Brightwaters vs Silverwater

Comparing Brightwaters and Silverwater, NSW: Brightwaters carries more bushfire risk (42 vs 0); Brightwaters has more residents (875 vs 274); and Brightwaters is more walkable (41 vs 21).

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

Silverwater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 32%)

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

Brightwaters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (41/100 vs 21/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Brightwaters is more walkable (41/100 vs 21/100)
  • Silverwater has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 27%)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Brightwaters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-3.1% vs -9.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Brightwaters and Silverwater 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 Silverwater
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 Silverwater
Walkability 41 / 21
Brightwaters — Walkability: 41/100 Silverwater — Walkability: 21/100
Low fire risk 58 / 100
Brightwaters — Low fire risk: 58/100 Silverwater — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Brightwaters has more residents (875 vs 274).

Brightwaters Silverwater
Population 875
+69% vs other
 274
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.1% -9.0%
Median age 50 51
Median household income $73,788/yr
+2% vs other
 $72,124/yr
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+3% vs other
 $380/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Brightwaters Silverwater
0-4 4.6% / 2.6%
Brightwaters — 0-4: 4.6% Silverwater — 0-4: 2.6%
5-14 10.3% / 10.9%
Brightwaters — 5-14: 10.3% Silverwater — 5-14: 10.9%
15-19 4.2% / 5.1%
Brightwaters — 15-19: 4.2% Silverwater — 15-19: 5.1%
20-24 5.3% / 5.5%
Brightwaters — 20-24: 5.3% Silverwater — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 8.1% / 9.9%
Brightwaters — 25-34: 8.1% Silverwater — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 9.1% / 7.7%
Brightwaters — 35-44: 9.1% Silverwater — 35-44: 7.7%
45-54 13.9% / 10.6%
Brightwaters — 45-54: 13.9% Silverwater — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 16.2% / 18.6%
Brightwaters — 55-64: 16.2% Silverwater — 55-64: 18.6%
65-74 16.0% / 20.1%
Brightwaters — 65-74: 16.0% Silverwater — 65-74: 20.1%
75-84 8.8% / 9.5%
Brightwaters — 75-84: 8.8% Silverwater — 75-84: 9.5%
85+ 2.1% / 3.6%
Brightwaters — 85+: 2.1% Silverwater — 85+: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Brightwaters 35.6% lone person
Brightwaters — Lone Person: 35.6% Brightwaters — Couple Families: 42.8% Brightwaters — One Parent Families: 17.3% Brightwaters — Group Household: 2.9% Brightwaters — Other Families: 1.4%
Silverwater 38.2% lone person
Silverwater — Lone Person: 38.2% Silverwater — Couple Families: 30.9% Silverwater — One Parent Families: 25.0% Silverwater — Group Household: 5.9% Silverwater — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families 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%
Silverwater 23.9% renting
Silverwater — Owned Outright: 45.1% Silverwater — Mortgage: 31.0% Silverwater — Renting: 23.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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 Silverwater
England 3.2% / 2.6%
Brightwaters — England: 3.2% Silverwater — England: 2.6%
New Zealand 1.5% / 2.9%
Brightwaters — New Zealand: 1.5% Silverwater — New Zealand: 2.9%
South Africa 1.4% / —
Brightwaters — South Africa: 1.4% Silverwater — South Africa: not among its largest
Germany 0.8% / —
Brightwaters — Germany: 0.8% Silverwater — Germany: not among its largest
China 0.5% / —
Brightwaters — China: 0.5% Silverwater — China: not among its largest

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

Qualifications

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

Brightwaters Silverwater
Certificate III & IV 21.5% / 21.2%
Brightwaters — Certificate III & IV: 21.5% Silverwater — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 10.2% / 10.6%
Brightwaters — Bachelor Degree: 10.2% Silverwater — Bachelor Degree: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 8.0%
Brightwaters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Silverwater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 4.0%
Brightwaters — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Silverwater — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 3.3%
Brightwaters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Silverwater — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Brightwaters 97.7% houses
Brightwaters — Houses: 97.7% Brightwaters — Townhouses: 1.4% Brightwaters — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Silverwater 100.0% houses
Silverwater — Houses: 100.0% Silverwater — Townhouses: 0.0% Silverwater — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Brightwaters Silverwater
Median house price $975,000 $1,005,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $665,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 6 sales
 24 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Silverwater has more land zoned for conservation (81% vs 64%).

Brightwaters Silverwater
Environmental 64% 81%
Residential 32% 19%
Parks and recreation 3% 0%
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 Silverwater
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Brightwaters Silverwater
House price Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Income Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW

Liveability

Brightwaters is more walkable (41 vs 21).

Brightwaters Silverwater
Grade B —
Score 53/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Brightwaters carries more bushfire risk (42 vs 0).

Brightwaters Silverwater
Bushfire Moderate
42/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
21/100
 —
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Brightwaters Silverwater
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 Silverwater

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

Amenities in the suburb

Brightwaters Silverwater
Parks & reserves 1 0

Mobility

Brightwaters Silverwater
Walkability score 41/100 21/100
Distance to Sydney 120.2 km 121.9 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 98 min 101 min
Public transport score 34/100
Bus
 23/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 8.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 1.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 39 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 Silverwater
Car (driver) 61.2% / 79.1%
Brightwaters — Car (driver): 61.2% Silverwater — Car (driver): 79.1%
Worked from Home 32.4% / 17.4%
Brightwaters — Worked from Home: 32.4% Silverwater — Worked from Home: 17.4%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 3.5%
Brightwaters — Car (passenger): 4.5% Silverwater — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Walked Only 1.9% / —
Brightwaters — Walked Only: 1.9% Silverwater — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.1%).

Setting

Brightwaters Silverwater
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.1 km 7.9 km

NBN connectivity

Brightwaters Silverwater
Connectivity score 80/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 64%
432 premises
 52%
140 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Brightwaters Silverwater
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

Silverwater

Acreage Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Brightwaters

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

Other comparisons with Silverwater

Silverwater vs Balcolyn Silverwater vs Mirrabooka Silverwater vs Sunshine Silverwater vs Yarrawonga Park
Full data on Brightwaters Full data on Silverwater
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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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