Lovedale vs North Rothbury

North Rothbury is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 50 in Lovedale. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Lovedale, most households are couple families. In North Rothbury, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Lovedale: a median of $2.17 million, against $875,000 in North Rothbury, though rent is higher in North Rothbury. On these figures, Lovedale tends to suit older residents, while North Rothbury suits young adults, families with children, and 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

North Rothbury

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($875,000 vs $2,175,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 27%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Lovedale has cheaper rent ($340/wk vs $450/wk)
  • North Rothbury has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 14%)

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

Commuting to the city

Lovedale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (176.4 km vs 182 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lovedale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 7%)

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

Investors

North Rothbury

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (178.6% vs 3.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lovedale North Rothbury
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.

Lovedale North Rothbury
Walkability 8 / 14
Lovedale — Walkability: 8/100 North Rothbury — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 17 / 8
Lovedale — Safety: 17/100 North Rothbury — Safety: 8/100
Low fire risk 56 / 53
Lovedale — Low fire risk: 56/100 North Rothbury — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

North Rothbury has more residents (2,502 vs 502); Lovedale skews older (50 vs 30).

Lovedale North Rothbury
Population 502 2,502
+398% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.5% +178.6%
Median age 50 30
Median household income $112,424/yr $114,712/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $340/wk $450/wk
+32% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lovedale North Rothbury
0-4 5.8% / 10.8%
Lovedale — 0-4: 5.8% North Rothbury — 0-4: 10.8%
5-14 11.6% / 17.2%
Lovedale — 5-14: 11.6% North Rothbury — 5-14: 17.2%
15-19 4.0% / 5.7%
Lovedale — 15-19: 4.0% North Rothbury — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.4% / 5.7%
Lovedale — 20-24: 5.4% North Rothbury — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 9.4% / 20.4%
Lovedale — 25-34: 9.4% North Rothbury — 25-34: 20.4%
35-44 9.8% / 15.9%
Lovedale — 35-44: 9.8% North Rothbury — 35-44: 15.9%
45-54 14.3% / 9.6%
Lovedale — 45-54: 14.3% North Rothbury — 45-54: 9.6%
55-64 17.3% / 8.2%
Lovedale — 55-64: 17.3% North Rothbury — 55-64: 8.2%
65-74 17.5% / 5.1%
Lovedale — 65-74: 17.5% North Rothbury — 65-74: 5.1%
75-84 5.6% / 1.9%
Lovedale — 75-84: 5.6% North Rothbury — 75-84: 1.9%
85+ 2.0% / 0.2%
Lovedale — 85+: 2.0% North Rothbury — 85+: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lovedale 56.7% couple families
Lovedale — Couple Families: 56.7% Lovedale — Lone Person: 26.9% Lovedale — One Parent Families: 13.5% Lovedale — Group Household: 2.9% Lovedale — Other Families: 0.0%
North Rothbury 53.6% couple families
North Rothbury — Couple Families: 53.6% North Rothbury — Lone Person: 22.7% North Rothbury — One Parent Families: 19.7% North Rothbury — Group Household: 2.5% North Rothbury — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lovedale 14.4% renting
Lovedale — Owned Outright: 49.1% Lovedale — Mortgage: 36.5% Lovedale — Renting: 14.4%
North Rothbury 36.4% renting
North Rothbury — Owned Outright: 15.6% North Rothbury — Mortgage: 48.0% North Rothbury — Renting: 36.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lovedale North Rothbury
Certificate III & IV 14.9% / 22.3%
Lovedale — Certificate III & IV: 14.9% North Rothbury — Certificate III & IV: 22.3%
Bachelor Degree 12.5% / 9.1%
Lovedale — Bachelor Degree: 12.5% North Rothbury — Bachelor Degree: 9.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 13.3% / 7.8%
Lovedale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.3% North Rothbury — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Postgraduate Degree 5.6% / 1.4%
Lovedale — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6% North Rothbury — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.9%
Lovedale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest North Rothbury — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.3%).

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.

Lovedale North Rothbury
England 4.4% / 2.0%
Lovedale — England: 4.4% North Rothbury — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.3%
Lovedale — New Zealand: 1.6% North Rothbury — New Zealand: 1.3%
India 1.2% / 0.4%
Lovedale — India: 1.2% North Rothbury — India: 0.4%
Canada 1.0% / —
Lovedale — Canada: 1.0% North Rothbury — Canada: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.8% / —
Lovedale — Malaysia: 0.8% North Rothbury — Malaysia: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.8%
Lovedale — South Africa: not among its largest North Rothbury — South Africa: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Lovedale — Philippines: not among its largest North Rothbury — Philippines: 0.7%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lovedale 100.0% houses
Lovedale — Houses: 100.0% Lovedale — Townhouses: 0.0% Lovedale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
North Rothbury 96.5% houses
North Rothbury — Houses: 96.5% North Rothbury — Townhouses: 2.6% North Rothbury — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Lovedale North Rothbury
Median house price $2,175,000 $875,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $765,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 58 days
from 3 sales
 34 days
from 119 sales

Zoning mix

Lovedale has more rural and farming land (80% vs 42%).

Lovedale North Rothbury
Rural and farming 80% 42%
Residential 2% 35%
Environmental 13% 19%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 4%
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

Lovedale North Rothbury
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
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.

Lovedale North Rothbury
Houses — 4.2%
$740/wk on $919K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Lovedale North Rothbury
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
Income — Higher than 79% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 85% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 30% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 82% of NSW

Liveability

Lovedale scores higher overall (35 vs 27).

Lovedale North Rothbury
Grade C D
Score 35/100 27/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Lovedale North Rothbury
Bushfire Moderate
44/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime High
83/100
 High
92/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Lovedale North Rothbury
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

Lovedale North Rothbury
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Waterways 6 3

Mobility

North Rothbury sits further from the CBD (182 km vs 176.4 km).

Lovedale North Rothbury
Walkability score 8/100 14/100
Distance to Sydney 176.4 km 182 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 127 min 129 min
Public transport score 29/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 42.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2325
 0.3%
postcode 2335
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2325
 82
postcode 2335

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.

Lovedale North Rothbury
Car (driver) 56.1% / 78.6%
Lovedale — Car (driver): 56.1% North Rothbury — Car (driver): 78.6%
Worked from Home 36.3% / 17.3%
Lovedale — Worked from Home: 36.3% North Rothbury — Worked from Home: 17.3%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 3.8%
Lovedale — Car (passenger): 2.8% North Rothbury — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 4.7% / 0.3%
Lovedale — Walked Only: 4.7% North Rothbury — Walked Only: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.6%).

Setting

Lovedale North Rothbury
Elevation 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 70 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 39.8 km 43.3 km

NBN connectivity

Lovedale North Rothbury
Connectivity score 30/100 91/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
264 premises
 84%
2,189 premises

Climate

Lovedale North Rothbury
Annual rainfall 804 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Lovedale North Rothbury
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 19.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Lovedale North Rothbury
Average residential rate $1,405/yr
same for both
Council Cessnock
same for both

Federal electorate

Lovedale North Rothbury
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lovedale North Rothbury
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lovedale

Retirees Rural

North Rothbury

Acreage Family River Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lovedale

Lovedale vs Cessnock Lovedale vs Greta Lovedale vs Pokolbin Lovedale vs Nulkaba Lovedale vs Sawyers Gully Lovedale vs Keinbah

Other comparisons with North Rothbury

North Rothbury vs Greta North Rothbury vs Branxton North Rothbury vs Belford North Rothbury vs Rothbury
Full data on Lovedale Full data on North Rothbury
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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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