Vaucluse vs Watsons Bay

Watsons Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Vaucluse. In both, most households own their home. In Vaucluse, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Vaucluse: a median of $10 million, against $8.35 million in Watsons Bay. Vaucluse is closer to the city centre: 10.1 km, against 12.7 km. On these figures, Vaucluse tends to suit families with children and couples, while Watsons Bay suits people living alone 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

Vaucluse

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (8 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (18 vs 5)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Vaucluse has cheaper units ($1,525,000 vs $2,910,000)
  • Watsons Bay has cheaper houses ($8,350,000 vs $10,000,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Vaucluse

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 53/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (10.1 km vs 12.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (22 min vs 27 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Vaucluse

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 72/100)
  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 53/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
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.

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Walkability 68 / 53
Vaucluse — Walkability: 68/100 Watsons Bay — Walkability: 53/100
Safety 68 / 28
Vaucluse — Safety: 68/100 Watsons Bay — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 75 / 100
Vaucluse — Low fire risk: 75/100 Watsons Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Vaucluse has more residents (9,510 vs 883); Vaucluse has higher household incomes ($177,736 vs $152,048).

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Population 9,510
+91% vs other
 883
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.9% +3.9%
Median age 43 40
Median household income $177,736/yr
+14% vs other
 $152,048/yr
Median weekly rent $700/wk
+4% vs other
 $674/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
0-4 4.6% / 3.1%
Vaucluse — 0-4: 4.6% Watsons Bay — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 14.4% / 11.4%
Vaucluse — 5-14: 14.4% Watsons Bay — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 7.5% / 10.1%
Vaucluse — 15-19: 7.5% Watsons Bay — 15-19: 10.1%
20-24 5.2% / 10.9%
Vaucluse — 20-24: 5.2% Watsons Bay — 20-24: 10.9%
25-34 8.2% / 10.6%
Vaucluse — 25-34: 8.2% Watsons Bay — 25-34: 10.6%
35-44 12.4% / 8.5%
Vaucluse — 35-44: 12.4% Watsons Bay — 35-44: 8.5%
45-54 16.2% / 14.3%
Vaucluse — 45-54: 16.2% Watsons Bay — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 12.6% / 13.3%
Vaucluse — 55-64: 12.6% Watsons Bay — 55-64: 13.3%
65-74 9.6% / 8.3%
Vaucluse — 65-74: 9.6% Watsons Bay — 65-74: 8.3%
75-84 6.0% / 5.5%
Vaucluse — 75-84: 6.0% Watsons Bay — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 3.5% / 3.1%
Vaucluse — 85+: 3.5% Watsons Bay — 85+: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Vaucluse 54.7% couple families
Vaucluse — Couple Families: 54.7% Vaucluse — Lone Person: 29.9% Vaucluse — One Parent Families: 11.4% Vaucluse — Group Household: 3.1% Vaucluse — Other Families: 0.9%
Watsons Bay 44.2% couple families
Watsons Bay — Couple Families: 44.2% Watsons Bay — Lone Person: 43.2% Watsons Bay — One Parent Families: 10.6% Watsons Bay — Group Household: 2.0% Watsons Bay — 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.

Vaucluse 25.3% renting
Vaucluse — Owned Outright: 41.0% Vaucluse — Mortgage: 33.6% Vaucluse — Renting: 25.3%
Watsons Bay 30.3% renting
Watsons Bay — Owned Outright: 44.9% Watsons Bay — Mortgage: 24.8% Watsons Bay — Renting: 30.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Bachelor Degree 27.1% / 25.8%
Vaucluse — Bachelor Degree: 27.1% Watsons Bay — Bachelor Degree: 25.8%
Postgraduate Degree 10.3% / 10.3%
Vaucluse — Postgraduate Degree: 10.3% Watsons Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 10.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 5.3%
Vaucluse — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Watsons Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3%
Certificate III & IV 4.1% / 5.8%
Vaucluse — Certificate III & IV: 4.1% Watsons Bay — Certificate III & IV: 5.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 1.0%
Vaucluse — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Watsons Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.1%).

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.

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
England 5.2% / 7.2%
Vaucluse — England: 5.2% Watsons Bay — England: 7.2%
South Africa 8.0% / 3.1%
Vaucluse — South Africa: 8.0% Watsons Bay — South Africa: 3.1%
New Zealand 1.7% / 2.3%
Vaucluse — New Zealand: 1.7% Watsons Bay — New Zealand: 2.3%
China 3.2% / —
Vaucluse — China: 3.2% Watsons Bay — China: not among its largest
Italy 0.6% / 0.6%
Vaucluse — Italy: 0.6% Watsons Bay — Italy: 0.6%
Germany 0.7% / —
Vaucluse — Germany: 0.7% Watsons Bay — Germany: not among its largest
Canada — / 0.7%
Vaucluse — Canada: not among its largest Watsons Bay — Canada: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Vaucluse 48.7% houses
Vaucluse — Houses: 48.7% Vaucluse — Flats / Apartments: 42.9% Vaucluse — Townhouses: 8.4%
Watsons Bay 45.2% houses
Watsons Bay — Houses: 45.2% Watsons Bay — Flats / Apartments: 38.1% Watsons Bay — Townhouses: 16.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Median house price $10,000,000 $8,350,000
Median unit price $1,525,000 $2,910,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 72 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Watsons Bay has more land zoned for conservation (31% vs 9%).

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Residential 71% 21%
Environmental 9% 31%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 27%
Parks and recreation 12% 15%
Commercial 1% 2%
Planning zones cover 98% of Vaucluse and 96% of Watsons Bay. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
New dwellings approved 222
across Woollahra
same for both
Approvals change year on year -21%
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.

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Houses —
same for both
Units 3.1%
$990/wk on $1.65M
 —

Ranking within NSW

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
House price Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Income Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 1% of NSW
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 100% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 6% of NSW —

Liveability

Vaucluse is more walkable (68 vs 53); Vaucluse scores higher overall (83 vs 75).

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Grade A
same for both
Score 83/100 75/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Vaucluse carries more bushfire risk (25 vs 0); Watsons Bay carries more crime risk (72 vs 32).

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Bushfire Low
25/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
32/100
 High
72/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
20/100
 Low
29/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Sydney C.Q.U. Campus, 6.4 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 6.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.8% 2.5%

Schools in Vaucluse

  • Vaucluse Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Kincoppal - Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Watsons Bay

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

Amenities in the suburb

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Cafes & restaurants 11 9
Parks & reserves 18 5
Childcare 8 0
Pharmacies 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Beaches 7 3

Mobility

Watsons Bay sits further from the CBD (12.7 km vs 10.1 km).

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Walkability score 68/100 53/100
Distance to Sydney 10.1 km 12.7 km
+26% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 22 min 27 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 342.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 34.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 5.2%
postcode 2030
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 18
postcode 2030
same for both

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.

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Worked from Home 58.9% / 49.2%
Vaucluse — Worked from Home: 58.9% Watsons Bay — Worked from Home: 49.2%
Car (driver) 33.4% / 23.6%
Vaucluse — Car (driver): 33.4% Watsons Bay — Car (driver): 23.6%
Walked Only 1.9% / 24.2%
Vaucluse — Walked Only: 1.9% Watsons Bay — Walked Only: 24.2%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 1.4%
Vaucluse — Car (passenger): 3.2% Watsons Bay — Car (passenger): 1.4%
Bus 1.7% / 0.8%
Vaucluse — Bus: 1.7% Watsons Bay — Bus: 0.8%
Train 0.6% / 0.8%
Vaucluse — Train: 0.6% Watsons Bay — Train: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.9%).

Setting

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Elevation 55 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 476 m
807 m to a named beach
 153 m
316 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Connectivity score 80/100 74/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
4,075 premises
 1%
408 premises

Climate

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
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)

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.84 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Average residential rate $1,812/yr
same for both
Council Woollahra
same for both

Federal electorate

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Division Wentworth
same for both
Member Allegra Spender
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Vaucluse Watsons Bay
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Vaucluse

Apartments Beach Coastal Inner Luxury Parks Professionals Urban

Watsons Bay

Apartments Beach Beachfront Coastal Inner Parks Professionals Students
Full data on Vaucluse Full data on Watsons Bay
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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