Dora Creek vs Eraring

Dora Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 60 in Eraring. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Eraring: a median of $1.53 million, against $850,000 in Dora Creek, though rent is higher in Dora Creek. On these figures, Dora Creek tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Eraring suits share households and older residents.

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

Eraring

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (61/100 vs 74/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (60% vs 51%)

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

First-home buyers

Dora Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($850,000 vs $1,530,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Eraring

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (7% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper rent ($140/wk vs $380/wk)
  • But Dora Creek has a bigger rental market to choose from (21% vs 6%)

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

Commuting to the city

Dora Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (34/100 vs 16/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Eraring

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (42% vs 28%)
  • carries lower crime risk (61/100 vs 74/100)
  • But Dora Creek is more walkable (34/100 vs 16/100)

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

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

Dora Creek Eraring
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.

Dora Creek Eraring
Walkability 34 / 16
Dora Creek — Walkability: 34/100 Eraring — Walkability: 16/100
Safety 26 / 39
Dora Creek — Safety: 26/100 Eraring — Safety: 39/100
Low fire risk 58 / 46
Dora Creek — Low fire risk: 58/100 Eraring — Low fire risk: 46/100

Demographics

Dora Creek has more residents (1,739 vs 221); Dora Creek rents higher ($380/wk vs $140/wk).

Dora Creek Eraring
Population 1,739
+87% vs other
 221
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.8% +2.3%
Median age 51 60
Median household income $72,852/yr $103,012/yr
+41% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+63% vs other
 $140/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dora Creek Eraring
0-4 3.5% / 3.2%
Dora Creek — 0-4: 3.5% Eraring — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 10.2% / 6.8%
Dora Creek — 5-14: 10.2% Eraring — 5-14: 6.8%
15-19 4.8% / 4.5%
Dora Creek — 15-19: 4.8% Eraring — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 5.7% / 5.9%
Dora Creek — 20-24: 5.7% Eraring — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 10.8% / 2.3%
Dora Creek — 25-34: 10.8% Eraring — 25-34: 2.3%
35-44 9.3% / 6.8%
Dora Creek — 35-44: 9.3% Eraring — 35-44: 6.8%
45-54 11.0% / 12.2%
Dora Creek — 45-54: 11.0% Eraring — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 17.1% / 19.0%
Dora Creek — 55-64: 17.1% Eraring — 55-64: 19.0%
65-74 15.1% / 26.7%
Dora Creek — 65-74: 15.1% Eraring — 65-74: 26.7%
75-84 10.4% / 14.0%
Dora Creek — 75-84: 10.4% Eraring — 75-84: 14.0%
85+ 2.8% / 1.4%
Dora Creek — 85+: 2.8% Eraring — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dora Creek 33.6% couple families
Dora Creek — Couple Families: 33.6% Dora Creek — Lone Person: 40.9% Dora Creek — One Parent Families: 17.1% Dora Creek — Group Household: 6.2% Dora Creek — Other Families: 2.1%
Eraring 44.2% couple families
Eraring — Couple Families: 44.2% Eraring — Lone Person: 26.9% Eraring — One Parent Families: 15.4% Eraring — Group Household: 13.5% Eraring — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dora Creek 21.0% renting
Dora Creek — Owned Outright: 47.0% Dora Creek — Mortgage: 32.0% Dora Creek — Renting: 21.0%
Eraring 5.8% renting
Eraring — Owned Outright: 65.1% Eraring — Mortgage: 29.1% Eraring — Renting: 5.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Dora Creek Eraring
England 3.0% / 5.0%
Dora Creek — England: 3.0% Eraring — England: 5.0%
New Zealand 1.6% / 3.6%
Dora Creek — New Zealand: 1.6% Eraring — New Zealand: 3.6%
Scotland 0.7% / 2.3%
Dora Creek — Scotland: 0.7% Eraring — Scotland: 2.3%
Philippines 0.6% / —
Dora Creek — Philippines: 0.6% Eraring — Philippines: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.6% / —
Dora Creek — Netherlands: 0.6% Eraring — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.0%).

Qualifications

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

Dora Creek Eraring
Certificate III & IV 21.2% / 20.8%
Dora Creek — Certificate III & IV: 21.2% Eraring — Certificate III & IV: 20.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 16.3%
Dora Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Eraring — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 16.3%
Bachelor Degree 7.2% / 14.5%
Dora Creek — Bachelor Degree: 7.2% Eraring — Bachelor Degree: 14.5%
Postgraduate Degree 2.5% / 4.1%
Dora Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5% Eraring — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.4%
Dora Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Eraring — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dora Creek 96.6% houses
Dora Creek — Houses: 96.6% Dora Creek — Flats / Apartments: 3.0% Dora Creek — Townhouses: 0.4%
Eraring 95.5% houses
Eraring — Houses: 95.5% Eraring — Flats / Apartments: 4.5% Eraring — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dora Creek Eraring
Median house price $850,000 $1,530,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $559,990 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 41 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Dora Creek has more rural and farming land (31% vs 4%); Dora Creek has more land zoned for conservation (48% vs 33%).

Dora Creek Eraring
Infrastructure and transport 6% 62%
Environmental 48% 33%
Rural and farming 31% 4%
Residential 12% 0%
Parks and recreation 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

Dora Creek Eraring
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.

Dora Creek Eraring
Houses 3.6%
$758/wk on $1.1M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dora Creek Eraring
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Income Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 45% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 50% of NSW —

Liveability

Dora Creek is more walkable (34 vs 16).

Dora Creek Eraring
Grade C —
Score 31/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Eraring carries more bushfire risk (54 vs 42); Dora Creek carries more crime risk (74 vs 61).

Dora Creek Eraring
Bushfire Moderate
42/100
 Moderate
54/100
Crime High
74/100
 Moderate
61/100
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 2
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Dora Creek Eraring
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Dora Creek

  • Dora Creek Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Eraring

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

Amenities in the suburb

Dora Creek Eraring
Parks & reserves 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

Dora Creek Eraring
Walkability score 34/100 16/100
Distance to Sydney 118.7 km 120.1 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 94 min
same for both
Public transport score 42/100
Rail · Bus
 23/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 8.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 1.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 4.5 min
scheduled, not actual
 67 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2264
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2264
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.

Dora Creek Eraring
Car (driver) 69.8% / 60.9%
Dora Creek — Car (driver): 69.8% Eraring — Car (driver): 60.9%
Worked from Home 25.0% / 34.8%
Dora Creek — Worked from Home: 25.0% Eraring — Worked from Home: 34.8%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 4.3%
Dora Creek — Car (passenger): 3.2% Eraring — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Train 1.1% / —
Dora Creek — Train: 1.1% Eraring — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 0.9% / —
Dora Creek — Walked Only: 0.9% Eraring — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.8%).

Setting

Dora Creek Eraring
Elevation -3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.4 km 11.1 km

NBN connectivity

Dora Creek Eraring
Connectivity score 73/100 96/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 53%
1,100 premises
 80%
109 premises

Climate

Dora Creek Eraring
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Dora Creek Eraring
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

Dora Creek Eraring
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Dora Creek Eraring
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dora Creek Eraring
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dora Creek

Acreage Retirees Trains

Eraring

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dora Creek

Dora Creek vs Cooranbong Dora Creek vs Morisset

Other comparisons with Eraring

Eraring vs Cooranbong
Full data on Dora Creek Full data on Eraring
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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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