Bungwahl vs Smiths Lake

Smiths Lake is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 54 in Bungwahl. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bungwahl, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Bungwahl: a median of $1.45 million, against $825,000 in Smiths Lake, though rent is higher in Smiths Lake. On these figures, Bungwahl tends to suit people living alone, while Smiths Lake suits 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

Smiths Lake

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (54% vs 40%)
  • But Bungwahl carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 62/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Bungwahl leaves households under less mortgage stress (19% vs 28%)
  • Smiths Lake has cheaper houses ($825,000 vs $1,450,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bungwahl

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bungwahl

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (191 min vs 204 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (266 km vs 277.6 km)
  • But Smiths Lake is more walkable (25/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Bungwahl carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 62/100)
  • Smiths Lake is more walkable (25/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
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.

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Walkability 0 / 25
Bungwahl — Walkability: 0/100 Smiths Lake — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 64 / 38
Bungwahl — Safety: 64/100 Smiths Lake — Safety: 38/100
Low fire risk 16 / 9
Bungwahl — Low fire risk: 16/100 Smiths Lake — Low fire risk: 9/100

Demographics

Smiths Lake has more residents (1,332 vs 249); Smiths Lake rents higher ($380/wk vs $320/wk).

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Population 249 1,332
+435% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.4% +7.9%
Median age 54 49
Median household income $62,348/yr $62,920/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk $380/wk
+19% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
0-4 5.6% / 4.5%
Bungwahl — 0-4: 5.6% Smiths Lake — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 8.4% / 13.3%
Bungwahl — 5-14: 8.4% Smiths Lake — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 5.6% / 4.4%
Bungwahl — 15-19: 5.6% Smiths Lake — 15-19: 4.4%
20-24 1.2% / 3.4%
Bungwahl — 20-24: 1.2% Smiths Lake — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 2.8% / 7.8%
Bungwahl — 25-34: 2.8% Smiths Lake — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 12.9% / 10.8%
Bungwahl — 35-44: 12.9% Smiths Lake — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 14.1% / 12.7%
Bungwahl — 45-54: 14.1% Smiths Lake — 45-54: 12.7%
55-64 21.7% / 17.3%
Bungwahl — 55-64: 21.7% Smiths Lake — 55-64: 17.3%
65-74 20.1% / 16.1%
Bungwahl — 65-74: 20.1% Smiths Lake — 65-74: 16.1%
75-84 6.4% / 7.8%
Bungwahl — 75-84: 6.4% Smiths Lake — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 1.6% / 1.0%
Bungwahl — 85+: 1.6% Smiths Lake — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bungwahl 55.4% lone person
Bungwahl — Lone Person: 55.4% Bungwahl — Couple Families: 23.1% Bungwahl — One Parent Families: 16.9% Bungwahl — Group Household: 4.6% Bungwahl — Other Families: 0.0%
Smiths Lake 41.2% lone person
Smiths Lake — Lone Person: 41.2% Smiths Lake — Couple Families: 33.7% Smiths Lake — One Parent Families: 20.3% Smiths Lake — Group Household: 3.3% Smiths Lake — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bungwahl 15.8% renting
Bungwahl — Owned Outright: 49.5% Bungwahl — Mortgage: 34.7% Bungwahl — Renting: 15.8%
Smiths Lake 16.9% renting
Smiths Lake — Owned Outright: 47.3% Smiths Lake — Mortgage: 35.8% Smiths Lake — Renting: 16.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 21.1%
Bungwahl — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Smiths Lake — Certificate III & IV: 21.1%
Bachelor Degree 9.6% / 9.8%
Bungwahl — Bachelor Degree: 9.6% Smiths Lake — Bachelor Degree: 9.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.2% / 8.9%
Bungwahl — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2% Smiths Lake — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 3.1%
Bungwahl — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% Smiths Lake — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.3%
Bungwahl — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Smiths Lake — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

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.

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
England 2.8% / 4.0%
Bungwahl — England: 2.8% Smiths Lake — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.4%
Bungwahl — New Zealand: 1.6% Smiths Lake — New Zealand: 1.4%
Netherlands 1.2% / 0.4%
Bungwahl — Netherlands: 1.2% Smiths Lake — Netherlands: 0.4%
Ireland — / 0.7%
Bungwahl — Ireland: not among its largest Smiths Lake — Ireland: 0.7%
Scotland — / 0.6%
Bungwahl — Scotland: not among its largest Smiths Lake — Scotland: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.5%
Bungwahl — Germany: not among its largest Smiths Lake — Germany: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bungwahl 100.0% houses
Bungwahl — Houses: 100.0% Bungwahl — Townhouses: 0.0%
Smiths Lake 99.6% houses
Smiths Lake — Houses: 99.6% Smiths Lake — Townhouses: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Median house price $1,450,000 $825,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $507,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 57 days
from 24 sales

Zoning mix

Bungwahl has more rural and farming land (55% vs 23%); Smiths Lake has more land zoned for conservation (72% vs 45%).

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Environmental 45% 72%
Rural and farming 55% 23%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 4%
Residential 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

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
New dwellings approved 743
across Mid-Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +327%
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.

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Houses — 2.7%
$600/wk on $1.16M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
House price Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
Income Higher than 25% of NSW
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 33% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 33% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 5% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 10% of NSW

Liveability

Smiths Lake is more walkable (25 vs 0).

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Grade — D
Score — 22/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Smiths Lake carries more crime risk (62 vs 36).

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Bushfire High
84/100
 High
91/100
Crime Low
36/100
 Moderate
62/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
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 Bungwahl

  • Bungwahl Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Smiths Lake

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

Amenities in the suburb

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 6
Childcare 0 1
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 10 2

Mobility

Smiths Lake sits further from the CBD (277.6 km vs 266 km).

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Walkability score 0/100 25/100
Distance to Sydney 266 km 277.6 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 191 min 204 min
Public transport score 26/100
Bus
 41/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 15.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2423
 0.4%
postcode 2428
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 61
postcode 2423
 41
postcode 2428

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.

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Car (driver) 79.2% / 70.9%
Bungwahl — Car (driver): 79.2% Smiths Lake — Car (driver): 70.9%
Worked from Home 13.0% / 20.6%
Bungwahl — Worked from Home: 13.0% Smiths Lake — Worked from Home: 20.6%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 5.4%
Bungwahl — Car (passenger): 3.9% Smiths Lake — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 3.9% / 3.1%
Bungwahl — Walked Only: 3.9% Smiths Lake — Walked Only: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.2%).

Setting

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Elevation 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.0 km 2.1 km
2.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Connectivity score 15/100 52/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
51 premises
 13%
1,046 premises

Council rates

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Average residential rate $1,560/yr
same for both
Council Mid-Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bungwahl Smiths Lake
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bungwahl

Retirees River Rural

Smiths Lake

Acreage Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bungwahl

Bungwahl vs Wootton Bungwahl vs Tarbuck Bay Bungwahl vs Seal Rocks Bungwahl vs Topi Topi Bungwahl vs Mayers Flat

Other comparisons with Smiths Lake

Smiths Lake vs Tarbuck Bay Smiths Lake vs Charlotte Bay Smiths Lake vs Seal Rocks
Full data on Bungwahl Full data on Smiths Lake
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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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