Wallerawang vs Portland

Wallerawang is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 46 in Portland. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Wallerawang: a median of $588,000, against $518,000 in Portland, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Wallerawang tends to suit families with children, while Portland suits people living alone.

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

Portland

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Portland

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($462,500 vs $562,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($518,000 vs $588,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Wallerawang has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 16%)
  • Portland has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $275/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Wallerawang

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (162.7 km vs 171.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (146 min vs 154 min)
  • But Portland is more walkable (64/100 vs 5/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Portland

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 5/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 18%)

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

Investors

Portland

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.6% vs 4.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Wallerawang Portland
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.

Wallerawang Portland
Walkability 5 / 64
Wallerawang — Walkability: 5/100 Portland — Walkability: 64/100
Safety 26 / 23
Wallerawang — Safety: 26/100 Portland — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 70 / 57
Wallerawang — Low fire risk: 70/100 Portland — Low fire risk: 57/100

Demographics

Wallerawang has higher household incomes ($74,048 vs $59,800); Portland skews older (46 vs 39).

Wallerawang Portland
Population 2,019 2,447
+21% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.0% +0.9%
Median age 39 46
Median household income $74,048/yr
+19% vs other
 $59,800/yr
Median weekly rent $275/wk
+9% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wallerawang Portland
0-4 5.8% / 4.9%
Wallerawang — 0-4: 5.8% Portland — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 15.6% / 12.0%
Wallerawang — 5-14: 15.6% Portland — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 6.2% / 4.9%
Wallerawang — 15-19: 6.2% Portland — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 4.9% / 4.8%
Wallerawang — 20-24: 4.9% Portland — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 11.8% / 10.1%
Wallerawang — 25-34: 11.8% Portland — 25-34: 10.1%
35-44 11.2% / 11.4%
Wallerawang — 35-44: 11.2% Portland — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 12.0% / 11.6%
Wallerawang — 45-54: 12.0% Portland — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 14.1% / 15.2%
Wallerawang — 55-64: 14.1% Portland — 55-64: 15.2%
65-74 11.9% / 15.2%
Wallerawang — 65-74: 11.9% Portland — 65-74: 15.2%
75-84 4.8% / 7.8%
Wallerawang — 75-84: 4.8% Portland — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 1.3% / 2.0%
Wallerawang — 85+: 1.3% Portland — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wallerawang 34.9% lone person
Wallerawang — Lone Person: 34.9% Wallerawang — Couple Families: 40.4% Wallerawang — One Parent Families: 18.2% Wallerawang — Group Household: 4.2% Wallerawang — Other Families: 2.3%
Portland 44.2% lone person
Portland — Lone Person: 44.2% Portland — Couple Families: 33.7% Portland — One Parent Families: 19.3% Portland — Group Household: 1.9% Portland — Other Families: 0.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wallerawang 26.0% renting
Wallerawang — Owned Outright: 35.8% Wallerawang — Mortgage: 38.2% Wallerawang — Renting: 26.0%
Portland 15.5% renting
Portland — Owned Outright: 49.7% Portland — Mortgage: 34.8% Portland — Renting: 15.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wallerawang Portland
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 20.8%
Wallerawang — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% Portland — Certificate III & IV: 20.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.6% / 5.2%
Wallerawang — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6% Portland — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Bachelor Degree 4.9% / 5.0%
Wallerawang — Bachelor Degree: 4.9% Portland — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 1.2%
Wallerawang — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Portland — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 0.9%
Wallerawang — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Portland — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

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.

Wallerawang Portland
England 1.1% / 1.8%
Wallerawang — England: 1.1% Portland — England: 1.8%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.0%
Wallerawang — New Zealand: 0.7% Portland — New Zealand: 1.0%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.4%
Wallerawang — Scotland: 0.5% Portland — Scotland: 0.4%
Germany 0.5% / 0.3%
Wallerawang — Germany: 0.5% Portland — Germany: 0.3%
Philippines 0.4% / 0.4%
Wallerawang — Philippines: 0.4% Portland — Philippines: 0.4%
India 0.5% / —
Wallerawang — India: 0.5% Portland — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wallerawang 94.0% houses
Wallerawang — Houses: 94.0% Wallerawang — Flats / Apartments: 2.4% Wallerawang — Townhouses: 3.6%
Portland 97.6% houses
Portland — Houses: 97.6% Portland — Flats / Apartments: 1.8% Portland — Townhouses: 0.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Wallerawang Portland
Median house price $588,000 $518,000
Median unit price $379,000 —
Median land price $562,000 $462,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 47 days
from 5 sales
 60 days
from 40 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Wallerawang Portland
3 bed $505K / $497K
Wallerawang — 3 bed: $505K (16 sales) Portland — 3 bed: $497K (38 sales)

16 vs 38 sales

4 bed $670K / $595K
Wallerawang — 4 bed: $670K (11 sales) Portland — 4 bed: $595K (22 sales)

11 vs 22 sales

Zoning mix

Wallerawang Portland
Rural and farming 75% 83%
Residential 5% 14%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 3%
Environmental 6% 0%
Industrial 2% 0%
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

Wallerawang Portland
New dwellings approved 55
across Lithgow
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
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.

Wallerawang Portland
Houses 4.1%
$500/wk on $635K
 4.6%
$500/wk on $565K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Wallerawang Portland
House price Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
Income Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 13% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW

Liveability

Portland is more walkable (64 vs 5).

Wallerawang Portland
Grade D
same for both
Score 24/100 27/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Portland carries more bushfire risk (43 vs 30).

Wallerawang Portland
Bushfire Low
30/100
 Moderate
43/100
Crime High
74/100
 High
77/100
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 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Wallerawang Portland
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Wallerawang

  • Wallerawang Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Portland

  • Portland Central School Government · Combined above peers
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Portland Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Wallerawang Portland
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 4 6
Parks & reserves 9
same for both
Childcare 1 2
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 15 35

Mobility

Portland sits further from the CBD (171.7 km vs 162.7 km).

Wallerawang Portland
Walkability score 5/100 64/100
Distance to Sydney 162.7 km 171.7 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 146 min 154 min
Public transport score 51/100
Bus
 46/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 23.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 19.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2845
 0.0%
postcode 2847
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 2845
 51
postcode 2847

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.

Wallerawang Portland
Car (driver) 82.3% / 82.7%
Wallerawang — Car (driver): 82.3% Portland — Car (driver): 82.7%
Worked from Home 10.2% / 10.2%
Wallerawang — Worked from Home: 10.2% Portland — Worked from Home: 10.2%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 3.9%
Wallerawang — Car (passenger): 4.8% Portland — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Walked Only 2.7% / 2.7%
Wallerawang — Walked Only: 2.7% Portland — Walked Only: 2.7%
Bus — / 0.5%
Wallerawang — Bus: not among its largest Portland — Bus: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.7%).

Setting

Wallerawang Portland
Elevation 930 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 973 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Wallerawang Portland
Connectivity score 72/100 47/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
952 premises
 7%
1,218 premises

Climate

Wallerawang Portland
Annual rainfall 1,147 mm 644 mm
Summer max (Jan) 23.8°C 28.4°C
Winter min (Jul) 3.2°C 1.2°C

Council rates

Wallerawang Portland
Average residential rate $1,150/yr
same for both
Council Lithgow
same for both

Federal electorate

Wallerawang Portland
Division Calare
same for both
Member Andrew Gee
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wallerawang Portland
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wallerawang

Acreage Affordable River

Portland

Acreage Affordable Quiet Retirees River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wallerawang

Wallerawang vs Bowenfels Wallerawang vs Marrangaroo Wallerawang vs Lidsdale Wallerawang vs Meadow Flat Wallerawang vs Rydal Wallerawang vs Mount Lambie

Other comparisons with Portland

Portland vs Meadow Flat Portland vs Cullen Bullen Portland vs Sunny Corner
Full data on Wallerawang Full data on Portland
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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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