Lovedale vs Nulkaba

Nulkaba is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 50 in Lovedale. 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 Lovedale: a median of $2.17 million, against $1.18 million in Nulkaba. On these figures, Lovedale tends to suit older residents, while Nulkaba suits 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

Nulkaba

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Nulkaba

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,180,000 vs $2,175,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 27%)

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

Nulkaba

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 8/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (160.5 km vs 176.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Lovedale has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 14%)
  • Nulkaba is more walkable (20/100 vs 8/100)

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

Lovedale and Nulkaba 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 Nulkaba
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 Nulkaba
Walkability 8 / 20
Lovedale — Walkability: 8/100 Nulkaba — Walkability: 20/100
Safety 17 / 19
Lovedale — Safety: 17/100 Nulkaba — Safety: 19/100
Low fire risk 56 / 73
Lovedale — Low fire risk: 56/100 Nulkaba — Low fire risk: 73/100

Demographics

Nulkaba has more residents (715 vs 502); Lovedale skews older (50 vs 42).

Lovedale Nulkaba
Population 502 715
+42% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.5% +2.7%
Median age 50 42
Median household income $112,424/yr $115,284/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $340/wk $350/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lovedale Nulkaba
0-4 5.8% / 4.9%
Lovedale — 0-4: 5.8% Nulkaba — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 11.6% / 13.7%
Lovedale — 5-14: 11.6% Nulkaba — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 4.0% / 7.7%
Lovedale — 15-19: 4.0% Nulkaba — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.4% / 4.6%
Lovedale — 20-24: 5.4% Nulkaba — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 9.4% / 8.7%
Lovedale — 25-34: 9.4% Nulkaba — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 9.8% / 12.4%
Lovedale — 35-44: 9.8% Nulkaba — 35-44: 12.4%
45-54 14.3% / 16.5%
Lovedale — 45-54: 14.3% Nulkaba — 45-54: 16.5%
55-64 17.3% / 15.8%
Lovedale — 55-64: 17.3% Nulkaba — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 17.5% / 8.8%
Lovedale — 65-74: 17.5% Nulkaba — 65-74: 8.8%
75-84 5.6% / 4.3%
Lovedale — 75-84: 5.6% Nulkaba — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 2.0% / 1.3%
Lovedale — 85+: 2.0% Nulkaba — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

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%
Nulkaba 62.5% couple families
Nulkaba — Couple Families: 62.5% Nulkaba — Lone Person: 19.6% Nulkaba — One Parent Families: 11.9% Nulkaba — Group Household: 6.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

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%
Nulkaba 12.2% renting
Nulkaba — Owned Outright: 38.7% Nulkaba — Mortgage: 49.1% Nulkaba — Renting: 12.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lovedale Nulkaba
Certificate III & IV 14.9% / 21.3%
Lovedale — Certificate III & IV: 14.9% Nulkaba — Certificate III & IV: 21.3%
Bachelor Degree 12.5% / 10.1%
Lovedale — Bachelor Degree: 12.5% Nulkaba — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 13.3% / 8.1%
Lovedale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.3% Nulkaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 5.6% / 1.5%
Lovedale — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6% Nulkaba — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.5%
Lovedale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Nulkaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

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 Nulkaba
England 4.4% / 2.0%
Lovedale — England: 4.4% Nulkaba — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.4%
Lovedale — New Zealand: 1.6% Nulkaba — New Zealand: 1.4%
India 1.2% / 0.4%
Lovedale — India: 1.2% Nulkaba — India: 0.4%
Canada 1.0% / —
Lovedale — Canada: 1.0% Nulkaba — Canada: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.8% / —
Lovedale — Malaysia: 0.8% Nulkaba — Malaysia: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.7%
Lovedale — South Africa: not among its largest Nulkaba — South Africa: 0.7%
Philippines — / 0.6%
Lovedale — Philippines: not among its largest Nulkaba — Philippines: 0.6%

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 — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Nulkaba 97.4% houses
Nulkaba — Houses: 97.4% Nulkaba — Flats / Apartments: 2.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Lovedale Nulkaba
Median house price $2,175,000 $1,180,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $675,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 58 days
from 3 sales
 99 days
from 11 sales

Zoning mix

Lovedale Nulkaba
Rural and farming 80% 75%
Environmental 13% 15%
Residential 2% 6%
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 Nulkaba
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Lovedale Nulkaba
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Income — Higher than 80% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 11% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 71% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW

Liveability

Nulkaba is more walkable (20 vs 8).

Lovedale Nulkaba
Grade C
same for both
Score 35/100 34/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Lovedale carries more bushfire risk (44 vs 27).

Lovedale Nulkaba
Bushfire Moderate
44/100
 Low
27/100
Crime High
83/100
 High
81/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Lovedale Nulkaba
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Lovedale

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Nulkaba

  • Nulkaba Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Philip's Christian College - Cessnock Independent · Combined at peers
  • St Philip's Christian College Dynamic Learning - Cessnock Independent · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Lovedale Nulkaba
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 0 5
GPs 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 6 3

Mobility

Lovedale sits further from the CBD (176.4 km vs 160.5 km).

Lovedale Nulkaba
Walkability score 8/100 20/100
Distance to Sydney 176.4 km
+9% vs other
 160.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 127 min 131 min
Public transport score 29/100
Bus
 42/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 16.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2325
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2325
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.

Lovedale Nulkaba
Car (driver) 56.1% / 72.8%
Lovedale — Car (driver): 56.1% Nulkaba — Car (driver): 72.8%
Worked from Home 36.3% / 22.1%
Lovedale — Worked from Home: 36.3% Nulkaba — Worked from Home: 22.1%
Walked Only 4.7% / 3.5%
Lovedale — Walked Only: 4.7% Nulkaba — Walked Only: 3.5%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 1.6%
Lovedale — Car (passenger): 2.8% Nulkaba — Car (passenger): 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.8%).

Setting

Lovedale Nulkaba
Elevation 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 60 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 39.8 km 38.5 km

NBN connectivity

Lovedale Nulkaba
Connectivity score 30/100 72/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
264 premises
 56%
441 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Lovedale

Retirees Rural

Nulkaba

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lovedale

Lovedale vs Cessnock Lovedale vs Greta Lovedale vs North Rothbury Lovedale vs Pokolbin Lovedale vs Sawyers Gully Lovedale vs Keinbah

Other comparisons with Nulkaba

Nulkaba vs Cessnock Nulkaba vs Pokolbin
Full data on Lovedale Full data on Nulkaba
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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