Balmoral vs Rathmines

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Balmoral, most households are couple families. On these figures, Balmoral tends to suit couples.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Balmoral

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 26%)

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

Rathmines

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Rathmines

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.0% vs 1.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Balmoral 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.

Balmoral 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.

Balmoral Rathmines
Walkability 29 / 33
Balmoral — Walkability: 29/100 Rathmines — Walkability: 33/100
Low fire risk 5 / 17
Balmoral — Low fire risk: 5/100 Rathmines — Low fire risk: 17/100

Demographics

Rathmines has more residents (2,076 vs 730); Balmoral has higher household incomes ($100,412 vs $78,884).

Balmoral Rathmines
Population 730 2,076
+184% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.0% +9.0%
Median age 45 47
Median household income $100,412/yr
+21% vs other
 $78,884/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk $400/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balmoral Rathmines
0-4 6.4% / 5.0%
Balmoral — 0-4: 6.4% Rathmines — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 10.4% / 12.7%
Balmoral — 5-14: 10.4% Rathmines — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 7.1% / 5.7%
Balmoral — 15-19: 7.1% Rathmines — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 4.9% / 5.5%
Balmoral — 20-24: 4.9% Rathmines — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 11.2% / 8.5%
Balmoral — 25-34: 11.2% Rathmines — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 10.0% / 10.1%
Balmoral — 35-44: 10.0% Rathmines — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 15.1% / 12.5%
Balmoral — 45-54: 15.1% Rathmines — 45-54: 12.5%
55-64 17.1% / 14.9%
Balmoral — 55-64: 17.1% Rathmines — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 12.5% / 16.2%
Balmoral — 65-74: 12.5% Rathmines — 65-74: 16.2%
75-84 5.5% / 6.8%
Balmoral — 75-84: 5.5% Rathmines — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 1.5% / 2.0%
Balmoral — 85+: 1.5% Rathmines — 85+: 2.0%

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%
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.

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

Balmoral Rathmines
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 20.9%
Balmoral — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Rathmines — Certificate III & IV: 20.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 10.4%
Balmoral — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Rathmines — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.6% / 8.2%
Balmoral — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6% Rathmines — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 2.6%
Balmoral — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Rathmines — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 1.5%
Balmoral — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Rathmines — 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 Rathmines
England 3.6% / 2.8%
Balmoral — England: 3.6% Rathmines — England: 2.8%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.5%
Balmoral — New Zealand: 1.0% Rathmines — New Zealand: 1.5%
Germany 1.1% / 0.4%
Balmoral — Germany: 1.1% Rathmines — Germany: 0.4%
Ireland 0.7% / 0.4%
Balmoral — Ireland: 0.7% Rathmines — Ireland: 0.4%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.5%
Balmoral — Scotland: 0.5% Rathmines — Scotland: 0.5%
Singapore 0.8% / —
Balmoral — Singapore: 0.8% Rathmines — Singapore: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Balmoral — Netherlands: not among its largest Rathmines — Netherlands: 0.7%
China — / 0.5%
Balmoral — China: not among its largest Rathmines — China: 0.5%

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%
Rathmines 92.6% houses
Rathmines — Houses: 92.6% Rathmines — Townhouses: 7.0% Rathmines — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Balmoral Rathmines
Median house price $838,000 $848,750
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 5 sales
 24 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 Rathmines
3 bed $814K / $838K
Balmoral — 3 bed: $814K (6 sales) Rathmines — 3 bed: $838K (18 sales)

6 vs 18 sales

4 bed $929K / $890K
Balmoral — 4 bed: $929K (5 sales) Rathmines — 4 bed: $890K (9 sales)

5 vs 9 sales

Zoning mix

Balmoral has more land zoned for conservation (54% vs 19%).

Balmoral Rathmines
Environmental 54% 19%
Residential 44% 24%
Parks and recreation 2% 30%
Rural and farming 0% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 9%
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

Balmoral 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.

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

Ranking within NSW

Balmoral Rathmines
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Income Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 96% of NSW

Liveability

Balmoral Rathmines
Grade C
same for both
Score 32/100 31/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Balmoral carries more bushfire risk (95 vs 83).

Balmoral Rathmines
Bushfire High
95/100
 High
83/100
Crime — 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

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

Schools in Balmoral

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

Schools in Rathmines

  • Rathmines Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

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

Mobility

Balmoral Rathmines
Walkability score 29/100 33/100
Distance to Sydney 128.3 km 128.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 102 min 101 min
Public transport score 35/100
Bus
 58/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 21.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
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 Rathmines
Car (driver) 74.2% / 71.9%
Balmoral — Car (driver): 74.2% Rathmines — Car (driver): 71.9%
Worked from Home 21.9% / 22.2%
Balmoral — Worked from Home: 21.9% Rathmines — Worked from Home: 22.2%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.8%
Balmoral — Car (passenger): 3.9% Rathmines — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Bus — / 1.0%
Balmoral — Bus: not among its largest Rathmines — Bus: 1.0%
Train — / 0.5%
Balmoral — Train: not among its largest Rathmines — Train: 0.5%

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

Setting

Balmoral Rathmines
Elevation 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.3 km 7.7 km

NBN connectivity

Balmoral Rathmines
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%
982 premises

Climate

Balmoral 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)

Balmoral 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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Balmoral

Large Blocks

Rathmines

Large Blocks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balmoral

Balmoral vs Buttaba Balmoral vs Fishing Point

Other comparisons with Rathmines

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