Howards Grass vs Lismore Heights

Lismore Heights is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 48 in Howards Grass. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Howards Grass, about half of households are couple families. In Lismore Heights, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Howards Grass: a median of $862,000, against $670,000 in Lismore Heights, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Howards Grass tends to suit couples, while Lismore Heights suits people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Lismore Heights

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (48/100 vs 88/100)
  • But Howards Grass is already more of a family suburb (69% vs 46%)

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

First-home buyers

Lismore Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($670,000 vs $862,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Lismore Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($338/wk vs $415/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lismore Heights

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 5%)
  • carries lower crime risk (48/100 vs 88/100)

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

Investors

Howards Grass

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.6% vs -3.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
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.

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Walkability 39 / 46
Howards Grass — Walkability: 39/100 Lismore Heights — Walkability: 46/100
Safety 12 / 52
Howards Grass — Safety: 12/100 Lismore Heights — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Howards Grass — Low fire risk: 100/100 Lismore Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Lismore Heights has more residents (2,117 vs 78); Howards Grass has higher household incomes ($96,200 vs $67,288).

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Population 78 2,117
+2614% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6% -3.5%
Median age 48 43
Median household income $96,200/yr
+30% vs other
 $67,288/yr
Median weekly rent $415/wk
+19% vs other
 $338/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
0-4 7.7% / 4.4%
Howards Grass — 0-4: 7.7% Lismore Heights — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 6.4% / 11.9%
Howards Grass — 5-14: 6.4% Lismore Heights — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 10.3% / 6.3%
Howards Grass — 15-19: 10.3% Lismore Heights — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 6.4% / 5.3%
Howards Grass — 20-24: 6.4% Lismore Heights — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 10.3% / 11.6%
Howards Grass — 25-34: 10.3% Lismore Heights — 25-34: 11.6%
35-44 5.1% / 12.6%
Howards Grass — 35-44: 5.1% Lismore Heights — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 23.1% / 13.2%
Howards Grass — 45-54: 23.1% Lismore Heights — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 17.9% / 14.6%
Howards Grass — 55-64: 17.9% Lismore Heights — 55-64: 14.6%
65-74 5.1% / 11.6%
Howards Grass — 65-74: 5.1% Lismore Heights — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 — / 6.2%
Howards Grass — 75-84: not among its largest Lismore Heights — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ — / 2.5%
Howards Grass — 85+: not among its largest Lismore Heights — 85+: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Howards Grass 31.0% lone person
Howards Grass — Lone Person: 31.0% Howards Grass — Couple Families: 48.3% Howards Grass — One Parent Families: 20.7% Howards Grass — Group Household: 0.0% Howards Grass — Other Families: 0.0%
Lismore Heights 46.1% lone person
Lismore Heights — Lone Person: 46.1% Lismore Heights — Couple Families: 25.2% Lismore Heights — One Parent Families: 20.8% Lismore Heights — Group Household: 6.1% Lismore Heights — Other Families: 1.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Howards Grass 23.5% renting
Howards Grass — Owned Outright: 26.5% Howards Grass — Mortgage: 50.0% Howards Grass — Renting: 23.5%
Lismore Heights 31.3% renting
Lismore Heights — Owned Outright: 35.0% Lismore Heights — Mortgage: 33.7% Lismore Heights — Renting: 31.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Certificate III & IV 16.7% / 15.5%
Howards Grass — Certificate III & IV: 16.7% Lismore Heights — Certificate III & IV: 15.5%
Bachelor Degree 16.7% / 13.7%
Howards Grass — Bachelor Degree: 16.7% Lismore Heights — Bachelor Degree: 13.7%
Postgraduate Degree 6.4% / 5.4%
Howards Grass — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4% Lismore Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 5.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.8% / 8.0%
Howards Grass — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.8% Lismore Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 6.4% / 2.5%
Howards Grass — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.4% Lismore Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

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.

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
India 11.5% / 0.7%
Howards Grass — India: 11.5% Lismore Heights — India: 0.7%
Netherlands 3.8% / —
Howards Grass — Netherlands: 3.8% Lismore Heights — Netherlands: not among its largest
England — / 2.1%
Howards Grass — England: not among its largest Lismore Heights — England: 2.1%
New Zealand — / 1.3%
Howards Grass — New Zealand: not among its largest Lismore Heights — New Zealand: 1.3%
Italy — / 0.6%
Howards Grass — Italy: not among its largest Lismore Heights — Italy: 0.6%
China — / 0.5%
Howards Grass — China: not among its largest Lismore Heights — China: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Howards Grass 80.6% houses
Howards Grass — Houses: 80.6% Howards Grass — Flats / Apartments: 19.4% Howards Grass — Townhouses: 0.0%
Lismore Heights 75.1% houses
Lismore Heights — Houses: 75.1% Lismore Heights — Flats / Apartments: 4.0% Lismore Heights — Townhouses: 20.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Median house price $862,500 $670,000
Median unit price — $500,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 42 days
from 37 sales

Zoning mix

Howards Grass has more rural and farming land (94% vs 30%).

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Rural and farming 94% 30%
Residential 2% 67%
Environmental 4% 2%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
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

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
New dwellings approved 138
across Lismore
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
House price Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
Income Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 30% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 58% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW

Liveability

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Grade — C
Score — 47/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Howards Grass carries more crime risk (88 vs 48).

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
88/100
 Moderate
48/100
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 3
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Lismore, 4.0 km
 1
Lismore, 2.7 km

Schools in Howards Grass

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

Schools in Lismore Heights

  • Lismore Heights Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1

Mobility

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Walkability score 39/100 46/100
Distance to Sydney 728.5 km 726.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 480 min 478 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2480
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2480
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.

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Car (driver) 65.1% / 76.7%
Howards Grass — Car (driver): 65.1% Lismore Heights — Car (driver): 76.7%
Worked from Home 25.6% / 14.4%
Howards Grass — Worked from Home: 25.6% Lismore Heights — Worked from Home: 14.4%
Car (passenger) 9.3% / 6.3%
Howards Grass — Car (passenger): 9.3% Lismore Heights — Car (passenger): 6.3%
Walked Only — / 1.5%
Howards Grass — Walked Only: not among its largest Lismore Heights — Walked Only: 1.5%
Bus — / 0.7%
Howards Grass — Bus: not among its largest Lismore Heights — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.7%).

Setting

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 82 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 24.2 km 23.9 km

NBN connectivity

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Connectivity score 58/100 89/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
36 premises
 51%
1,070 premises

Council rates

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Average residential rate $1,487/yr
same for both
Council Lismore
same for both

Federal electorate

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Howards Grass Lismore Heights
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Howards Grass

Rural

Lismore Heights

Affordable Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Howards Grass

Howards Grass vs North Lismore

Other comparisons with Lismore Heights

Lismore Heights vs Goonellabah Lismore Heights vs Lismore Lismore Heights vs North Lismore
Full data on Howards Grass Full data on Lismore Heights
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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