Cardiff vs Cardiff South

Comparing Cardiff and Cardiff South, NSW: Cardiff carries more crime risk (87 vs 36); Cardiff has more residents (6,318 vs 2,931); and Cardiff is more walkable (88 vs 63).

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

Cardiff

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 5)
  • But Cardiff South carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 87/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices, unit 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

They split

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

  • Cardiff is more walkable (88/100 vs 63/100)
  • Cardiff South sits closer to the CBD (148.6 km vs 150.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cardiff

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 63/100)
  • But Cardiff South carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 87/100)

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

Investors

Cardiff

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 3.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cardiff Cardiff South
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.

Cardiff Cardiff South
Walkability 88 / 63
Cardiff — Walkability: 88/100 Cardiff South — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 13 / 64
Cardiff — Safety: 13/100 Cardiff South — Safety: 64/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Cardiff — Low fire risk: 100/100 Cardiff South — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Cardiff has more residents (6,318 vs 2,931); Cardiff South has higher household incomes ($87,776 vs $78,624).

Cardiff Cardiff South
Population 6,318
+54% vs other
 2,931
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.4% +3.6%
Median age 38
same for both
Median household income $78,624/yr $87,776/yr
+12% vs other
Median weekly rent $375/wk $400/wk
+7% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cardiff Cardiff South
0-4 6.3% / 6.0%
Cardiff — 0-4: 6.3% Cardiff South — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 11.4% / 12.2%
Cardiff — 5-14: 11.4% Cardiff South — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 5.4% / 6.3%
Cardiff — 15-19: 5.4% Cardiff South — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 6.5% / 7.5%
Cardiff — 20-24: 6.5% Cardiff South — 20-24: 7.5%
25-34 15.3% / 13.1%
Cardiff — 25-34: 15.3% Cardiff South — 25-34: 13.1%
35-44 14.2% / 13.4%
Cardiff — 35-44: 14.2% Cardiff South — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 11.9% / 13.4%
Cardiff — 45-54: 11.9% Cardiff South — 45-54: 13.4%
55-64 10.5% / 13.1%
Cardiff — 55-64: 10.5% Cardiff South — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 9.5% / 8.1%
Cardiff — 65-74: 9.5% Cardiff South — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 6.9% / 5.3%
Cardiff — 75-84: 6.9% Cardiff South — 75-84: 5.3%
85+ 2.2% / 1.6%
Cardiff — 85+: 2.2% Cardiff South — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cardiff 34.8% couple families
Cardiff — Couple Families: 34.8% Cardiff — Lone Person: 39.1% Cardiff — One Parent Families: 19.4% Cardiff — Group Household: 5.0% Cardiff — Other Families: 1.7%
Cardiff South 42.2% couple families
Cardiff South — Couple Families: 42.2% Cardiff South — Lone Person: 32.1% Cardiff South — One Parent Families: 19.4% Cardiff South — Group Household: 4.8% Cardiff South — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cardiff 31.7% renting
Cardiff — Owned Outright: 30.7% Cardiff — Mortgage: 37.6% Cardiff — Renting: 31.7%
Cardiff South 22.5% renting
Cardiff South — Owned Outright: 33.5% Cardiff South — Mortgage: 44.0% Cardiff South — Renting: 22.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cardiff Cardiff South
Certificate III & IV 19.1% / 20.1%
Cardiff — Certificate III & IV: 19.1% Cardiff South — Certificate III & IV: 20.1%
Bachelor Degree 10.7% / 9.1%
Cardiff — Bachelor Degree: 10.7% Cardiff South — Bachelor Degree: 9.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 7.9%
Cardiff — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Cardiff South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Postgraduate Degree 2.7% / 2.3%
Cardiff — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7% Cardiff South — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.4%
Cardiff — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Cardiff South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

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

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.

Cardiff Cardiff South
England 2.1% / 1.2%
Cardiff — England: 2.1% Cardiff South — England: 1.2%
New Zealand 1.1% / 0.7%
Cardiff — New Zealand: 1.1% Cardiff South — New Zealand: 0.7%
India 0.8% / 0.3%
Cardiff — India: 0.8% Cardiff South — India: 0.3%
Philippines 0.6% / 0.5%
Cardiff — Philippines: 0.6% Cardiff South — Philippines: 0.5%
Germany 0.6% / 0.4%
Cardiff — Germany: 0.6% Cardiff South — Germany: 0.4%
Scotland 0.3% / 0.4%
Cardiff — Scotland: 0.3% Cardiff South — Scotland: 0.4%
China — / 0.5%
Cardiff — China: not among its largest Cardiff South — China: 0.5%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cardiff 82.7% houses
Cardiff — Houses: 82.7% Cardiff — Townhouses: 11.0% Cardiff — Flats / Apartments: 6.3%
Cardiff South 89.6% houses
Cardiff South — Houses: 89.6% Cardiff South — Townhouses: 7.9% Cardiff South — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cardiff Cardiff South
Median house price $875,000 $920,000
Median unit price $757,500 $695,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 43 sales
 11 days
from 12 sales

Zoning mix

Cardiff has more industrially zoned land (28% vs 0%); Cardiff South has more land zoned for conservation (25% vs 1%).

Cardiff Cardiff South
Residential 55% 66%
Industrial 28% 0%
Environmental 1% 25%
Parks and recreation 10% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 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

Cardiff Cardiff South
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.

Cardiff Cardiff South
Houses 4.3%
$700/wk on $837K
 3.1%
$740/wk on $1.25M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cardiff Cardiff South
House price Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Income Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
Schools Higher than 58% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW

Liveability

Cardiff is more walkable (88 vs 63); Cardiff South scores higher overall (59 vs 51).

Cardiff Cardiff South
Grade B
same for both
Score 51/100 59/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Cardiff carries more crime risk (87 vs 36).

Cardiff Cardiff South
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
87/100
 Low
36/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Cardiff Cardiff South
Inside the suburb 4 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 3 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 6.9 km
 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 7.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 1.7%

Schools in Cardiff

  • St Kevin's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Cardiff High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Cardiff North Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Cardiff Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Cardiff South

  • Cardiff South Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cardiff Cardiff South
Supermarkets 2 0
Parks & reserves 4 1
Childcare 8 5
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Waterways 7 1

Mobility

Cardiff sits further from the CBD (150.8 km vs 148.6 km).

Cardiff Cardiff South
Walkability score 88/100 63/100
Distance to Sydney 150.8 km
+1% vs other
 148.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 114 min 117 min
Public transport score 87/100
Rail · Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 262.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 41.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2285
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 2285
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.

Cardiff Cardiff South
Car (driver) 70.4% / 73.1%
Cardiff — Car (driver): 70.4% Cardiff South — Car (driver): 73.1%
Worked from Home 21.9% / 20.6%
Cardiff — Worked from Home: 21.9% Cardiff South — Worked from Home: 20.6%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 4.1%
Cardiff — Car (passenger): 4.2% Cardiff South — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Bus 1.3% / 1.0%
Cardiff — Bus: 1.3% Cardiff South — Bus: 1.0%
Walked Only 1.2% / 0.6%
Cardiff — Walked Only: 1.2% Cardiff South — Walked Only: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.1%).

Setting

Cardiff Cardiff South
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.6 km 6.4 km

NBN connectivity

Cardiff Cardiff South
Connectivity score 66/100 69/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 39%
3,699 premises
 44%
1,215 premises

Climate

Cardiff Cardiff South
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)

Cardiff Cardiff South
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

Cardiff Cardiff South
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Cardiff Cardiff South
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cardiff Cardiff South
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cardiff

Parks River Transport Hub

Cardiff South

River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cardiff

Cardiff vs Macquarie Hills Cardiff vs Glendale Cardiff vs Garden Suburb Cardiff vs Boolaroo Cardiff vs Cardiff Heights Cardiff vs Argenton

Other comparisons with Cardiff South

Cardiff South vs Warners Bay Cardiff South vs Macquarie Hills Cardiff South vs Hillsborough
Full data on Cardiff Full data on Cardiff South
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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