Wallalong vs Nelsons Plains

Wallalong is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 48 in Nelsons Plains. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Nelsons Plains: a median of $1.98 million, against $990,000 in Wallalong, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Wallalong tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Nelsons Plains 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

Wallalong

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 67/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 72%)

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

First-home buyers

Wallalong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($990,000 vs $1,975,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wallalong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($375/wk vs $553/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Wallalong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (25/100 vs 14/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wallalong

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 67/100)
  • is more walkable (25/100 vs 14/100)
  • But Nelsons Plains has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 12%)

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

Where they sit

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

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
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.

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Walkability 25 / 14
Wallalong — Walkability: 25/100 Nelsons Plains — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 77 / 33
Wallalong — Safety: 77/100 Nelsons Plains — Safety: 33/100
Low fire risk 100 / 86
Wallalong — Low fire risk: 100/100 Nelsons Plains — Low fire risk: 86/100

Demographics

Wallalong has more residents (1,049 vs 326); Nelsons Plains rents higher ($553/wk vs $375/wk).

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Population 1,049
+69% vs other
 326
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.8% —
Median age 39 48
Median household income $132,444/yr
+12% vs other
 $117,000/yr
Median weekly rent $375/wk $553/wk
+47% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
0-4 5.1% / 6.4%
Wallalong — 0-4: 5.1% Nelsons Plains — 0-4: 6.4%
5-14 17.9% / 15.6%
Wallalong — 5-14: 17.9% Nelsons Plains — 5-14: 15.6%
15-19 8.9% / 7.1%
Wallalong — 15-19: 8.9% Nelsons Plains — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 5.6% / 3.4%
Wallalong — 20-24: 5.6% Nelsons Plains — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 8.3% / 4.9%
Wallalong — 25-34: 8.3% Nelsons Plains — 25-34: 4.9%
35-44 12.4% / 10.1%
Wallalong — 35-44: 12.4% Nelsons Plains — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 16.5% / 14.1%
Wallalong — 45-54: 16.5% Nelsons Plains — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 13.3% / 16.9%
Wallalong — 55-64: 13.3% Nelsons Plains — 55-64: 16.9%
65-74 7.8% / 15.6%
Wallalong — 65-74: 7.8% Nelsons Plains — 65-74: 15.6%
75-84 3.4% / 3.7%
Wallalong — 75-84: 3.4% Nelsons Plains — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 1.2% / 2.1%
Wallalong — 85+: 1.2% Nelsons Plains — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wallalong 69.8% couple families
Wallalong — Couple Families: 69.8% Wallalong — Lone Person: 15.3% Wallalong — One Parent Families: 13.7% Wallalong — Other Families: 1.2%
Nelsons Plains 66.0% couple families
Nelsons Plains — Couple Families: 66.0% Nelsons Plains — Lone Person: 16.0% Nelsons Plains — One Parent Families: 6.0% Nelsons Plains — Other Families: 12.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wallalong 4.4% renting
Wallalong — Owned Outright: 37.3% Wallalong — Mortgage: 58.2% Wallalong — Renting: 4.4%
Nelsons Plains 3.2% renting
Nelsons Plains — Owned Outright: 50.5% Nelsons Plains — Mortgage: 46.2% Nelsons Plains — Renting: 3.2%
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.

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
England 3.1% / 1.2%
Wallalong — England: 3.1% Nelsons Plains — England: 1.2%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.2%
Wallalong — New Zealand: 1.0% Nelsons Plains — New Zealand: 1.2%
India 0.7% / —
Wallalong — India: 0.7% Nelsons Plains — India: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.5% / —
Wallalong — Malaysia: 0.5% Nelsons Plains — Malaysia: not among its largest
Italy 0.4% / —
Wallalong — Italy: 0.4% Nelsons Plains — Italy: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

Qualifications

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

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Certificate III & IV 20.7% / 17.2%
Wallalong — Certificate III & IV: 20.7% Nelsons Plains — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 10.4%
Wallalong — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Nelsons Plains — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 7.1%
Wallalong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Nelsons Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 2.1%
Wallalong — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Nelsons Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.1%
Wallalong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Nelsons Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wallalong 99.1% houses
Wallalong — Houses: 99.1% Wallalong — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Nelsons Plains 98.9% houses
Nelsons Plains — Houses: 98.9% Nelsons Plains — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Median house price $990,000 $1,975,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,230,000 —

Zoning mix

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Rural and farming 84% 93%
Residential 15% 2%
Environmental 1% 4%
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

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
House price Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Income Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW

Liveability

Wallalong is more walkable (25 vs 14).

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Grade B —
Score 63/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Nelsons Plains carries more bushfire risk (14 vs 0); Nelsons Plains carries more crime risk (67 vs 23).

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
14/100
Crime Low
23/100
 Moderate
67/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
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

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Walkability score 25/100 14/100
Distance to Sydney 170.3 km 170.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 130 min 126 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2320
 0.5%
postcode 2324
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2320
 54
postcode 2324

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.

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Car (driver) 71.1% / 57.7%
Wallalong — Car (driver): 71.1% Nelsons Plains — Car (driver): 57.7%
Worked from Home 24.4% / 29.2%
Wallalong — Worked from Home: 24.4% Nelsons Plains — Worked from Home: 29.2%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 8.5%
Wallalong — Car (passenger): 3.2% Nelsons Plains — Car (passenger): 8.5%
Walked Only 1.3% / 4.6%
Wallalong — Walked Only: 1.3% Nelsons Plains — Walked Only: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.1%).

Setting

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Elevation 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.3 km 13.1 km

NBN connectivity

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
352 premises
 0%
116 premises

Climate

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Annual rainfall 996 mm 1,181 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C 28.7°C
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C 7.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wallalong Nelsons Plains
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wallalong

Acreage Family

Nelsons Plains

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wallalong

Wallalong vs Largs Wallalong vs Seaham Wallalong vs Brandy Hill Wallalong vs Hinton Wallalong vs Woodville Wallalong vs Phoenix Park

Other comparisons with Nelsons Plains

Nelsons Plains vs Raymond Terrace Nelsons Plains vs Seaham Nelsons Plains vs Brandy Hill Nelsons Plains vs Hinton Nelsons Plains vs Millers Forest Nelsons Plains vs Eagleton
Full data on Wallalong Full data on Nelsons Plains
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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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