Kotara vs New Lambton Heights

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Kotara, about half of households are couple families. In New Lambton Heights, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in New Lambton Heights: a median of $1.28 million, against $1.05 million in Kotara. On these figures, Kotara tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while New Lambton Heights suits couples.

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

  • Kotara has more childcare (7 vs 1)
  • New Lambton Heights carries lower crime risk (64/100 vs 94/100)

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

First-home buyers

Kotara

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($745,000 vs $965,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,050,000 vs $1,280,000)

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

New Lambton Heights

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (113 min vs 120 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (152.8 km vs 157.2 km)
  • But Kotara is more walkable (66/100 vs 57/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

New Lambton Heights

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (64/100 vs 94/100)
  • But Kotara is more walkable (66/100 vs 57/100)

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

Investors

They split

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

  • Kotara returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.9% vs 3.3%)
  • New Lambton Heights is growing faster (6.4% vs 1.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Kotara and New Lambton 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.

Kotara New Lambton 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.

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Walkability 66 / 57
Kotara — Walkability: 66/100 New Lambton Heights — Walkability: 57/100
Safety 6 / 36
Kotara — Safety: 6/100 New Lambton Heights — Safety: 36/100
Low fire risk 100 / 54
Kotara — Low fire risk: 100/100 New Lambton Heights — Low fire risk: 54/100

Demographics

Kotara has more residents (3,980 vs 2,610); New Lambton Heights has higher household incomes ($142,584 vs $108,004).

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Population 3,980
+34% vs other
 2,610
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.3% +6.4%
Median age 39 41
Median household income $108,004/yr $142,584/yr
+32% vs other
Median weekly rent $460/wk $483/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kotara New Lambton Heights
0-4 5.8% / 5.1%
Kotara — 0-4: 5.8% New Lambton Heights — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 13.4% / 16.6%
Kotara — 5-14: 13.4% New Lambton Heights — 5-14: 16.6%
15-19 6.9% / 7.3%
Kotara — 15-19: 6.9% New Lambton Heights — 15-19: 7.3%
20-24 6.2% / 4.9%
Kotara — 20-24: 6.2% New Lambton Heights — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 12.5% / 7.9%
Kotara — 25-34: 12.5% New Lambton Heights — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 14.2% / 13.8%
Kotara — 35-44: 14.2% New Lambton Heights — 35-44: 13.8%
45-54 14.4% / 15.0%
Kotara — 45-54: 14.4% New Lambton Heights — 45-54: 15.0%
55-64 10.5% / 12.9%
Kotara — 55-64: 10.5% New Lambton Heights — 55-64: 12.9%
65-74 6.9% / 10.4%
Kotara — 65-74: 6.9% New Lambton Heights — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 6.3% / 4.6%
Kotara — 75-84: 6.3% New Lambton Heights — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 2.8% / 1.5%
Kotara — 85+: 2.8% New Lambton Heights — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kotara 47.1% couple families
Kotara — Couple Families: 47.1% Kotara — Lone Person: 29.3% Kotara — One Parent Families: 17.0% Kotara — Group Household: 5.4% Kotara — Other Families: 1.2%
New Lambton Heights 62.3% couple families
New Lambton Heights — Couple Families: 62.3% New Lambton Heights — Lone Person: 18.3% New Lambton Heights — One Parent Families: 16.2% New Lambton Heights — Group Household: 2.6% New Lambton Heights — Other Families: 0.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kotara 21.6% renting
Kotara — Owned Outright: 36.2% Kotara — Mortgage: 42.3% Kotara — Renting: 21.6%
New Lambton Heights 12.5% renting
New Lambton Heights — Owned Outright: 41.7% New Lambton Heights — Mortgage: 45.7% New Lambton Heights — Renting: 12.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Bachelor Degree 17.0% / 20.7%
Kotara — Bachelor Degree: 17.0% New Lambton Heights — Bachelor Degree: 20.7%
Certificate III & IV 14.5% / 10.2%
Kotara — Certificate III & IV: 14.5% New Lambton Heights — Certificate III & IV: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.1%
Kotara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% New Lambton Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 5.3% / 9.2%
Kotara — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3% New Lambton Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 9.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 2.9%
Kotara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% New Lambton Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

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.

Kotara New Lambton Heights
England 2.8% / 3.3%
Kotara — England: 2.8% New Lambton Heights — England: 3.3%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.5%
Kotara — New Zealand: 0.9% New Lambton Heights — New Zealand: 1.5%
China 0.7% / 1.3%
Kotara — China: 0.7% New Lambton Heights — China: 1.3%
India 0.5% / 1.0%
Kotara — India: 0.5% New Lambton Heights — India: 1.0%
South Africa 0.5% / 0.5%
Kotara — South Africa: 0.5% New Lambton Heights — South Africa: 0.5%
Nepal 0.5% / —
Kotara — Nepal: 0.5% New Lambton Heights — Nepal: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kotara 88.1% houses
Kotara — Houses: 88.1% Kotara — Townhouses: 11.4% Kotara — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
New Lambton Heights 97.9% houses
New Lambton Heights — Houses: 97.9% New Lambton Heights — Townhouses: 1.3% New Lambton Heights — Flats / Apartments: 0.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Median house price $1,050,000 $1,280,000
Median unit price $745,000 $965,000
Median land price — $560,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 33 sales
 38 days
from 15 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.

Kotara New Lambton Heights
3 bed $1M / $1.16M
Kotara — 3 bed: $1M (54 sales) New Lambton Heights — 3 bed: $1.16M (31 sales)

54 vs 31 sales

4 bed $1.4M / $1.38M
Kotara — 4 bed: $1.4M (12 sales) New Lambton Heights — 4 bed: $1.38M (34 sales)

12 vs 34 sales

5 bed $1.57M / $1.32M
Kotara — 5 bed: $1.57M (8 sales) New Lambton Heights — 5 bed: $1.32M (16 sales)

8 vs 16 sales

Zoning mix

New Lambton Heights has more land zoned for conservation (30% vs 9%).

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Residential 56% 38%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 31%
Environmental 9% 30%
Parks and recreation 12% 1%
Commercial 8% 0%
Industrial 5% 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

Kotara New Lambton Heights
New dwellings approved 912
across Newcastle
same for both
Approvals change year on year +77%
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.

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Houses 3.9%
$760/wk on $1.02M
 3.3%
$900/wk on $1.44M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Kotara New Lambton Heights
House price Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Income Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Schools Higher than 21% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 71% of NSW
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW

Liveability

New Lambton Heights scores higher overall (54 vs 45); Kotara is more walkable (66 vs 57).

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Grade C B
Score 45/100 54/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

New Lambton Heights carries more bushfire risk (46 vs 0); Kotara carries more crime risk (94 vs 64).

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
46/100
Crime High
94/100
 Moderate
64/100
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
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Inside the suburb 3 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 5.7 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 4.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.4% 2.6%

Schools in Kotara

  • Kotara South Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St James' Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Kotara School Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in New Lambton Heights

  • New Lambton Heights Infants School Government · Primary
  • John Hunter Hospital School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 17 1
Parks & reserves 9 2
Childcare 7 1
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 3
same for both
Hospitals 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Waterways 4 2

Mobility

Kotara sits further from the CBD (157.2 km vs 152.8 km).

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Walkability score 66/100 57/100
Distance to Sydney 157.2 km
+3% vs other
 152.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 120 min 113 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 136.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 153.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 2289
 1.4%
postcode 2305
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2289
 38
postcode 2305

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.

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Car (driver) 60.3% / 60.4%
Kotara — Car (driver): 60.3% New Lambton Heights — Car (driver): 60.4%
Worked from Home 33.8% / 32.2%
Kotara — Worked from Home: 33.8% New Lambton Heights — Worked from Home: 32.2%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 3.5%
Kotara — Car (passenger): 3.7% New Lambton Heights — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.7%
Kotara — Walked Only: 1.0% New Lambton Heights — Walked Only: 1.7%
Bicycle 0.8% / 0.7%
Kotara — Bicycle: 0.8% New Lambton Heights — Bicycle: 0.7%
Bus — / 1.2%
Kotara — Bus: not among its largest New Lambton Heights — Bus: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (60.4%).

Setting

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Elevation 54 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 84 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.3 km 6.1 km

NBN connectivity

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Connectivity score 65/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 30%
2,216 premises
 47%
1,025 premises

Climate

Kotara New Lambton Heights
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)

Kotara New Lambton Heights
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³ 6.1 µg/m³
PM10 21.7 µg/m³ 16.5 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.64 pphm 0.53 pphm

Council rates

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Average residential rate $1,783/yr
same for both
Council Newcastle
same for both

Federal electorate

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Division Newcastle
same for both
Member Sharon Claydon
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kotara New Lambton Heights
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kotara

Large Blocks Parks Quiet River

New Lambton Heights

Large Blocks Professionals Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kotara

Kotara vs New Lambton Kotara vs Adamstown Kotara vs Adamstown Heights Kotara vs Garden Suburb Kotara vs Kotara South

Other comparisons with New Lambton Heights

New Lambton Heights vs Wallsend New Lambton Heights vs New Lambton New Lambton Heights vs Elermore Vale New Lambton Heights vs Lambton New Lambton Heights vs Rankin Park New Lambton Heights vs Garden Suburb
Full data on Kotara Full data on New Lambton Heights
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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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