Charlestown vs Kahibah

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Kahibah: a median of $1.22 million, against $1.06 million in Charlestown.

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

Charlestown

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (15 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 1)
  • But Kahibah carries lower crime risk (47/100 vs 83/100)

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

First-home buyers

Charlestown

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($675,000 vs $805,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,055,500 vs $1,215,000)

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

Charlestown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 62/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Charlestown

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 62/100)
  • But Kahibah carries lower crime risk (47/100 vs 83/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Charlestown Kahibah
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.

Charlestown Kahibah
Walkability 92 / 62
Charlestown — Walkability: 92/100 Kahibah — Walkability: 62/100
Safety 17 / 53
Charlestown — Safety: 17/100 Kahibah — Safety: 53/100
Low fire risk 54 / 54
Charlestown — Low fire risk: 54/100 Kahibah — Low fire risk: 54/100

Demographics

Charlestown has more residents (13,601 vs 2,603).

Charlestown Kahibah
Population 13,601
+81% vs other
 2,603
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.3% +5.6%
Median age 38 39
Median household income $95,628/yr
+2% vs other
 $93,808/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Charlestown Kahibah
0-4 6.4% / 6.3%
Charlestown — 0-4: 6.4% Kahibah — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 12.3% / 14.1%
Charlestown — 5-14: 12.3% Kahibah — 5-14: 14.1%
15-19 5.0% / 4.6%
Charlestown — 15-19: 5.0% Kahibah — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 6.1% / 4.9%
Charlestown — 20-24: 6.1% Kahibah — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 14.7% / 13.9%
Charlestown — 25-34: 14.7% Kahibah — 25-34: 13.9%
35-44 14.6% / 14.7%
Charlestown — 35-44: 14.6% Kahibah — 35-44: 14.7%
45-54 11.8% / 12.8%
Charlestown — 45-54: 11.8% Kahibah — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 10.8% / 10.0%
Charlestown — 55-64: 10.8% Kahibah — 55-64: 10.0%
65-74 8.9% / 9.3%
Charlestown — 65-74: 8.9% Kahibah — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 6.2% / 7.1%
Charlestown — 75-84: 6.2% Kahibah — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 3.1% / 2.7%
Charlestown — 85+: 3.1% Kahibah — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Charlestown 41.3% couple families
Charlestown — Couple Families: 41.3% Charlestown — Lone Person: 35.4% Charlestown — One Parent Families: 17.0% Charlestown — Group Household: 5.3% Charlestown — Other Families: 0.9%
Kahibah 41.0% couple families
Kahibah — Couple Families: 41.0% Kahibah — Lone Person: 38.7% Kahibah — One Parent Families: 14.9% Kahibah — Group Household: 4.1% Kahibah — Other Families: 1.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Charlestown 26.7% renting
Charlestown — Owned Outright: 35.2% Charlestown — Mortgage: 38.1% Charlestown — Renting: 26.7%
Kahibah 23.1% renting
Kahibah — Owned Outright: 36.5% Kahibah — Mortgage: 40.4% Kahibah — Renting: 23.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Charlestown Kahibah
Certificate III & IV 16.9% / 17.8%
Charlestown — Certificate III & IV: 16.9% Kahibah — Certificate III & IV: 17.8%
Bachelor Degree 15.1% / 15.9%
Charlestown — Bachelor Degree: 15.1% Kahibah — Bachelor Degree: 15.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.6%
Charlestown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Kahibah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 3.9%
Charlestown — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Kahibah — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 1.9%
Charlestown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Kahibah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

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.

Charlestown Kahibah
England 2.1% / 2.1%
Charlestown — England: 2.1% Kahibah — England: 2.1%
New Zealand 1.0% / 0.6%
Charlestown — New Zealand: 1.0% Kahibah — New Zealand: 0.6%
China 0.9% / —
Charlestown — China: 0.9% Kahibah — China: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / 0.3%
Charlestown — Philippines: 0.5% Kahibah — Philippines: 0.3%
India 0.7% / —
Charlestown — India: 0.7% Kahibah — India: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.6%
Charlestown — South Africa: not among its largest Kahibah — South Africa: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.6%
Charlestown — Germany: not among its largest Kahibah — Germany: 0.6%
Japan — / 0.3%
Charlestown — Japan: not among its largest Kahibah — Japan: 0.3%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Charlestown 76.0% houses
Charlestown — Houses: 76.0% Charlestown — Townhouses: 14.9% Charlestown — Flats / Apartments: 9.1%
Kahibah 74.0% houses
Kahibah — Houses: 74.0% Kahibah — Townhouses: 24.7% Kahibah — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Charlestown Kahibah
Median house price $1,055,500 $1,215,000
Median unit price $675,000 $805,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 197 sales
 14 days
from 10 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.

Charlestown Kahibah
2 bed $905K / $1.11M
Charlestown — 2 bed: $905K (25 sales) Kahibah — 2 bed: $1.11M (5 sales)

25 vs 5 sales

3 bed $1,000K / $1.15M
Charlestown — 3 bed: $1,000K (135 sales) Kahibah — 3 bed: $1.15M (29 sales)

135 vs 29 sales

4 bed $1.25M / $1.3M
Charlestown — 4 bed: $1.25M (80 sales) Kahibah — 4 bed: $1.3M (18 sales)

80 vs 18 sales

Zoning mix

Charlestown Kahibah
Residential 70% 80%
Environmental 11% 12%
Parks and recreation 12% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 0%
Commercial 3% 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

Charlestown Kahibah
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.

Charlestown Kahibah
Houses 3.8%
$780/wk on $1.06M
 —
Units 4.4%
$620/wk on $730K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Charlestown Kahibah
House price Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Income Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
Schools Higher than 81% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 77% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 63% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 40% of NSW —

Liveability

Charlestown is more walkable (92 vs 62).

Charlestown Kahibah
Grade B
same for both
Score 56/100 52/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Charlestown carries more crime risk (83 vs 47).

Charlestown Kahibah
Bushfire Moderate
46/100
same for both
Crime High
83/100
 Moderate
47/100
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Charlestown Kahibah
Inside the suburb 7 1
Rated above peers 3 0
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 8.3 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle City), 7.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.9% 1.7%

Schools in Charlestown

  • Charlestown East Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Charlestown Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Charlestown South Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Hillsborough Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Alesco Secondary College - Charlestown Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Kahibah

  • Kahibah Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Charlestown Kahibah
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 5 3
Childcare 15 2
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 6 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 9 1
Fuel stations 4 0
Waterways 12 3

Mobility

Charlestown Kahibah
Walkability score 92/100 62/100
Distance to Sydney 145 km 146.8 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 120 min 123 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 62/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 331.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 22.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2290
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 2290
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.

Charlestown Kahibah
Car (driver) 63.5% / 64.9%
Charlestown — Car (driver): 63.5% Kahibah — Car (driver): 64.9%
Worked from Home 28.1% / 30.1%
Charlestown — Worked from Home: 28.1% Kahibah — Worked from Home: 30.1%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 2.8%
Charlestown — Car (passenger): 4.5% Kahibah — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Walked Only 2.1% / 0.7%
Charlestown — Walked Only: 2.1% Kahibah — Walked Only: 0.7%
Bus 1.2% / 0.5%
Charlestown — Bus: 1.2% Kahibah — Bus: 0.5%
Bicycle 0.4% / 1.0%
Charlestown — Bicycle: 0.4% Kahibah — Bicycle: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.9%).

Setting

Charlestown Kahibah
Elevation 108 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 100 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km 2.1 km
4.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Charlestown Kahibah
Connectivity score 68/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
6,886 premises
 38%
1,218 premises

Climate

Charlestown Kahibah
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)

Charlestown Kahibah
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 21.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Charlestown Kahibah
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Charlestown Kahibah
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Charlestown Kahibah
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Charlestown

Parks Regional Centre River

Kahibah

Coastal River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Charlestown

Charlestown vs Adamstown Heights Charlestown vs Mount Hutton Charlestown vs Gateshead Charlestown vs Whitebridge Charlestown vs Garden Suburb Charlestown vs Kotara South

Other comparisons with Kahibah

Kahibah vs Whitebridge Kahibah vs Highfields
Full data on Charlestown Full data on Kahibah
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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