Willoughby East vs Willoughby

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Willoughby East, most households are couple families. In Willoughby, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Willoughby: a median of $3.6 million, against $3 million in Willoughby East, though rent is higher in Willoughby East. On these figures, Willoughby East tends to suit couples 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Willoughby East has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 56%)
  • Willoughby has more childcare (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Willoughby East

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper houses ($3,000,000 vs $3,600,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Willoughby

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (31% vs 12%)
  • has cheaper rent ($583/wk vs $873/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Willoughby

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 76/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Willoughby

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (44% vs 4%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 76/100)

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

Investors

Willoughby

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.9% vs 2.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Willoughby East Willoughby
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.

Willoughby East Willoughby
Walkability 76 / 89
Willoughby East — Walkability: 76/100 Willoughby — Walkability: 89/100
Safety 85 / 82
Willoughby East — Safety: 85/100 Willoughby — Safety: 82/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Willoughby East — Low fire risk: 100/100 Willoughby — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Willoughby has more residents (7,124 vs 1,864); Willoughby East has higher household incomes ($235,872 vs $155,740).

Willoughby East Willoughby
Population 1,864 7,124
+282% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.3% +8.9%
Median age 42 40
Median household income $235,872/yr
+34% vs other
 $155,740/yr
Median weekly rent $873/wk
+33% vs other
 $583/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Willoughby East Willoughby
0-4 5.6% / 6.1%
Willoughby East — 0-4: 5.6% Willoughby — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 19.3% / 15.0%
Willoughby East — 5-14: 19.3% Willoughby — 5-14: 15.0%
15-19 8.2% / 6.5%
Willoughby East — 15-19: 8.2% Willoughby — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 4.4% / 4.2%
Willoughby East — 20-24: 4.4% Willoughby — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 4.8% / 8.7%
Willoughby East — 25-34: 4.8% Willoughby — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 13.7% / 16.5%
Willoughby East — 35-44: 13.7% Willoughby — 35-44: 16.5%
45-54 17.5% / 16.2%
Willoughby East — 45-54: 17.5% Willoughby — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 11.7% / 11.2%
Willoughby East — 55-64: 11.7% Willoughby — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 9.2% / 7.7%
Willoughby East — 65-74: 9.2% Willoughby — 65-74: 7.7%
75-84 4.2% / 4.9%
Willoughby East — 75-84: 4.2% Willoughby — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 1.7% / 3.1%
Willoughby East — 85+: 1.7% Willoughby — 85+: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Willoughby East 74.8% couple families
Willoughby East — Couple Families: 74.8% Willoughby East — Lone Person: 12.1% Willoughby East — One Parent Families: 10.3% Willoughby East — Group Household: 1.3% Willoughby East — Other Families: 1.3%
Willoughby 52.8% couple families
Willoughby — Couple Families: 52.8% Willoughby — Lone Person: 28.0% Willoughby — One Parent Families: 14.3% Willoughby — Group Household: 3.5% Willoughby — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Willoughby East 11.9% renting
Willoughby East — Owned Outright: 44.2% Willoughby East — Mortgage: 43.9% Willoughby East — Renting: 11.9%
Willoughby 31.4% renting
Willoughby — Owned Outright: 33.8% Willoughby — Mortgage: 34.7% Willoughby — Renting: 31.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Willoughby East Willoughby
Bachelor Degree 24.9% / 24.6%
Willoughby East — Bachelor Degree: 24.9% Willoughby — Bachelor Degree: 24.6%
Postgraduate Degree 9.8% / 11.3%
Willoughby East — Postgraduate Degree: 9.8% Willoughby — Postgraduate Degree: 11.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.4% / 7.1%
Willoughby East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4% Willoughby — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Certificate III & IV 4.2% / 5.1%
Willoughby East — Certificate III & IV: 4.2% Willoughby — Certificate III & IV: 5.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 2.6%
Willoughby East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Willoughby — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.9%).

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.

Willoughby East Willoughby
England 3.7% / 4.4%
Willoughby East — England: 3.7% Willoughby — England: 4.4%
China 2.7% / 4.6%
Willoughby East — China: 2.7% Willoughby — China: 4.6%
New Zealand 2.4% / 2.0%
Willoughby East — New Zealand: 2.4% Willoughby — New Zealand: 2.0%
South Africa 1.2% / 1.3%
Willoughby East — South Africa: 1.2% Willoughby — South Africa: 1.3%
India — / 1.2%
Willoughby East — India: not among its largest Willoughby — India: 1.2%
Malaysia 1.1% / —
Willoughby East — Malaysia: 1.1% Willoughby — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Willoughby East 95.6% houses
Willoughby East — Houses: 95.6% Willoughby East — Flats / Apartments: 0.5% Willoughby East — Townhouses: 3.9%
Willoughby 56.5% houses
Willoughby — Houses: 56.5% Willoughby — Flats / Apartments: 32.9% Willoughby — Townhouses: 10.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Willoughby East Willoughby
Median house price $3,000,000 $3,600,000
Median unit price — $1,070,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 22 days
from 68 sales

Zoning mix

Willoughby East Willoughby
Residential 85% 80%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 10%
Parks and recreation 9% 7%
Commercial 0% 2%
Industrial 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

Willoughby East Willoughby
New dwellings approved 249
across Willoughby
same for both
Approvals change year on year +458%
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.

Willoughby East Willoughby
Houses — 2.2%
$1,500/wk on $3.48M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Willoughby East Willoughby
House price Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Income Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 99% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 3% of NSW

Liveability

Willoughby is more walkable (89 vs 76).

Willoughby East Willoughby
Grade A+
same for both
Score 93/100
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Willoughby East Willoughby
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
15/100
 Low
18/100
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 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Willoughby East Willoughby
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 4.2 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 3.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.9% 3.3%

Schools in Willoughby East

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

Schools in Willoughby

  • Willoughby Girls High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Willoughby Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Willoughby East Willoughby
Cafes & restaurants 0 6
Parks & reserves 2 3
Childcare 0 4
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Willoughby East Willoughby
Walkability score 76/100 89/100
Distance to Sydney 9 km
+8% vs other
 8.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 14 min 13 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 54.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 195.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 4.5%
postcode 2068
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 2068
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.

Willoughby East Willoughby
Worked from Home 67.1% / 64.0%
Willoughby East — Worked from Home: 67.1% Willoughby — Worked from Home: 64.0%
Car (driver) 25.5% / 25.4%
Willoughby East — Car (driver): 25.5% Willoughby — Car (driver): 25.4%
Bus 2.0% / 4.1%
Willoughby East — Bus: 2.0% Willoughby — Bus: 4.1%
Walked Only 2.1% / 2.8%
Willoughby East — Walked Only: 2.1% Willoughby — Walked Only: 2.8%
Car (passenger) 2.1% / 2.0%
Willoughby East — Car (passenger): 2.1% Willoughby — Car (passenger): 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.1%).

Setting

Willoughby East Willoughby
Elevation 76 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km
2.4 km to a named beach
 4.4 km
2.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Willoughby East Willoughby
Connectivity score 75/100 83/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
618 premises
 32%
3,480 premises

Climate

Willoughby East Willoughby
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Willoughby East Willoughby
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³ 6.5 µg/m³
PM10 13.8 µg/m³ 15.7 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.84 pphm 0.62 pphm

Council rates

Willoughby East Willoughby
Average residential rate $1,275/yr
same for both
Council Willoughby
same for both

Federal electorate

Willoughby East Willoughby
Division Bradfield
same for both
Member Nicolette Boele
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Willoughby East Willoughby
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Willoughby East

Family Inner Parks Premium Professionals River Urban

Willoughby

Apartments Inner Luxury Parks Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Willoughby East

Willoughby East vs North Willoughby Willoughby East vs Castlecrag Willoughby East vs Middle Cove

Other comparisons with Willoughby

Willoughby vs Chatswood Willoughby vs Artarmon Willoughby vs Northbridge Willoughby vs Naremburn Willoughby vs North Willoughby Willoughby vs Castlecrag
Full data on Willoughby East Full data on Willoughby
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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