Wollongbar vs Mcleans Ridges

Wollongbar is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 45 in McLeans Ridges. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Wollongbar, about half of households are couple families. In McLeans Ridges, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in McLeans Ridges: a median of $1.53 million, against $865,000 in Wollongbar. On these figures, Wollongbar tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while McLeans Ridges suits couples.

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

  • Wollongbar has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • Mcleans Ridges carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 51/100)

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

First-home buyers

Wollongbar

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($865,000 vs $1,530,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Wollongbar has a bigger rental market to choose from (25% vs 7%)
  • Mcleans Ridges leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Wollongbar

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 18/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (734.4 km vs 744.3 km)
  • But McLeans Ridges has a shorter drive in (479 min vs 484 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wollongbar

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 4%)
  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 18/100)
  • But McLeans Ridges carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 51/100)

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

Where they sit

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

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
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.

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Walkability 27 / 18
Wollongbar — Walkability: 27/100 Mcleans Ridges — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 49 / 72
Wollongbar — Safety: 49/100 Mcleans Ridges — Safety: 72/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Wollongbar — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mcleans Ridges — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Wollongbar has more residents (3,261 vs 808); McLeans Ridges has higher household incomes ($119,860 vs $85,228).

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Population 3,261
+75% vs other
 808
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +15.3% —
Median age 40 45
Median household income $85,228/yr $119,860/yr
+41% vs other
Median weekly rent $420/wk
+5% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
0-4 5.5% / 3.7%
Wollongbar — 0-4: 5.5% Mcleans Ridges — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 14.4% / 14.4%
Wollongbar — 5-14: 14.4% Mcleans Ridges — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 6.8% / 7.7%
Wollongbar — 15-19: 6.8% Mcleans Ridges — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.2% / 2.8%
Wollongbar — 20-24: 5.2% Mcleans Ridges — 20-24: 2.8%
25-34 10.6% / 9.7%
Wollongbar — 25-34: 10.6% Mcleans Ridges — 25-34: 9.7%
35-44 12.3% / 12.3%
Wollongbar — 35-44: 12.3% Mcleans Ridges — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 13.0% / 14.7%
Wollongbar — 45-54: 13.0% Mcleans Ridges — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 12.1% / 16.7%
Wollongbar — 55-64: 12.1% Mcleans Ridges — 55-64: 16.7%
65-74 11.4% / 14.5%
Wollongbar — 65-74: 11.4% Mcleans Ridges — 65-74: 14.5%
75-84 6.9% / 3.8%
Wollongbar — 75-84: 6.9% Mcleans Ridges — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 1.9% / 1.2%
Wollongbar — 85+: 1.9% Mcleans Ridges — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wollongbar 45.4% couple families
Wollongbar — Couple Families: 45.4% Wollongbar — Lone Person: 28.6% Wollongbar — One Parent Families: 20.7% Wollongbar — Group Household: 4.1% Wollongbar — Other Families: 1.2%
Mcleans Ridges 63.6% couple families
Mcleans Ridges — Couple Families: 63.6% Mcleans Ridges — Lone Person: 18.8% Mcleans Ridges — One Parent Families: 9.7% Mcleans Ridges — Group Household: 6.1% Mcleans Ridges — Other Families: 1.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wollongbar 25.1% renting
Wollongbar — Owned Outright: 37.5% Wollongbar — Mortgage: 37.3% Wollongbar — Renting: 25.1%
Mcleans Ridges 7.4% renting
Mcleans Ridges — Owned Outright: 45.9% Mcleans Ridges — Mortgage: 46.7% Mcleans Ridges — Renting: 7.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Certificate III & IV 17.5% / 15.7%
Wollongbar — Certificate III & IV: 17.5% Mcleans Ridges — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 12.7% / 18.3%
Wollongbar — Bachelor Degree: 12.7% Mcleans Ridges — Bachelor Degree: 18.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 6.9%
Wollongbar — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Mcleans Ridges — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 6.4%
Wollongbar — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Mcleans Ridges — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 2.6%
Wollongbar — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Mcleans Ridges — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

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.

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
England 2.9% / 3.3%
Wollongbar — England: 2.9% Mcleans Ridges — England: 3.3%
South Africa 0.8% / 1.4%
Wollongbar — South Africa: 0.8% Mcleans Ridges — South Africa: 1.4%
New Zealand 1.3% / 0.7%
Wollongbar — New Zealand: 1.3% Mcleans Ridges — New Zealand: 0.7%
Germany 0.3% / 0.5%
Wollongbar — Germany: 0.3% Mcleans Ridges — Germany: 0.5%
China — / 0.6%
Wollongbar — China: not among its largest Mcleans Ridges — China: 0.6%
Malaysia 0.4% / —
Wollongbar — Malaysia: 0.4% Mcleans Ridges — Malaysia: not among its largest
India 0.3% / —
Wollongbar — India: 0.3% Mcleans Ridges — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wollongbar 84.4% houses
Wollongbar — Houses: 84.4% Wollongbar — Flats / Apartments: 8.3% Wollongbar — Townhouses: 7.3%
Mcleans Ridges 96.0% houses
Mcleans Ridges — Houses: 96.0% Mcleans Ridges — Flats / Apartments: 2.5% Mcleans Ridges — Townhouses: 1.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Median house price $865,000 $1,530,000
Median unit price $627,500 —
Median land price $537,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 44 days
from 38 sales
 17 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

McLeans Ridges has more rural and farming land (79% vs 39%).

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Rural and farming 39% 79%
Other and special use 48% 7%
Residential 11% 13%
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

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
New dwellings approved 238
across Ballina
 138
across Lismore
Approvals change year on year +210% +0%

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.

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Houses 3.8%
$815/wk on $1.11M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Income Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 63% of NSW —

Liveability

Wollongbar is more walkable (27 vs 18); McLeans Ridges scores higher overall (60 vs 50).

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Grade B
same for both
Score 50/100 60/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Wollongbar carries more crime risk (51 vs 28).

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Low
28/100
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

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Wollongbar

  • Wollongbar Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Mcleans Ridges

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

Amenities in the suburb

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 4 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 8 6

Mobility

McLeans Ridges sits further from the CBD (744.3 km vs 734.4 km).

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Walkability score 27/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 734.4 km 744.3 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 484 min 479 min
Public transport score 73/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 50.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2477
 0.6%
postcode 2480
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 75
postcode 2477
 69
postcode 2480

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.

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Car (driver) 76.1% / 68.2%
Wollongbar — Car (driver): 76.1% Mcleans Ridges — Car (driver): 68.2%
Worked from Home 16.8% / 26.3%
Wollongbar — Worked from Home: 16.8% Mcleans Ridges — Worked from Home: 26.3%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 4.2%
Wollongbar — Car (passenger): 4.2% Mcleans Ridges — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 1.5% / 1.4%
Wollongbar — Walked Only: 1.5% Mcleans Ridges — Walked Only: 1.4%
Bus 0.7% / —
Wollongbar — Bus: 0.7% Mcleans Ridges — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.1%).

Setting

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Elevation 173 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 141 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.4 km 16.3 km

NBN connectivity

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Connectivity score 79/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 57%
1,544 premises
 0%
287 premises

Council rates

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Average residential rate $1,264/yr $1,487/yr
Council Ballina Lismore

Federal electorate

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wollongbar Mcleans Ridges
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wollongbar

—

Mcleans Ridges

Acreage Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Wollongbar

Wollongbar vs Alstonville Wollongbar vs Alstonvale Wollongbar vs Lindendale Wollongbar vs Rous

Other comparisons with Mcleans Ridges

Mcleans Ridges vs Richmond Hill Mcleans Ridges vs Alstonvale Mcleans Ridges vs Eltham Mcleans Ridges vs Lindendale Mcleans Ridges vs Pearces Creek
Full data on Wollongbar Full data on Mcleans Ridges
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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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