Rothbury vs Lovedale

Lovedale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 55 in Rothbury. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Lovedale, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Lovedale: a median of $2.17 million, against $1.12 million in Rothbury. On these figures, Rothbury tends to suit share households and buyers on a tighter budget, while Lovedale 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

Lovedale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 27%)
  • carries lower crime risk (83/100 vs 94/100)

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

First-home buyers

Rothbury

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,120,000 vs $2,175,000)

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

Lovedale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (176.4 km vs 186.3 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (127 min vs 132 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Rothbury has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 25%)
  • Lovedale carries lower crime risk (83/100 vs 94/100)

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

Where they sit

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

Rothbury Lovedale
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.

Rothbury Lovedale
Walkability 5 / 8
Rothbury — Walkability: 5/100 Lovedale — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 6 / 17
Rothbury — Safety: 6/100 Lovedale — Safety: 17/100
Low fire risk 79 / 56
Rothbury — Low fire risk: 79/100 Lovedale — Low fire risk: 56/100

Demographics

Lovedale has more residents (502 vs 55); Rothbury skews older (55 vs 50).

Rothbury Lovedale
Population 55 502
+813% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +3.5%
Median age 55 50
Median household income $117,000/yr
+4% vs other
 $112,424/yr
Median weekly rent $325/wk $340/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Rothbury Lovedale
0-4 7.3% / 5.8%
Rothbury — 0-4: 7.3% Lovedale — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 7.3% / 11.6%
Rothbury — 5-14: 7.3% Lovedale — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 — / 4.0%
Rothbury — 15-19: not among its largest Lovedale — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 7.3% / 5.4%
Rothbury — 20-24: 7.3% Lovedale — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 9.1% / 9.4%
Rothbury — 25-34: 9.1% Lovedale — 25-34: 9.4%
35-44 7.3% / 9.8%
Rothbury — 35-44: 7.3% Lovedale — 35-44: 9.8%
45-54 16.4% / 14.3%
Rothbury — 45-54: 16.4% Lovedale — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 27.3% / 17.3%
Rothbury — 55-64: 27.3% Lovedale — 55-64: 17.3%
65-74 27.3% / 17.5%
Rothbury — 65-74: 27.3% Lovedale — 65-74: 17.5%
75-84 5.5% / 5.6%
Rothbury — 75-84: 5.5% Lovedale — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ — / 2.0%
Rothbury — 85+: not among its largest Lovedale — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Rothbury 27.3% couple families
Rothbury — Couple Families: 27.3% Rothbury — Lone Person: 27.3% Rothbury — Group Household: 45.5% Rothbury — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Lovedale 56.7% couple families
Lovedale — Couple Families: 56.7% Lovedale — Lone Person: 26.9% Lovedale — Group Household: 2.9% Lovedale — One Parent Families: 13.5%
Couple Families Lone Person Group Household One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Rothbury 15.8% renting
Rothbury — Owned Outright: 52.6% Rothbury — Mortgage: 31.6% Rothbury — Renting: 15.8%
Lovedale 14.4% renting
Lovedale — Owned Outright: 49.1% Lovedale — Mortgage: 36.5% Lovedale — Renting: 14.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Rothbury Lovedale
England 5.5% / 4.4%
Rothbury — England: 5.5% Lovedale — England: 4.4%
New Zealand — / 1.6%
Rothbury — New Zealand: not among its largest Lovedale — New Zealand: 1.6%
India — / 1.2%
Rothbury — India: not among its largest Lovedale — India: 1.2%
Canada — / 1.0%
Rothbury — Canada: not among its largest Lovedale — Canada: 1.0%
Malaysia — / 0.8%
Rothbury — Malaysia: not among its largest Lovedale — Malaysia: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.5%).

Qualifications

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

Rothbury Lovedale
Bachelor Degree 20.0% / 12.5%
Rothbury — Bachelor Degree: 20.0% Lovedale — Bachelor Degree: 12.5%
Certificate III & IV 10.9% / 14.9%
Rothbury — Certificate III & IV: 10.9% Lovedale — Certificate III & IV: 14.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.5% / 13.3%
Rothbury — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.5% Lovedale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.3%
Postgraduate Degree 5.5% / 5.6%
Rothbury — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5% Lovedale — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 9.1% / —
Rothbury — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 9.1% Lovedale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Rothbury 100.0% houses
Rothbury — Houses: 100.0%
Lovedale 100.0% houses
Lovedale — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Rothbury Lovedale
Median house price $1,120,000 $2,175,000
Median unit price $1,350,000 —
Median land price $720,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) — 58 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Rothbury has more rural and farming land (99% vs 80%); Lovedale has more land zoned for conservation (13% vs 0%).

Rothbury Lovedale
Rural and farming 99% 80%
Environmental 0% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 5%
Residential 1% 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

Rothbury Lovedale
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Rothbury Lovedale
House price Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Income Higher than 82% of NSW —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 68% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW

Liveability

Rothbury Lovedale
Grade — C
Score — 35/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Lovedale carries more bushfire risk (44 vs 21); Rothbury carries more crime risk (94 vs 83).

Rothbury Lovedale
Bushfire Low
21/100
 Moderate
44/100
Crime High
94/100
 High
83/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 Moderate
50/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Rothbury Lovedale
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

Rothbury Lovedale
Cafes & restaurants 3 1
Waterways 1 6

Mobility

Rothbury sits further from the CBD (186.3 km vs 176.4 km).

Rothbury Lovedale
Walkability score 5/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 186.3 km
+5% vs other
 176.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 132 min 127 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2320
 0.4%
postcode 2325
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2320
 51
postcode 2325

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.

Rothbury Lovedale
Car (driver) 50.0% / 56.1%
Rothbury — Car (driver): 50.0% Lovedale — Car (driver): 56.1%
Worked from Home 26.9% / 36.3%
Rothbury — Worked from Home: 26.9% Lovedale — Worked from Home: 36.3%
Walked Only 23.1% / 4.7%
Rothbury — Walked Only: 23.1% Lovedale — Walked Only: 4.7%
Car (passenger) — / 2.8%
Rothbury — Car (passenger): not among its largest Lovedale — Car (passenger): 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (56.1%).

Setting

Rothbury Lovedale
Elevation 57 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 45.4 km 39.8 km

NBN connectivity

Rothbury Lovedale
Connectivity score 26/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
37 premises
 1%
264 premises

Climate

Rothbury Lovedale
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)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Rothbury

Retirees Rural

Lovedale

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Rothbury

Rothbury vs North Rothbury Rothbury vs Pokolbin Rothbury vs Belford

Other comparisons with Lovedale

Lovedale vs Cessnock Lovedale vs Greta Lovedale vs North Rothbury Lovedale vs Pokolbin Lovedale vs Nulkaba Lovedale vs Sawyers Gully
Full data on Rothbury Full data on Lovedale
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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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