Wallarah vs Charmhaven

Charmhaven is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 42 in Wallarah. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Wallarah, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Wallarah: a median of $1.93 million, against $820,000 in Charmhaven, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Wallarah tends to suit couples, while Charmhaven 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

Wallarah

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 92/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (80% vs 59%)
  • But Charmhaven has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Charmhaven

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($820,000 vs $1,927,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Charmhaven

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($375/wk vs $525/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Wallarah

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (82 min vs 87 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (102.3 km vs 105.9 km)
  • But Charmhaven is more walkable (13/100 vs 4/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Charmhaven

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 4/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 13%)
  • But Wallarah carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 92/100)

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

Investors

Charmhaven

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-2.0% vs -7.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Wallarah Charmhaven
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.

Wallarah Charmhaven
Walkability 4 / 13
Wallarah — Walkability: 4/100 Charmhaven — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 67 / 8
Wallarah — Safety: 67/100 Charmhaven — Safety: 8/100
Low fire risk 42 / 43
Wallarah — Low fire risk: 42/100 Charmhaven — Low fire risk: 43/100

Demographics

Charmhaven has more residents (2,501 vs 344); Wallarah rents higher ($525/wk vs $375/wk).

Wallarah Charmhaven
Population 344 2,501
+627% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -7.0% -2.0%
Median age 42 39
Median household income $98,124/yr
+26% vs other
 $72,384/yr
Median weekly rent $525/wk
+29% vs other
 $375/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wallarah Charmhaven
0-4 7.8% / 6.5%
Wallarah — 0-4: 7.8% Charmhaven — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 12.5% / 11.4%
Wallarah — 5-14: 12.5% Charmhaven — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 8.4% / 7.1%
Wallarah — 15-19: 8.4% Charmhaven — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 5.8% / 6.4%
Wallarah — 20-24: 5.8% Charmhaven — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 10.2% / 13.3%
Wallarah — 25-34: 10.2% Charmhaven — 25-34: 13.3%
35-44 8.7% / 11.9%
Wallarah — 35-44: 8.7% Charmhaven — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 14.2% / 11.7%
Wallarah — 45-54: 14.2% Charmhaven — 45-54: 11.7%
55-64 19.2% / 13.4%
Wallarah — 55-64: 19.2% Charmhaven — 55-64: 13.4%
65-74 7.0% / 10.3%
Wallarah — 65-74: 7.0% Charmhaven — 65-74: 10.3%
75-84 4.9% / 5.6%
Wallarah — 75-84: 4.9% Charmhaven — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 1.2% / 2.7%
Wallarah — 85+: 1.2% Charmhaven — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wallarah 61.7% couple families
Wallarah — Couple Families: 61.7% Wallarah — Lone Person: 19.8% Wallarah — One Parent Families: 18.5% Wallarah — Group Household: 0.0% Wallarah — Other Families: 0.0%
Charmhaven 35.2% couple families
Charmhaven — Couple Families: 35.2% Charmhaven — Lone Person: 32.5% Charmhaven — One Parent Families: 23.6% Charmhaven — Group Household: 6.7% Charmhaven — Other Families: 2.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wallarah 22.9% renting
Wallarah — Owned Outright: 38.5% Wallarah — Mortgage: 38.5% Wallarah — Renting: 22.9%
Charmhaven 31.6% renting
Charmhaven — Owned Outright: 30.8% Charmhaven — Mortgage: 37.7% Charmhaven — Renting: 31.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wallarah Charmhaven
Certificate III & IV 15.1% / 22.5%
Wallarah — Certificate III & IV: 15.1% Charmhaven — Certificate III & IV: 22.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 6.2%
Wallarah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Charmhaven — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Bachelor Degree 5.5% / 5.7%
Wallarah — Bachelor Degree: 5.5% Charmhaven — Bachelor Degree: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 1.0%
Wallarah — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Charmhaven — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.0%
Wallarah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Charmhaven — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.5%).

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.

Wallarah Charmhaven
England 2.9% / 2.6%
Wallarah — England: 2.9% Charmhaven — England: 2.6%
New Zealand 2.9% / 1.9%
Wallarah — New Zealand: 2.9% Charmhaven — New Zealand: 1.9%
Italy 1.5% / 0.2%
Wallarah — Italy: 1.5% Charmhaven — Italy: 0.2%
India 0.9% / —
Wallarah — India: 0.9% Charmhaven — India: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.7%
Wallarah — Thailand: not among its largest Charmhaven — Thailand: 0.7%
Ireland — / 0.6%
Wallarah — Ireland: not among its largest Charmhaven — Ireland: 0.6%
Philippines — / 0.6%
Wallarah — Philippines: not among its largest Charmhaven — Philippines: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wallarah 87.0% houses
Wallarah — Houses: 87.0% Wallarah — Townhouses: 10.0% Wallarah — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Charmhaven 93.0% houses
Charmhaven — Houses: 93.0% Charmhaven — Townhouses: 6.5% Charmhaven — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wallarah Charmhaven
Median house price $1,927,000 $820,000
Median unit price — $575,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 23 days
from 19 sales

Zoning mix

Wallarah has more rural and farming land (74% vs 48%).

Wallarah Charmhaven
Rural and farming 74% 48%
Environmental 11% 20%
Residential 1% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 12%
Industrial 7% 5%
Parks and recreation 0% 1%
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

Wallarah Charmhaven
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
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.

Wallarah Charmhaven
Houses — 3.9%
$640/wk on $850K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Wallarah Charmhaven
House price Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
Income Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 69% of NSW

Liveability

Charmhaven is more walkable (13 vs 4).

Wallarah Charmhaven
Grade — D
Score — 16/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Charmhaven carries more crime risk (92 vs 33).

Wallarah Charmhaven
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
57/100
Crime Low
33/100
 High
92/100
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 5
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Wallarah Charmhaven
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

Wallarah Charmhaven
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 0 3
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 1
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Charmhaven sits further from the CBD (105.9 km vs 102.3 km).

Wallarah Charmhaven
Walkability score 4/100 13/100
Distance to Sydney 102.3 km 105.9 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 82 min 87 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 94.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 7 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2259
 0.5%
postcode 2263
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2259
 36
postcode 2263

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.

Wallarah Charmhaven
Car (driver) 72.4% / 73.8%
Wallarah — Car (driver): 72.4% Charmhaven — Car (driver): 73.8%
Worked from Home 20.7% / 17.2%
Wallarah — Worked from Home: 20.7% Charmhaven — Worked from Home: 17.2%
Car (passenger) 6.9% / 6.0%
Wallarah — Car (passenger): 6.9% Charmhaven — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Walked Only — / 1.8%
Wallarah — Walked Only: not among its largest Charmhaven — Walked Only: 1.8%
Bus — / 0.7%
Wallarah — Bus: not among its largest Charmhaven — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.8%).

Setting

Wallarah Charmhaven
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 10.0 km 7.0 km

NBN connectivity

Wallarah Charmhaven
Connectivity score 98/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 91%
112 premises
 49%
1,412 premises

Climate

Wallarah Charmhaven
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Wallarah Charmhaven
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Wallarah Charmhaven
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Wallarah Charmhaven
Division Dobell
same for both
Member Emma Mcbride
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wallarah Charmhaven
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wallarah

Acreage

Charmhaven

Acreage Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wallarah

Wallarah vs Woongarrah Wallarah vs Jilliby Wallarah vs Warnervale Wallarah vs Doyalson

Other comparisons with Charmhaven

Charmhaven vs Blue Haven Charmhaven vs Woongarrah Charmhaven vs San Remo Charmhaven vs Lake Haven Charmhaven vs Doyalson
Full data on Wallarah Full data on Charmhaven
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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