Lorne vs Stewarts River

Stewarts River is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 53 in Lorne. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Stewarts River: a median of $1.1 million, against $985,000 in Lorne.

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

Stewarts River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 76/100)

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

First-home buyers

Lorne

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 29%)
  • has cheaper houses ($985,000 vs $1,100,000)

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

Stewarts River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (235 min vs 245 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (342.2 km vs 349.4 km)
  • But Lorne is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Lorne is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)
  • Stewarts River carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 76/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lorne Stewarts River
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.

Lorne Stewarts River
Walkability 20 / 0
Lorne — Walkability: 20/100 Stewarts River — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 24 / 75
Lorne — Safety: 24/100 Stewarts River — Safety: 75/100
Low fire risk 50 / 67
Lorne — Low fire risk: 50/100 Stewarts River — Low fire risk: 67/100

Demographics

Lorne has more residents (277 vs 126); Lorne skews older (53 vs 49).

Lorne Stewarts River
Population 277
+55% vs other
 126
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.1% +7.7%
Median age 53 49
Median household income $80,184/yr
+9% vs other
 $73,112/yr
Median weekly rent $315/wk $320/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lorne Stewarts River
0-4 3.6% / 4.0%
Lorne — 0-4: 3.6% Stewarts River — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 11.9% / 12.7%
Lorne — 5-14: 11.9% Stewarts River — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 4.7% / 5.6%
Lorne — 15-19: 4.7% Stewarts River — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 2.2% / 7.1%
Lorne — 20-24: 2.2% Stewarts River — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 8.7% / 9.5%
Lorne — 25-34: 8.7% Stewarts River — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 5.4% / 5.6%
Lorne — 35-44: 5.4% Stewarts River — 35-44: 5.6%
45-54 16.6% / 21.4%
Lorne — 45-54: 16.6% Stewarts River — 45-54: 21.4%
55-64 22.4% / 11.1%
Lorne — 55-64: 22.4% Stewarts River — 55-64: 11.1%
65-74 17.3% / 22.2%
Lorne — 65-74: 17.3% Stewarts River — 65-74: 22.2%
75-84 6.1% / 6.3%
Lorne — 75-84: 6.1% Stewarts River — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ 1.8% / —
Lorne — 85+: 1.8% Stewarts River — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lorne 48.3% couple families
Lorne — Couple Families: 48.3% Lorne — Lone Person: 26.7% Lorne — One Parent Families: 20.0% Lorne — Group Household: 5.0%
Stewarts River 51.6% couple families
Stewarts River — Couple Families: 51.6% Stewarts River — Lone Person: 32.3% Stewarts River — One Parent Families: 16.1% Stewarts River — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lorne 9.9% renting
Lorne — Owned Outright: 61.4% Lorne — Mortgage: 28.7% Lorne — Renting: 9.9%
Stewarts River 15.7% renting
Stewarts River — Owned Outright: 52.9% Stewarts River — Mortgage: 31.4% Stewarts River — Renting: 15.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Lorne Stewarts River
England 6.5% / 2.4%
Lorne — England: 6.5% Stewarts River — England: 2.4%
New Zealand — / 3.2%
Lorne — New Zealand: not among its largest Stewarts River — New Zealand: 3.2%
Canada 1.4% / —
Lorne — Canada: 1.4% Stewarts River — Canada: not among its largest
Netherlands 1.1% / —
Lorne — Netherlands: 1.1% Stewarts River — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.5%).

Qualifications

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

Lorne Stewarts River
Certificate III & IV 21.3% / 22.2%
Lorne — Certificate III & IV: 21.3% Stewarts River — Certificate III & IV: 22.2%
Bachelor Degree 13.0% / 11.9%
Lorne — Bachelor Degree: 13.0% Stewarts River — Bachelor Degree: 11.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 11.9%
Lorne — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Stewarts River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.3% / 3.2%
Lorne — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.3% Stewarts River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 2.4%
Lorne — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Stewarts River — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lorne 103.1% houses
Lorne — Houses: 103.1%
Stewarts River 100.0% houses
Stewarts River — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Lorne Stewarts River
Median house price $985,000 $1,100,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Lorne Stewarts River
Rural and farming 100%
same for both
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

Lorne Stewarts River
New dwellings approved 546
across Port Macquarie-Hastings
 743
across Mid-Coast
Approvals change year on year +33% +327%

Ranking within NSW

Lorne Stewarts River
House price Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Income — Higher than 40% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 2% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 32% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW

Liveability

Lorne is more walkable (20 vs 0).

Lorne Stewarts River
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Lorne carries more crime risk (76 vs 25); Lorne carries more bushfire risk (50 vs 33).

Lorne Stewarts River
Bushfire Moderate
50/100
 Low
33/100
Crime High
76/100
 Low
25/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Lorne Stewarts River
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

Lorne Stewarts River
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 13 3

Mobility

Lorne sits further from the CBD (349.4 km vs 342.2 km).

Lorne Stewarts River
Walkability score 20/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 349.4 km
+2% vs other
 342.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 245 min 235 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2439
 0.4%
postcode 2443
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 86
postcode 2439
 64
postcode 2443

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.

Lorne Stewarts River
Car (driver) 58.1% / 77.8%
Lorne — Car (driver): 58.1% Stewarts River — Car (driver): 77.8%
Worked from Home 33.3% / 22.2%
Lorne — Worked from Home: 33.3% Stewarts River — Worked from Home: 22.2%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / —
Lorne — Car (passenger): 4.3% Stewarts River — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 4.3% / —
Lorne — Walked Only: 4.3% Stewarts River — Walked Only: not among its largest

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

Setting

Lorne Stewarts River
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 39 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 18.4 km 13.5 km

NBN connectivity

Lorne Stewarts River
Connectivity score 21/100 28/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
47 premises
 0%
59 premises

Climate

Lorne Stewarts River
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Lorne Stewarts River
Average residential rate $1,325/yr $1,560/yr
Council Port Macquarie-Hastings Mid-Coast

Federal electorate

Lorne Stewarts River
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lorne Stewarts River
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lorne

Retirees River Rural

Stewarts River

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lorne

Lorne vs Kendall Lorne vs Hannam Vale Lorne vs Upsalls Creek Lorne vs Batar Creek Lorne vs Waitui

Other comparisons with Stewarts River

Stewarts River vs Moorland Stewarts River vs Johns River Stewarts River vs Hannam Vale Stewarts River vs Batar Creek
Full data on Lorne Full data on Stewarts River
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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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