Cams Wharf vs Murrays Beach

Murrays Beach is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 56 in Cams Wharf. In both, the large majority of households own their home. In Cams Wharf, about half of households are people living alone. In Murrays Beach, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Murrays Beach: a median of $1.23 million, against $745,000 in Cams Wharf, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Cams Wharf tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Murrays Beach suits families with children and 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

Murrays Beach

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 82/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (102% vs 34%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 51%)

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

First-home buyers

Cams Wharf

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($745,000 vs $1,230,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Cams Wharf has cheaper rent ($430/wk vs $579/wk)
  • Murrays Beach leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 31%)

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

They split

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

  • Cams Wharf has more residents already 65 and over (32% vs 22%)
  • Murrays Beach carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 82/100)

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

Investors

Murrays Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (38.5% vs 31.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
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.

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Walkability 14 / 10
Cams Wharf — Walkability: 14/100 Murrays Beach — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 18 / 78
Cams Wharf — Safety: 18/100 Murrays Beach — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 10 / 19
Cams Wharf — Low fire risk: 10/100 Murrays Beach — Low fire risk: 19/100

Demographics

Murrays Beach has more residents (882 vs 182); Murrays Beach has higher household incomes ($119,756 vs $72,020).

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Population 182 882
+385% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +31.9% +38.5%
Median age 56 44
Median household income $72,020/yr $119,756/yr
+66% vs other
Median weekly rent $430/wk $579/wk
+35% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
0-4 2.7% / 4.3%
Cams Wharf — 0-4: 2.7% Murrays Beach — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 14.3% / 19.0%
Cams Wharf — 5-14: 14.3% Murrays Beach — 5-14: 19.0%
15-19 6.0% / 4.0%
Cams Wharf — 15-19: 6.0% Murrays Beach — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 2.2% / 1.2%
Cams Wharf — 20-24: 2.2% Murrays Beach — 20-24: 1.2%
25-34 — / 5.4%
Cams Wharf — 25-34: not among its largest Murrays Beach — 25-34: 5.4%
35-44 13.2% / 16.6%
Cams Wharf — 35-44: 13.2% Murrays Beach — 35-44: 16.6%
45-54 15.9% / 13.6%
Cams Wharf — 45-54: 15.9% Murrays Beach — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 18.7% / 13.8%
Cams Wharf — 55-64: 18.7% Murrays Beach — 55-64: 13.8%
65-74 19.8% / 16.9%
Cams Wharf — 65-74: 19.8% Murrays Beach — 65-74: 16.9%
75-84 12.1% / 4.5%
Cams Wharf — 75-84: 12.1% Murrays Beach — 75-84: 4.5%
85+ — / 0.3%
Cams Wharf — 85+: not among its largest Murrays Beach — 85+: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cams Wharf 22.4% couple families
Cams Wharf — Couple Families: 22.4% Cams Wharf — Lone Person: 49.0% Cams Wharf — One Parent Families: 28.6%
Murrays Beach 73.9% couple families
Murrays Beach — Couple Families: 73.9% Murrays Beach — Lone Person: 16.4% Murrays Beach — One Parent Families: 9.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cams Wharf 16.7% renting
Cams Wharf — Owned Outright: 60.3% Cams Wharf — Mortgage: 23.1% Cams Wharf — Renting: 16.7%
Murrays Beach 9.1% renting
Murrays Beach — Owned Outright: 40.6% Murrays Beach — Mortgage: 50.3% Murrays Beach — Renting: 9.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Certificate III & IV 18.7% / 13.4%
Cams Wharf — Certificate III & IV: 18.7% Murrays Beach — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Bachelor Degree 13.2% / 17.3%
Cams Wharf — Bachelor Degree: 13.2% Murrays Beach — Bachelor Degree: 17.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 12.1% / 11.7%
Cams Wharf — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.1% Murrays Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 6.6%
Cams Wharf — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Murrays Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 2.6%
Cams Wharf — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Murrays Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

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.

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
England 3.8% / 5.2%
Cams Wharf — England: 3.8% Murrays Beach — England: 5.2%
Philippines 4.4% / 0.7%
Cams Wharf — Philippines: 4.4% Murrays Beach — Philippines: 0.7%
Canada 2.7% / —
Cams Wharf — Canada: 2.7% Murrays Beach — Canada: not among its largest
South Africa — / 1.7%
Cams Wharf — South Africa: not among its largest Murrays Beach — South Africa: 1.7%
New Zealand — / 1.6%
Cams Wharf — New Zealand: not among its largest Murrays Beach — New Zealand: 1.6%
India — / 0.7%
Cams Wharf — India: not among its largest Murrays Beach — India: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cams Wharf 34.5% houses
Cams Wharf — Houses: 34.5% Cams Wharf — Townhouses: 63.1% Cams Wharf — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Murrays Beach 101.9% houses
Murrays Beach — Houses: 101.9% Murrays Beach — Townhouses: 0.0% Murrays Beach — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Median house price $745,000 $1,230,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $565,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 65 days
from 3 sales
 42 days
from 20 sales

Zoning mix

Cams Wharf has more rural and farming land (23% vs 0%); Cams Wharf has more land zoned for conservation (48% vs 36%).

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Residential 0% 55%
Environmental 48% 36%
Infrastructure and transport 23% 6%
Rural and farming 23% 0%
Parks and recreation 6% 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

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
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.

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Houses — 4.8%
$1,075/wk on $1.16M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
House price Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
Income Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 77% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 95% of NSW

Liveability

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Grade — B
Score — 49/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Cams Wharf carries more crime risk (82 vs 22).

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Bushfire High
90/100
 High
81/100
Crime High
82/100
 Low
22/100
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

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 1

Mobility

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Walkability score 14/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 123.4 km 124.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 97 min 100 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2281
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 2281
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.

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Car (driver) 69.1% / 49.0%
Cams Wharf — Car (driver): 69.1% Murrays Beach — Car (driver): 49.0%
Worked from Home 30.9% / 48.7%
Cams Wharf — Worked from Home: 30.9% Murrays Beach — Worked from Home: 48.7%
Car (passenger) — / 2.4%
Cams Wharf — Car (passenger): not among its largest Murrays Beach — Car (passenger): 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.1%).

Setting

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 59 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.4 km
2.9 km to a named beach
 2.2 km
2.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Connectivity score 45/100 91/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
215 premises
 80%
511 premises

Climate

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
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)

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
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

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cams Wharf Murrays Beach
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cams Wharf

Coastal Retirees Townhouses

Murrays Beach

Acreage Coastal Family Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cams Wharf

Cams Wharf vs Catherine Hill Bay Cams Wharf vs Nords Wharf

Other comparisons with Murrays Beach

Murrays Beach vs Swansea Murrays Beach vs Catherine Hill Bay
Full data on Cams Wharf Full data on Murrays Beach
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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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