Highfields vs Kahibah

In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Highfields, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Kahibah: a median of $1.22 million, against $1.01 million in Highfields. On these figures, Highfields tends to suit couples and buyers on a tighter budget, while Kahibah suits 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

Highfields

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 74%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (69% vs 56%)
  • But Kahibah has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Highfields

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($584,000 vs $805,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,007,500 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

Kahibah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (62/100 vs 54/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kahibah

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (26% vs 3%)
  • is more walkable (62/100 vs 54/100)

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

Investors

Highfields

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.1% vs 5.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Highfields 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.

Highfields 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.

Highfields Kahibah
Walkability 54 / 62
Highfields — Walkability: 54/100 Kahibah — Walkability: 62/100
Safety 50 / 53
Highfields — Safety: 50/100 Kahibah — Safety: 53/100
Low fire risk 28 / 54
Highfields — Low fire risk: 28/100 Kahibah — Low fire risk: 54/100

Demographics

Kahibah has more residents (2,603 vs 936); Highfields has higher household incomes ($114,296 vs $93,808).

Highfields Kahibah
Population 936 2,603
+178% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.1% +5.6%
Median age 37 39
Median household income $114,296/yr
+18% vs other
 $93,808/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Highfields Kahibah
0-4 8.3% / 6.3%
Highfields — 0-4: 8.3% Kahibah — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 14.6% / 14.1%
Highfields — 5-14: 14.6% Kahibah — 5-14: 14.1%
15-19 5.2% / 4.6%
Highfields — 15-19: 5.2% Kahibah — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 5.0% / 4.9%
Highfields — 20-24: 5.0% Kahibah — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 10.8% / 13.9%
Highfields — 25-34: 10.8% Kahibah — 25-34: 13.9%
35-44 15.2% / 14.7%
Highfields — 35-44: 15.2% Kahibah — 35-44: 14.7%
45-54 13.8% / 12.8%
Highfields — 45-54: 13.8% Kahibah — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 11.9% / 10.0%
Highfields — 55-64: 11.9% Kahibah — 55-64: 10.0%
65-74 7.2% / 9.3%
Highfields — 65-74: 7.2% Kahibah — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 4.4% / 7.1%
Highfields — 75-84: 4.4% Kahibah — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 3.5% / 2.7%
Highfields — 85+: 3.5% Kahibah — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Highfields 53.0% couple families
Highfields — Couple Families: 53.0% Highfields — Lone Person: 24.3% Highfields — One Parent Families: 15.8% Highfields — Group Household: 4.9% Highfields — Other Families: 2.0%
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.

Highfields 15.5% renting
Highfields — Owned Outright: 37.3% Highfields — Mortgage: 47.2% Highfields — Renting: 15.5%
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.

Highfields Kahibah
Bachelor Degree 18.1% / 15.9%
Highfields — Bachelor Degree: 18.1% Kahibah — Bachelor Degree: 15.9%
Certificate III & IV 15.8% / 17.8%
Highfields — Certificate III & IV: 15.8% Kahibah — Certificate III & IV: 17.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 8.6%
Highfields — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Kahibah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 5.2% / 3.9%
Highfields — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2% Kahibah — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 1.9%
Highfields — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Kahibah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

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.

Highfields Kahibah
England 1.8% / 2.1%
Highfields — England: 1.8% Kahibah — England: 2.1%
New Zealand 0.6% / 0.6%
Highfields — New Zealand: 0.6% Kahibah — New Zealand: 0.6%
India 0.9% / —
Highfields — India: 0.9% Kahibah — India: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.6%
Highfields — South Africa: not among its largest Kahibah — South Africa: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.6%
Highfields — Germany: not among its largest Kahibah — Germany: 0.6%
Taiwan 0.5% / —
Highfields — Taiwan: 0.5% Kahibah — Taiwan: not among its largest
Italy 0.4% / —
Highfields — Italy: 0.4% Kahibah — Italy: not among its largest
Japan — / 0.3%
Highfields — 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.

Highfields 97.0% houses
Highfields — Houses: 97.0% Highfields — Townhouses: 1.5% Highfields — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Kahibah 74.0% houses
Kahibah — Houses: 74.0% Kahibah — Townhouses: 24.7% Kahibah — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Highfields Kahibah
Median house price $1,007,500 $1,215,000
Median unit price $584,000 $805,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 6 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.

Highfields Kahibah
2 bed $952K / $1.11M
Highfields — 2 bed: $952K (6 sales) Kahibah — 2 bed: $1.11M (5 sales)

6 vs 5 sales

3 bed $935K / $1.15M
Highfields — 3 bed: $935K (11 sales) Kahibah — 3 bed: $1.15M (29 sales)

11 vs 29 sales

Zoning mix

Highfields has more land zoned for conservation (42% vs 12%).

Highfields Kahibah
Residential 42% 80%
Environmental 42% 12%
Parks and recreation 12% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 0%
Commercial 0% 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

Highfields Kahibah
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Highfields Kahibah
House price Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Income Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW

Liveability

Kahibah is more walkable (62 vs 54); Kahibah scores higher overall (52 vs 47).

Highfields Kahibah
Grade C B
Score 47/100 52/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Highfields carries more bushfire risk (72 vs 46).

Highfields Kahibah
Bushfire High
72/100
 Moderate
46/100
Crime Moderate
50/100
 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 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Highfields Kahibah
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle City), 6.6 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle City), 7.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 1.7%

Schools in Highfields

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

Schools in Kahibah

  • Kahibah Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Highfields Kahibah
Parks & reserves 0 3
Childcare 1 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

Highfields Kahibah
Walkability score 54/100 62/100
Distance to Sydney 148.1 km 146.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 125 min 123 min
Public transport score 60/100
Bus
 62/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 18.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 22.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 2289
 0.9%
postcode 2290
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2289
 37
postcode 2290

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.

Highfields Kahibah
Car (driver) 58.4% / 64.9%
Highfields — Car (driver): 58.4% Kahibah — Car (driver): 64.9%
Worked from Home 33.8% / 30.1%
Highfields — Worked from Home: 33.8% Kahibah — Worked from Home: 30.1%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 2.8%
Highfields — Car (passenger): 4.8% Kahibah — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Bicycle 1.5% / 1.0%
Highfields — Bicycle: 1.5% Kahibah — Bicycle: 1.0%
Bus 1.5% / 0.5%
Highfields — Bus: 1.5% Kahibah — Bus: 0.5%
Walked Only — / 0.7%
Highfields — Walked Only: not among its largest Kahibah — Walked Only: 0.7%

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

Setting

Highfields Kahibah
Elevation 78 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 100 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.1 km
3.8 km to a named beach
 2.1 km
4.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Highfields Kahibah
Connectivity score 71/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 47%
365 premises
 38%
1,218 premises

Climate

Highfields 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)

Highfields 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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Highfields

Coastal Family Large Blocks Parks Professionals River

Kahibah

Coastal River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Highfields

Highfields vs Charlestown Highfields vs Merewether Highfields vs Adamstown Heights Highfields vs Whitebridge

Other comparisons with Kahibah

Kahibah vs Charlestown Kahibah vs Whitebridge
Full data on Highfields 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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