Wallarah vs Warnervale

Warnervale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 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. In Warnervale, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Wallarah: a median of $1.93 million, against $966,000 in Warnervale, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Warnervale 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

Warnervale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Wallarah carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 91/100)

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

First-home buyers

Warnervale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($966,298 vs $1,927,000)

Weighs house 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

Warnervale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (99.2 km vs 102.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wallarah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

Warnervale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.4% vs -7.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Wallarah and Warnervale 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 Warnervale
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 Warnervale
Walkability 4 / 8
Wallarah — Walkability: 4/100 Warnervale — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 67 / 9
Wallarah — Safety: 67/100 Warnervale — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 42 / 58
Wallarah — Low fire risk: 42/100 Warnervale — Low fire risk: 58/100

Demographics

Warnervale has more residents (701 vs 344); Wallarah skews older (42 vs 34).

Wallarah Warnervale
Population 344 701
+104% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -7.0% +9.4%
Median age 42 34
Median household income $98,124/yr $100,308/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $525/wk
+7% vs other
 $490/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wallarah Warnervale
0-4 7.8% / 7.1%
Wallarah — 0-4: 7.8% Warnervale — 0-4: 7.1%
5-14 12.5% / 13.1%
Wallarah — 5-14: 12.5% Warnervale — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 8.4% / 7.7%
Wallarah — 15-19: 8.4% Warnervale — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.8% / 8.8%
Wallarah — 20-24: 5.8% Warnervale — 20-24: 8.8%
25-34 10.2% / 13.1%
Wallarah — 25-34: 10.2% Warnervale — 25-34: 13.1%
35-44 8.7% / 10.7%
Wallarah — 35-44: 8.7% Warnervale — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 14.2% / 14.7%
Wallarah — 45-54: 14.2% Warnervale — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 19.2% / 11.0%
Wallarah — 55-64: 19.2% Warnervale — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 7.0% / 6.8%
Wallarah — 65-74: 7.0% Warnervale — 65-74: 6.8%
75-84 4.9% / 4.6%
Wallarah — 75-84: 4.9% Warnervale — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 1.2% / 0.7%
Wallarah — 85+: 1.2% Warnervale — 85+: 0.7%

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 — One Parent Families: 18.5% Wallarah — Lone Person: 19.8% Wallarah — Group Household: 0.0% Wallarah — Other Families: 0.0%
Warnervale 52.1% couple families
Warnervale — Couple Families: 52.1% Warnervale — One Parent Families: 25.1% Warnervale — Lone Person: 18.0% Warnervale — Group Household: 3.0% Warnervale — Other Families: 1.8%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person 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%
Warnervale 26.2% renting
Warnervale — Owned Outright: 31.9% Warnervale — Mortgage: 41.9% Warnervale — Renting: 26.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wallarah Warnervale
Certificate III & IV 15.1% / 23.4%
Wallarah — Certificate III & IV: 15.1% Warnervale — Certificate III & IV: 23.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 7.1%
Wallarah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Warnervale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Bachelor Degree 5.5% / 5.7%
Wallarah — Bachelor Degree: 5.5% Warnervale — Bachelor Degree: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 1.3%
Wallarah — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Warnervale — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.4%
Wallarah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Warnervale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.4%).

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 Warnervale
New Zealand 2.9% / 2.4%
Wallarah — New Zealand: 2.9% Warnervale — New Zealand: 2.4%
England 2.9% / 2.0%
Wallarah — England: 2.9% Warnervale — England: 2.0%
India 0.9% / 1.7%
Wallarah — India: 0.9% Warnervale — India: 1.7%
Italy 1.5% / —
Wallarah — Italy: 1.5% Warnervale — Italy: not among its largest
Indonesia — / 1.1%
Wallarah — Indonesia: not among its largest Warnervale — Indonesia: 1.1%
Philippines — / 1.0%
Wallarah — Philippines: not among its largest Warnervale — Philippines: 1.0%

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%
Warnervale 96.3% houses
Warnervale — Houses: 96.3% Warnervale — Townhouses: 4.1% Warnervale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wallarah Warnervale
Median house price $1,927,000 $966,298
Median unit price — $660,000
Median land price — $618,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 32 days
from 25 sales

Zoning mix

Wallarah has more rural and farming land (74% vs 0%); Warnervale has more land zoned for conservation (68% vs 11%).

Wallarah Warnervale
Rural and farming 74% 0%
Environmental 11% 68%
Residential 1% 11%
Industrial 7% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 7%
Commercial 0% 3%
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 Warnervale
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 Warnervale
Houses — 4.0%
$850/wk on $1.1M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Wallarah Warnervale
House price Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Income Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 74% of NSW

Liveability

Wallarah Warnervale
Grade — D
Score — 27/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Warnervale carries more crime risk (91 vs 33); Wallarah carries more bushfire risk (58 vs 42).

Wallarah Warnervale
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
42/100
Crime Low
33/100
 High
91/100
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 Warnervale
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Wallarah

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

Schools in Warnervale

  • Lakes Grammar - An Anglican School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Porters Creek Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Wallarah Warnervale
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 0 3
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 0 3

Mobility

Wallarah sits further from the CBD (102.3 km vs 99.2 km).

Wallarah Warnervale
Walkability score 4/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 102.3 km
+3% vs other
 99.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 82 min 78 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 75/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 32.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 7 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2259
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2259
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.

Wallarah Warnervale
Car (driver) 72.4% / 67.7%
Wallarah — Car (driver): 72.4% Warnervale — Car (driver): 67.7%
Worked from Home 20.7% / 25.8%
Wallarah — Worked from Home: 20.7% Warnervale — Worked from Home: 25.8%
Car (passenger) 6.9% / 5.2%
Wallarah — Car (passenger): 6.9% Warnervale — Car (passenger): 5.2%
Train — / 1.2%
Wallarah — Train: not among its largest Warnervale — Train: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.4%).

Setting

Wallarah Warnervale
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.0 km 11.4 km

NBN connectivity

Wallarah Warnervale
Connectivity score 98/100 81/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 91%
112 premises
 69%
631 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Wallarah

Acreage

Warnervale

Acreage River Trains

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wallarah

Wallarah vs Woongarrah Wallarah vs Charmhaven Wallarah vs Jilliby Wallarah vs Doyalson

Other comparisons with Warnervale

Warnervale vs Hamlyn Terrace Warnervale vs Woongarrah Warnervale vs Wyong Warnervale vs Watanobbi Warnervale vs Jilliby Warnervale vs Alison
Full data on Wallarah Full data on Warnervale
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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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