Port Macquarie vs Lake Innes

Lake Innes is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 48 in Port Macquarie. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Port Macquarie, about half of households are people living alone. In Lake Innes, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Lake Innes: a median of $1.55 million, against $892,000 in Port Macquarie. On these figures, Port Macquarie tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Lake Innes suits couples.

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

  • Port Macquarie has more parks and reserves (48 vs 1)
  • Lake Innes is already more of a family suburb (86% vs 48%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Port Macquarie has cheaper houses ($892,000 vs $1,554,000)
  • Lake Innes leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 32%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Port Macquarie has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 18%)
  • Lake Innes leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 30%)

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

Commuting to the city

Lake Innes

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (377.6 km vs 385.5 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (257 min vs 262 min)
  • But Port Macquarie is more walkable (56/100 vs 6/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Port Macquarie

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (18 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 6/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 17%)
  • But Lake Innes carries lower crime risk (61/100 vs 80/100)

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

Investors

Lake Innes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.2% vs 6.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
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.

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Walkability 56 / 6
Port Macquarie — Walkability: 56/100 Lake Innes — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 20 / 39
Port Macquarie — Safety: 20/100 Lake Innes — Safety: 39/100
Low fire risk 31 / 33
Port Macquarie — Low fire risk: 31/100 Lake Innes — Low fire risk: 33/100

Demographics

Port Macquarie has more residents (47,693 vs 495); Lake Innes has higher household incomes ($115,128 vs $66,664).

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Population 47,693
+99% vs other
 495
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.4% +16.2%
Median age 48 44
Median household income $66,664/yr $115,128/yr
+73% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $400/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
0-4 4.3% / 4.0%
Port Macquarie — 0-4: 4.3% Lake Innes — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 11.3% / 13.9%
Port Macquarie — 5-14: 11.3% Lake Innes — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 5.8% / 10.1%
Port Macquarie — 15-19: 5.8% Lake Innes — 15-19: 10.1%
20-24 4.9% / 6.3%
Port Macquarie — 20-24: 4.9% Lake Innes — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 9.3% / 6.3%
Port Macquarie — 25-34: 9.3% Lake Innes — 25-34: 6.3%
35-44 10.5% / 10.7%
Port Macquarie — 35-44: 10.5% Lake Innes — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 12.0% / 13.7%
Port Macquarie — 45-54: 12.0% Lake Innes — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 13.1% / 18.2%
Port Macquarie — 55-64: 13.1% Lake Innes — 55-64: 18.2%
65-74 14.1% / 10.1%
Port Macquarie — 65-74: 14.1% Lake Innes — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 10.3% / 4.8%
Port Macquarie — 75-84: 10.3% Lake Innes — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 4.5% / 2.4%
Port Macquarie — 85+: 4.5% Lake Innes — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Port Macquarie 31.6% couple families
Port Macquarie — Couple Families: 31.6% Port Macquarie — Lone Person: 45.7% Port Macquarie — One Parent Families: 16.6% Port Macquarie — Group Household: 4.9% Port Macquarie — Other Families: 1.2%
Lake Innes 61.9% couple families
Lake Innes — Couple Families: 61.9% Lake Innes — Lone Person: 14.4% Lake Innes — One Parent Families: 23.7% Lake Innes — Group Household: 0.0% Lake Innes — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Port Macquarie 32.8% renting
Port Macquarie — Owned Outright: 41.3% Port Macquarie — Mortgage: 25.9% Port Macquarie — Renting: 32.8%
Lake Innes 17.6% renting
Lake Innes — Owned Outright: 47.7% Lake Innes — Mortgage: 34.6% Lake Innes — Renting: 17.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Certificate III & IV 16.7% / 18.0%
Port Macquarie — Certificate III & IV: 16.7% Lake Innes — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 11.4% / 10.5%
Port Macquarie — Bachelor Degree: 11.4% Lake Innes — Bachelor Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 8.3%
Port Macquarie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Lake Innes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 3.2%
Port Macquarie — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Lake Innes — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.6%
Port Macquarie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Lake Innes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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.

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
England 4.5% / 4.2%
Port Macquarie — England: 4.5% Lake Innes — England: 4.2%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.2%
Port Macquarie — New Zealand: 1.5% Lake Innes — New Zealand: 1.2%
Thailand — / 1.2%
Port Macquarie — Thailand: not among its largest Lake Innes — Thailand: 1.2%
Ireland — / 0.8%
Port Macquarie — Ireland: not among its largest Lake Innes — Ireland: 0.8%
Philippines 0.6% / —
Port Macquarie — Philippines: 0.6% Lake Innes — Philippines: not among its largest
South Africa 0.5% / —
Port Macquarie — South Africa: 0.5% Lake Innes — South Africa: not among its largest
India 0.5% / —
Port Macquarie — India: 0.5% Lake Innes — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Port Macquarie 66.1% houses
Port Macquarie — Houses: 66.1% Port Macquarie — Townhouses: 18.0% Port Macquarie — Flats / Apartments: 15.9%
Lake Innes 100.0% houses
Lake Innes — Houses: 100.0% Lake Innes — Townhouses: 0.0% Lake Innes — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Median house price $892,000 $1,554,000
Median unit price $590,000 —
Median land price $589,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 468 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Lake Innes has more rural and farming land (48% vs 7%); Lake Innes has more land zoned for conservation (49% vs 34%).

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Environmental 34% 49%
Rural and farming 7% 48%
Residential 41% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 1%
Parks and recreation 7% 0%
Industrial 3% 0%
Commercial 2% 0%
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

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
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.

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Houses 3.9%
$650/wk on $875K
 —
Units 4.3%
$510/wk on $616K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
House price Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Income Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Schools Higher than 42% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 66% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 37% of NSW —

Liveability

Port Macquarie is more walkable (56 vs 6).

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Grade C —
Score 32/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Port Macquarie carries more crime risk (80 vs 61).

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Bushfire Moderate
69/100
 Moderate
67/100
Crime High
80/100
 Moderate
61/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
82/100
 Low
33/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Inside the suburb 20 0
Rated above peers 4 0
Rated at peers 7 0
Rated below peers 4 0

Schools in Port Macquarie

  • Hastings Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Hastings Secondary College, Port Macquarie Campus Government · Secondary above peers
  • MacKillop College Port Macquarie Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • The Nature School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Heritage Christian School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Port Macquarie Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Lake Innes

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

Amenities in the suburb

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Supermarkets 9 0
Cafes & restaurants 90 0
Parks & reserves 48 1
Childcare 26 0
GPs 18 0
Pharmacies 12 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 13 0
Fuel stations 11 0
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 7 0
Waterways 42 13

Mobility

Port Macquarie sits further from the CBD (385.5 km vs 377.6 km).

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Walkability score 56/100 6/100
Distance to Sydney 385.5 km
+2% vs other
 377.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 262 min 257 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 21/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 434.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2444
 0.5%
postcode 2446
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2444
 69
postcode 2446

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.

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Car (driver) 75.0% / 77.0%
Port Macquarie — Car (driver): 75.0% Lake Innes — Car (driver): 77.0%
Worked from Home 14.6% / 18.3%
Port Macquarie — Worked from Home: 14.6% Lake Innes — Worked from Home: 18.3%
Car (passenger) 6.1% / 4.7%
Port Macquarie — Car (passenger): 6.1% Lake Innes — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only 3.0% / —
Port Macquarie — Walked Only: 3.0% Lake Innes — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.6% / —
Port Macquarie — Bicycle: 0.6% Lake Innes — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.0%).

Setting

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.9 km
3.4 km to a named beach
 5.4 km

NBN connectivity

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Connectivity score 64/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
26,896 premises
 0%
188 premises

Air quality (annual mean)

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
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

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Average residential rate $1,325/yr
same for both
Council Port Macquarie-Hastings
same for both

Federal electorate

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Division Cowper Lyne
Member Pat Conaghan Alison Penfold
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Port Macquarie Lake Innes
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Port Macquarie

Coastal Regional Centre Retirees River

Lake Innes

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie vs Thrumster Port Macquarie vs North Shore Port Macquarie vs Riverside Port Macquarie vs Fernbank Creek

Other comparisons with Lake Innes

Lake Innes vs Lake Cathie Lake Innes vs Thrumster Lake Innes vs King Creek Lake Innes vs Sancrox Lake Innes vs Herons Creek
Full data on Port Macquarie Full data on Lake Innes
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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