Wakool vs Barham

Wakool is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 58 in Barham. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Wakool, about half of households are people living alone. In Barham, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Barham: a median of $435,000, against $218,000 in Wakool, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Wakool tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Barham suits 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

Barham

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Wakool has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 86%)

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

First-home buyers

Wakool

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (13% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper houses ($217,500 vs $435,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Wakool has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $185/wk)
  • Barham has a bigger rental market to choose from (23% vs 10%)

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

Commuting to the city

Wakool

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (511 min vs 528 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (776.6 km vs 792 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Barham

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (36% vs 25%)

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

Investors

Barham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.4% vs -11.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Wakool Barham
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.

Wakool Barham
Walkability 5 / 0
Wakool — Walkability: 5/100 Barham — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 23 / 24
Wakool — Safety: 23/100 Barham — Safety: 24/100
Low fire risk 86 / 70
Wakool — Low fire risk: 86/100 Barham — Low fire risk: 70/100

Demographics

Barham has more residents (1,569 vs 262); Barham rents higher ($185/wk vs $150/wk).

Wakool Barham
Population 262 1,569
+499% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -11.8% +3.4%
Median age 49 58
Median household income $46,176/yr $51,740/yr
+12% vs other
Median weekly rent $150/wk $185/wk
+23% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wakool Barham
0-4 4.2% / 4.3%
Wakool — 0-4: 4.2% Barham — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 12.2% / 8.9%
Wakool — 5-14: 12.2% Barham — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 2.7% / 3.7%
Wakool — 15-19: 2.7% Barham — 15-19: 3.7%
20-24 4.6% / 2.9%
Wakool — 20-24: 4.6% Barham — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 10.7% / 8.0%
Wakool — 25-34: 10.7% Barham — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 11.1% / 6.4%
Wakool — 35-44: 11.1% Barham — 35-44: 6.4%
45-54 11.8% / 11.0%
Wakool — 45-54: 11.8% Barham — 45-54: 11.0%
55-64 18.3% / 18.0%
Wakool — 55-64: 18.3% Barham — 55-64: 18.0%
65-74 14.5% / 18.4%
Wakool — 65-74: 14.5% Barham — 65-74: 18.4%
75-84 10.3% / 11.5%
Wakool — 75-84: 10.3% Barham — 75-84: 11.5%
85+ — / 6.5%
Wakool — 85+: not among its largest Barham — 85+: 6.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wakool 53.3% lone person
Wakool — Lone Person: 53.3% Wakool — Couple Families: 28.0% Wakool — One Parent Families: 10.7% Wakool — Group Household: 8.0% Wakool — Other Families: 0.0%
Barham 59.0% lone person
Barham — Lone Person: 59.0% Barham — Couple Families: 26.0% Barham — One Parent Families: 10.8% Barham — Group Household: 3.5% Barham — Other Families: 0.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wakool 9.9% renting
Wakool — Owned Outright: 67.3% Wakool — Mortgage: 22.8% Wakool — Renting: 9.9%
Barham 23.4% renting
Barham — Owned Outright: 56.0% Barham — Mortgage: 20.6% Barham — Renting: 23.4%
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.

Wakool Barham
England 1.5% / 1.7%
Wakool — England: 1.5% Barham — England: 1.7%
New Zealand — / 0.8%
Wakool — New Zealand: not among its largest Barham — New Zealand: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.8%
Wakool — Philippines: not among its largest Barham — Philippines: 0.8%
Indonesia — / 0.6%
Wakool — Indonesia: not among its largest Barham — Indonesia: 0.6%
Malaysia — / 0.5%
Wakool — Malaysia: not among its largest Barham — Malaysia: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.7%).

Qualifications

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

Wakool Barham
Certificate III & IV 18.7% / 15.9%
Wakool — Certificate III & IV: 18.7% Barham — Certificate III & IV: 15.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.2% / 6.8%
Wakool — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.2% Barham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Bachelor Degree 3.8% / 6.8%
Wakool — Bachelor Degree: 3.8% Barham — Bachelor Degree: 6.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.3%
Wakool — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Barham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.8%
Wakool — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Barham — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wakool 100.0% houses
Wakool — Houses: 100.0% Wakool — Townhouses: 0.0% Wakool — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Barham 85.7% houses
Barham — Houses: 85.7% Barham — Townhouses: 10.7% Barham — Flats / Apartments: 3.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wakool Barham
Median house price $217,500 $435,000
Median unit price — $245,000
Median land price — $430,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 87 days
from 17 sales

Zoning mix

Wakool Barham
Rural and farming 99% 96%
Environmental 1% 2%
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

Wakool Barham
New dwellings approved 144
across Murray River
same for both
Approvals change year on year -16%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Wakool Barham
House price Higher than 4% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Income Higher than 7% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 4% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 3% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW

Liveability

Wakool Barham
Grade — D
Score — 20/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Barham carries more bushfire risk (30 vs 14).

Wakool Barham
Bushfire Low
14/100
 Low
30/100
Crime High
77/100
 High
76/100
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

Wakool Barham
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Wakool

  • Wakool Burraboi Public School Government · Primary

Schools in Barham

  • Barham High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Barham Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Wakool Barham
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 2 5
Childcare 1 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 80 77

Mobility

Barham sits further from the CBD (792 km vs 776.6 km).

Wakool Barham
Walkability score 5/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 776.6 km 792 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 511 min 528 min
Public transport score 22/100
Bus
 30/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2.5 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2710
 0.0%
postcode 2732
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2710
 55
postcode 2732

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.

Wakool Barham
Car (driver) 62.5% / 71.2%
Wakool — Car (driver): 62.5% Barham — Car (driver): 71.2%
Worked from Home 25.0% / 13.1%
Wakool — Worked from Home: 25.0% Barham — Worked from Home: 13.1%
Walked Only 6.2% / 10.0%
Wakool — Walked Only: 6.2% Barham — Walked Only: 10.0%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 5.2%
Wakool — Car (passenger): 6.2% Barham — Car (passenger): 5.2%
Bicycle — / 0.6%
Wakool — Bicycle: not among its largest Barham — Bicycle: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.2%).

Setting

Wakool Barham
Elevation 81 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 79 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Wakool Barham
Connectivity score 15/100 64/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
54 premises
 36%
1,197 premises

Climate

Wakool Barham
Annual rainfall 364 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Wakool Barham
Average residential rate $996/yr
same for both
Council Murray River
same for both

Federal electorate

Wakool Barham
Division Farrer
same for both
Member David Farley
same for both
Party One Nation
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wakool Barham
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wakool

Rural

Barham

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wakool

Wakool vs Burraboi Wakool vs Calimo Wakool vs Tullakool

Other comparisons with Barham

Barham vs Tullakool
Full data on Wakool Full data on Barham
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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