Awaba vs Freemans Waterhole

In Awaba, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. In Freemans Waterhole, most households rent, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Awaba: a median of $735,000, against $435,000 in Freemans Waterhole, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Awaba tends to suit couples, while Freemans Waterhole suits renters, people living alone, 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

Awaba

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 52%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 44%)
  • carries lower crime risk (82/100 vs 98/100)

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

  • Awaba leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 101%)
  • Freemans Waterhole has cheaper houses ($435,000 vs $735,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Freemans Waterhole

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (71% vs 9%)
  • has cheaper rent ($220/wk vs $300/wk)
  • But Awaba leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 36%)

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

  • Awaba is more walkable (18/100 vs 10/100)
  • Freemans Waterhole has a shorter drive in (95 min vs 105 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Awaba

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (18/100 vs 10/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (82/100 vs 98/100)
  • But Freemans Waterhole has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 2%)

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

Investors

Freemans Waterhole

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (21.2% vs 7.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Awaba and Freemans Waterhole 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 Freemans Waterhole
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 Freemans Waterhole
Walkability 18 / 10
Awaba — Walkability: 18/100 Freemans Waterhole — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 18 / 2
Awaba — Safety: 18/100 Freemans Waterhole — Safety: 2/100
Low fire risk 33 / 41
Awaba — Low fire risk: 33/100 Freemans Waterhole — Low fire risk: 41/100

Demographics

Awaba has more residents (430 vs 120); Awaba has higher household incomes ($89,752 vs $32,188).

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Population 430
+72% vs other
 120
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.0% +21.2%
Median age 40 39
Median household income $89,752/yr
+64% vs other
 $32,188/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+27% vs other
 $220/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
0-4 4.2% / 10.0%
Awaba — 0-4: 4.2% Freemans Waterhole — 0-4: 10.0%
5-14 15.8% / 10.8%
Awaba — 5-14: 15.8% Freemans Waterhole — 5-14: 10.8%
15-19 7.9% / 4.2%
Awaba — 15-19: 7.9% Freemans Waterhole — 15-19: 4.2%
20-24 6.7% / 5.8%
Awaba — 20-24: 6.7% Freemans Waterhole — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 10.5% / 14.2%
Awaba — 25-34: 10.5% Freemans Waterhole — 25-34: 14.2%
35-44 9.3% / 16.7%
Awaba — 35-44: 9.3% Freemans Waterhole — 35-44: 16.7%
45-54 17.2% / 16.7%
Awaba — 45-54: 17.2% Freemans Waterhole — 45-54: 16.7%
55-64 15.6% / 7.5%
Awaba — 55-64: 15.6% Freemans Waterhole — 55-64: 7.5%
65-74 8.8% / 12.5%
Awaba — 65-74: 8.8% Freemans Waterhole — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 4.4% / —
Awaba — 75-84: 4.4% Freemans Waterhole — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 1.9% / —
Awaba — 85+: 1.9% Freemans Waterhole — 85+: not among its largest

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%
Freemans Waterhole 28.8% couple families
Freemans Waterhole — Couple Families: 28.8% Freemans Waterhole — Lone Person: 50.0% Freemans Waterhole — One Parent Families: 15.4% Freemans Waterhole — Group Household: 5.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

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%
Freemans Waterhole 71.1% renting
Freemans Waterhole — Owned Outright: 13.2% Freemans Waterhole — Mortgage: 15.8% Freemans Waterhole — Renting: 71.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Awaba 97.9% houses
Awaba — Houses: 97.9% Awaba — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Freemans Waterhole 51.9% houses
Freemans Waterhole — Houses: 51.9% Freemans Waterhole — Flats / Apartments: 48.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Certificate III & IV 22.6% / 12.5%
Awaba — Certificate III & IV: 22.6% Freemans Waterhole — Certificate III & IV: 12.5%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 5.0%
Awaba — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Freemans Waterhole — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 2.5%
Awaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Freemans Waterhole — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.5%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 2.5%
Awaba — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Freemans Waterhole — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / —
Awaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Freemans Waterhole — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

Property market

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Median house price $735,000 $435,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Freemans Waterhole has more rural and farming land (56% vs 5%); Awaba has more land zoned for conservation (80% vs 41%).

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Environmental 80% 41%
Rural and farming 5% 56%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 3%
Residential 3% 0%
Parks and recreation 1% 0%
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 Freemans Waterhole
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
House price Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 2% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW

Liveability

Awaba is more walkable (18 vs 10).

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Freemans Waterhole carries more crime risk (98 vs 82).

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Bushfire Moderate
67/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime High
82/100
 High
98/100
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
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
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 Freemans Waterhole

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

Amenities in the suburb

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 7
same for both

Mobility

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Walkability score 18/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 128.6 km 128.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 105 min 95 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2283
 0.5%
postcode 2323
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 2283
 44
postcode 2323

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 Freemans Waterhole
Car (driver) 76.3% / 51.7%
Awaba — Car (driver): 76.3% Freemans Waterhole — Car (driver): 51.7%
Worked from Home 18.6% / 48.3%
Awaba — Worked from Home: 18.6% Freemans Waterhole — Worked from Home: 48.3%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / —
Awaba — Car (passenger): 5.1% Freemans Waterhole — Car (passenger): not among its largest

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

Setting

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.5 km 17.5 km

NBN connectivity

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Connectivity score 50/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
161 premises
 0%
10 premises

Climate

Awaba Freemans Waterhole
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm 804 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C 30.0°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C 5.1°C

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Awaba

Rural Trains

Freemans Waterhole

Affordable Rural Young Families

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 Freemans Waterhole

Freemans Waterhole vs Cooranbong Freemans Waterhole vs Killingworth Freemans Waterhole vs Martinsville Freemans Waterhole vs Mount Vincent Freemans Waterhole vs Brunkerville Freemans Waterhole vs Wakefield
Full data on Awaba Full data on Freemans Waterhole
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or