Lake Heights vs Warrawong

Lake Heights is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 41 in Warrawong. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Lake Heights, most households own their home. In Warrawong, about half of households rent. On these figures, Warrawong tends to suit renters and 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

Lake Heights

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 95/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (82% vs 65%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (61% vs 51%)
  • But Warrawong has more childcare (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Lake Heights leaves households under less mortgage stress (33% vs 44%)
  • Warrawong has cheaper units ($449,000 vs $848,250)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Warrawong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (50% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Warrawong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 56/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Warrawong

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (35% vs 18%)
  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 56/100)
  • But Lake Heights carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 95/100)

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

Investors

Lake Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (6.8% vs -2.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Lake Heights and Warrawong 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 Heights Warrawong
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 Heights Warrawong
Walkability 56 / 90
Lake Heights — Walkability: 56/100 Warrawong — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 54 / 5
Lake Heights — Safety: 54/100 Warrawong — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Lake Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Warrawong — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Lake Heights has higher household incomes ($70,512 vs $47,216); Lake Heights rents higher ($400/wk vs $270/wk).

Lake Heights Warrawong
Population 4,105 4,659
+13% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.8% -2.0%
Median age 36 41
Median household income $70,512/yr
+33% vs other
 $47,216/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+32% vs other
 $270/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lake Heights Warrawong
0-4 7.7% / 6.2%
Lake Heights — 0-4: 7.7% Warrawong — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 13.5% / 12.3%
Lake Heights — 5-14: 13.5% Warrawong — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 5.6% / 5.0%
Lake Heights — 15-19: 5.6% Warrawong — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 6.2% / 5.6%
Lake Heights — 20-24: 6.2% Warrawong — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 14.5% / 12.9%
Lake Heights — 25-34: 14.5% Warrawong — 25-34: 12.9%
35-44 12.3% / 11.4%
Lake Heights — 35-44: 12.3% Warrawong — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 11.0% / 12.2%
Lake Heights — 45-54: 11.0% Warrawong — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 10.6% / 11.7%
Lake Heights — 55-64: 10.6% Warrawong — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 8.7% / 10.0%
Lake Heights — 65-74: 8.7% Warrawong — 65-74: 10.0%
75-84 6.9% / 8.1%
Lake Heights — 75-84: 6.9% Warrawong — 75-84: 8.1%
85+ 2.8% / 4.5%
Lake Heights — 85+: 2.8% Warrawong — 85+: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lake Heights 32.2% lone person
Lake Heights — Lone Person: 32.2% Lake Heights — Couple Families: 42.0% Lake Heights — One Parent Families: 19.2% Lake Heights — Group Household: 4.8% Lake Heights — Other Families: 1.8%
Warrawong 44.9% lone person
Warrawong — Lone Person: 44.9% Warrawong — Couple Families: 28.4% Warrawong — One Parent Families: 22.7% Warrawong — Group Household: 3.0% Warrawong — Other Families: 1.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lake Heights 29.6% renting
Lake Heights — Owned Outright: 38.7% Lake Heights — Mortgage: 31.7% Lake Heights — Renting: 29.6%
Warrawong 49.8% renting
Warrawong — Owned Outright: 34.1% Warrawong — Mortgage: 16.1% Warrawong — Renting: 49.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lake Heights Warrawong
Certificate III & IV 17.0% / 12.6%
Lake Heights — Certificate III & IV: 17.0% Warrawong — Certificate III & IV: 12.6%
Bachelor Degree 7.2% / 4.6%
Lake Heights — Bachelor Degree: 7.2% Warrawong — Bachelor Degree: 4.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 4.4%
Lake Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Warrawong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.4% / 1.5%
Lake Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4% Warrawong — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 0.6%
Lake Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Warrawong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

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 Heights Warrawong
Italy 2.4% / 4.2%
Lake Heights — Italy: 2.4% Warrawong — Italy: 4.2%
England 2.1% / 1.5%
Lake Heights — England: 2.1% Warrawong — England: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.4%
Lake Heights — New Zealand: 1.0% Warrawong — New Zealand: 1.4%
Lebanon 1.4% / 0.6%
Lake Heights — Lebanon: 1.4% Warrawong — Lebanon: 0.6%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.1%
Lake Heights — Philippines: 0.9% Warrawong — Philippines: 1.1%
Vietnam 0.6% / 1.0%
Lake Heights — Vietnam: 0.6% Warrawong — Vietnam: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lake Heights 82.5% houses
Lake Heights — Houses: 82.5% Lake Heights — Flats / Apartments: 11.7% Lake Heights — Townhouses: 5.9%
Warrawong 65.2% houses
Warrawong — Houses: 65.2% Warrawong — Flats / Apartments: 20.5% Warrawong — Townhouses: 14.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Lake Heights Warrawong
Median house price $912,500 $870,000
Median unit price $848,250 $449,000
Median land price $650,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 30 sales
 28 days
from 21 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.

Lake Heights Warrawong
3 bed $891K / $852K
Lake Heights — 3 bed: $891K (42 sales) Warrawong — 3 bed: $852K (28 sales)

42 vs 28 sales

4 bed $1.04M / $985K
Lake Heights — 4 bed: $1.04M (21 sales) Warrawong — 4 bed: $985K (13 sales)

21 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Lake Heights Warrawong
Residential 83% 62%
Parks and recreation 12%
same for both
Infrastructure and transport 2% 11%
Commercial 0% 6%
Industrial 0% 5%
Environmental 2% 3%
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 Heights Warrawong
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
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 Heights Warrawong
Houses 4.3%
$750/wk on $900K
 4.0%
$650/wk on $850K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Lake Heights Warrawong
House price Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
Income Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 53% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 39% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW

Liveability

Warrawong is more walkable (90 vs 56); Lake Heights scores higher overall (52 vs 43).

Lake Heights Warrawong
Grade B C
Score 52/100 43/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Warrawong carries more crime risk (95 vs 46).

Lake Heights Warrawong
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
46/100
 High
95/100
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 17
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Lake Heights Warrawong
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 6.7 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 6.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 0.9%

Schools in Lake Heights

  • Lake Heights Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Warrawong

  • St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Kemblawarra Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Warrawong High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Warrawong Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Lake Heights Warrawong
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 6 5
Childcare 0 4
GPs 0 6
Pharmacies 0 4
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 1 2

Mobility

Lake Heights Warrawong
Walkability score 56/100 90/100
Distance to Sydney 92 km 93 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 86 min 87 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 101.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 139.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2502
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 2502
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.

Lake Heights Warrawong
Car (driver) 69.2% / 71.2%
Lake Heights — Car (driver): 69.2% Warrawong — Car (driver): 71.2%
Worked from Home 22.1% / 16.1%
Lake Heights — Worked from Home: 22.1% Warrawong — Worked from Home: 16.1%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 6.1%
Lake Heights — Car (passenger): 5.7% Warrawong — Car (passenger): 6.1%
Bus 1.8% / 2.5%
Lake Heights — Bus: 1.8% Warrawong — Bus: 2.5%
Walked Only 0.2% / 2.8%
Lake Heights — Walked Only: 0.2% Warrawong — Walked Only: 2.8%
Train 0.7% / 1.0%
Lake Heights — Train: 0.7% Warrawong — Train: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.2%).

Setting

Lake Heights Warrawong
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km
3.9 km to a named beach
 2.1 km
3.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Lake Heights Warrawong
Connectivity score 74/100 64/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 52%
1,738 premises
 35%
2,661 premises

Climate

Lake Heights Warrawong
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Lake Heights Warrawong
PM2.5 5.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.45 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Lake Heights Warrawong
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Lake Heights Warrawong
Division Cunningham
same for both
Member Alison Byrnes
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Lake Heights

Parks

Warrawong

Coastal Multicultural Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lake Heights

Lake Heights vs Berkeley Lake Heights vs Cringila

Other comparisons with Warrawong

Warrawong vs Port Kembla Warrawong vs Cringila Warrawong vs Primbee
Full data on Lake Heights Full data on Warrawong
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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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