Upper Burringbar vs Chowan Creek

Upper Burringbar is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 59 in Chowan Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Upper Burringbar, about half of households are people living alone. In Chowan Creek, the large majority of households are people living alone. On these figures, Chowan Creek tends to suit 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

Upper Burringbar

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 95/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, and childcare.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Chowan Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Upper Burringbar

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (515 min vs 539 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (784.7 km vs 807 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Upper Burringbar

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 95/100)
  • But Chowan Creek has more residents already 65 and over (42% vs 24%)

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

Investors

Chowan Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (54.1% vs 3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Upper Burringbar and Chowan 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.

Upper Burringbar Chowan 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.

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Walkability 10 / 0
Upper Burringbar — Walkability: 10/100 Chowan Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 80 / 5
Upper Burringbar — Safety: 80/100 Chowan Creek — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 29 / 50
Upper Burringbar — Low fire risk: 29/100 Chowan Creek — Low fire risk: 50/100

Demographics

Upper Burringbar has more residents (289 vs 57); Chowan Creek skews older (59 vs 49).

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Population 289
+80% vs other
 57
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.6% +54.1%
Median age 49 59
Median household income $54,184/yr
+17% vs other
 $45,032/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+9% vs other
 $320/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
0-4 3.5% / —
Upper Burringbar — 0-4: 3.5% Chowan Creek — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 7.3% / —
Upper Burringbar — 5-14: 7.3% Chowan Creek — 5-14: not among its largest
15-19 3.1% / —
Upper Burringbar — 15-19: 3.1% Chowan Creek — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 5.9% / —
Upper Burringbar — 20-24: 5.9% Chowan Creek — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 17.3% / 7.0%
Upper Burringbar — 25-34: 17.3% Chowan Creek — 25-34: 7.0%
35-44 9.0% / 7.0%
Upper Burringbar — 35-44: 9.0% Chowan Creek — 35-44: 7.0%
45-54 12.8% / 12.3%
Upper Burringbar — 45-54: 12.8% Chowan Creek — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 20.1% / 33.3%
Upper Burringbar — 55-64: 20.1% Chowan Creek — 55-64: 33.3%
65-74 18.3% / 35.1%
Upper Burringbar — 65-74: 18.3% Chowan Creek — 65-74: 35.1%
75-84 6.2% / 7.0%
Upper Burringbar — 75-84: 6.2% Chowan Creek — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ — / —
Upper Burringbar — 85+: not among its largest Chowan Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (35.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Upper Burringbar 46.6% lone person
Upper Burringbar — Lone Person: 46.6% Upper Burringbar — Couple Families: 28.8% Upper Burringbar — One Parent Families: 13.7% Upper Burringbar — Group Household: 11.0%
Chowan Creek 100.0% lone person
Chowan Creek — Lone Person: 100.0% Chowan Creek — Couple Families: 0.0% Chowan Creek — One Parent Families: 0.0% Chowan Creek — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Upper Burringbar 26.4% renting
Upper Burringbar — Owned Outright: 40.6% Upper Burringbar — Mortgage: 33.0% Upper Burringbar — Renting: 26.4%
Chowan Creek 23.1% renting
Chowan Creek — Owned Outright: 53.8% Chowan Creek — Mortgage: 23.1% Chowan Creek — Renting: 23.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Upper Burringbar 100.0% houses
Upper Burringbar — Houses: 100.0%
Chowan Creek 100.0% houses
Chowan Creek — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Qualifications

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

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Bachelor Degree 13.1% / 10.5%
Upper Burringbar — Bachelor Degree: 13.1% Chowan Creek — Bachelor Degree: 10.5%
Certificate III & IV 14.5% / 8.8%
Upper Burringbar — Certificate III & IV: 14.5% Chowan Creek — Certificate III & IV: 8.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 10.5%
Upper Burringbar — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Chowan Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / —
Upper Burringbar — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Chowan Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / —
Upper Burringbar — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Chowan Creek — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.5%).

Property market

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Median house price $1,650,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Chowan Creek has more land zoned for conservation (43% vs 1%); Upper Burringbar has more rural and farming land (79% vs 57%).

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Rural and farming 79% 57%
Environmental 1% 43%
Other and special use 21% 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

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
New dwellings approved 331
across Tweed
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
House price Higher than 50% of NSW —
Income Higher than 14% of NSW Higher than 7% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 30% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 21% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 29% of NSW
same for both

Liveability

Upper Burringbar is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Chowan Creek carries more crime risk (95 vs 20); Upper Burringbar carries more bushfire risk (71 vs 50).

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Bushfire High
71/100
 Moderate
50/100
Crime Low
20/100
 High
95/100
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

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
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

Amenities in the suburb

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Waterways 3 2

Mobility

Chowan Creek sits further from the CBD (807 km vs 784.7 km).

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Walkability score 10/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 784.7 km 807 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 515 min 539 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 2483
 0.6%
postcode 2484
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 72
postcode 2483
 76
postcode 2484

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.

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Car (driver) 72.4% / 58.3%
Upper Burringbar — Car (driver): 72.4% Chowan Creek — Car (driver): 58.3%
Worked from Home 20.4% / 41.7%
Upper Burringbar — Worked from Home: 20.4% Chowan Creek — Worked from Home: 41.7%
Walked Only 4.1% / —
Upper Burringbar — Walked Only: 4.1% Chowan Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 3.1% / —
Upper Burringbar — Car (passenger): 3.1% Chowan Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.4%).

Setting

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Elevation 116 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 81 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.9 km 17.6 km

NBN connectivity

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Connectivity score 20/100 19/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
136 premises
 0%
28 premises

Climate

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Annual rainfall 1,569 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Average residential rate $1,745/yr
same for both
Council Tweed
same for both

Federal electorate

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Division Richmond
same for both
Member Justine Elliot
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Upper Burringbar Chowan Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Upper Burringbar

Rural

Chowan Creek

Multicultural Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Upper Burringbar

Upper Burringbar vs Burringbar Upper Burringbar vs Stokers Siding Upper Burringbar vs Main Arm Upper Burringbar vs Smiths Creek Upper Burringbar vs Crabbes Creek Upper Burringbar vs Middle Pocket

Other comparisons with Chowan Creek

Chowan Creek vs Main Arm Chowan Creek vs Smiths Creek Chowan Creek vs Upper Main Arm Chowan Creek vs Rowlands Creek
Full data on Upper Burringbar Full data on Chowan Creek
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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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