Upper Orara vs Valery

Upper Orara is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 57 in Valery. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Upper Orara, most households are couple families. In Valery, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Valery: a median of $3.3 million, against $1.4 million in Upper Orara, though rent is higher in Upper Orara. On these figures, Upper Orara tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Valery suits 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Upper Orara is already more of a family suburb (73% vs 50%)
  • Valery carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 50/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Upper Orara has cheaper houses ($1,400,000 vs $3,300,000)
  • Valery leaves households under less mortgage stress (12% vs 24%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Valery

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($209/wk vs $350/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 20%)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Valery

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (344 min vs 367 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (516.2 km vs 541 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Valery

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 50/100)

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

Where they sit

Upper Orara and Valery 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 Orara Valery
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 Orara Valery
Walkability 0 / 8
Upper Orara — Walkability: 0/100 Valery — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 50 / 62
Upper Orara — Safety: 50/100 Valery — Safety: 62/100
Low fire risk 64 / 77
Upper Orara — Low fire risk: 64/100 Valery — Low fire risk: 77/100

Demographics

Upper Orara has more residents (863 vs 53); Upper Orara rents higher ($350/wk vs $209/wk).

Upper Orara Valery
Population 863
+94% vs other
 53
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.0% —
Median age 45 57
Median household income $90,428/yr
+10% vs other
 $81,224/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+40% vs other
 $209/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Upper Orara Valery
0-4 4.6% / —
Upper Orara — 0-4: 4.6% Valery — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 15.2% / 5.7%
Upper Orara — 5-14: 15.2% Valery — 5-14: 5.7%
15-19 5.7% / 5.7%
Upper Orara — 15-19: 5.7% Valery — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 4.1% / —
Upper Orara — 20-24: 4.1% Valery — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 9.3% / 5.7%
Upper Orara — 25-34: 9.3% Valery — 25-34: 5.7%
35-44 10.9% / 9.4%
Upper Orara — 35-44: 10.9% Valery — 35-44: 9.4%
45-54 13.6% / 7.5%
Upper Orara — 45-54: 13.6% Valery — 45-54: 7.5%
55-64 16.7% / 24.5%
Upper Orara — 55-64: 16.7% Valery — 55-64: 24.5%
65-74 14.1% / 11.3%
Upper Orara — 65-74: 14.1% Valery — 65-74: 11.3%
75-84 5.6% / 5.7%
Upper Orara — 75-84: 5.6% Valery — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ 0.3% / —
Upper Orara — 85+: 0.3% Valery — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Upper Orara 58.9% couple families
Upper Orara — Couple Families: 58.9% Upper Orara — Lone Person: 18.9% Upper Orara — One Parent Families: 14.4% Upper Orara — Group Household: 6.1% Upper Orara — Other Families: 1.7%
Valery 50.0% couple families
Valery — Couple Families: 50.0% Valery — Lone Person: 50.0% Valery — One Parent Families: 0.0% Valery — Group Household: 0.0% Valery — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Upper Orara 20.0% renting
Upper Orara — Owned Outright: 38.5% Upper Orara — Mortgage: 41.5% Upper Orara — Renting: 20.0%
Valery 0.0% renting
Valery — Owned Outright: 78.9% Valery — Mortgage: 21.1% Valery — Renting: 0.0%
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.

Upper Orara Valery
England 3.7% / 7.5%
Upper Orara — England: 3.7% Valery — England: 7.5%
New Zealand 1.7% / —
Upper Orara — New Zealand: 1.7% Valery — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 1.3% / —
Upper Orara — Germany: 1.3% Valery — Germany: not among its largest
Myanmar 1.2% / —
Upper Orara — Myanmar: 1.2% Valery — Myanmar: not among its largest
South Africa 0.9% / —
Upper Orara — South Africa: 0.9% Valery — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

Qualifications

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

Upper Orara Valery
Certificate III & IV 20.9% / 13.2%
Upper Orara — Certificate III & IV: 20.9% Valery — Certificate III & IV: 13.2%
Bachelor Degree 10.5% / 7.5%
Upper Orara — Bachelor Degree: 10.5% Valery — Bachelor Degree: 7.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / —
Upper Orara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Valery — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 3.5% / —
Upper Orara — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5% Valery — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / —
Upper Orara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Valery — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Upper Orara 97.8% houses
Upper Orara — Houses: 97.8% Upper Orara — Flats / Apartments: 1.1% Upper Orara — Townhouses: 1.1%
Valery 100.0% houses
Valery — Houses: 100.0% Valery — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Valery — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Upper Orara Valery
Median house price $1,400,000 $3,300,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Upper Orara has more rural and farming land (86% vs 58%); Valery has more land zoned for conservation (41% vs 14%).

Upper Orara Valery
Rural and farming 86% 58%
Environmental 14% 41%
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 Orara Valery
New dwellings approved 356
across Coffs Harbour
 40
across Bellingen
Approvals change year on year +61% +12%

Ranking within NSW

Upper Orara Valery
House price Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Income Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 4% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 3% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW

Liveability

Valery is more walkable (8 vs 0).

Upper Orara Valery
Grade C —
Score 37/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Upper Orara carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 23); Upper Orara carries more crime risk (50 vs 38).

Upper Orara Valery
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Low
23/100
Crime Moderate
50/100
 Low
38/100
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 Orara Valery
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Upper Orara

  • Orara Upper Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Valery

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

Amenities in the suburb

Upper Orara Valery
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 33 6

Mobility

Upper Orara sits further from the CBD (541 km vs 516.2 km).

Upper Orara Valery
Walkability score 0/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 541 km
+5% vs other
 516.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 367 min 344 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2450
 0.9%
postcode 2454
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2450
 70
postcode 2454

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 Orara Valery
Car (driver) 74.4% / 77.8%
Upper Orara — Car (driver): 74.4% Valery — Car (driver): 77.8%
Worked from Home 18.0% / 22.2%
Upper Orara — Worked from Home: 18.0% Valery — Worked from Home: 22.2%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / —
Upper Orara — Car (passenger): 4.8% Valery — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 2.8% / —
Upper Orara — Walked Only: 2.8% Valery — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.8%).

Setting

Upper Orara Valery
Elevation 299 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.5 km 10.9 km

NBN connectivity

Upper Orara Valery
Connectivity score 28/100 16/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
324 premises
 0%
20 premises

Climate

Upper Orara Valery
Annual rainfall 1,827 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Upper Orara Valery
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 10.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.22 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Upper Orara Valery
Average residential rate $1,437/yr $1,592/yr
Council Coffs Harbour Bellingen

Federal electorate

Upper Orara Valery
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Upper Orara Valery
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Upper Orara

Rural

Valery

Premium Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Upper Orara

Upper Orara vs Coffs Harbour Upper Orara vs Bonville Upper Orara vs North Boambee Valley Upper Orara vs Boambee Upper Orara vs Coramba Upper Orara vs Karangi

Other comparisons with Valery

Valery vs Bonville Valery vs Raleigh Valery vs Repton Valery vs Gleniffer Valery vs Hydes Creek Valery vs Bundagen
Full data on Upper Orara Full data on Valery
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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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