Lemon Tree Passage vs Mallabula

Mallabula is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 52 in Lemon Tree Passage. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses.

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

Lemon Tree Passage

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Lemon Tree Passage

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($275,000 vs $365,500)

Weighs house prices, land 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

Mallabula

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (47/100 vs 18/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mallabula

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (47/100 vs 18/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Lemon Tree Passage and Mallabula drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
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.

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Walkability 18 / 47
Lemon Tree Passage — Walkability: 18/100 Mallabula — Walkability: 47/100
Safety 35 / 42
Lemon Tree Passage — Safety: 35/100 Mallabula — Safety: 42/100
Low fire risk 22 / 21
Lemon Tree Passage — Low fire risk: 22/100 Mallabula — Low fire risk: 21/100

Demographics

Lemon Tree Passage has more residents (2,686 vs 963); Lemon Tree Passage skews older (52 vs 49).

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Population 2,686
+64% vs other
 963
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.2% +3.4%
Median age 52 49
Median household income $55,692/yr $60,840/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $365/wk
+4% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
0-4 4.5% / 4.9%
Lemon Tree Passage — 0-4: 4.5% Mallabula — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 10.7% / 11.0%
Lemon Tree Passage — 5-14: 10.7% Mallabula — 5-14: 11.0%
15-19 4.5% / 6.2%
Lemon Tree Passage — 15-19: 4.5% Mallabula — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 4.0% / 5.5%
Lemon Tree Passage — 20-24: 4.0% Mallabula — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 7.7% / 9.7%
Lemon Tree Passage — 25-34: 7.7% Mallabula — 25-34: 9.7%
35-44 9.3% / 8.6%
Lemon Tree Passage — 35-44: 9.3% Mallabula — 35-44: 8.6%
45-54 11.6% / 12.7%
Lemon Tree Passage — 45-54: 11.6% Mallabula — 45-54: 12.7%
55-64 17.8% / 17.7%
Lemon Tree Passage — 55-64: 17.8% Mallabula — 55-64: 17.7%
65-74 18.7% / 15.7%
Lemon Tree Passage — 65-74: 18.7% Mallabula — 65-74: 15.7%
75-84 9.3% / 6.9%
Lemon Tree Passage — 75-84: 9.3% Mallabula — 75-84: 6.9%
85+ 1.5% / 2.2%
Lemon Tree Passage — 85+: 1.5% Mallabula — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lemon Tree Passage 44.0% lone person
Lemon Tree Passage — Lone Person: 44.0% Lemon Tree Passage — Couple Families: 29.9% Lemon Tree Passage — One Parent Families: 19.9% Lemon Tree Passage — Group Household: 5.7% Lemon Tree Passage — Other Families: 0.4%
Mallabula 38.7% lone person
Mallabula — Lone Person: 38.7% Mallabula — Couple Families: 32.1% Mallabula — One Parent Families: 24.0% Mallabula — Group Household: 4.1% Mallabula — 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.

Lemon Tree Passage 26.7% renting
Lemon Tree Passage — Owned Outright: 44.8% Lemon Tree Passage — Mortgage: 28.5% Lemon Tree Passage — Renting: 26.7%
Mallabula 25.6% renting
Mallabula — Owned Outright: 44.3% Mallabula — Mortgage: 30.1% Mallabula — Renting: 25.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Certificate III & IV 22.2% / 21.9%
Lemon Tree Passage — Certificate III & IV: 22.2% Mallabula — Certificate III & IV: 21.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.4% / 7.3%
Lemon Tree Passage — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4% Mallabula — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Bachelor Degree 6.0% / 5.8%
Lemon Tree Passage — Bachelor Degree: 6.0% Mallabula — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 1.2%
Lemon Tree Passage — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Mallabula — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 0.3%
Lemon Tree Passage — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Mallabula — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

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.

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
England 4.4% / 4.3%
Lemon Tree Passage — England: 4.4% Mallabula — England: 4.3%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.1%
Lemon Tree Passage — New Zealand: 1.3% Mallabula — New Zealand: 1.1%
Germany 0.9% / 0.5%
Lemon Tree Passage — Germany: 0.9% Mallabula — Germany: 0.5%
Scotland 0.6% / 0.3%
Lemon Tree Passage — Scotland: 0.6% Mallabula — Scotland: 0.3%
Philippines 0.3% / 0.4%
Lemon Tree Passage — Philippines: 0.3% Mallabula — Philippines: 0.4%
Malaysia — / 0.4%
Lemon Tree Passage — Malaysia: not among its largest Mallabula — Malaysia: 0.4%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lemon Tree Passage 87.9% houses
Lemon Tree Passage — Houses: 87.9% Lemon Tree Passage — Townhouses: 9.1% Lemon Tree Passage — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Mallabula 95.1% houses
Mallabula — Houses: 95.1% Mallabula — Townhouses: 5.2% Mallabula — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Median house price $752,000 $745,000
Median unit price $585,000 —
Median land price $275,000 $365,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 35 days
from 56 sales
 40 days
from 11 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.

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
2 bed $674K / $655K
Lemon Tree Passage — 2 bed: $674K (20 sales) Mallabula — 2 bed: $655K (5 sales)

20 vs 5 sales

3 bed $735K / $708K
Lemon Tree Passage — 3 bed: $735K (68 sales) Mallabula — 3 bed: $708K (16 sales)

68 vs 16 sales

4 bed $875K / $858K
Lemon Tree Passage — 4 bed: $875K (31 sales) Mallabula — 4 bed: $858K (8 sales)

31 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Mallabula has more rural and farming land (26% vs 0%).

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Environmental 45% 36%
Residential 39% 14%
Rural and farming 0% 26%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 13%
Parks and recreation 11%
same for both
Industrial 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

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
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.

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Houses 3.7%
$650/wk on $910K
 3.4%
$500/wk on $765K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
House price Higher than 28% of NSW
same for both
Income Higher than 16% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 52% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW

Liveability

Mallabula is more walkable (47 vs 18); Mallabula scores higher overall (21 vs 16).

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Grade D
same for both
Score 16/100 21/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Bushfire High
78/100
 High
79/100
Crime Moderate
65/100
 Moderate
58/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
57/100
 Low
23/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
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

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Cafes & restaurants 3 1
Parks & reserves 6 3
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0

Mobility

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Walkability score 18/100 47/100
Distance to Sydney 196 km 194.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 152 min 148 min
Public transport score 63/100
Bus
 59/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 32.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 28.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2319
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 2319
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.

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Car (driver) 74.7% / 74.6%
Lemon Tree Passage — Car (driver): 74.7% Mallabula — Car (driver): 74.6%
Worked from Home 19.4% / 18.7%
Lemon Tree Passage — Worked from Home: 19.4% Mallabula — Worked from Home: 18.7%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 5.7%
Lemon Tree Passage — Car (passenger): 3.6% Mallabula — Car (passenger): 5.7%
Walked Only 2.3% / 1.0%
Lemon Tree Passage — Walked Only: 2.3% Mallabula — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.7%).

Setting

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Elevation 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 630 m
4.0 km to a named beach
 748 m

NBN connectivity

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Connectivity score 79/100 86/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
1,441 premises
 65%
464 premises

Climate

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
PM2.5 7.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 30.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.73 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lemon Tree Passage Mallabula
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lemon Tree Passage

Coastal Large Blocks Retirees

Mallabula

Acreage Coastal Parks Quiet
Full data on Lemon Tree Passage Full data on Mallabula
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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