — India: 1.3%
Philippines — / 0.9%
Terara — Philippines: not among its largest Nowra — Philippines: 0.9%
China — / 0.7%
Terara — China: not among its largest Nowra — China: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Terara 44.6% houses
Terara — Houses: 44.6% Terara — Flats / Apartments: 55.4% Terara — Townhouses: 0.0%
Nowra 81.2% houses
Nowra — Houses: 81.2% Nowra — Flats / Apartments: 5.2% Nowra — Townhouses: 13.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Terara Nowra
Median house price $1,690,000 $680,000
Median unit price — $393,000
Median land price — $482,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 30 days
from 164 sales

Zoning mix

Terara has more rural and farming land (77% vs 6%); Terara has more land zoned for conservation (16% vs 4%).

Terara Nowra
Rural and farming 77% 6%
Residential 0% 52%
Parks and recreation 3% 22%
Environmental 16% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 12%
Commercial 0% 4%
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

Terara Nowra
New dwellings approved 854
across Shoalhaven
same for both
Approvals change year on year -10%
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.

Terara Nowra
Houses — 4.0%
$565/wk on $732K
Units — 4.2%
$385/wk on $472K

Ranking within NSW

Terara Nowra
House price Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Income — Higher than 14% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 3% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 45% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 74% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 33% of NSW

Liveability

Nowra is more walkable (90 vs 28).

Terara Nowra
Grade — D
Score — 27/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Nowra carries more crime risk (97 vs 78).

Terara Nowra
Bushfire Low
28/100
same for both
Crime High
78/100
 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 4
within 5 km
 10
within 5 km

Schools

Terara Nowra
Inside the suburb 1 7
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0 4

Schools in Terara

  • Terara Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Nowra

  • St John the Evangelist Catholic High School Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • St Michael's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Nowra East Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Nowra High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Nowra Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Shoalhaven High School Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Terara Nowra
Supermarkets 0 5
Cafes & restaurants 0 4
Parks & reserves 0 16
Childcare 0 13
GPs 0 11
Pharmacies 0 6
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 11
Fuel stations 0 5
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Terara Nowra
Walkability score 28/100 90/100
Distance to Sydney 163.9 km
+1% vs other
 162.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 134 min 133 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2540
 0.4%
postcode 2541
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2540
 44
postcode 2541

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.

Terara Nowra
Car (driver) 65.5% / 75.7%
Terara — Car (driver): 65.5% Nowra — Car (driver): 75.7%
Worked from Home 21.8% / 8.9%
Terara — Worked from Home: 21.8% Nowra — Worked from Home: 8.9%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 8.4%
Terara — Car (passenger): 5.7% Nowra — Car (passenger): 8.4%
Walked Only 6.9% / 5.6%
Terara — Walked Only: 6.9% Nowra — Walked Only: 5.6%
Bicycle — / 1.1%
Terara — Bicycle: not among its largest Nowra — Bicycle: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.7%).

Setting

Terara Nowra
Elevation 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.8 km 11.7 km

NBN connectivity

Terara Nowra
Connectivity score 88/100 96/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 82%
157 premises
 90%
6,369 premises

Council rates

Terara Nowra
Average residential rate $1,501/yr
same for both
Council Shoalhaven
same for both

Federal electorate

Terara Nowra
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Terara Nowra
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Terara

Retirees River Rural

Nowra

Affordable Parks Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Terara

Terara vs Bomaderry Terara vs Worrigee Terara vs Numbaa Terara vs Bolong

Other comparisons with Nowra

Nowra vs Bomaderry Nowra vs North Nowra Nowra vs Worrigee Nowra vs South Nowra Nowra vs West Nowra
Full data on Terara Full data on Nowra
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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