Lakelands vs Macquarie Hills

Macquarie Hills is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 43 in Lakelands. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Lakelands: a median of $1.25 million, against $915,000 in Macquarie Hills. On these figures, Macquarie Hills tends to suit 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Macquarie Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($915,000 vs $1,250,000)

Weighs house 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

Lakelands

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (54/100 vs 41/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (147.8 km vs 152.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lakelands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (54/100 vs 41/100)

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

Investors

Macquarie Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.1% vs 1.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
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.

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Walkability 54 / 41
Lakelands — Walkability: 54/100 Macquarie Hills — Walkability: 41/100
Safety 78 / 70
Lakelands — Safety: 78/100 Macquarie Hills — Safety: 70/100
Low fire risk 100 / 65
Lakelands — Low fire risk: 100/100 Macquarie Hills — Low fire risk: 65/100

Demographics

Macquarie Hills has more residents (3,605 vs 1,445); Lakelands skews older (43 vs 35).

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Population 1,445 3,605
+149% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.5% +9.1%
Median age 43 35
Median household income $120,380/yr
+3% vs other
 $116,532/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk $473/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
0-4 4.1% / 8.0%
Lakelands — 0-4: 4.1% Macquarie Hills — 0-4: 8.0%
5-14 14.4% / 14.2%
Lakelands — 5-14: 14.4% Macquarie Hills — 5-14: 14.2%
15-19 7.6% / 6.8%
Lakelands — 15-19: 7.6% Macquarie Hills — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 5.5% / 5.2%
Lakelands — 20-24: 5.5% Macquarie Hills — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 7.1% / 15.4%
Lakelands — 25-34: 7.1% Macquarie Hills — 25-34: 15.4%
35-44 12.9% / 15.1%
Lakelands — 35-44: 12.9% Macquarie Hills — 35-44: 15.1%
45-54 14.8% / 12.9%
Lakelands — 45-54: 14.8% Macquarie Hills — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 17.6% / 9.7%
Lakelands — 55-64: 17.6% Macquarie Hills — 55-64: 9.7%
65-74 9.4% / 8.9%
Lakelands — 65-74: 9.4% Macquarie Hills — 65-74: 8.9%
75-84 5.7% / 3.4%
Lakelands — 75-84: 5.7% Macquarie Hills — 75-84: 3.4%
85+ 1.0% / 0.5%
Lakelands — 85+: 1.0% Macquarie Hills — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lakelands 62.3% couple families
Lakelands — Couple Families: 62.3% Lakelands — Lone Person: 23.8% Lakelands — One Parent Families: 10.6% Lakelands — Group Household: 1.9% Lakelands — Other Families: 1.4%
Macquarie Hills 61.0% couple families
Macquarie Hills — Couple Families: 61.0% Macquarie Hills — Lone Person: 18.8% Macquarie Hills — One Parent Families: 16.6% Macquarie Hills — Group Household: 2.7% Macquarie Hills — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lakelands 10.4% renting
Lakelands — Owned Outright: 45.5% Lakelands — Mortgage: 44.1% Lakelands — Renting: 10.4%
Macquarie Hills 13.4% renting
Macquarie Hills — Owned Outright: 29.1% Macquarie Hills — Mortgage: 57.5% Macquarie Hills — Renting: 13.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Certificate III & IV 14.7% / 19.2%
Lakelands — Certificate III & IV: 14.7% Macquarie Hills — Certificate III & IV: 19.2%
Bachelor Degree 17.5% / 11.7%
Lakelands — Bachelor Degree: 17.5% Macquarie Hills — Bachelor Degree: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.4% / 8.4%
Lakelands — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.4% Macquarie Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 3.2%
Lakelands — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% Macquarie Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 1.6%
Lakelands — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Macquarie Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

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.

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
England 2.1% / 1.5%
Lakelands — England: 2.1% Macquarie Hills — England: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.5% / 0.9%
Lakelands — New Zealand: 1.5% Macquarie Hills — New Zealand: 0.9%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.6%
Lakelands — Philippines: 0.7% Macquarie Hills — Philippines: 0.6%
India 0.9% / 0.3%
Lakelands — India: 0.9% Macquarie Hills — India: 0.3%
South Africa 0.6% / 0.5%
Lakelands — South Africa: 0.6% Macquarie Hills — South Africa: 0.5%
China 0.8% / —
Lakelands — China: 0.8% Macquarie Hills — China: not among its largest
Scotland 0.8% / —
Lakelands — Scotland: 0.8% Macquarie Hills — Scotland: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.6%
Lakelands — Germany: not among its largest Macquarie Hills — Germany: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lakelands 94.1% houses
Lakelands — Houses: 94.1% Lakelands — Townhouses: 5.7% Lakelands — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Macquarie Hills 97.8% houses
Macquarie Hills — Houses: 97.8% Macquarie Hills — Townhouses: 2.0% Macquarie Hills — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Median house price $1,250,000 $915,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,285,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 9 sales
 17 days
from 19 sales

Zoning mix

Macquarie Hills has more land zoned for conservation (33% vs 14%).

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Residential 67% 47%
Environmental 14% 33%
Parks and recreation 16% 11%
Rural and farming 0% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 1%
Industrial 0% 1%
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

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
House price Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Income Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW

Liveability

Lakelands is more walkable (54 vs 41); Lakelands scores higher overall (73 vs 56).

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Grade A B
Score 73/100 56/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Macquarie Hills carries more bushfire risk (35 vs 0).

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
35/100
Crime Low
22/100
 Low
30/100
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
same for both

Schools

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
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
Universities within 10 km 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 9.2 km
 1
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 8.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.8% 1.4%

Amenities in the suburb

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 0 1

Mobility

Macquarie Hills sits further from the CBD (152.9 km vs 147.8 km).

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Walkability score 54/100 41/100
Distance to Sydney 147.8 km 152.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 118 min
Public transport score 37/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 9.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 40.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 2282
 0.7%
postcode 2285
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 46
postcode 2282
 50
postcode 2285

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.

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Car (driver) 64.4% / 68.6%
Lakelands — Car (driver): 64.4% Macquarie Hills — Car (driver): 68.6%
Worked from Home 30.2% / 26.7%
Lakelands — Worked from Home: 30.2% Macquarie Hills — Worked from Home: 26.7%
Car (passenger) 5.0% / 3.4%
Lakelands — Car (passenger): 5.0% Macquarie Hills — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Walked Only 0.5% / 0.7%
Lakelands — Walked Only: 0.5% Macquarie Hills — Walked Only: 0.7%
Bus — / 0.4%
Lakelands — Bus: not among its largest Macquarie Hills — Bus: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.6%).

Setting

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Elevation 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.4 km 8.2 km

NBN connectivity

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Connectivity score 73/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
533 premises
 45%
1,282 premises

Climate

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
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)

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.53 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lakelands Macquarie Hills
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lakelands

Large Blocks Quiet

Macquarie Hills

Family Large Blocks

More comparisons

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Lakelands vs Warners Bay

Other comparisons with Macquarie Hills

Macquarie Hills vs Warners Bay Macquarie Hills vs Cardiff Macquarie Hills vs Speers Point Macquarie Hills vs Cardiff South Macquarie Hills vs Boolaroo
Full data on Lakelands Full data on Macquarie Hills
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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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