Wattamolla vs Upper Kangaroo River

Upper Kangaroo River is the younger of the two, with a median age of 58 against 61 in Wattamolla. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Wattamolla, most households are people living alone. In Upper Kangaroo River, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Wattamolla: a median of $2.3 million, against $1.25 million in Upper Kangaroo River, though rent is higher in Upper Kangaroo River. On these figures, Upper Kangaroo River 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Wattamolla leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 33%)
  • Upper Kangaroo River has cheaper houses ($1,250,000 vs $2,300,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wattamolla

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (11% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper rent ($295/wk vs $500/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Wattamolla

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (156.8 km vs 161.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Upper Kangaroo River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (23.8% vs 16.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
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.

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Walkability 10 / 10
Wattamolla — Walkability: 10/100 Upper Kangaroo River — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 67 / 68
Wattamolla — Safety: 67/100 Upper Kangaroo River — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 32 / 42
Wattamolla — Low fire risk: 32/100 Upper Kangaroo River — Low fire risk: 42/100

Demographics

Upper Kangaroo River has more residents (151 vs 71); Upper Kangaroo River rents higher ($500/wk vs $295/wk).

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Population 71 151
+113% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.4% +23.8%
Median age 61 58
Median household income $143,000/yr
+35% vs other
 $92,612/yr
Median weekly rent $295/wk $500/wk
+69% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
0-4 — / —
Wattamolla — 0-4: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 9.9% / 6.0%
Wattamolla — 5-14: 9.9% Upper Kangaroo River — 5-14: 6.0%
15-19 4.2% / 2.0%
Wattamolla — 15-19: 4.2% Upper Kangaroo River — 15-19: 2.0%
20-24 — / 3.3%
Wattamolla — 20-24: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — 20-24: 3.3%
25-34 — / 7.3%
Wattamolla — 25-34: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 5.6% / 9.9%
Wattamolla — 35-44: 5.6% Upper Kangaroo River — 35-44: 9.9%
45-54 15.5% / 13.2%
Wattamolla — 45-54: 15.5% Upper Kangaroo River — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 40.8% / 22.5%
Wattamolla — 55-64: 40.8% Upper Kangaroo River — 55-64: 22.5%
65-74 28.2% / 22.5%
Wattamolla — 65-74: 28.2% Upper Kangaroo River — 65-74: 22.5%
75-84 — / 10.6%
Wattamolla — 75-84: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — 75-84: 10.6%
85+ — / —
Wattamolla — 85+: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (40.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wattamolla 62.5% lone person
Wattamolla — Lone Person: 62.5% Wattamolla — Couple Families: 37.5%
Upper Kangaroo River 54.8% lone person
Upper Kangaroo River — Lone Person: 54.8% Upper Kangaroo River — Couple Families: 45.2%
Lone Person Couple Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wattamolla 0.0% renting
Wattamolla — Owned Outright: 57.1% Wattamolla — Mortgage: 42.9% Wattamolla — Renting: 0.0%
Upper Kangaroo River 5.1% renting
Upper Kangaroo River — Owned Outright: 76.3% Upper Kangaroo River — Mortgage: 18.6% Upper Kangaroo River — Renting: 5.1%
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.

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
England 22.5% / 9.3%
Wattamolla — England: 22.5% Upper Kangaroo River — England: 9.3%
New Zealand — / 2.6%
Wattamolla — New Zealand: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — New Zealand: 2.6%
Scotland — / 2.0%
Wattamolla — Scotland: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — Scotland: 2.0%

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

Qualifications

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

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Bachelor Degree 29.6% / 28.5%
Wattamolla — Bachelor Degree: 29.6% Upper Kangaroo River — Bachelor Degree: 28.5%
Postgraduate Degree 12.7% / 13.2%
Wattamolla — Postgraduate Degree: 12.7% Upper Kangaroo River — Postgraduate Degree: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 12.7% / 7.3%
Wattamolla — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.7% Upper Kangaroo River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Certificate III & IV 7.0% / 11.9%
Wattamolla — Certificate III & IV: 7.0% Upper Kangaroo River — Certificate III & IV: 11.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 7.0% / —
Wattamolla — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 7.0% Upper Kangaroo River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wattamolla 96.4% houses
Wattamolla — Houses: 96.4% Wattamolla — Flats / Apartments: 3.6%
Upper Kangaroo River 97.0% houses
Upper Kangaroo River — Houses: 97.0% Upper Kangaroo River — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Median house price $2,300,000 $1,250,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Wattamolla has more land zoned for conservation (63% vs 48%); Upper Kangaroo River has more rural and farming land (51% vs 37%).

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Environmental 63% 48%
Rural and farming 37% 51%
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

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
New dwellings approved 854
across Shoalhaven
same for both
Approvals change year on year -10%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
House price Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Income Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW

Liveability

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Wattamolla carries more bushfire risk (68 vs 58).

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Bushfire Moderate
68/100
 Moderate
58/100
Crime Low
33/100
 Low
32/100
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

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
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

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Waterways 1 5

Mobility

Upper Kangaroo River sits further from the CBD (161.1 km vs 156.8 km).

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Walkability score 10/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 156.8 km 161.1 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 138 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2535
 0.9%
postcode 2577
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2535
 56
postcode 2577

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.

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Worked from Home 57.7% / 48.5%
Wattamolla — Worked from Home: 57.7% Upper Kangaroo River — Worked from Home: 48.5%
Car (driver) 42.3% / 34.8%
Wattamolla — Car (driver): 42.3% Upper Kangaroo River — Car (driver): 34.8%
Walked Only — / 12.1%
Wattamolla — Walked Only: not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — Walked Only: 12.1%
Car (passenger) — / 4.5%
Wattamolla — Car (passenger): not among its largest Upper Kangaroo River — Car (passenger): 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.7%).

Setting

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Elevation 157 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 190 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.3 km 20.4 km

NBN connectivity

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Connectivity score 16/100 18/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
39 premises
 0%
58 premises

Climate

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Average residential rate $1,501/yr
same for both
Council Shoalhaven
same for both

Federal electorate

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wattamolla Upper Kangaroo River
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wattamolla

Premium Professionals Retirees Rural

Upper Kangaroo River

Retirees Rural

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Other comparisons with Upper Kangaroo River

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Full data on Wattamolla Full data on Upper Kangaroo River
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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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