Mirrabooka vs Sunshine

Mirrabooka is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 50 in Sunshine. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Sunshine: a median of $1.2 million, against $818,000 in Mirrabooka, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Mirrabooka tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Sunshine suits older residents.

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

Sunshine

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Mirrabooka

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($817,500 vs $1,200,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mirrabooka

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($368/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sunshine

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 20%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Mirrabooka Sunshine
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.

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Walkability 34 / 33
Mirrabooka — Walkability: 34/100 Sunshine — Walkability: 33/100
Safety 61 / 70
Mirrabooka — Safety: 61/100 Sunshine — Safety: 70/100
Low fire risk 53 / 100
Mirrabooka — Low fire risk: 53/100 Sunshine — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Mirrabooka has more residents (809 vs 475); Sunshine skews older (50 vs 42).

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Population 809
+41% vs other
 475
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.1% +10.5%
Median age 42 50
Median household income $80,964/yr $81,900/yr
+1% vs other
Median weekly rent $368/wk $400/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mirrabooka Sunshine
0-4 7.0% / 3.8%
Mirrabooka — 0-4: 7.0% Sunshine — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 10.8% / 12.2%
Mirrabooka — 5-14: 10.8% Sunshine — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 5.7% / 4.0%
Mirrabooka — 15-19: 5.7% Sunshine — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 7.3% / 6.7%
Mirrabooka — 20-24: 7.3% Sunshine — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 11.1% / 6.9%
Mirrabooka — 25-34: 11.1% Sunshine — 25-34: 6.9%
35-44 10.8% / 8.0%
Mirrabooka — 35-44: 10.8% Sunshine — 35-44: 8.0%
45-54 13.6% / 16.0%
Mirrabooka — 45-54: 13.6% Sunshine — 45-54: 16.0%
55-64 15.1% / 13.9%
Mirrabooka — 55-64: 15.1% Sunshine — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 11.1% / 13.7%
Mirrabooka — 65-74: 11.1% Sunshine — 65-74: 13.7%
75-84 6.8% / 11.2%
Mirrabooka — 75-84: 6.8% Sunshine — 75-84: 11.2%
85+ 1.6% / 3.4%
Mirrabooka — 85+: 1.6% Sunshine — 85+: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mirrabooka 39.6% couple families
Mirrabooka — Couple Families: 39.6% Mirrabooka — Lone Person: 31.1% Mirrabooka — One Parent Families: 25.0% Mirrabooka — Group Household: 1.9% Mirrabooka — Other Families: 2.4%
Sunshine 38.6% couple families
Sunshine — Couple Families: 38.6% Sunshine — Lone Person: 32.5% Sunshine — One Parent Families: 18.4% Sunshine — Group Household: 7.9% Sunshine — Other Families: 2.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mirrabooka 22.5% renting
Mirrabooka — Owned Outright: 35.5% Mirrabooka — Mortgage: 42.0% Mirrabooka — Renting: 22.5%
Sunshine 18.2% renting
Sunshine — Owned Outright: 51.1% Sunshine — Mortgage: 30.7% Sunshine — Renting: 18.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Certificate III & IV 22.1% / 19.4%
Mirrabooka — Certificate III & IV: 22.1% Sunshine — Certificate III & IV: 19.4%
Bachelor Degree 8.0% / 9.5%
Mirrabooka — Bachelor Degree: 8.0% Sunshine — Bachelor Degree: 9.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 8.0%
Mirrabooka — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Sunshine — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 3.4%
Mirrabooka — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Sunshine — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 2.3%
Mirrabooka — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Sunshine — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

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.

Mirrabooka Sunshine
England 3.1% / 2.3%
Mirrabooka — England: 3.1% Sunshine — England: 2.3%
New Zealand 1.6% / 2.3%
Mirrabooka — New Zealand: 1.6% Sunshine — New Zealand: 2.3%
Germany 0.6% / 0.6%
Mirrabooka — Germany: 0.6% Sunshine — Germany: 0.6%
Italy — / 0.8%
Mirrabooka — Italy: not among its largest Sunshine — Italy: 0.8%
India 0.7% / —
Mirrabooka — India: 0.7% Sunshine — India: not among its largest
Ireland 0.6% / —
Mirrabooka — Ireland: 0.6% Sunshine — Ireland: not among its largest
China — / 0.6%
Mirrabooka — China: not among its largest Sunshine — China: 0.6%
Scotland — / 0.6%
Mirrabooka — Scotland: not among its largest Sunshine — Scotland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mirrabooka 98.7% houses
Mirrabooka — Houses: 98.7% Mirrabooka — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Sunshine 96.1% houses
Sunshine — Houses: 96.1% Sunshine — Flats / Apartments: 3.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Median house price $817,500 $1,200,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 38 days
from 6 sales
 69 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Sunshine has more land zoned for conservation (56% vs 22%); Mirrabooka has more rural and farming land (33% vs 0%).

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Environmental 22% 56%
Residential 43% 40%
Rural and farming 33% 0%
Parks and recreation 2% 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

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

Ranking within NSW

Mirrabooka Sunshine
House price Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Income Higher than 48% of NSW —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 64% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 45% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW

Liveability

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Grade C —
Score 44/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Mirrabooka carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 0).

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Bushfire Moderate
47/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
39/100
 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 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Mirrabooka Sunshine
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

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Parks & reserves 0 4
Childcare 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0

Mobility

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Walkability score 34/100 33/100
Distance to Sydney 121 km 121.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 96 min 97 min
Public transport score 29/100
Bus
 27/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 7 min
scheduled, not actual
 13 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2264
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2264
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.

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Car (driver) 73.8% / 68.6%
Mirrabooka — Car (driver): 73.8% Sunshine — Car (driver): 68.6%
Worked from Home 20.3% / 26.6%
Mirrabooka — Worked from Home: 20.3% Sunshine — Worked from Home: 26.6%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 3.0%
Mirrabooka — Car (passenger): 4.9% Sunshine — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.8%
Mirrabooka — Walked Only: 1.0% Sunshine — Walked Only: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.8%).

Setting

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 29 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.3 km 7.8 km

NBN connectivity

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Connectivity score 80/100 77/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 64%
359 premises
 59%
247 premises

Climate

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Mirrabooka Sunshine
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.27 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mirrabooka Sunshine
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mirrabooka

Large Blocks Parks

Sunshine

Large Blocks Parks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mirrabooka

Mirrabooka vs Brightwaters Mirrabooka vs Silverwater

Other comparisons with Sunshine

Sunshine vs Silverwater
Full data on Mirrabooka Full data on Sunshine
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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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