Balmoral vs 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 $838,000 in Balmoral, and rent is higher there too.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Balmoral

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($838,000 vs $974,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Buttaba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.4% vs 1.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Balmoral 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.

Balmoral 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.

Balmoral Buttaba
Walkability 29 / 27
Balmoral — Walkability: 29/100 Buttaba — Walkability: 27/100
Low fire risk 5 / 24
Balmoral — Low fire risk: 5/100 Buttaba — Low fire risk: 24/100

Demographics

Buttaba has more residents (1,204 vs 730); Balmoral skews older (45 vs 43).

Balmoral Buttaba
Population 730 1,204
+65% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.0% +9.4%
Median age 45 43
Median household income $100,412/yr
+3% vs other
 $97,500/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk $410/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balmoral Buttaba
0-4 6.4% / 5.0%
Balmoral — 0-4: 6.4% Buttaba — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 10.4% / 12.5%
Balmoral — 5-14: 10.4% Buttaba — 5-14: 12.5%
15-19 7.1% / 7.4%
Balmoral — 15-19: 7.1% Buttaba — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 4.9% / 5.3%
Balmoral — 20-24: 4.9% Buttaba — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 11.2% / 9.3%
Balmoral — 25-34: 11.2% Buttaba — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 10.0% / 12.6%
Balmoral — 35-44: 10.0% Buttaba — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 15.1% / 12.8%
Balmoral — 45-54: 15.1% Buttaba — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 17.1% / 15.1%
Balmoral — 55-64: 17.1% Buttaba — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 12.5% / 13.1%
Balmoral — 65-74: 12.5% Buttaba — 65-74: 13.1%
75-84 5.5% / 6.8%
Balmoral — 75-84: 5.5% Buttaba — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 1.5% / 0.4%
Balmoral — 85+: 1.5% Buttaba — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balmoral 58.0% couple families
Balmoral — Couple Families: 58.0% Balmoral — Lone Person: 25.4% Balmoral — One Parent Families: 16.6% Balmoral — Group Household: 0.0% Balmoral — 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.

Balmoral 16.2% renting
Balmoral — Owned Outright: 37.6% Balmoral — Mortgage: 46.1% Balmoral — Renting: 16.2%
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.

Balmoral Buttaba
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 21.6%
Balmoral — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Buttaba — Certificate III & IV: 21.6%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 10.1%
Balmoral — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Buttaba — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.6% / 8.0%
Balmoral — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6% Buttaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 2.5%
Balmoral — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Buttaba — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 1.5%
Balmoral — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Buttaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

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.

Balmoral Buttaba
England 3.6% / 3.6%
Balmoral — England: 3.6% Buttaba — England: 3.6%
New Zealand 1.0% / 0.9%
Balmoral — New Zealand: 1.0% Buttaba — New Zealand: 0.9%
Germany 1.1% / 0.2%
Balmoral — Germany: 1.1% Buttaba — Germany: 0.2%
Singapore 0.8% / —
Balmoral — Singapore: 0.8% Buttaba — Singapore: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.8%
Balmoral — Netherlands: not among its largest Buttaba — Netherlands: 0.8%
Ireland 0.7% / —
Balmoral — Ireland: 0.7% Buttaba — Ireland: not among its largest
China — / 0.4%
Balmoral — China: not among its largest Buttaba — China: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Balmoral — 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.

Balmoral 98.5% houses
Balmoral — Houses: 98.5% Balmoral — Townhouses: 1.1% Balmoral — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Buttaba 97.9% houses
Buttaba — Houses: 97.9% Buttaba — Townhouses: 1.9% Buttaba — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Balmoral Buttaba
Median house price $838,000 $974,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 5 sales
 32 days
from 14 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Balmoral Buttaba
3 bed $814K / $845K
Balmoral — 3 bed: $814K (6 sales) Buttaba — 3 bed: $845K (15 sales)

6 vs 15 sales

4 bed $929K / $1.02M
Balmoral — 4 bed: $929K (5 sales) Buttaba — 4 bed: $1.02M (16 sales)

5 vs 16 sales

Zoning mix

Balmoral Buttaba
Environmental 54% 51%
Residential 44% 47%
Parks and recreation 2% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
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

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

Ranking within NSW

Balmoral Buttaba
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Income Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW

Liveability

Balmoral Buttaba
Grade C
same for both
Score 32/100 33/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Balmoral carries more bushfire risk (95 vs 76).

Balmoral Buttaba
Bushfire High
95/100
 High
76/100
Crime — 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

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

Mobility

Balmoral Buttaba
Walkability score 29/100 27/100
Distance to Sydney 128.3 km
+1% vs other
 126.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 102 min 100 min
Public transport score 35/100
Bus
 31/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 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.

Balmoral Buttaba
Car (driver) 74.2% / 72.8%
Balmoral — Car (driver): 74.2% Buttaba — Car (driver): 72.8%
Worked from Home 21.9% / 21.8%
Balmoral — Worked from Home: 21.9% Buttaba — Worked from Home: 21.8%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.0%
Balmoral — Car (passenger): 3.9% Buttaba — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Walked Only — / 1.1%
Balmoral — Walked Only: not among its largest Buttaba — Walked Only: 1.1%
Train — / 0.6%
Balmoral — Train: not among its largest Buttaba — Train: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.2%).

Setting

Balmoral Buttaba
Elevation 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.3 km 7.2 km

NBN connectivity

Balmoral Buttaba
Connectivity score 71/100 83/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 33%
298 premises
 54%
514 premises

Climate

Balmoral 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)

Balmoral 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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Balmoral

Large Blocks

Buttaba

Large Blocks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balmoral

Balmoral vs Rathmines Balmoral vs Fishing Point

Other comparisons with Buttaba

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