SuburbCheck

Dalwood (Ballina) vs Meerschaum Vale

The verdict

Meerschaum Vale is more affordable, with a median house price of $1.15M versus $1.59M in Dalwood (Ballina). Dalwood (Ballina) rates higher for education (54 vs 40). Meerschaum Vale is closer to the coast (9.6 km vs 11.7 km).

Scores

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Overall2218
Transport00
Education5440
Liveability1616

Overall is based on transport, liveability & education — the metrics available at consistent quality nationwide. Residential safety is compared separately below.

Demographics

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Population218372
Median age5047
Median household income (wk)$2,181$1,968
Bachelor degree or higher41.1%28.3%
Born in Australia83.5%87.6%
Avg household size2.62.7

Growth: Dalwood (Ballina) Moderate Growth · Meerschaum Vale Moderate Growth

Property

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Median house price$1.59M$1.15M
Median unit priceData not availableData not available
House price YoYData not availableData not available
Median rent — house (wk)$765$765
Rental yield (house)Data not availableData not available
Days on market (house)Data not availableData not available

Median price history

Safety

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Residential safety score
Break & enter dwelling /100kData not available0
Motor vehicle theft /100kData not available269
Domestic assault /100kData not available0
Total incidents /100k (all)Data not available2,151

Total incidents over time

Schools

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Total schools00
Government00
Independent00
Average ICSEAData not availableData not available

See the full school list on each profile: Dalwood (Ballina) · Meerschaum Vale

Transport

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Transport score00
Train stations00
Bus stops00
Light rail stops00
Ferry wharves00
CBD commute (min)Data not availableData not available
Nearest train station (km)6.5 km5.6 km

Liveability

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Summer max temp30.0°C30.0°C
Winter max temp20.5°C20.5°C
Annual rainfall (mm)1,3001,300
Supermarkets00
Cafes & restaurants00
Parks00
PlaygroundsData not availableData not available
Swimming poolsData not availableData not available
Medical GPs00
Distance to coast (km)11.7 km9.6 km
Distance to CBD (km)591.9 km588.5 km
Nearest beach (km)Data not availableData not available
Nearest hospital (km)15.1 km16.2 km

Population & growth

Dalwood (Ballina)Meerschaum Vale
Population (2021)218372
Estimated 2025231394
Projected 2041243414
Annual growth rate1.46%1.45%

Common questions

Which is more affordable, Dalwood (Ballina) or Meerschaum Vale?

Meerschaum Vale is more affordable, with a median house price of $1.15M versus $1.59M.

Which has better public transport, Dalwood (Ballina) or Meerschaum Vale?

Dalwood (Ballina) and Meerschaum Vale have similar transport scores.

Try another comparison

Compare two suburbs

Dalwood (Ballina)

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SuburbCheck

A free, data-driven tool to compare Australian suburbs on safety, schools, transport, property and liveability — built from public government data.

Data sources

ABS Census & ERP · Valuers-General · BOCSAR & state crime agencies · GTFS · ACARA · Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap.

Data is from public sources and may not reflect current conditions. Figures are indicative and should not be the sole basis for property or relocation decisions.

© 2026 SuburbCheck · Data refreshed quarterly.