Wooloweyah vs Yamba

Wooloweyah is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 57 in Yamba. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Yamba, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Wooloweyah: a median of $1.25 million, against $932,000 in Yamba. On these figures, Yamba tends to suit people living alone, older residents, 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

  • Wooloweyah carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 79/100)
  • Yamba has more parks and reserves (19 vs 1)

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

  • Wooloweyah leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 34%)
  • Yamba has cheaper houses ($932,000 vs $1,247,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Wooloweyah leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 36%)
  • Yamba has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 13%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Wooloweyah sits closer to the CBD (652.8 km vs 656.7 km)
  • Yamba is more walkable (37/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Yamba

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (25% vs 6%)
  • But Wooloweyah carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 79/100)

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

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

Wooloweyah Yamba
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.

Wooloweyah Yamba
Walkability 0 / 37
Wooloweyah — Walkability: 0/100 Yamba — Walkability: 37/100
Safety 82 / 21
Wooloweyah — Safety: 82/100 Yamba — Safety: 21/100
Low fire risk 15 / 62
Wooloweyah — Low fire risk: 15/100 Yamba — Low fire risk: 62/100

Demographics

Yamba has more residents (6,405 vs 419); Wooloweyah has higher household incomes ($87,048 vs $57,512).

Wooloweyah Yamba
Population 419 6,405
+1429% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.2% +5.4%
Median age 49 57
Median household income $87,048/yr
+34% vs other
 $57,512/yr
Median weekly rent $403/wk $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Wooloweyah Yamba
0-4 3.6% / 4.0%
Wooloweyah — 0-4: 3.6% Yamba — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 11.5% / 9.0%
Wooloweyah — 5-14: 11.5% Yamba — 5-14: 9.0%
15-19 3.8% / 3.8%
Wooloweyah — 15-19: 3.8% Yamba — 15-19: 3.8%
20-24 3.3% / 3.6%
Wooloweyah — 20-24: 3.3% Yamba — 20-24: 3.6%
25-34 6.9% / 8.0%
Wooloweyah — 25-34: 6.9% Yamba — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 13.1% / 9.3%
Wooloweyah — 35-44: 13.1% Yamba — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 14.1% / 9.8%
Wooloweyah — 45-54: 14.1% Yamba — 45-54: 9.8%
55-64 22.9% / 14.9%
Wooloweyah — 55-64: 22.9% Yamba — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 16.2% / 19.4%
Wooloweyah — 65-74: 16.2% Yamba — 65-74: 19.4%
75-84 1.2% / 13.6%
Wooloweyah — 75-84: 1.2% Yamba — 75-84: 13.6%
85+ 2.1% / 4.6%
Wooloweyah — 85+: 2.1% Yamba — 85+: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Wooloweyah 33.9% lone person
Wooloweyah — Lone Person: 33.9% Wooloweyah — Couple Families: 40.2% Wooloweyah — One Parent Families: 16.1% Wooloweyah — Group Household: 9.8% Wooloweyah — Other Families: 0.0%
Yamba 51.1% lone person
Yamba — Lone Person: 51.1% Yamba — Couple Families: 26.9% Yamba — One Parent Families: 15.7% Yamba — Group Household: 5.0% Yamba — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Wooloweyah 13.3% renting
Wooloweyah — Owned Outright: 43.0% Wooloweyah — Mortgage: 43.7% Wooloweyah — Renting: 13.3%
Yamba 28.2% renting
Yamba — Owned Outright: 53.1% Yamba — Mortgage: 18.7% Yamba — Renting: 28.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Wooloweyah Yamba
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 16.4%
Wooloweyah — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Yamba — Certificate III & IV: 16.4%
Bachelor Degree 18.4% / 10.1%
Wooloweyah — Bachelor Degree: 18.4% Yamba — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.5% / 8.1%
Wooloweyah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.5% Yamba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 5.3% / 2.4%
Wooloweyah — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3% Yamba — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.8% / 1.7%
Wooloweyah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8% Yamba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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.

Wooloweyah Yamba
England 3.8% / 3.7%
Wooloweyah — England: 3.8% Yamba — England: 3.7%
New Zealand 4.1% / 1.8%
Wooloweyah — New Zealand: 4.1% Yamba — New Zealand: 1.8%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.4%
Wooloweyah — South Africa: 1.0% Yamba — South Africa: 0.4%
Netherlands 0.7% / 0.4%
Wooloweyah — Netherlands: 0.7% Yamba — Netherlands: 0.4%
Germany — / 0.4%
Wooloweyah — Germany: not among its largest Yamba — Germany: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Wooloweyah — Philippines: not among its largest Yamba — Philippines: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Wooloweyah 94.4% houses
Wooloweyah — Houses: 94.4% Wooloweyah — Townhouses: 0.0% Wooloweyah — Flats / Apartments: 5.6%
Yamba 75.1% houses
Yamba — Houses: 75.1% Yamba — Townhouses: 17.0% Yamba — Flats / Apartments: 7.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Wooloweyah Yamba
Median house price $1,247,500 $932,000
Median unit price — $702,500
Median land price — $700,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 42 days
from 100 sales

Zoning mix

Wooloweyah has more land zoned for conservation (90% vs 51%).

Wooloweyah Yamba
Environmental 90% 51%
Residential 1% 31%
Parks and recreation 0% 9%
Rural and farming 9% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 6%
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

Wooloweyah Yamba
New dwellings approved 246
across Clarence Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
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.

Wooloweyah Yamba
Houses — 3.9%
$740/wk on $999K
Units — 3.9%
$550/wk on $725K

Ranking within NSW

Wooloweyah Yamba
House price Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Income Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 29% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 60% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 66% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 22% of NSW

Liveability

Yamba is more walkable (37 vs 0).

Wooloweyah Yamba
Grade — D
Score — 28/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Yamba carries more crime risk (79 vs 18); Wooloweyah carries more bushfire risk (85 vs 38).

Wooloweyah Yamba
Bushfire High
85/100
 Low
38/100
Crime Low
18/100
 High
79/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
85/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Wooloweyah Yamba
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Wooloweyah

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

Schools in Yamba

  • St James' Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Yamba Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Wooloweyah Yamba
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 12
Parks & reserves 1 19
Childcare 0 4
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 5
Beaches 0 5
Waterways 1 3

Mobility

Yamba sits further from the CBD (656.7 km vs 652.8 km).

Wooloweyah Yamba
Walkability score 0/100 37/100
Distance to Sydney 652.8 km 656.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 435 min 431 min
Public transport score 22/100
Bus
 58/100
Bus · Ferry
Peak arrivals per hour 1.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 20.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 28.5 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2464
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 58
postcode 2464
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.

Wooloweyah Yamba
Car (driver) 78.0% / 69.5%
Wooloweyah — Car (driver): 78.0% Yamba — Car (driver): 69.5%
Worked from Home 15.2% / 15.6%
Wooloweyah — Worked from Home: 15.2% Yamba — Worked from Home: 15.6%
Walked Only 2.1% / 7.4%
Wooloweyah — Walked Only: 2.1% Yamba — Walked Only: 7.4%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 5.0%
Wooloweyah — Car (passenger): 3.1% Yamba — Car (passenger): 5.0%
Bicycle 1.6% / 2.2%
Wooloweyah — Bicycle: 1.6% Yamba — Bicycle: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.0%).

Setting

Wooloweyah Yamba
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.3 km
4.4 km to a named beach
 150 m
1.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Wooloweyah Yamba
Connectivity score 89/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the curb Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
198 premises
 42%
4,772 premises

Climate

Wooloweyah Yamba
Annual rainfall 1,557 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 11.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Wooloweyah Yamba
Average residential rate $1,380/yr
same for both
Council Clarence Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Wooloweyah Yamba
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Wooloweyah Yamba
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Wooloweyah

Rural

Yamba

Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Yamba

Yamba vs Iluka Yamba vs Palmers Island Yamba vs Angourie
Full data on Wooloweyah Full data on Yamba
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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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