Werris Creek vs Caroona

Caroona is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 50 in Werris Creek. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Werris Creek, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. In Caroona, most households rent. Houses cost more in Caroona: a median of $515,000, against $340,000 in Werris Creek, though rent is higher in Werris Creek. On these figures, Werris Creek tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Caroona suits renters and families with children.

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

Werris Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Caroona is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 45%)

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

First-home buyers

Werris Creek

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 38%)
  • has cheaper houses ($340,000 vs $515,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Caroona

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (62% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($189/wk vs $220/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Werris Creek

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (372.7 km vs 381.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (273 min vs 278 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Werris Creek

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 16%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Werris Creek Caroona
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.

Werris Creek Caroona
Walkability 14 / 0
Werris Creek — Walkability: 14/100 Caroona — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 14 / 9
Werris Creek — Safety: 14/100 Caroona — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 76 / 69
Werris Creek — Low fire risk: 76/100 Caroona — Low fire risk: 69/100

Demographics

Werris Creek has more residents (1,478 vs 196); Werris Creek skews older (50 vs 40).

Werris Creek Caroona
Population 1,478
+87% vs other
 196
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -6.0% -3.0%
Median age 50 40
Median household income $48,932/yr $48,516/yr
Median weekly rent $220/wk
+14% vs other
 $189/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Werris Creek Caroona
0-4 4.8% / 10.2%
Werris Creek — 0-4: 4.8% Caroona — 0-4: 10.2%
5-14 11.7% / 17.9%
Werris Creek — 5-14: 11.7% Caroona — 5-14: 17.9%
15-19 5.0% / 5.6%
Werris Creek — 15-19: 5.0% Caroona — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 4.5% / 4.1%
Werris Creek — 20-24: 4.5% Caroona — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 9.2% / 8.7%
Werris Creek — 25-34: 9.2% Caroona — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 9.3% / 7.7%
Werris Creek — 35-44: 9.3% Caroona — 35-44: 7.7%
45-54 11.0% / 17.9%
Werris Creek — 45-54: 11.0% Caroona — 45-54: 17.9%
55-64 15.4% / 15.3%
Werris Creek — 55-64: 15.4% Caroona — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 16.1% / 9.2%
Werris Creek — 65-74: 16.1% Caroona — 65-74: 9.2%
75-84 9.9% / 5.1%
Werris Creek — 75-84: 9.9% Caroona — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 3.0% / 2.0%
Werris Creek — 85+: 3.0% Caroona — 85+: 2.0%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Werris Creek 47.8% lone person
Werris Creek — Lone Person: 47.8% Werris Creek — One Parent Families: 20.3% Werris Creek — Couple Families: 24.9% Werris Creek — Other Families: 3.7% Werris Creek — Group Household: 3.3%
Caroona 32.7% lone person
Caroona — Lone Person: 32.7% Caroona — One Parent Families: 40.0% Caroona — Couple Families: 27.3% Caroona — Other Families: 0.0% Caroona — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Werris Creek 24.6% renting
Werris Creek — Owned Outright: 50.7% Werris Creek — Mortgage: 24.7% Werris Creek — Renting: 24.6%
Caroona 61.9% renting
Caroona — Owned Outright: 28.6% Caroona — Mortgage: 9.5% Caroona — Renting: 61.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Werris Creek 95.6% houses
Werris Creek — Houses: 95.6% Werris Creek — Flats / Apartments: 3.9% Werris Creek — Townhouses: 0.5%
Caroona 95.7% houses
Caroona — Houses: 95.7% Caroona — Flats / Apartments: 4.3% Caroona — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Qualifications

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

Werris Creek Caroona
Certificate III & IV 16.0% / 9.2%
Werris Creek — Certificate III & IV: 16.0% Caroona — Certificate III & IV: 9.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.0% / 9.2%
Werris Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.0% Caroona — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Bachelor Degree 3.2% / 8.2%
Werris Creek — Bachelor Degree: 3.2% Caroona — Bachelor Degree: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / —
Werris Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Caroona — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.3% / —
Werris Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.3% Caroona — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.0%).

Property market

Werris Creek Caroona
Median house price $340,000 $515,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 52 days
from 9 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Werris Creek Caroona
Rural and farming 97% 100%
Residential 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

Werris Creek Caroona
New dwellings approved 12
across Liverpool Plains
 25
across Gunnedah
Approvals change year on year +33% -17%

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.

Werris Creek Caroona
Houses 5.2%
$420/wk on $420K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Werris Creek Caroona
House price Higher than 8% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
Income Higher than 10% of NSW
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
EV adoption — Higher than 5% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 97% of NSW —

Liveability

Werris Creek is more walkable (14 vs 0).

Werris Creek Caroona
Grade D —
Score 18/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Werris Creek Caroona
Bushfire Low
24/100
 Low
31/100
Crime High
86/100
 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 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Werris Creek Caroona
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Werris Creek

  • Werris Creek Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Caroona

  • Walhallow Public School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Werris Creek Caroona
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1
same for both
Parks & reserves 5 0
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 1
Fuel stations 1 2
Waterways 17 0

Mobility

Caroona sits further from the CBD (381.2 km vs 372.7 km).

Werris Creek Caroona
Walkability score 14/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 372.7 km 381.2 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 273 min 278 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 2341
 0.1%
postcode 2343
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 2341
 47
postcode 2343

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.

Werris Creek Caroona
Car (driver) 73.7% / 65.4%
Werris Creek — Car (driver): 73.7% Caroona — Car (driver): 65.4%
Worked from Home 12.8% / 19.2%
Werris Creek — Worked from Home: 12.8% Caroona — Worked from Home: 19.2%
Walked Only 8.8% / 15.4%
Werris Creek — Walked Only: 8.8% Caroona — Walked Only: 15.4%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / —
Werris Creek — Car (passenger): 2.5% Caroona — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 2.3% / —
Werris Creek — Bus: 2.3% Caroona — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.7%).

Setting

Werris Creek Caroona
Elevation 362 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 336 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Werris Creek Caroona
Connectivity score 60/100 24/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
871 premises
 0%
70 premises

Climate

Werris Creek Caroona
Annual rainfall 650 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 2.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Werris Creek Caroona
Average residential rate $934/yr $1,093/yr
Council Liverpool Plains Gunnedah

Federal electorate

Werris Creek Caroona
Division New England Parkes
Member Barnaby Joyce Jamie Chaffey
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Werris Creek Caroona
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Werris Creek

Affordable Retirees River Rural

Caroona

Affordable Family Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Werris Creek

Werris Creek vs Quirindi Werris Creek vs Currabubula Werris Creek vs Quipolly Werris Creek vs Breeza Werris Creek vs Gowrie

Other comparisons with Caroona

Caroona vs Quirindi Caroona vs Spring Ridge Caroona vs Breeza Caroona vs Pine Ridge
Full data on Werris Creek Full data on Caroona
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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