Glendale vs Elermore Vale

Glendale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 42 in Elermore Vale. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Elermore Vale: a median of $945,000, against $861,000 in Glendale, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Elermore Vale tends to suit 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Glendale has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 3)
  • Elermore Vale has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Elermore Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($720,000 vs $880,000)

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

Glendale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (80/100 vs 58/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Glendale has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • Elermore Vale carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 92/100)

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

Investors

Elermore Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.5% vs 3.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Glendale Elermore Vale
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.

Glendale Elermore Vale
Walkability 80 / 58
Glendale — Walkability: 80/100 Elermore Vale — Walkability: 58/100
Safety 8 / 41
Glendale — Safety: 8/100 Elermore Vale — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 49 / 46
Glendale — Low fire risk: 49/100 Elermore Vale — Low fire risk: 46/100

Demographics

Elermore Vale has more residents (6,057 vs 3,260); Elermore Vale skews older (42 vs 36).

Glendale Elermore Vale
Population 3,260 6,057
+86% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.3% +9.6%
Median age 36 42
Median household income $78,728/yr $81,484/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $360/wk $380/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Glendale Elermore Vale
0-4 6.7% / 5.2%
Glendale — 0-4: 6.7% Elermore Vale — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 12.1% / 11.6%
Glendale — 5-14: 12.1% Elermore Vale — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 5.3% / 5.8%
Glendale — 15-19: 5.3% Elermore Vale — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 6.6% / 5.6%
Glendale — 20-24: 6.6% Elermore Vale — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 16.4% / 12.5%
Glendale — 25-34: 16.4% Elermore Vale — 25-34: 12.5%
35-44 13.4% / 12.2%
Glendale — 35-44: 13.4% Elermore Vale — 35-44: 12.2%
45-54 11.3% / 11.1%
Glendale — 45-54: 11.3% Elermore Vale — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 11.2% / 10.8%
Glendale — 55-64: 11.2% Elermore Vale — 55-64: 10.8%
65-74 10.0% / 11.9%
Glendale — 65-74: 10.0% Elermore Vale — 65-74: 11.9%
75-84 5.3% / 8.7%
Glendale — 75-84: 5.3% Elermore Vale — 75-84: 8.7%
85+ 1.9% / 4.6%
Glendale — 85+: 1.9% Elermore Vale — 85+: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Glendale 38.5% couple families
Glendale — Couple Families: 38.5% Glendale — Lone Person: 37.1% Glendale — One Parent Families: 19.9% Glendale — Group Household: 3.5% Glendale — Other Families: 0.9%
Elermore Vale 41.4% couple families
Elermore Vale — Couple Families: 41.4% Elermore Vale — Lone Person: 36.3% Elermore Vale — One Parent Families: 16.1% Elermore Vale — Group Household: 4.8% Elermore Vale — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Glendale 33.4% renting
Glendale — Owned Outright: 30.7% Glendale — Mortgage: 35.9% Glendale — Renting: 33.4%
Elermore Vale 26.3% renting
Elermore Vale — Owned Outright: 37.0% Elermore Vale — Mortgage: 36.7% Elermore Vale — Renting: 26.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Glendale Elermore Vale
Certificate III & IV 19.3% / 15.7%
Glendale — Certificate III & IV: 19.3% Elermore Vale — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.3% / 13.2%
Glendale — Bachelor Degree: 9.3% Elermore Vale — Bachelor Degree: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.5% / 7.3%
Glendale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5% Elermore Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 4.2%
Glendale — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Elermore Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.6%
Glendale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Elermore Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

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.

Glendale Elermore Vale
England 1.3% / 1.8%
Glendale — England: 1.3% Elermore Vale — England: 1.8%
India 0.3% / 1.4%
Glendale — India: 0.3% Elermore Vale — India: 1.4%
New Zealand 0.8% / 0.8%
Glendale — New Zealand: 0.8% Elermore Vale — New Zealand: 0.8%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.7%
Glendale — Philippines: 0.7% Elermore Vale — Philippines: 0.7%
Germany 0.4% / 0.4%
Glendale — Germany: 0.4% Elermore Vale — Germany: 0.4%
China — / 0.7%
Glendale — China: not among its largest Elermore Vale — China: 0.7%
Pakistan 0.4% / —
Glendale — Pakistan: 0.4% Elermore Vale — Pakistan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Glendale 87.2% houses
Glendale — Houses: 87.2% Glendale — Townhouses: 7.9% Glendale — Flats / Apartments: 4.9%
Elermore Vale 79.2% houses
Elermore Vale — Houses: 79.2% Elermore Vale — Townhouses: 19.2% Elermore Vale — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Glendale Elermore Vale
Median house price $861,000 $945,000
Median unit price $880,000 $720,000
Median land price $455,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 18 sales
 17 days
from 33 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.

Glendale Elermore Vale
2 bed $820K / $794K
Glendale — 2 bed: $820K (11 sales) Elermore Vale — 2 bed: $794K (6 sales)

11 vs 6 sales

3 bed $862K / $868K
Glendale — 3 bed: $862K (31 sales) Elermore Vale — 3 bed: $868K (42 sales)

31 vs 42 sales

4 bed $1.11M / $1.08M
Glendale — 4 bed: $1.11M (9 sales) Elermore Vale — 4 bed: $1.08M (26 sales)

9 vs 26 sales

Zoning mix

Elermore Vale has more land zoned for conservation (34% vs 16%); Glendale has more commercially zoned land (15% vs 1%).

Glendale Elermore Vale
Residential 41% 53%
Environmental 16% 34%
Commercial 15% 1%
Rural and farming 14% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 5%
Parks and recreation 5% 8%
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

Glendale Elermore Vale
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
 912
across Newcastle
Approvals change year on year +2% +77%

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.

Glendale Elermore Vale
Houses 3.3%
$725/wk on $1.15M
 4.5%
$765/wk on $890K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Glendale Elermore Vale
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Income Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Schools Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW

Liveability

Glendale is more walkable (80 vs 58); Elermore Vale scores higher overall (34 vs 29).

Glendale Elermore Vale
Grade D C
Score 29/100 34/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Glendale carries more crime risk (92 vs 59).

Glendale Elermore Vale
Bushfire Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
54/100
Crime High
92/100
 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

Glendale Elermore Vale
Inside the suburb 5 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 3 2
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 6.5 km
 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 4.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 2.3%

Schools in Glendale

  • Glendale East Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Glendale Technology High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Holy Cross Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Macquarie College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Newcastle Waldorf School Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Elermore Vale

  • Wallsend South Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Elermore Vale Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Alesco Secondary College Independent · Secondary · Special school below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Glendale Elermore Vale
Supermarkets 3 1
Parks & reserves 1 6
Childcare 8 5
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 6 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 6 11

Mobility

Glendale Elermore Vale
Walkability score 80/100 58/100
Distance to Sydney 149.2 km 150.7 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 111 min 110 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 204.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 153.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2285
 0.9%
postcode 2287
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 2285
 42
postcode 2287

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.

Glendale Elermore Vale
Car (driver) 70.5% / 67.4%
Glendale — Car (driver): 70.5% Elermore Vale — Car (driver): 67.4%
Worked from Home 21.1% / 25.6%
Glendale — Worked from Home: 21.1% Elermore Vale — Worked from Home: 25.6%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 4.7%
Glendale — Car (passenger): 4.8% Elermore Vale — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only 1.6% / 1.1%
Glendale — Walked Only: 1.6% Elermore Vale — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 1.4% / 1.0%
Glendale — Bus: 1.4% Elermore Vale — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.5%).

Setting

Glendale Elermore Vale
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 53 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.2 km 8.9 km

NBN connectivity

Glendale Elermore Vale
Connectivity score 68/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 39%
1,652 premises
 40%
2,756 premises

Climate

Glendale Elermore Vale
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)

Glendale Elermore Vale
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

Glendale Elermore Vale
Average residential rate $1,708/yr $1,783/yr
Council Lake Macquarie Newcastle

Federal electorate

Glendale Elermore Vale
Division Shortland Newcastle
Member Pat Conroy Sharon Claydon
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Glendale Elermore Vale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Glendale

Large Blocks River

Elermore Vale

Parks Retirees River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Glendale

Glendale vs Edgeworth Glendale vs Cardiff Glendale vs Cardiff Heights Glendale vs Argenton

Other comparisons with Elermore Vale

Elermore Vale vs Wallsend Elermore Vale vs Cameron Park Elermore Vale vs Edgeworth Elermore Vale vs Lambton Elermore Vale vs New Lambton Heights Elermore Vale vs Rankin Park
Full data on Glendale Full data on Elermore Vale
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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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