Overall score
Caves Beach
48.2/100
Swansea Heads
40.9/100
Caves Beach vs Swansea Heads, NSW Suburb Comparison
Caves Beach for retirees and beach lifestyle; Swansea Heads for families and schools.
See which suburb leads on livability, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
Head to head
Visual comparison
Caves BeachSwansea Heads
Crime rate
Caves Beach
56.0 / 1k
Swansea Heads
56.4 / 1k
Nearby amenities
Caves Beach
99
Swansea Heads
38
Population
Caves Beach
4,016
Swansea Heads
609
Metric leadCaves Beach 8Swansea Heads 31 tiedacross 12 compared metrics
Livability profile
Desirability pillars scored 0–100 vs comparable suburbs
Quick verdicts
Clearer edge on lifestyle fit (score gap ≥ 3)
- Best for retireesCaves Beach
- Best for familiesSwansea Heads
- Best for beach lifestyleCaves Beach
- Best for best schoolsSwansea Heads
Audience fit
Who each suburb suits — composite scores out of 100
All metrics
Side-by-side scores for every compared metric.
Full comparison table
Exact figures for every metric — winner highlighted in bold.
| Category | Caves Beach | Swansea Heads |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 48.2/100 | 40.9/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 45.8/100 | 40.7/100 |
| Crime rate | 56.0 / 1k | 56.4 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | 3 | 1 |
| Weather (desirability) | 60.5/100 | 60.5/100 |
| Parks & reserves | — | 1 |
| Public transport stops | 59 | 9 |
| Walkability | 80.0/100 | 13.5/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 99 | 38 |
| Planning activity | 21 | 5 |
| Green cover | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| Population | 4,016 | 609 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 7/10 | 9/10 |
Comparison summary
Put side by side, Caves Beach is a beachside mid-sized suburb where the coast sets the tone, and Swansea Heads is a coastal smaller community shaped by beach life and outdoor living.
Caves Beach pulls ahead on a quieter safety profile, schools and education options, and public transport access, whereas Swansea Heads is the better pick for housing affordability, a calmer planning outlook, and stronger socioeconomic advantage.
On balance, families, people chasing a beach lifestyle, value-focused buyers, and households prioritising schools are more likely to prefer Caves Beach, while Swansea Heads remains a solid alternative depending on what matters most day to day.
Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.