Fassifern vs Fennell Bay

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Fassifern, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Fassifern tends to suit people living alone.

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

Fennell Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 94/100)

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

Fassifern

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $368/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Fassifern sits closer to the CBD (138.1 km vs 140.3 km)
  • Fennell Bay is more walkable (43/100 vs 35/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Fennell Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 94/100)
  • is more walkable (43/100 vs 35/100)

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

Investors

Fennell Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.4% vs -2.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Fassifern Fennell Bay
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.

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Walkability 35 / 43
Fassifern — Walkability: 35/100 Fennell Bay — Walkability: 43/100
Safety 6 / 41
Fassifern — Safety: 6/100 Fennell Bay — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 21 / 16
Fassifern — Low fire risk: 21/100 Fennell Bay — Low fire risk: 16/100

Demographics

Fennell Bay has more residents (1,780 vs 586); Fennell Bay rents higher ($368/wk vs $310/wk).

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Population 586 1,780
+204% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.5% +10.4%
Median age 47 45
Median household income $69,836/yr $71,500/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $310/wk $368/wk
+19% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fassifern Fennell Bay
0-4 2.9% / 4.9%
Fassifern — 0-4: 2.9% Fennell Bay — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 9.9% / 9.7%
Fassifern — 5-14: 9.9% Fennell Bay — 5-14: 9.7%
15-19 5.1% / 5.2%
Fassifern — 15-19: 5.1% Fennell Bay — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.5% / 7.1%
Fassifern — 20-24: 6.5% Fennell Bay — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 13.3% / 12.0%
Fassifern — 25-34: 13.3% Fennell Bay — 25-34: 12.0%
35-44 9.2% / 10.8%
Fassifern — 35-44: 9.2% Fennell Bay — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 12.1% / 12.1%
Fassifern — 45-54: 12.1% Fennell Bay — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 17.9% / 14.0%
Fassifern — 55-64: 17.9% Fennell Bay — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 14.0% / 13.3%
Fassifern — 65-74: 14.0% Fennell Bay — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 7.2% / 8.0%
Fassifern — 75-84: 7.2% Fennell Bay — 75-84: 8.0%
85+ 1.2% / 2.6%
Fassifern — 85+: 1.2% Fennell Bay — 85+: 2.6%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fassifern 47.9% lone person
Fassifern — Lone Person: 47.9% Fassifern — Couple Families: 31.5% Fassifern — One Parent Families: 18.8% Fassifern — Group Household: 1.8% Fassifern — Other Families: 0.0%
Fennell Bay 39.9% lone person
Fennell Bay — Lone Person: 39.9% Fennell Bay — Couple Families: 37.0% Fennell Bay — One Parent Families: 18.8% Fennell Bay — Group Household: 3.5% Fennell Bay — Other Families: 0.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fassifern 23.9% renting
Fassifern — Owned Outright: 40.6% Fassifern — Mortgage: 35.5% Fassifern — Renting: 23.9%
Fennell Bay 24.3% renting
Fennell Bay — Owned Outright: 40.6% Fennell Bay — Mortgage: 35.1% Fennell Bay — Renting: 24.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Certificate III & IV 22.4% / 20.8%
Fassifern — Certificate III & IV: 22.4% Fennell Bay — Certificate III & IV: 20.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.7% / 8.9%
Fassifern — Bachelor Degree: 8.7% Fennell Bay — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 7.0%
Fassifern — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Fennell Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / 2.2%
Fassifern — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Fennell Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 1.6%
Fassifern — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Fennell Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

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.

Fassifern Fennell Bay
England 2.4% / 2.1%
Fassifern — England: 2.4% Fennell Bay — England: 2.1%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.3%
Fassifern — New Zealand: 1.0% Fennell Bay — New Zealand: 1.3%
Thailand 1.5% / —
Fassifern — Thailand: 1.5% Fennell Bay — Thailand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / 0.9%
Fassifern — Scotland: 0.5% Fennell Bay — Scotland: 0.9%
Ireland 0.9% / —
Fassifern — Ireland: 0.9% Fennell Bay — Ireland: not among its largest
Malaysia — / 0.6%
Fassifern — Malaysia: not among its largest Fennell Bay — Malaysia: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.5%
Fassifern — Germany: not among its largest Fennell Bay — Germany: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fassifern 83.9% houses
Fassifern — Houses: 83.9% Fassifern — Townhouses: 11.6% Fassifern — Flats / Apartments: 4.5%
Fennell Bay 88.1% houses
Fennell Bay — Houses: 88.1% Fennell Bay — Townhouses: 6.0% Fennell Bay — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Median house price $842,500 $844,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $680,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 40 days
from 17 sales

Zoning mix

Fassifern has more land zoned for conservation (66% vs 1%); Fennell Bay has more rural and farming land (66% vs 11%).

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Rural and farming 11% 66%
Environmental 66% 1%
Residential 9% 28%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 3%
Parks and recreation 2% 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

Fassifern Fennell Bay
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.

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Houses — 4.4%
$700/wk on $820K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Fassifern Fennell Bay
House price Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
Income Higher than 33% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 90% of NSW

Liveability

Fennell Bay is more walkable (43 vs 35).

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Grade D
same for both
Score 21/100 25/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Fassifern carries more crime risk (94 vs 59).

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Bushfire High
79/100
 High
84/100
Crime High
94/100
 Moderate
59/100
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 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Fassifern

  • Charlton Christian College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Fassifern Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Fennell Bay

  • Fennell Bay Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Fennell Bay sits further from the CBD (140.3 km vs 138.1 km).

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Walkability score 35/100 43/100
Distance to Sydney 138.1 km 140.3 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 103 min 107 min
Public transport score 81/100
Rail · Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 25.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 36.5
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.

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Car (driver) 74.0% / 75.7%
Fassifern — Car (driver): 74.0% Fennell Bay — Car (driver): 75.7%
Worked from Home 22.8% / 18.7%
Fassifern — Worked from Home: 22.8% Fennell Bay — Worked from Home: 18.7%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 3.3%
Fassifern — Car (passenger): 3.3% Fennell Bay — Car (passenger): 3.3%
Train — / 1.1%
Fassifern — Train: not among its largest Fennell Bay — Train: 1.1%
Walked Only — / 1.1%
Fassifern — Walked Only: not among its largest Fennell Bay — Walked Only: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.7%).

Setting

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Elevation 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 47 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.5 km 10.0 km

NBN connectivity

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Connectivity score 45/100 57/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
284 premises
 16%
791 premises

Climate

Fassifern Fennell Bay
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)

Fassifern Fennell Bay
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

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

Federal electorate

Fassifern Fennell Bay
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Fassifern

Trains Transport Hub

Fennell Bay

Large Blocks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Fassifern

Fassifern vs Toronto Fassifern vs Blackalls Park Fassifern vs Teralba Fassifern vs Awaba Fassifern vs Wakefield

Other comparisons with Fennell Bay

Fennell Bay vs Teralba Fennell Bay vs Bolton Point Fennell Bay vs Booragul Fennell Bay vs Woodrising
Full data on Fassifern Full data on Fennell Bay
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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