Brightwaters vs Mirrabooka

Mirrabooka is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 50 in Brightwaters. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Brightwaters: a median of $975,000, against $818,000 in Mirrabooka, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Mirrabooka tends to suit 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

Brightwaters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 39/100)

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

First-home buyers

Mirrabooka

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper houses ($817,500 vs $975,000)

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

Brightwaters

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 39/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Mirrabooka

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.1% vs -3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
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.

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Walkability 41 / 34
Brightwaters — Walkability: 41/100 Mirrabooka — Walkability: 34/100
Safety 79 / 61
Brightwaters — Safety: 79/100 Mirrabooka — Safety: 61/100
Low fire risk 58 / 53
Brightwaters — Low fire risk: 58/100 Mirrabooka — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

Brightwaters skews older (50 vs 42).

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Population 875
+8% vs other
 809
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.1% +11.1%
Median age 50 42
Median household income $73,788/yr $80,964/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+6% vs other
 $368/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
0-4 4.6% / 7.0%
Brightwaters — 0-4: 4.6% Mirrabooka — 0-4: 7.0%
5-14 10.3% / 10.8%
Brightwaters — 5-14: 10.3% Mirrabooka — 5-14: 10.8%
15-19 4.2% / 5.7%
Brightwaters — 15-19: 4.2% Mirrabooka — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.3% / 7.3%
Brightwaters — 20-24: 5.3% Mirrabooka — 20-24: 7.3%
25-34 8.1% / 11.1%
Brightwaters — 25-34: 8.1% Mirrabooka — 25-34: 11.1%
35-44 9.1% / 10.8%
Brightwaters — 35-44: 9.1% Mirrabooka — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 13.9% / 13.6%
Brightwaters — 45-54: 13.9% Mirrabooka — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 16.2% / 15.1%
Brightwaters — 55-64: 16.2% Mirrabooka — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 16.0% / 11.1%
Brightwaters — 65-74: 16.0% Mirrabooka — 65-74: 11.1%
75-84 8.8% / 6.8%
Brightwaters — 75-84: 8.8% Mirrabooka — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 2.1% / 1.6%
Brightwaters — 85+: 2.1% Mirrabooka — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Brightwaters 42.8% couple families
Brightwaters — Couple Families: 42.8% Brightwaters — Lone Person: 35.6% Brightwaters — One Parent Families: 17.3% Brightwaters — Group Household: 2.9% Brightwaters — Other Families: 1.4%
Mirrabooka 39.6% couple families
Mirrabooka — Couple Families: 39.6% Mirrabooka — Lone Person: 31.1% Mirrabooka — One Parent Families: 25.0% Mirrabooka — Group Household: 1.9% Mirrabooka — Other Families: 2.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Brightwaters 20.2% renting
Brightwaters — Owned Outright: 48.6% Brightwaters — Mortgage: 31.2% Brightwaters — Renting: 20.2%
Mirrabooka 22.5% renting
Mirrabooka — Owned Outright: 35.5% Mirrabooka — Mortgage: 42.0% Mirrabooka — Renting: 22.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Certificate III & IV 21.5% / 22.1%
Brightwaters — Certificate III & IV: 21.5% Mirrabooka — Certificate III & IV: 22.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 8.9%
Brightwaters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Mirrabooka — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.2% / 8.0%
Brightwaters — Bachelor Degree: 10.2% Mirrabooka — Bachelor Degree: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 3.2%
Brightwaters — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Mirrabooka — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 0.9%
Brightwaters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Mirrabooka — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

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.

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
England 3.2% / 3.1%
Brightwaters — England: 3.2% Mirrabooka — England: 3.1%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.6%
Brightwaters — New Zealand: 1.5% Mirrabooka — New Zealand: 1.6%
South Africa 1.4% / 0.5%
Brightwaters — South Africa: 1.4% Mirrabooka — South Africa: 0.5%
Germany 0.8% / 0.6%
Brightwaters — Germany: 0.8% Mirrabooka — Germany: 0.6%
Ireland 0.5% / 0.6%
Brightwaters — Ireland: 0.5% Mirrabooka — Ireland: 0.6%
India — / 0.7%
Brightwaters — India: not among its largest Mirrabooka — India: 0.7%
China 0.5% / —
Brightwaters — China: 0.5% Mirrabooka — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Brightwaters 97.7% houses
Brightwaters — Houses: 97.7% Brightwaters — Flats / Apartments: 0.9% Brightwaters — Townhouses: 1.4%
Mirrabooka 98.7% houses
Mirrabooka — Houses: 98.7% Mirrabooka — Flats / Apartments: 1.3% Mirrabooka — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Median house price $975,000 $817,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $665,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 6 sales
 38 days
from 6 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.

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
3 bed $880K / $818K
Brightwaters — 3 bed: $880K (15 sales) Mirrabooka — 3 bed: $818K (14 sales)

15 vs 14 sales

4 bed $1.22M / $850K
Brightwaters — 4 bed: $1.22M (10 sales) Mirrabooka — 4 bed: $850K (7 sales)

10 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Brightwaters has more land zoned for conservation (64% vs 22%); Mirrabooka has more rural and farming land (33% vs 0%).

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Environmental 64% 22%
Residential 32% 43%
Rural and farming 0% 33%
Parks and recreation 3% 2%
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

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

Ranking within NSW

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
House price Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
Income Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of NSW
same for both

Liveability

Brightwaters scores higher overall (53 vs 44).

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Grade B C
Score 53/100 44/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Mirrabooka carries more crime risk (39 vs 21).

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Bushfire Moderate
42/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime Low
21/100
 Low
39/100
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 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
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 Brightwaters

  • Brightwaters Christian College Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Mirrabooka

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

Amenities in the suburb

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Walkability score 41/100 34/100
Distance to Sydney 120.2 km 121 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 98 min 96 min
Public transport score 34/100
Bus
 29/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 8.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 5.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 7 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2264
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2264
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.

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Car (driver) 61.2% / 73.8%
Brightwaters — Car (driver): 61.2% Mirrabooka — Car (driver): 73.8%
Worked from Home 32.4% / 20.3%
Brightwaters — Worked from Home: 32.4% Mirrabooka — Worked from Home: 20.3%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 4.9%
Brightwaters — Car (passenger): 4.5% Mirrabooka — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Walked Only 1.9% / 1.0%
Brightwaters — Walked Only: 1.9% Mirrabooka — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.8%).

Setting

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.1 km 8.3 km

NBN connectivity

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Connectivity score 80/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 64%
432 premises
 64%
359 premises

Climate

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
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

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Brightwaters Mirrabooka
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Brightwaters

Large Blocks Retirees

Mirrabooka

Large Blocks Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Brightwaters

Brightwaters vs Bonnells Bay Brightwaters vs Morisset Park Brightwaters vs Windermere Park Brightwaters vs Yarrawonga Park Brightwaters vs Silverwater

Other comparisons with Mirrabooka

Mirrabooka vs Sunshine Mirrabooka vs Silverwater
Full data on Brightwaters Full data on Mirrabooka
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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