Carey Bay vs Coal Point

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Carey Bay, about half of households are people living alone. In Coal Point, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Carey Bay tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Coal Point suits 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

Coal Point

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 43%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 69%)

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

First-home buyers

Coal Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 36%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Carey Bay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($327/wk vs $440/wk)
  • But Coal Point leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Coal Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (46/100 vs 33/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Carey Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (31% vs 2%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (37% vs 28%)
  • But Coal Point is more walkable (46/100 vs 33/100)

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

Investors

Coal Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1.5% vs -3.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Carey Bay Coal Point
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.

Carey Bay Coal Point
Walkability 33 / 46
Carey Bay — Walkability: 33/100 Coal Point — Walkability: 46/100
Safety 74 / 74
Carey Bay — Safety: 74/100 Coal Point — Safety: 74/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Carey Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 Coal Point — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Coal Point has more residents (1,749 vs 865); Coal Point has higher household incomes ($111,696 vs $65,832).

Carey Bay Coal Point
Population 865 1,749
+102% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.5% +1.5%
Median age 54 52
Median household income $65,832/yr $111,696/yr
+70% vs other
Median weekly rent $327/wk $440/wk
+35% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Carey Bay Coal Point
0-4 4.9% / 3.7%
Carey Bay — 0-4: 4.9% Coal Point — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 10.1% / 10.8%
Carey Bay — 5-14: 10.1% Coal Point — 5-14: 10.8%
15-19 4.6% / 4.6%
Carey Bay — 15-19: 4.6% Coal Point — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 3.6% / 4.3%
Carey Bay — 20-24: 3.6% Coal Point — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 6.1% / 7.0%
Carey Bay — 25-34: 6.1% Coal Point — 25-34: 7.0%
35-44 8.8% / 10.0%
Carey Bay — 35-44: 8.8% Coal Point — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 12.6% / 13.5%
Carey Bay — 45-54: 12.6% Coal Point — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 12.3% / 17.7%
Carey Bay — 55-64: 12.3% Coal Point — 55-64: 17.7%
65-74 19.8% / 16.4%
Carey Bay — 65-74: 19.8% Coal Point — 65-74: 16.4%
75-84 11.6% / 9.0%
Carey Bay — 75-84: 11.6% Coal Point — 75-84: 9.0%
85+ 5.3% / 2.7%
Carey Bay — 85+: 5.3% Coal Point — 85+: 2.7%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Carey Bay 54.0% lone person
Carey Bay — Lone Person: 54.0% Carey Bay — Couple Families: 26.1% Carey Bay — One Parent Families: 16.5% Carey Bay — Group Household: 1.5% Carey Bay — Other Families: 1.8%
Coal Point 31.3% lone person
Coal Point — Lone Person: 31.3% Coal Point — Couple Families: 53.3% Coal Point — One Parent Families: 12.8% Coal Point — Group Household: 1.5% Coal Point — Other Families: 1.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Carey Bay 26.1% renting
Carey Bay — Owned Outright: 46.5% Carey Bay — Mortgage: 27.4% Carey Bay — Renting: 26.1%
Coal Point 11.4% renting
Coal Point — Owned Outright: 52.8% Coal Point — Mortgage: 35.8% Coal Point — Renting: 11.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Carey Bay Coal Point
Certificate III & IV 15.8% / 17.1%
Carey Bay — Certificate III & IV: 15.8% Coal Point — Certificate III & IV: 17.1%
Bachelor Degree 13.1% / 17.9%
Carey Bay — Bachelor Degree: 13.1% Coal Point — Bachelor Degree: 17.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.4% / 10.7%
Carey Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.4% Coal Point — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 6.4%
Carey Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% Coal Point — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.6%
Carey Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Coal Point — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

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.

Carey Bay Coal Point
England 4.6% / 4.2%
Carey Bay — England: 4.6% Coal Point — England: 4.2%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.1%
Carey Bay — New Zealand: 1.4% Coal Point — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa 1.4% / 0.6%
Carey Bay — South Africa: 1.4% Coal Point — South Africa: 0.6%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.6%
Carey Bay — Scotland: 0.5% Coal Point — Scotland: 0.6%
China 0.9% / —
Carey Bay — China: 0.9% Coal Point — China: not among its largest
Germany 0.6% / —
Carey Bay — Germany: 0.6% Coal Point — Germany: not among its largest
India — / 0.5%
Carey Bay — India: not among its largest Coal Point — India: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Carey Bay 68.7% houses
Carey Bay — Houses: 68.7% Carey Bay — Townhouses: 16.0% Carey Bay — Flats / Apartments: 15.2%
Coal Point 99.2% houses
Coal Point — Houses: 99.2% Coal Point — Townhouses: 1.8% Coal Point — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Carey Bay Coal Point
Median house price $1,150,000 $1,235,000
Median unit price $921,500 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 61 days
from 8 sales
 42 days
from 27 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Carey Bay Coal Point
3 bed $965K / $980K
Carey Bay — 3 bed: $965K (9 sales) Coal Point — 3 bed: $980K (19 sales)

9 vs 19 sales

4 bed $1.18M / $1.3M
Carey Bay — 4 bed: $1.18M (7 sales) Coal Point — 4 bed: $1.3M (18 sales)

7 vs 18 sales

Zoning mix

Coal Point has more land zoned for conservation (17% vs 1%).

Carey Bay Coal Point
Residential 81%
same for both
Environmental 1% 17%
Parks and recreation 13% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 0%
Commercial 2% 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

Carey Bay Coal Point
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Carey Bay Coal Point
House price Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Income Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW

Liveability

Coal Point is more walkable (46 vs 33); Coal Point scores higher overall (72 vs 61).

Carey Bay Coal Point
Grade B A
Score 61/100 72/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Carey Bay Coal Point
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
26/100
same for both
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
same for both

Schools

Carey Bay Coal Point
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Carey Bay

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

Schools in Coal Point

  • Coal Point Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Carey Bay Coal Point
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 2 1

Mobility

Carey Bay Coal Point
Walkability score 33/100 46/100
Distance to Sydney 138.5 km 140 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 105 min 107 min
Public transport score 34/100
Bus
 61/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 26.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2283
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 2283
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.

Carey Bay Coal Point
Car (driver) 59.6% / 60.7%
Carey Bay — Car (driver): 59.6% Coal Point — Car (driver): 60.7%
Worked from Home 33.9% / 35.0%
Carey Bay — Worked from Home: 33.9% Coal Point — Worked from Home: 35.0%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / 3.7%
Carey Bay — Car (passenger): 2.5% Coal Point — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Walked Only 2.9% / —
Carey Bay — Walked Only: 2.9% Coal Point — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 1.1% / 0.6%
Carey Bay — Bus: 1.1% Coal Point — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (60.7%).

Setting

Carey Bay Coal Point
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.4 km 5.3 km

NBN connectivity

Carey Bay Coal Point
Connectivity score 67/100 95/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
515 premises
 73%
827 premises

Climate

Carey Bay Coal Point
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)

Carey Bay Coal Point
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

Carey Bay Coal Point
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Carey Bay Coal Point
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Carey Bay Coal Point
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Carey Bay

Retirees

Coal Point

Large Blocks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Carey Bay

Carey Bay vs Toronto Carey Bay vs Kilaben Bay

Other comparisons with Coal Point

Coal Point vs Kilaben Bay
Full data on Carey Bay Full data on Coal Point
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or