Awaba vs Buttaba

Awaba is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Buttaba. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Buttaba: a median of $974,000, against $735,000 in Awaba, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Awaba tends to suit 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

Buttaba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 82/100)

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

First-home buyers

Awaba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($735,000 vs $974,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Awaba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $410/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Buttaba

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 18/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (100 min vs 105 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Buttaba

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 18/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 82/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 15%)

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

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

Awaba Buttaba
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.

Awaba Buttaba
Walkability 18 / 27
Awaba — Walkability: 18/100 Buttaba — Walkability: 27/100
Safety 18 / 44
Awaba — Safety: 18/100 Buttaba — Safety: 44/100
Low fire risk 33 / 24
Awaba — Low fire risk: 33/100 Buttaba — Low fire risk: 24/100

Demographics

Buttaba has more residents (1,204 vs 430); Buttaba rents higher ($410/wk vs $300/wk).

Awaba Buttaba
Population 430 1,204
+180% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.0% +9.4%
Median age 40 43
Median household income $89,752/yr $97,500/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $410/wk
+37% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Awaba Buttaba
0-4 4.2% / 5.0%
Awaba — 0-4: 4.2% Buttaba — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 15.8% / 12.5%
Awaba — 5-14: 15.8% Buttaba — 5-14: 12.5%
15-19 7.9% / 7.4%
Awaba — 15-19: 7.9% Buttaba — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 6.7% / 5.3%
Awaba — 20-24: 6.7% Buttaba — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 10.5% / 9.3%
Awaba — 25-34: 10.5% Buttaba — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 9.3% / 12.6%
Awaba — 35-44: 9.3% Buttaba — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 17.2% / 12.8%
Awaba — 45-54: 17.2% Buttaba — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 15.6% / 15.1%
Awaba — 55-64: 15.6% Buttaba — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 8.8% / 13.1%
Awaba — 65-74: 8.8% Buttaba — 65-74: 13.1%
75-84 4.4% / 6.8%
Awaba — 75-84: 4.4% Buttaba — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 1.9% / 0.4%
Awaba — 85+: 1.9% Buttaba — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Awaba 57.1% couple families
Awaba — Couple Families: 57.1% Awaba — Lone Person: 28.6% Awaba — One Parent Families: 10.2% Awaba — Group Household: 4.1% Awaba — Other Families: 0.0%
Buttaba 57.5% couple families
Buttaba — Couple Families: 57.5% Buttaba — Lone Person: 21.8% Buttaba — One Parent Families: 16.2% Buttaba — Group Household: 2.6% Buttaba — Other Families: 1.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Awaba 8.6% renting
Awaba — Owned Outright: 39.6% Awaba — Mortgage: 51.8% Awaba — Renting: 8.6%
Buttaba 11.5% renting
Buttaba — Owned Outright: 45.7% Buttaba — Mortgage: 42.9% Buttaba — Renting: 11.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Awaba Buttaba
Certificate III & IV 22.6% / 21.6%
Awaba — Certificate III & IV: 22.6% Buttaba — Certificate III & IV: 21.6%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 10.1%
Awaba — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Buttaba — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 8.0%
Awaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Buttaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 2.5%
Awaba — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Buttaba — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.5%
Awaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Buttaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.6%).

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.

Awaba Buttaba
England 2.1% / 3.6%
Awaba — England: 2.1% Buttaba — England: 3.6%
Canada 0.9% / —
Awaba — Canada: 0.9% Buttaba — Canada: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 0.9%
Awaba — New Zealand: not among its largest Buttaba — New Zealand: 0.9%
Netherlands — / 0.8%
Awaba — Netherlands: not among its largest Buttaba — Netherlands: 0.8%
China — / 0.4%
Awaba — China: not among its largest Buttaba — China: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Awaba — Philippines: not among its largest Buttaba — Philippines: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Awaba 97.9% houses
Awaba — Houses: 97.9% Awaba — Flats / Apartments: 2.1% Awaba — Townhouses: 0.0%
Buttaba 97.9% houses
Buttaba — Houses: 97.9% Buttaba — Flats / Apartments: 0.2% Buttaba — Townhouses: 1.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Awaba Buttaba
Median house price $735,000 $974,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 32 days
from 14 sales

Zoning mix

Awaba has more land zoned for conservation (80% vs 51%).

Awaba Buttaba
Environmental 80% 51%
Residential 3% 47%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 1%
Rural and farming 5% 0%
Parks and recreation 1%
same for both
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

Awaba Buttaba
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Awaba Buttaba
House price Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Income Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW

Liveability

Buttaba is more walkable (27 vs 18).

Awaba Buttaba
Grade — C
Score — 33/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Awaba carries more crime risk (82 vs 56).

Awaba Buttaba
Bushfire Moderate
67/100
 High
76/100
Crime High
82/100
 Moderate
56/100
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 3
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Awaba Buttaba
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Awaba

  • Awaba Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Buttaba

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

Amenities in the suburb

Awaba Buttaba
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 7 0

Mobility

Awaba Buttaba
Walkability score 18/100 27/100
Distance to Sydney 128.6 km
+1% vs other
 126.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 105 min 100 min
Public transport score 37/100
Rail · Bus
 31/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 8 min
scheduled, not actual
 1.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2283
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 2283
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.

Awaba Buttaba
Car (driver) 76.3% / 72.8%
Awaba — Car (driver): 76.3% Buttaba — Car (driver): 72.8%
Worked from Home 18.6% / 21.8%
Awaba — Worked from Home: 18.6% Buttaba — Worked from Home: 21.8%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 3.0%
Awaba — Car (passenger): 5.1% Buttaba — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Walked Only — / 1.1%
Awaba — Walked Only: not among its largest Buttaba — Walked Only: 1.1%
Train — / 0.6%
Awaba — Train: not among its largest Buttaba — Train: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.3%).

Setting

Awaba Buttaba
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.5 km 7.2 km

NBN connectivity

Awaba Buttaba
Connectivity score 50/100 83/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
161 premises
 54%
514 premises

Climate

Awaba Buttaba
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Awaba Buttaba
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.27 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Awaba Buttaba
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Awaba Buttaba
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Awaba Buttaba
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Awaba

Rural Trains

Buttaba

Large Blocks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Awaba

Awaba vs Cooranbong Awaba vs Toronto Awaba vs Wangi Wangi Awaba vs Blackalls Park Awaba vs Rathmines Awaba vs Arcadia Vale

Other comparisons with Buttaba

Buttaba vs Rathmines Buttaba vs Arcadia Vale Buttaba vs Balmoral
Full data on Awaba Full data on Buttaba
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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