Cardiff South vs Macquarie Hills

Macquarie Hills is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Cardiff South. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Macquarie Hills, most households are couple families. On these figures, Cardiff South tends to suit people living alone, while Macquarie Hills 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Cardiff South has more childcare (5 vs 1)
  • Macquarie Hills is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 62%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cardiff South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $473/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Cardiff South

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 41/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (148.6 km vs 152.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cardiff South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 41/100)

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

Investors

Macquarie Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.1% vs 3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Cardiff South and Macquarie Hills 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 South Macquarie Hills
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 South Macquarie Hills
Walkability 63 / 41
Cardiff South — Walkability: 63/100 Macquarie Hills — Walkability: 41/100
Safety 64 / 70
Cardiff South — Safety: 64/100 Macquarie Hills — Safety: 70/100
Low fire risk 100 / 65
Cardiff South — Low fire risk: 100/100 Macquarie Hills — Low fire risk: 65/100

Demographics

Macquarie Hills has higher household incomes ($116,532 vs $87,776); Macquarie Hills rents higher ($473/wk vs $400/wk).

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Population 2,931 3,605
+23% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.6% +9.1%
Median age 38 35
Median household income $87,776/yr $116,532/yr
+33% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $473/wk
+18% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
0-4 6.0% / 8.0%
Cardiff South — 0-4: 6.0% Macquarie Hills — 0-4: 8.0%
5-14 12.2% / 14.2%
Cardiff South — 5-14: 12.2% Macquarie Hills — 5-14: 14.2%
15-19 6.3% / 6.8%
Cardiff South — 15-19: 6.3% Macquarie Hills — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 7.5% / 5.2%
Cardiff South — 20-24: 7.5% Macquarie Hills — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 13.1% / 15.4%
Cardiff South — 25-34: 13.1% Macquarie Hills — 25-34: 15.4%
35-44 13.4% / 15.1%
Cardiff South — 35-44: 13.4% Macquarie Hills — 35-44: 15.1%
45-54 13.4% / 12.9%
Cardiff South — 45-54: 13.4% Macquarie Hills — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 13.1% / 9.7%
Cardiff South — 55-64: 13.1% Macquarie Hills — 55-64: 9.7%
65-74 8.1% / 8.9%
Cardiff South — 65-74: 8.1% Macquarie Hills — 65-74: 8.9%
75-84 5.3% / 3.4%
Cardiff South — 75-84: 5.3% Macquarie Hills — 75-84: 3.4%
85+ 1.6% / 0.5%
Cardiff South — 85+: 1.6% Macquarie Hills — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Macquarie Hills 61.0% couple families
Macquarie Hills — Couple Families: 61.0% Macquarie Hills — Lone Person: 18.8% Macquarie Hills — One Parent Families: 16.6% Macquarie Hills — Group Household: 2.7% Macquarie Hills — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cardiff South 22.5% renting
Cardiff South — Owned Outright: 33.5% Cardiff South — Mortgage: 44.0% Cardiff South — Renting: 22.5%
Macquarie Hills 13.4% renting
Macquarie Hills — Owned Outright: 29.1% Macquarie Hills — Mortgage: 57.5% Macquarie Hills — Renting: 13.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Certificate III & IV 20.1% / 19.2%
Cardiff South — Certificate III & IV: 20.1% Macquarie Hills — Certificate III & IV: 19.2%
Bachelor Degree 9.1% / 11.7%
Cardiff South — Bachelor Degree: 9.1% Macquarie Hills — Bachelor Degree: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 8.4%
Cardiff South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% Macquarie Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 3.2%
Cardiff South — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Macquarie Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.6%
Cardiff South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Macquarie Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

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 South Macquarie Hills
England 1.2% / 1.5%
Cardiff South — England: 1.2% Macquarie Hills — England: 1.5%
New Zealand 0.7% / 0.9%
Cardiff South — New Zealand: 0.7% Macquarie Hills — New Zealand: 0.9%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.6%
Cardiff South — Philippines: 0.5% Macquarie Hills — Philippines: 0.6%
Germany 0.4% / 0.6%
Cardiff South — Germany: 0.4% Macquarie Hills — Germany: 0.6%
China 0.5% / —
Cardiff South — China: 0.5% Macquarie Hills — China: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.5%
Cardiff South — South Africa: not among its largest Macquarie Hills — South Africa: 0.5%
Scotland 0.4% / —
Cardiff South — Scotland: 0.4% Macquarie Hills — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cardiff South 89.6% houses
Cardiff South — Houses: 89.6% Cardiff South — Townhouses: 7.9% Cardiff South — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Macquarie Hills 97.8% houses
Macquarie Hills — Houses: 97.8% Macquarie Hills — Townhouses: 2.0% Macquarie Hills — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Median house price $920,000 $915,000
Median unit price $695,000 —
Median land price — $1,285,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 11 days
from 12 sales
 17 days
from 19 sales

Zoning mix

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Residential 66% 47%
Environmental 25% 33%
Parks and recreation 8% 11%
Rural and farming 0% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 1%
Industrial 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

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
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 South Macquarie Hills
Houses 3.1%
$740/wk on $1.25M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
House price Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Income Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 25% of NSW —

Liveability

Cardiff South is more walkable (63 vs 41).

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Grade B
same for both
Score 59/100 56/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Macquarie Hills carries more bushfire risk (35 vs 0).

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
35/100
Crime Low
36/100
 Low
30/100
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
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 7.9 km
 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 8.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7% 1.4%

Schools in Cardiff South

  • Cardiff South Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Macquarie Hills

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

Amenities in the suburb

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 5 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Macquarie Hills sits further from the CBD (152.9 km vs 148.6 km).

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Walkability score 63/100 41/100
Distance to Sydney 148.6 km 152.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 118 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 41.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 40.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
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 South Macquarie Hills
Car (driver) 73.1% / 68.6%
Cardiff South — Car (driver): 73.1% Macquarie Hills — Car (driver): 68.6%
Worked from Home 20.6% / 26.7%
Cardiff South — Worked from Home: 20.6% Macquarie Hills — Worked from Home: 26.7%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 3.4%
Cardiff South — Car (passenger): 4.1% Macquarie Hills — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Bus 1.0% / 0.4%
Cardiff South — Bus: 1.0% Macquarie Hills — Bus: 0.4%
Walked Only 0.6% / 0.7%
Cardiff South — Walked Only: 0.6% Macquarie Hills — Walked Only: 0.7%

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

Setting

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Elevation 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.4 km 8.2 km

NBN connectivity

Cardiff South Macquarie Hills
Connectivity score 69/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
1,215 premises
 45%
1,282 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Cardiff South

River

Macquarie Hills

Family Large Blocks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cardiff South

Cardiff South vs Warners Bay Cardiff South vs Cardiff Cardiff South vs Hillsborough

Other comparisons with Macquarie Hills

Macquarie Hills vs Warners Bay Macquarie Hills vs Cardiff Macquarie Hills vs Speers Point Macquarie Hills vs Boolaroo Macquarie Hills vs Lakelands
Full data on Cardiff South Full data on Macquarie Hills
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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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