Port Macquarie vs Thrumster

Thrumster is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 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 Thrumster, most households are couple families. On these figures, Port Macquarie tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Thrumster suits families with children and 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

Port Macquarie

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (48 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (20 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (26 vs 2)
  • But Thrumster is already more of a family suburb (75% vs 48%)

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

First-home buyers

Thrumster

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($450,000 vs $589,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 32%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Port Macquarie has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $460/wk)
  • Thrumster leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 30%)

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

Commuting to the city

Thrumster

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (253 min vs 262 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (377.7 km vs 385.5 km)
  • But Port Macquarie is more walkable (56/100 vs 35/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Port Macquarie

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (18 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (34% vs 10%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 11%)

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 house yield.

Where they sit

Port Macquarie and Thrumster 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 Thrumster
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 Thrumster
Walkability 56 / 35
Port Macquarie — Walkability: 56/100 Thrumster — Walkability: 35/100
Safety 20 / 23
Port Macquarie — Safety: 20/100 Thrumster — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 31 / 19
Port Macquarie — Low fire risk: 31/100 Thrumster — Low fire risk: 19/100

Demographics

Port Macquarie has more residents (47,693 vs 2,382); Thrumster has higher household incomes ($103,376 vs $66,664).

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Population 47,693
+95% vs other
 2,382
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.4% —
Median age 48 32
Median household income $66,664/yr $103,376/yr
+55% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $460/wk
+21% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Port Macquarie Thrumster
0-4 4.3% / 10.2%
Port Macquarie — 0-4: 4.3% Thrumster — 0-4: 10.2%
5-14 11.3% / 15.9%
Port Macquarie — 5-14: 11.3% Thrumster — 5-14: 15.9%
15-19 5.8% / 5.5%
Port Macquarie — 15-19: 5.8% Thrumster — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 4.9% / 6.6%
Port Macquarie — 20-24: 4.9% Thrumster — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 9.3% / 17.0%
Port Macquarie — 25-34: 9.3% Thrumster — 25-34: 17.0%
35-44 10.5% / 14.3%
Port Macquarie — 35-44: 10.5% Thrumster — 35-44: 14.3%
45-54 12.0% / 11.1%
Port Macquarie — 45-54: 12.0% Thrumster — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 13.1% / 8.0%
Port Macquarie — 55-64: 13.1% Thrumster — 55-64: 8.0%
65-74 14.1% / 8.1%
Port Macquarie — 65-74: 14.1% Thrumster — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 10.3% / 2.9%
Port Macquarie — 75-84: 10.3% Thrumster — 75-84: 2.9%
85+ 4.5% / 0.3%
Port Macquarie — 85+: 4.5% Thrumster — 85+: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

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%
Thrumster 56.1% couple families
Thrumster — Couple Families: 56.1% Thrumster — Lone Person: 20.8% Thrumster — One Parent Families: 18.6% Thrumster — Group Household: 3.2% Thrumster — Other Families: 1.3%
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%
Thrumster 31.0% renting
Thrumster — Owned Outright: 20.8% Thrumster — Mortgage: 48.2% Thrumster — Renting: 31.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Certificate III & IV 16.7% / 18.1%
Port Macquarie — Certificate III & IV: 16.7% Thrumster — Certificate III & IV: 18.1%
Bachelor Degree 11.4% / 10.4%
Port Macquarie — Bachelor Degree: 11.4% Thrumster — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 8.1%
Port Macquarie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Thrumster — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 2.9%
Port Macquarie — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Thrumster — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.9%
Port Macquarie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Thrumster — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

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.

Port Macquarie Thrumster
England 4.5% / 3.8%
Port Macquarie — England: 4.5% Thrumster — England: 3.8%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.7%
Port Macquarie — New Zealand: 1.5% Thrumster — New Zealand: 1.7%
India 0.5% / 2.4%
Port Macquarie — India: 0.5% Thrumster — India: 2.4%
Philippines 0.6% / 0.6%
Port Macquarie — Philippines: 0.6% Thrumster — Philippines: 0.6%
South Africa 0.5% / 0.3%
Port Macquarie — South Africa: 0.5% Thrumster — South Africa: 0.3%
Thailand — / 0.5%
Port Macquarie — Thailand: not among its largest Thrumster — Thailand: 0.5%

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%
Thrumster 89.6% houses
Thrumster — Houses: 89.6% Thrumster — Townhouses: 8.4% Thrumster — Flats / Apartments: 2.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Median house price $892,000 $865,000
Median unit price $590,000 —
Median land price $589,000 $450,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 468 sales
 34 days
from 61 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Port Macquarie Thrumster
2 bed $640K / $589K
Port Macquarie — 2 bed: $640K (51 sales) Thrumster — 2 bed: $589K (7 sales)

51 vs 7 sales

3 bed $816K / $775K
Port Macquarie — 3 bed: $816K (420 sales) Thrumster — 3 bed: $775K (29 sales)

420 vs 29 sales

4 bed $1.01M / $920K
Port Macquarie — 4 bed: $1.01M (332 sales) Thrumster — 4 bed: $920K (54 sales)

332 vs 54 sales

Zoning mix

Thrumster has more rural and farming land (32% vs 7%); Port Macquarie has more land zoned for conservation (34% vs 23%).

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Residential 41% 35%
Environmental 34% 23%
Rural and farming 7% 32%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 4%
Parks and recreation 7% 1%
Industrial 3% 5%
Commercial 2% 1%
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 Thrumster
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 Thrumster
Houses 3.9%
$650/wk on $875K
 3.8%
$695/wk on $950K
Units 4.3%
$510/wk on $616K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Port Macquarie Thrumster
House price Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 39% of NSW
Income Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Schools Higher than 42% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 67% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 37% of NSW —

Liveability

Port Macquarie is more walkable (56 vs 35).

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Grade C D
Score 32/100 29/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Thrumster carries more bushfire risk (81 vs 69).

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Bushfire Moderate
69/100
 High
81/100
Crime High
80/100
 High
77/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
82/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Inside the suburb 20 1
Rated above peers 4 1
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 Thrumster

  • St Joseph's Regional College Catholic · Secondary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Supermarkets 9 1
Cafes & restaurants 90 5
Parks & reserves 48 2
Childcare 26 2
GPs 18 0
Pharmacies 12 1
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 13 0
Fuel stations 11 1
EV chargers 1 3
Beaches 7 0
Waterways 42 1

Mobility

Port Macquarie sits further from the CBD (385.5 km vs 377.7 km).

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Walkability score 56/100 35/100
Distance to Sydney 385.5 km
+2% vs other
 377.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 262 min 253 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 33/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 434.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 3 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2444
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2444
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.

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Car (driver) 75.0% / 79.0%
Port Macquarie — Car (driver): 75.0% Thrumster — Car (driver): 79.0%
Worked from Home 14.6% / 12.8%
Port Macquarie — Worked from Home: 14.6% Thrumster — Worked from Home: 12.8%
Car (passenger) 6.1% / 5.8%
Port Macquarie — Car (passenger): 6.1% Thrumster — Car (passenger): 5.8%
Walked Only 3.0% / 1.9%
Port Macquarie — Walked Only: 3.0% Thrumster — Walked Only: 1.9%
Bicycle 0.6% / 0.3%
Port Macquarie — Bicycle: 0.6% Thrumster — Bicycle: 0.3%
Bus 0.6% / 0.3%
Port Macquarie — Bus: 0.6% Thrumster — Bus: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.0%).

Setting

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.9 km
3.4 km to a named beach
 6.1 km

NBN connectivity

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Connectivity score 64/100 98/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
26,896 premises
 97%
1,803 premises

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Federal electorate

Port Macquarie Thrumster
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Port Macquarie Thrumster
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

Thrumster

Acreage Family Quiet Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie vs Lake Innes Port Macquarie vs North Shore Port Macquarie vs Riverside Port Macquarie vs Fernbank Creek

Other comparisons with Thrumster

Thrumster vs Sancrox Thrumster vs Lake Innes Thrumster vs Fernbank Creek
Full data on Port Macquarie Full data on Thrumster
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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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