Lake Cathie vs Lake Innes

Lake Innes is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 52 in Lake Cathie. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Lake Innes, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Lake Innes: a median of $1.55 million, against $965,000 in Lake Cathie. On these figures, Lake Cathie tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Lake Innes 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

Lake Cathie

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (41/100 vs 61/100)
  • But Lake Innes is already more of a family suburb (86% vs 58%)

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

  • Lake Cathie has cheaper houses ($965,000 vs $1,554,000)
  • Lake Innes leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 34%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Lake Innes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 30%)

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

Commuting to the city

Lake Innes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (377.6 km vs 379.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lake Cathie

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (32% vs 17%)
  • carries lower crime risk (41/100 vs 61/100)

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

Investors

Lake Cathie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (23.0% vs 16.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
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.

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Walkability 10 / 6
Lake Cathie — Walkability: 10/100 Lake Innes — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 59 / 39
Lake Cathie — Safety: 59/100 Lake Innes — Safety: 39/100
Low fire risk 23 / 33
Lake Cathie — Low fire risk: 23/100 Lake Innes — Low fire risk: 33/100

Demographics

Lake Cathie has more residents (4,296 vs 495); Lake Innes has higher household incomes ($115,128 vs $66,300).

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Population 4,296
+88% vs other
 495
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +23.0% +16.2%
Median age 52 44
Median household income $66,300/yr $115,128/yr
+74% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $400/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
0-4 4.1% / 4.0%
Lake Cathie — 0-4: 4.1% Lake Innes — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 12.3% / 13.9%
Lake Cathie — 5-14: 12.3% Lake Innes — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 5.3% / 10.1%
Lake Cathie — 15-19: 5.3% Lake Innes — 15-19: 10.1%
20-24 3.6% / 6.3%
Lake Cathie — 20-24: 3.6% Lake Innes — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 6.3% / 6.3%
Lake Cathie — 25-34: 6.3% Lake Innes — 25-34: 6.3%
35-44 9.4% / 10.7%
Lake Cathie — 35-44: 9.4% Lake Innes — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 12.5% / 13.7%
Lake Cathie — 45-54: 12.5% Lake Innes — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 15.1% / 18.2%
Lake Cathie — 55-64: 15.1% Lake Innes — 55-64: 18.2%
65-74 19.0% / 10.1%
Lake Cathie — 65-74: 19.0% Lake Innes — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 10.6% / 4.8%
Lake Cathie — 75-84: 10.6% Lake Innes — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 1.9% / 2.4%
Lake Cathie — 85+: 1.9% Lake Innes — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lake Cathie 41.0% couple families
Lake Cathie — Couple Families: 41.0% Lake Cathie — Lone Person: 38.9% Lake Cathie — One Parent Families: 16.9% Lake Cathie — Group Household: 1.8% Lake Cathie — Other Families: 1.4%
Lake Innes 61.9% couple families
Lake Innes — Couple Families: 61.9% Lake Innes — Lone Person: 14.4% Lake Innes — One Parent Families: 23.7% Lake Innes — Group Household: 0.0% Lake Innes — 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.

Lake Cathie 17.7% renting
Lake Cathie — Owned Outright: 54.0% Lake Cathie — Mortgage: 28.3% Lake Cathie — Renting: 17.7%
Lake Innes 17.6% renting
Lake Innes — Owned Outright: 47.7% Lake Innes — Mortgage: 34.6% Lake Innes — Renting: 17.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Certificate III & IV 21.3% / 18.0%
Lake Cathie — Certificate III & IV: 21.3% Lake Innes — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 9.9% / 10.5%
Lake Cathie — Bachelor Degree: 9.9% Lake Innes — Bachelor Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 8.3%
Lake Cathie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Lake Innes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.1% / 3.2%
Lake Cathie — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1% Lake Innes — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.6%
Lake Cathie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Lake Innes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

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.

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
England 4.4% / 4.2%
Lake Cathie — England: 4.4% Lake Innes — England: 4.2%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.2%
Lake Cathie — New Zealand: 1.4% Lake Innes — New Zealand: 1.2%
Thailand 0.2% / 1.2%
Lake Cathie — Thailand: 0.2% Lake Innes — Thailand: 1.2%
Ireland — / 0.8%
Lake Cathie — Ireland: not among its largest Lake Innes — Ireland: 0.8%
Scotland 0.6% / —
Lake Cathie — Scotland: 0.6% Lake Innes — Scotland: not among its largest
Germany 0.4% / —
Lake Cathie — Germany: 0.4% Lake Innes — Germany: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.3% / —
Lake Cathie — Netherlands: 0.3% Lake Innes — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lake Cathie 91.0% houses
Lake Cathie — Houses: 91.0% Lake Cathie — Townhouses: 5.4% Lake Cathie — Flats / Apartments: 3.6%
Lake Innes 100.0% houses
Lake Innes — Houses: 100.0% Lake Innes — Townhouses: 0.0% Lake Innes — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Median house price $965,000 $1,554,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $630,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 47 days
from 55 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Lake Innes has more rural and farming land (48% vs 15%).

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Environmental 53% 49%
Rural and farming 15% 48%
Residential 29% 1%
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
Planning zones cover 99% of Lake Cathie and 100% of Lake Innes. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
New dwellings approved 546
across Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both
Approvals change year on year +33%
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.

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Houses 3.3%
$700/wk on $1.1M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
House price Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Income Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 34% of NSW —

Liveability

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Grade D —
Score 27/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Lake Innes carries more crime risk (61 vs 41); Lake Cathie carries more bushfire risk (77 vs 67).

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Bushfire High
77/100
 Moderate
67/100
Crime Moderate
41/100
 Moderate
61/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
56/100
 Low
33/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Lake Cathie

  • Lake Cathie Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Lake Innes

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

Amenities in the suburb

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 9 1
Childcare 4 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 5 13

Mobility

Lake Cathie sits further from the CBD (379.8 km vs 377.6 km).

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Walkability score 10/100 6/100
Distance to Sydney 379.8 km 377.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 261 min 257 min
Public transport score 39/100
Bus
 21/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 11.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2445
 0.5%
postcode 2446
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 71
postcode 2445
 69
postcode 2446

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.

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Car (driver) 77.8% / 77.0%
Lake Cathie — Car (driver): 77.8% Lake Innes — Car (driver): 77.0%
Worked from Home 15.0% / 18.3%
Lake Cathie — Worked from Home: 15.0% Lake Innes — Worked from Home: 18.3%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 4.7%
Lake Cathie — Car (passenger): 4.5% Lake Innes — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only 1.6% / —
Lake Cathie — Walked Only: 1.6% Lake Innes — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.8% / —
Lake Cathie — Bus: 0.8% Lake Innes — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.8%).

Setting

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.1 km
3.5 km to a named beach
 5.4 km

NBN connectivity

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Connectivity score 77/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 57%
2,542 premises
 0%
188 premises

Air quality (annual mean)

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.92 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Average residential rate $1,325/yr
same for both
Council Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both

Federal electorate

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lake Cathie Lake Innes
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lake Cathie

Acreage Coastal Retirees

Lake Innes

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lake Cathie

Lake Cathie vs Bonny Hills

Other comparisons with Lake Innes

Lake Innes vs Port Macquarie Lake Innes vs Thrumster Lake Innes vs King Creek Lake Innes vs Sancrox Lake Innes vs Herons Creek
Full data on Lake Cathie Full data on Lake Innes
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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