Carey Bay vs Toronto

Toronto is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 54 in Carey Bay. In both, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Carey Bay: a median of $1.15 million, against $811,000 in Toronto. On these figures, Carey Bay tends to suit people living alone, while Toronto 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

Toronto

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 2)
  • But Carey Bay carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 89/100)

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

First-home buyers

Toronto

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($811,000 vs $1,150,000)
  • has cheaper units ($785,000 vs $921,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Toronto

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Toronto

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (45/100 vs 33/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (135.9 km vs 138.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Carey Bay carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 89/100)
  • Toronto has more GPs (4 vs 0)

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

Investors

Toronto

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (6.6% vs -3.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Carey Bay and Toronto 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 Toronto
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 Toronto
Walkability 33 / 45
Carey Bay — Walkability: 33/100 Toronto — Walkability: 45/100
Safety 74 / 11
Carey Bay — Safety: 74/100 Toronto — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 100 / 26
Carey Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 Toronto — Low fire risk: 26/100

Demographics

Toronto has more residents (5,973 vs 865); Carey Bay skews older (54 vs 50).

Carey Bay Toronto
Population 865 5,973
+591% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.5% +6.6%
Median age 54 50
Median household income $65,832/yr
+8% vs other
 $60,840/yr
Median weekly rent $327/wk
+2% vs other
 $320/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Carey Bay Toronto
0-4 4.9% / 4.9%
Carey Bay — 0-4: 4.9% Toronto — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 10.1% / 9.6%
Carey Bay — 5-14: 10.1% Toronto — 5-14: 9.6%
15-19 4.6% / 5.2%
Carey Bay — 15-19: 4.6% Toronto — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 3.6% / 5.1%
Carey Bay — 20-24: 3.6% Toronto — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 6.1% / 11.2%
Carey Bay — 25-34: 6.1% Toronto — 25-34: 11.2%
35-44 8.8% / 8.6%
Carey Bay — 35-44: 8.8% Toronto — 35-44: 8.6%
45-54 12.6% / 11.4%
Carey Bay — 45-54: 12.6% Toronto — 45-54: 11.4%
55-64 12.3% / 13.1%
Carey Bay — 55-64: 12.3% Toronto — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 19.8% / 15.5%
Carey Bay — 65-74: 19.8% Toronto — 65-74: 15.5%
75-84 11.6% / 10.4%
Carey Bay — 75-84: 11.6% Toronto — 75-84: 10.4%
85+ 5.3% / 4.9%
Carey Bay — 85+: 5.3% Toronto — 85+: 4.9%

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%
Toronto 45.0% lone person
Toronto — Lone Person: 45.0% Toronto — Couple Families: 26.8% Toronto — One Parent Families: 23.5% Toronto — Group Household: 3.0% Toronto — Other Families: 1.7%
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%
Toronto 36.2% renting
Toronto — Owned Outright: 38.9% Toronto — Mortgage: 24.9% Toronto — Renting: 36.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Carey Bay Toronto
Certificate III & IV 15.8% / 17.4%
Carey Bay — Certificate III & IV: 15.8% Toronto — Certificate III & IV: 17.4%
Bachelor Degree 13.1% / 8.7%
Carey Bay — Bachelor Degree: 13.1% Toronto — Bachelor Degree: 8.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.4% / 7.1%
Carey Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.4% Toronto — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 2.5%
Carey Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% Toronto — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 1.2%
Carey Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Toronto — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

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 Toronto
England 4.6% / 3.5%
Carey Bay — England: 4.6% Toronto — England: 3.5%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.4%
Carey Bay — New Zealand: 1.4% Toronto — New Zealand: 1.4%
South Africa 1.4% / 0.3%
Carey Bay — South Africa: 1.4% Toronto — South Africa: 0.3%
Germany 0.6% / 0.5%
Carey Bay — Germany: 0.6% Toronto — Germany: 0.5%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.5%
Carey Bay — Scotland: 0.5% Toronto — Scotland: 0.5%
China 0.9% / —
Carey Bay — China: 0.9% Toronto — China: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.6%
Carey Bay — Philippines: not among its largest Toronto — Philippines: 0.6%

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%
Toronto 77.7% houses
Toronto — Houses: 77.7% Toronto — Townhouses: 14.4% Toronto — Flats / Apartments: 7.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Carey Bay Toronto
Median house price $1,150,000 $811,000
Median unit price $921,500 $785,000
Median land price — $2,500,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 61 days
from 8 sales
 48 days
from 34 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 Toronto
3 bed $965K / $771K
Carey Bay — 3 bed: $965K (9 sales) Toronto — 3 bed: $771K (51 sales)

9 vs 51 sales

4 bed $1.18M / $950K
Carey Bay — 4 bed: $1.18M (7 sales) Toronto — 4 bed: $950K (24 sales)

7 vs 24 sales

Zoning mix

Toronto has more land zoned for conservation (39% vs 1%); Toronto has more rural and farming land (14% vs 0%).

Carey Bay Toronto
Residential 81% 26%
Environmental 1% 39%
Rural and farming 0% 14%
Parks and recreation 13% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 7%
Industrial 0% 5%
Commercial 2%
same for both
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 Toronto
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.

Carey Bay Toronto
Houses — 4.0%
$655/wk on $849K
Units — 2.9%
$560/wk on $1M

Ranking within NSW

Carey Bay Toronto
House price Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
Income Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 79% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 74% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 3% of NSW

Liveability

Carey Bay scores higher overall (61 vs 35); Toronto is more walkable (45 vs 33).

Carey Bay Toronto
Grade B C
Score 61/100 35/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Toronto carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 0); Toronto carries more crime risk (89 vs 26).

Carey Bay Toronto
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
74/100
Crime Low
26/100
 High
89/100
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

Carey Bay Toronto
Inside the suburb 0 5
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0 3
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 Toronto

  • Biraban Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Toronto Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Toronto Adventist School Independent · Primary at peers
  • Toronto High School Government · Secondary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Carey Bay Toronto
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 8
Parks & reserves 0 6
Childcare 2 7
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 3
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 3

Mobility

Carey Bay sits further from the CBD (138.5 km vs 135.9 km).

Carey Bay Toronto
Walkability score 33/100 45/100
Distance to Sydney 138.5 km
+2% vs other
 135.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 105 min 102 min
Public transport score 34/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 10.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 138.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
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 Toronto
Car (driver) 59.6% / 67.4%
Carey Bay — Car (driver): 59.6% Toronto — Car (driver): 67.4%
Worked from Home 33.9% / 21.1%
Carey Bay — Worked from Home: 33.9% Toronto — Worked from Home: 21.1%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / 5.6%
Carey Bay — Car (passenger): 2.5% Toronto — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Walked Only 2.9% / 4.1%
Carey Bay — Walked Only: 2.9% Toronto — Walked Only: 4.1%
Bus 1.1% / 1.2%
Carey Bay — Bus: 1.1% Toronto — Bus: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.4%).

Setting

Carey Bay Toronto
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 68 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.4 km 9.3 km

NBN connectivity

Carey Bay Toronto
Connectivity score 67/100 63/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
515 premises
 21%
3,680 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Carey Bay

Retirees

Toronto

Retirees

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Toronto

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Full data on Carey Bay Full data on Toronto
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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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