Bolton Point vs Fennell Bay

Comparing Bolton Point and Fennell Bay, NSW: Bolton Point carries more crime risk (83 vs 59); Fennell Bay rents higher ($368/wk vs $267/wk); and Fennell Bay scores higher overall (25 vs 19).

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

Fennell Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 83/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, 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

Bolton Point

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (41% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($267/wk vs $368/wk)

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

Fennell Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 83/100)

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

Investors

Fennell Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.4% vs 0.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
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.

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Walkability 47 / 43
Bolton Point — Walkability: 47/100 Fennell Bay — Walkability: 43/100
Safety 17 / 41
Bolton Point — Safety: 17/100 Fennell Bay — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 12 / 16
Bolton Point — Low fire risk: 12/100 Fennell Bay — Low fire risk: 16/100

Demographics

Fennell Bay rents higher ($368/wk vs $267/wk); Fennell Bay has higher household incomes ($71,500 vs $63,284).

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Population 2,124
+16% vs other
 1,780
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.2% +10.4%
Median age 43 45
Median household income $63,284/yr $71,500/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $267/wk $368/wk
+38% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
0-4 5.6% / 4.9%
Bolton Point — 0-4: 5.6% Fennell Bay — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 12.4% / 9.7%
Bolton Point — 5-14: 12.4% Fennell Bay — 5-14: 9.7%
15-19 6.5% / 5.2%
Bolton Point — 15-19: 6.5% Fennell Bay — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 5.7% / 7.1%
Bolton Point — 20-24: 5.7% Fennell Bay — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 11.3% / 12.0%
Bolton Point — 25-34: 11.3% Fennell Bay — 25-34: 12.0%
35-44 10.4% / 10.8%
Bolton Point — 35-44: 10.4% Fennell Bay — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 11.8% / 12.1%
Bolton Point — 45-54: 11.8% Fennell Bay — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 13.2% / 14.0%
Bolton Point — 55-64: 13.2% Fennell Bay — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 9.7% / 13.3%
Bolton Point — 65-74: 9.7% Fennell Bay — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 10.3% / 8.0%
Bolton Point — 75-84: 10.3% Fennell Bay — 75-84: 8.0%
85+ 3.2% / 2.6%
Bolton Point — 85+: 3.2% Fennell Bay — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bolton Point 36.4% lone person
Bolton Point — Lone Person: 36.4% Bolton Point — Couple Families: 30.5% Bolton Point — One Parent Families: 28.9% Bolton Point — Group Household: 2.1% Bolton Point — Other Families: 2.0%
Fennell Bay 39.9% lone person
Fennell Bay — Lone Person: 39.9% Fennell Bay — Couple Families: 37.0% Fennell Bay — One Parent Families: 18.8% Fennell Bay — Group Household: 3.5% Fennell Bay — Other Families: 0.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bolton Point 40.6% renting
Bolton Point — Owned Outright: 27.6% Bolton Point — Mortgage: 31.8% Bolton Point — Renting: 40.6%
Fennell Bay 24.3% renting
Fennell Bay — Owned Outright: 40.6% Fennell Bay — Mortgage: 35.1% Fennell Bay — Renting: 24.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 20.8%
Bolton Point — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% Fennell Bay — Certificate III & IV: 20.8%
Bachelor Degree 7.8% / 8.9%
Bolton Point — Bachelor Degree: 7.8% Fennell Bay — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.4% / 7.0%
Bolton Point — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4% Fennell Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 2.2%
Bolton Point — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Fennell Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.6%
Bolton Point — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Fennell Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

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.

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
England 1.5% / 2.1%
Bolton Point — England: 1.5% Fennell Bay — England: 2.1%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.3%
Bolton Point — New Zealand: 1.4% Fennell Bay — New Zealand: 1.3%
South Africa 0.6% / 0.4%
Bolton Point — South Africa: 0.6% Fennell Bay — South Africa: 0.4%
Germany 0.5% / 0.5%
Bolton Point — Germany: 0.5% Fennell Bay — Germany: 0.5%
Scotland — / 0.9%
Bolton Point — Scotland: not among its largest Fennell Bay — Scotland: 0.9%
Malaysia — / 0.6%
Bolton Point — Malaysia: not among its largest Fennell Bay — Malaysia: 0.6%
India 0.5% / —
Bolton Point — India: 0.5% Fennell Bay — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bolton Point 85.2% houses
Bolton Point — Houses: 85.2% Bolton Point — Townhouses: 14.0% Bolton Point — Flats / Apartments: 0.8%
Fennell Bay 88.1% houses
Fennell Bay — Houses: 88.1% Fennell Bay — Townhouses: 6.0% Fennell Bay — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Median house price $843,247 $844,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $680,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 11 sales
 40 days
from 17 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.

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
3 bed $820K / $849K
Bolton Point — 3 bed: $820K (30 sales) Fennell Bay — 3 bed: $849K (27 sales)

30 vs 27 sales

4 bed $1.02M / $980K
Bolton Point — 4 bed: $1.02M (14 sales) Fennell Bay — 4 bed: $980K (13 sales)

14 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Fennell Bay has more rural and farming land (66% vs 0%); Bolton Point has more land zoned for conservation (34% vs 1%).

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Rural and farming 0% 66%
Residential 51% 28%
Environmental 34% 1%
Parks and recreation 15% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
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

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
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.

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Houses — 4.4%
$700/wk on $820K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
House price Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 90% of NSW

Liveability

Fennell Bay scores higher overall (25 vs 19).

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Grade D
same for both
Score 19/100 25/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Bolton Point carries more crime risk (83 vs 59).

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
84/100
Crime High
83/100
 Moderate
59/100
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
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
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 Bolton Point

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

Schools in Fennell Bay

  • Fennell Bay Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 1 0

Mobility

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Walkability score 47/100 43/100
Distance to Sydney 140.6 km 140.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 108 min 107 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 42.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 36.5
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.

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Car (driver) 73.0% / 75.7%
Bolton Point — Car (driver): 73.0% Fennell Bay — Car (driver): 75.7%
Worked from Home 18.5% / 18.7%
Bolton Point — Worked from Home: 18.5% Fennell Bay — Worked from Home: 18.7%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 3.3%
Bolton Point — Car (passenger): 6.2% Fennell Bay — Car (passenger): 3.3%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.1%
Bolton Point — Walked Only: 1.0% Fennell Bay — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 1.3% / —
Bolton Point — Bus: 1.3% Fennell Bay — Bus: not among its largest
Train — / 1.1%
Bolton Point — Train: not among its largest Fennell Bay — Train: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.7%).

Setting

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 47 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.1 km 10.0 km

NBN connectivity

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Connectivity score 71/100 57/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
901 premises
 16%
791 premises

Climate

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
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)

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.53 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bolton Point Fennell Bay
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bolton Point

Large Blocks

Fennell Bay

Large Blocks

More comparisons

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Bolton Point vs Woodrising Bolton Point vs Marmong Point

Other comparisons with Fennell Bay

Fennell Bay vs Teralba Fennell Bay vs Booragul Fennell Bay vs Woodrising Fennell Bay vs Fassifern
Full data on Bolton Point Full data on Fennell Bay
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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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