Valla vs Brierfield

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Valla, about half of households are couple families. In Brierfield, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Brierfield: a median of $1.65 million, against $1.34 million in Valla, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Valla tends to suit 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

Brierfield

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 70/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (76% vs 62%)

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

First-home buyers

Valla

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,340,000 vs $1,650,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Valla

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Valla

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (323 min vs 346 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (493.1 km vs 505.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Valla has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 15%)
  • Brierfield carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 70/100)

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

Investors

Valla

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.4% vs -3.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Valla Brierfield
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.

Valla Brierfield
Walkability 8 / 12
Valla — Walkability: 8/100 Brierfield — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 30 / 49
Valla — Safety: 30/100 Brierfield — Safety: 49/100
Low fire risk 55 / 75
Valla — Low fire risk: 55/100 Brierfield — Low fire risk: 75/100

Demographics

Valla has more residents (1,052 vs 322); Brierfield rents higher ($350/wk vs $310/wk).

Valla Brierfield
Population 1,052
+69% vs other
 322
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.4% -3.3%
Median age 48 46
Median household income $84,084/yr $83,408/yr
Median weekly rent $310/wk $350/wk
+13% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Valla Brierfield
0-4 5.6% / 3.1%
Valla — 0-4: 5.6% Brierfield — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 11.6% / 14.9%
Valla — 5-14: 11.6% Brierfield — 5-14: 14.9%
15-19 6.6% / 6.5%
Valla — 15-19: 6.6% Brierfield — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 3.5% / 4.7%
Valla — 20-24: 3.5% Brierfield — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 7.4% / 6.8%
Valla — 25-34: 7.4% Brierfield — 25-34: 6.8%
35-44 10.3% / 11.2%
Valla — 35-44: 10.3% Brierfield — 35-44: 11.2%
45-54 14.2% / 16.8%
Valla — 45-54: 14.2% Brierfield — 45-54: 16.8%
55-64 21.2% / 18.9%
Valla — 55-64: 21.2% Brierfield — 55-64: 18.9%
65-74 14.0% / 11.2%
Valla — 65-74: 14.0% Brierfield — 65-74: 11.2%
75-84 5.2% / 4.0%
Valla — 75-84: 5.2% Brierfield — 75-84: 4.0%
85+ 1.0% / —
Valla — 85+: 1.0% Brierfield — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Valla 51.9% couple families
Valla — Couple Families: 51.9% Valla — Lone Person: 28.7% Valla — One Parent Families: 10.5% Valla — Group Household: 7.6% Valla — Other Families: 1.3%
Brierfield 59.0% couple families
Brierfield — Couple Families: 59.0% Brierfield — Lone Person: 17.9% Brierfield — One Parent Families: 16.7% Brierfield — Group Household: 6.4% Brierfield — 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.

Valla 10.1% renting
Valla — Owned Outright: 45.0% Valla — Mortgage: 45.0% Valla — Renting: 10.1%
Brierfield 13.6% renting
Brierfield — Owned Outright: 55.3% Brierfield — Mortgage: 31.1% Brierfield — Renting: 13.6%
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.

Valla Brierfield
England 4.0% / 10.6%
Valla — England: 4.0% Brierfield — England: 10.6%
New Zealand 0.7% / 2.8%
Valla — New Zealand: 0.7% Brierfield — New Zealand: 2.8%
Germany 0.6% / 1.2%
Valla — Germany: 0.6% Brierfield — Germany: 1.2%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.9%
Valla — South Africa: 0.8% Brierfield — South Africa: 0.9%
Sri Lanka 0.5% / —
Valla — Sri Lanka: 0.5% Brierfield — Sri Lanka: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.6%).

Qualifications

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

Valla Brierfield
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 19.9%
Valla — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% Brierfield — Certificate III & IV: 19.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.6% / 16.8%
Valla — Bachelor Degree: 10.6% Brierfield — Bachelor Degree: 16.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 9.3%
Valla — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Brierfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 5.0%
Valla — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Brierfield — Postgraduate Degree: 5.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 3.1%
Valla — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Brierfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Valla 100.5% houses
Valla — Houses: 100.5%
Brierfield 100.9% houses
Brierfield — Houses: 100.9%
Houses

Property market

Valla Brierfield
Median house price $1,340,000 $1,650,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $732,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 53 days
from 8 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Brierfield has more land zoned for conservation (19% vs 8%).

Valla Brierfield
Rural and farming 84% 79%
Environmental 8% 19%
Residential 6% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 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

Valla Brierfield
New dwellings approved 109
across Nambucca Valley
 40
across Bellingen
Approvals change year on year -64% +12%

Ranking within NSW

Valla Brierfield
House price Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Income Higher than 51% of NSW
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW

Liveability

Valla Brierfield
Grade D —
Score 29/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Valla carries more bushfire risk (45 vs 25); Valla carries more crime risk (70 vs 51).

Valla Brierfield
Bushfire Moderate
45/100
 Low
25/100
Crime High
70/100
 Moderate
51/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
39/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Valla Brierfield
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

Valla Brierfield
Parks & reserves 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 40 18

Mobility

Brierfield sits further from the CBD (505.9 km vs 493.1 km).

Valla Brierfield
Walkability score 8/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 493.1 km 505.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 323 min 346 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2448
 0.9%
postcode 2454
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 2448
 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.

Valla Brierfield
Car (driver) 70.3% / 70.5%
Valla — Car (driver): 70.3% Brierfield — Car (driver): 70.5%
Worked from Home 21.7% / 23.0%
Valla — Worked from Home: 21.7% Brierfield — Worked from Home: 23.0%
Walked Only 2.7% / 6.6%
Valla — Walked Only: 2.7% Brierfield — Walked Only: 6.6%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / —
Valla — Car (passenger): 5.3% Brierfield — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.5%).

Setting

Valla Brierfield
Elevation 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.7 km 10.5 km

NBN connectivity

Valla Brierfield
Connectivity score 29/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
399 premises
 0%
132 premises

Climate

Valla Brierfield
Annual rainfall 1,827 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Valla Brierfield
Average residential rate $1,175/yr $1,592/yr
Council Nambucca Valley Bellingen

Federal electorate

Valla Brierfield
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Valla Brierfield
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Valla

Rural

Brierfield

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Valla

Valla vs Nambucca Heads Valla vs Urunga Valla vs Valla Beach Valla vs Hyland Park Valla vs Newee Creek Valla vs Missabotti

Other comparisons with Brierfield

Brierfield vs Bellingen Brierfield vs Urunga Brierfield vs Fernmount Brierfield vs Kalang
Full data on Valla Full data on Brierfield
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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