Killingworth vs Freemans Waterhole

In Killingworth, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. In Freemans Waterhole, most households rent, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Killingworth: a median of $525,000, against $435,000 in Freemans Waterhole, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Killingworth tends to suit couples, while Freemans Waterhole suits renters, people living alone, 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

Killingworth

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (101% vs 52%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 44%)
  • carries lower crime risk (60/100 vs 98/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Killingworth leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 101%)
  • Freemans Waterhole has cheaper houses ($435,000 vs $525,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Freemans Waterhole

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (71% vs 5%)
  • has cheaper rent ($220/wk vs $340/wk)
  • But Killingworth leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 36%)

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

Commuting to the city

Freemans Waterhole

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (95 min vs 115 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (128.4 km vs 142.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Freemans Waterhole

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 2%)
  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • But Killingworth carries lower crime risk (60/100 vs 98/100)

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

Investors

Freemans Waterhole

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (21.2% vs 1.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
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.

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Walkability 0 / 10
Killingworth — Walkability: 0/100 Freemans Waterhole — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 40 / 2
Killingworth — Safety: 40/100 Freemans Waterhole — Safety: 2/100
Low fire risk 31 / 41
Killingworth — Low fire risk: 31/100 Freemans Waterhole — Low fire risk: 41/100

Demographics

Killingworth has more residents (690 vs 120); Killingworth has higher household incomes ($108,732 vs $32,188).

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Population 690
+83% vs other
 120
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.6% +21.2%
Median age 39
same for both
Median household income $108,732/yr
+70% vs other
 $32,188/yr
Median weekly rent $340/wk
+35% vs other
 $220/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
0-4 4.5% / 10.0%
Killingworth — 0-4: 4.5% Freemans Waterhole — 0-4: 10.0%
5-14 13.0% / 10.8%
Killingworth — 5-14: 13.0% Freemans Waterhole — 5-14: 10.8%
15-19 6.4% / 4.2%
Killingworth — 15-19: 6.4% Freemans Waterhole — 15-19: 4.2%
20-24 8.6% / 5.8%
Killingworth — 20-24: 8.6% Freemans Waterhole — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 11.9% / 14.2%
Killingworth — 25-34: 11.9% Freemans Waterhole — 25-34: 14.2%
35-44 13.0% / 16.7%
Killingworth — 35-44: 13.0% Freemans Waterhole — 35-44: 16.7%
45-54 12.5% / 16.7%
Killingworth — 45-54: 12.5% Freemans Waterhole — 45-54: 16.7%
55-64 16.2% / 7.5%
Killingworth — 55-64: 16.2% Freemans Waterhole — 55-64: 7.5%
65-74 11.9% / 12.5%
Killingworth — 65-74: 11.9% Freemans Waterhole — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 0.7% / —
Killingworth — 75-84: 0.7% Freemans Waterhole — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.4% / —
Killingworth — 85+: 0.4% Freemans Waterhole — 85+: not among its largest

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Killingworth 65.4% couple families
Killingworth — Couple Families: 65.4% Killingworth — Lone Person: 9.3% Killingworth — One Parent Families: 18.5% Killingworth — Group Household: 3.7% Killingworth — Other Families: 3.1%
Freemans Waterhole 28.8% couple families
Freemans Waterhole — Couple Families: 28.8% Freemans Waterhole — Lone Person: 50.0% Freemans Waterhole — One Parent Families: 15.4% Freemans Waterhole — Group Household: 5.8% Freemans Waterhole — 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.

Killingworth 5.2% renting
Killingworth — Owned Outright: 36.2% Killingworth — Mortgage: 58.7% Killingworth — Renting: 5.2%
Freemans Waterhole 71.1% renting
Freemans Waterhole — Owned Outright: 13.2% Freemans Waterhole — Mortgage: 15.8% Freemans Waterhole — Renting: 71.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Killingworth 100.9% houses
Killingworth — Houses: 100.9% Killingworth — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Killingworth — Townhouses: 1.8%
Freemans Waterhole 51.9% houses
Freemans Waterhole — Houses: 51.9% Freemans Waterhole — Flats / Apartments: 48.1% Freemans Waterhole — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Qualifications

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

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Certificate III & IV 26.4% / 12.5%
Killingworth — Certificate III & IV: 26.4% Freemans Waterhole — Certificate III & IV: 12.5%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 5.0%
Killingworth — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% Freemans Waterhole — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 2.5%
Killingworth — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Freemans Waterhole — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 2.5%
Killingworth — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Freemans Waterhole — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.4%).

Property market

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Median house price $525,000 $435,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 4 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Freemans Waterhole has more rural and farming land (56% vs 2%); Killingworth has more land zoned for conservation (89% vs 41%).

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Environmental 89% 41%
Rural and farming 2% 56%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 3%
Residential 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

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
House price Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income — Higher than 2% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 5% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 41% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW

Liveability

Freemans Waterhole is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Grade D —
Score 26/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Freemans Waterhole carries more crime risk (98 vs 60); Killingworth carries more bushfire risk (69 vs 59).

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Bushfire Moderate
69/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime Moderate
60/100
 High
98/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 3 7

Mobility

Killingworth sits further from the CBD (142.9 km vs 128.4 km).

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 142.9 km
+10% vs other
 128.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 115 min 95 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2278
 0.5%
postcode 2323
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 2278
 44
postcode 2323

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.

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Car (driver) 82.8% / 51.7%
Killingworth — Car (driver): 82.8% Freemans Waterhole — Car (driver): 51.7%
Worked from Home 12.7% / 48.3%
Killingworth — Worked from Home: 12.7% Freemans Waterhole — Worked from Home: 48.3%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / —
Killingworth — Car (passenger): 4.5% Freemans Waterhole — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.8%).

Setting

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Elevation 47 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 17.8 km 17.5 km

NBN connectivity

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Connectivity score 75/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 55%
230 premises
 0%
10 premises

Climate

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm 804 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C 30.0°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C 5.1°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³ 5.0 µg/m³
PM10 16.5 µg/m³ 11.6 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.53 pphm 0.27 pphm

Council rates

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Killingworth Freemans Waterhole
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Killingworth

Acreage

Freemans Waterhole

Affordable Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Killingworth

Killingworth vs West Wallsend Killingworth vs Teralba Killingworth vs Barnsley Killingworth vs Holmesville Killingworth vs Mulbring Killingworth vs Mount Vincent

Other comparisons with Freemans Waterhole

Freemans Waterhole vs Cooranbong Freemans Waterhole vs Awaba Freemans Waterhole vs Martinsville Freemans Waterhole vs Mount Vincent Freemans Waterhole vs Brunkerville Freemans Waterhole vs Wakefield
Full data on Killingworth Full data on Freemans Waterhole
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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