Awaba vs Rathmines

Awaba is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 47 in Rathmines. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Awaba, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Rathmines: a median of $849,000, against $735,000 in Awaba, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Awaba tends to suit couples, while Rathmines suits older residents.

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

Rathmines

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (49/100 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 $848,750)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Awaba

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 26%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Rathmines

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (33/100 vs 18/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Rathmines

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (33/100 vs 18/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 82/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% 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 Rathmines 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 Rathmines
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 Rathmines
Walkability 18 / 33
Awaba — Walkability: 18/100 Rathmines — Walkability: 33/100
Safety 18 / 51
Awaba — Safety: 18/100 Rathmines — Safety: 51/100
Low fire risk 33 / 17
Awaba — Low fire risk: 33/100 Rathmines — Low fire risk: 17/100

Demographics

Rathmines has more residents (2,076 vs 430); Rathmines rents higher ($400/wk vs $300/wk).

Awaba Rathmines
Population 430 2,076
+383% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.0% +9.0%
Median age 40 47
Median household income $89,752/yr
+12% vs other
 $78,884/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $400/wk
+33% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Awaba Rathmines
0-4 4.2% / 5.0%
Awaba — 0-4: 4.2% Rathmines — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 15.8% / 12.7%
Awaba — 5-14: 15.8% Rathmines — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 7.9% / 5.7%
Awaba — 15-19: 7.9% Rathmines — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 6.7% / 5.5%
Awaba — 20-24: 6.7% Rathmines — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 10.5% / 8.5%
Awaba — 25-34: 10.5% Rathmines — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 9.3% / 10.1%
Awaba — 35-44: 9.3% Rathmines — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 17.2% / 12.5%
Awaba — 45-54: 17.2% Rathmines — 45-54: 12.5%
55-64 15.6% / 14.9%
Awaba — 55-64: 15.6% Rathmines — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 8.8% / 16.2%
Awaba — 65-74: 8.8% Rathmines — 65-74: 16.2%
75-84 4.4% / 6.8%
Awaba — 75-84: 4.4% Rathmines — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 1.9% / 2.0%
Awaba — 85+: 1.9% Rathmines — 85+: 2.0%

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%
Rathmines 43.4% couple families
Rathmines — Couple Families: 43.4% Rathmines — Lone Person: 28.0% Rathmines — One Parent Families: 24.3% Rathmines — Group Household: 3.5% Rathmines — Other Families: 0.8%
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%
Rathmines 13.9% renting
Rathmines — Owned Outright: 45.0% Rathmines — Mortgage: 41.1% Rathmines — Renting: 13.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Awaba Rathmines
Certificate III & IV 22.6% / 20.9%
Awaba — Certificate III & IV: 22.6% Rathmines — Certificate III & IV: 20.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 10.4%
Awaba — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Rathmines — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 8.2%
Awaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Rathmines — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 2.6%
Awaba — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Rathmines — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.5%
Awaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Rathmines — 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 Rathmines
England 2.1% / 2.8%
Awaba — England: 2.1% Rathmines — England: 2.8%
New Zealand — / 1.5%
Awaba — New Zealand: not among its largest Rathmines — New Zealand: 1.5%
Canada 0.9% / —
Awaba — Canada: 0.9% Rathmines — Canada: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Awaba — Netherlands: not among its largest Rathmines — Netherlands: 0.7%
Scotland — / 0.5%
Awaba — Scotland: not among its largest Rathmines — Scotland: 0.5%
China — / 0.5%
Awaba — China: not among its largest Rathmines — China: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Awaba 97.9% houses
Awaba — Houses: 97.9% Awaba — Townhouses: 0.0% Awaba — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Rathmines 92.6% houses
Rathmines — Houses: 92.6% Rathmines — Townhouses: 7.0% Rathmines — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Awaba Rathmines
Median house price $735,000 $848,750
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 24 days
from 14 sales

Zoning mix

Awaba has more land zoned for conservation (80% vs 19%).

Awaba Rathmines
Environmental 80% 19%
Parks and recreation 1% 30%
Residential 3% 24%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 9%
Rural and farming 5% 10%
Industrial 0% 8%
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 Rathmines
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
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.

Awaba Rathmines
Houses — 4.9%
$790/wk on $840K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Awaba Rathmines
House price Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Income Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 96% of NSW

Liveability

Rathmines is more walkable (33 vs 18).

Awaba Rathmines
Grade — C
Score — 31/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Awaba carries more crime risk (82 vs 49); Rathmines carries more bushfire risk (83 vs 67).

Awaba Rathmines
Bushfire Moderate
67/100
 High
83/100
Crime High
82/100
 Moderate
49/100
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
same for both

Schools

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

Schools in Awaba

  • Awaba Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Rathmines

  • Rathmines Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Awaba Rathmines
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 7 1

Mobility

Awaba Rathmines
Walkability score 18/100 33/100
Distance to Sydney 128.6 km 128.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 105 min 101 min
Public transport score 37/100
Rail · Bus
 58/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 21.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 8 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 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 Rathmines
Car (driver) 76.3% / 71.9%
Awaba — Car (driver): 76.3% Rathmines — Car (driver): 71.9%
Worked from Home 18.6% / 22.2%
Awaba — Worked from Home: 18.6% Rathmines — Worked from Home: 22.2%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 3.8%
Awaba — Car (passenger): 5.1% Rathmines — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Bus — / 1.0%
Awaba — Bus: not among its largest Rathmines — Bus: 1.0%
Train — / 0.5%
Awaba — Train: not among its largest Rathmines — Train: 0.5%

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

Setting

Awaba Rathmines
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.5 km 7.7 km

NBN connectivity

Awaba Rathmines
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%
982 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Awaba

Rural Trains

Rathmines

Large Blocks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Awaba

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

Other comparisons with Rathmines

Rathmines vs Toronto Rathmines vs Buttaba Rathmines vs Fishing Point Rathmines vs Balmoral
Full data on Awaba Full data on Rathmines
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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