North Haven vs West Haven

North Haven is the younger of the two, with a median age of 61 against 67 in West Haven. In both, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. On these figures, West Haven tends to suit 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • North Haven has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)
  • West Haven carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 69/100)

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

First-home buyers

West Haven

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($559,500 vs $660,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

North Haven

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (30% vs 12%)
  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $400/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (37% vs 43%)

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

Commuting to the city

West Haven

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (243 min vs 249 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (359.1 km vs 362.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

West Haven

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 69/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (54% vs 42%)

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

Investors

West Haven

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.6% vs -3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

North Haven West Haven
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.

North Haven West Haven
Walkability 30 / 27
North Haven — Walkability: 30/100 West Haven — Walkability: 27/100
Safety 31 / 75
North Haven — Safety: 31/100 West Haven — Safety: 75/100
Low fire risk 68 / 16
North Haven — Low fire risk: 68/100 West Haven — Low fire risk: 16/100

Demographics

North Haven has more residents (1,619 vs 1,139); West Haven rents higher ($400/wk vs $310/wk).

North Haven West Haven
Population 1,619
+30% vs other
 1,139
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.1% +2.6%
Median age 61 67
Median household income $43,264/yr $48,880/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $310/wk $400/wk
+29% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

North Haven West Haven
0-4 2.4% / 2.3%
North Haven — 0-4: 2.4% West Haven — 0-4: 2.3%
5-14 7.5% / 8.6%
North Haven — 5-14: 7.5% West Haven — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 3.7% / 2.3%
North Haven — 15-19: 3.7% West Haven — 15-19: 2.3%
20-24 3.2% / 1.7%
North Haven — 20-24: 3.2% West Haven — 20-24: 1.7%
25-34 5.2% / 5.0%
North Haven — 25-34: 5.2% West Haven — 25-34: 5.0%
35-44 6.3% / 4.9%
North Haven — 35-44: 6.3% West Haven — 35-44: 4.9%
45-54 11.1% / 8.1%
North Haven — 45-54: 11.1% West Haven — 45-54: 8.1%
55-64 18.0% / 14.2%
North Haven — 55-64: 18.0% West Haven — 55-64: 14.2%
65-74 23.3% / 20.1%
North Haven — 65-74: 23.3% West Haven — 65-74: 20.1%
75-84 13.6% / 20.6%
North Haven — 75-84: 13.6% West Haven — 75-84: 20.6%
85+ 5.4% / 13.4%
North Haven — 85+: 5.4% West Haven — 85+: 13.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

North Haven 61.5% lone person
North Haven — Lone Person: 61.5% North Haven — Couple Families: 18.5% North Haven — One Parent Families: 14.9% North Haven — Group Household: 3.6% North Haven — Other Families: 1.5%
West Haven 63.2% lone person
West Haven — Lone Person: 63.2% West Haven — Couple Families: 23.8% West Haven — One Parent Families: 8.9% West Haven — Group Household: 2.6% West Haven — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

North Haven 30.2% renting
North Haven — Owned Outright: 55.8% North Haven — Mortgage: 14.0% North Haven — Renting: 30.2%
West Haven 12.2% renting
West Haven — Owned Outright: 62.6% West Haven — Mortgage: 25.2% West Haven — Renting: 12.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

North Haven West Haven
Certificate III & IV 23.0% / 20.3%
North Haven — Certificate III & IV: 23.0% West Haven — Certificate III & IV: 20.3%
Bachelor Degree 6.7% / 7.9%
North Haven — Bachelor Degree: 6.7% West Haven — Bachelor Degree: 7.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 7.5%
North Haven — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% West Haven — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 2.1%
North Haven — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% West Haven — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 1.6%
North Haven — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% West Haven — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

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.

North Haven West Haven
England 4.2% / 7.2%
North Haven — England: 4.2% West Haven — England: 7.2%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.1%
North Haven — New Zealand: 1.1% West Haven — New Zealand: 1.1%
Scotland 0.9% / 0.6%
North Haven — Scotland: 0.9% West Haven — Scotland: 0.6%
Netherlands 0.4% / 0.6%
North Haven — Netherlands: 0.4% West Haven — Netherlands: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.6%
North Haven — Germany: not among its largest West Haven — Germany: 0.6%
Indonesia 0.5% / —
North Haven — Indonesia: 0.5% West Haven — Indonesia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

North Haven 61.1% houses
North Haven — Houses: 61.1% North Haven — Townhouses: 15.8% North Haven — Flats / Apartments: 23.1%
West Haven 70.2% houses
West Haven — Houses: 70.2% West Haven — Townhouses: 29.8% West Haven — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

North Haven West Haven
Median house price $870,000 $819,000
Median unit price $660,000 $559,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 13 sales
 59 days
from 12 sales

Zoning mix

North Haven has more rural and farming land (33% vs 5%).

North Haven West Haven
Environmental 47% 53%
Residential 15% 40%
Rural and farming 33% 5%
Parks and recreation 4% 2%
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

North Haven West Haven
New dwellings approved 546
across Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both
Approvals change year on year +33%
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.

North Haven West Haven
Houses 3.6%
$515/wk on $749K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

North Haven West Haven
House price Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Income Higher than 6% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 19% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 37% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 50% of NSW —

Liveability

North Haven West Haven
Grade D
same for both
Score 24/100 26/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

North Haven carries more crime risk (69 vs 25); West Haven carries more bushfire risk (84 vs 32).

North Haven West Haven
Bushfire Low
32/100
 High
84/100
Crime Moderate
69/100
 Low
25/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

North Haven West Haven
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in North Haven

  • North Haven Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in West Haven

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

Amenities in the suburb

North Haven West Haven
Cafes & restaurants 6 0
Parks & reserves 5 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0

Mobility

North Haven sits further from the CBD (362.8 km vs 359.1 km).

North Haven West Haven
Walkability score 30/100 27/100
Distance to Sydney 362.8 km
+1% vs other
 359.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 249 min 243 min
Public transport score 29/100
Bus
 26/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 3 min
scheduled, not actual
 11 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2443
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 2443
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.

North Haven West Haven
Car (driver) 78.7% / 86.2%
North Haven — Car (driver): 78.7% West Haven — Car (driver): 86.2%
Worked from Home 10.4% / 8.5%
North Haven — Worked from Home: 10.4% West Haven — Worked from Home: 8.5%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 4.2%
North Haven — Car (passenger): 3.6% West Haven — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 5.6% / 1.2%
North Haven — Walked Only: 5.6% West Haven — Walked Only: 1.2%
Bicycle 1.7% / —
North Haven — Bicycle: 1.7% West Haven — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.2%).

Setting

North Haven West Haven
Elevation 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.8 km
2.1 km to a named beach
 4.6 km
4.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

North Haven West Haven
Connectivity score 61/100 57/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 30%
1,108 premises
 22%
569 premises

Climate

North Haven West Haven
Annual rainfall 1,331 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

North Haven West Haven
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.92 pphm
same for both

Council rates

North Haven West Haven
Average residential rate $1,325/yr
same for both
Council Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both

Federal electorate

North Haven West Haven
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

North Haven

Coastal Quiet Retirees

West Haven

Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with North Haven

North Haven vs Laurieton North Haven vs Dunbogan North Haven vs Camden Head

Other comparisons with West Haven

West Haven vs Laurieton West Haven vs Lakewood
Full data on North Haven Full data on West Haven
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or