Rothwell vs North Lakes

North Lakes is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 43 in Rothwell. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In North Lakes, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in North Lakes: a median of $1 million, against $918,000 in Rothwell, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Rothwell tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while North Lakes 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

North Lakes

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (14 vs 6)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 2)
  • has more parks and reserves (36 vs 18)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Rothwell has cheaper land ($780,000 vs $1,148,056)
  • North Lakes leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 30%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Rothwell has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $420/wk)
  • North Lakes leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 29%)

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

Commuting to the city

Rothwell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (71/100 vs 38/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Rothwell

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 11%)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (30% vs 15%)
  • is more walkable (71/100 vs 38/100)
  • But North Lakes has more GPs (8 vs 1)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Rothwell North Lakes
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.

Rothwell North Lakes
Walkability 71 / 38
Rothwell — Walkability: 71/100 North Lakes — Walkability: 38/100
Safety 22 / 31
Rothwell — Safety: 22/100 North Lakes — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Rothwell — Low fire risk: 100/100 North Lakes — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

North Lakes has more residents (23,030 vs 7,538); North Lakes has higher household incomes ($108,784 vs $67,860).

Rothwell North Lakes
Population 7,538 23,030
+206% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.2% +6.3%
Median age 43 35
Median household income $67,860/yr $108,784/yr
+60% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $420/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Rothwell North Lakes
0-4 5.1% / 6.8%
Rothwell — 0-4: 5.1% North Lakes — 0-4: 6.8%
5-14 13.5% / 17.1%
Rothwell — 5-14: 13.5% North Lakes — 5-14: 17.1%
15-19 6.4% / 7.6%
Rothwell — 15-19: 6.4% North Lakes — 15-19: 7.6%
20-24 5.6% / 5.7%
Rothwell — 20-24: 5.6% North Lakes — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 10.7% / 12.7%
Rothwell — 25-34: 10.7% North Lakes — 25-34: 12.7%
35-44 10.3% / 15.9%
Rothwell — 35-44: 10.3% North Lakes — 35-44: 15.9%
45-54 11.6% / 14.7%
Rothwell — 45-54: 11.6% North Lakes — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 10.3% / 8.4%
Rothwell — 55-64: 10.3% North Lakes — 55-64: 8.4%
65-74 10.8% / 5.9%
Rothwell — 65-74: 10.8% North Lakes — 65-74: 5.9%
75-84 10.5% / 3.9%
Rothwell — 75-84: 10.5% North Lakes — 75-84: 3.9%
85+ 5.2% / 1.4%
Rothwell — 85+: 5.2% North Lakes — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Rothwell 35.2% couple families
Rothwell — Couple Families: 35.2% Rothwell — Lone Person: 38.4% Rothwell — One Parent Families: 21.5% Rothwell — Group Household: 3.9% Rothwell — Other Families: 1.0%
North Lakes 57.7% couple families
North Lakes — Couple Families: 57.7% North Lakes — Lone Person: 20.5% North Lakes — One Parent Families: 17.9% North Lakes — Group Household: 2.9% North Lakes — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Rothwell 41.3% renting
Rothwell — Owned Outright: 31.3% Rothwell — Mortgage: 27.5% Rothwell — Renting: 41.3%
North Lakes 38.7% renting
North Lakes — Owned Outright: 18.2% North Lakes — Mortgage: 43.1% North Lakes — Renting: 38.7%
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.

Rothwell North Lakes
New Zealand 6.0% / 7.1%
Rothwell — New Zealand: 6.0% North Lakes — New Zealand: 7.1%
England 5.2% / 6.3%
Rothwell — England: 5.2% North Lakes — England: 6.3%
South Africa 0.8% / 3.6%
Rothwell — South Africa: 0.8% North Lakes — South Africa: 3.6%
India 0.9% / 3.0%
Rothwell — India: 0.9% North Lakes — India: 3.0%
Philippines 1.6% / 1.7%
Rothwell — Philippines: 1.6% North Lakes — Philippines: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.1%).

Qualifications

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

Rothwell North Lakes
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 14.5%
Rothwell — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% North Lakes — Certificate III & IV: 14.5%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 12.6%
Rothwell — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% North Lakes — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.0% / 9.4%
Rothwell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0% North Lakes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 3.9%
Rothwell — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% North Lakes — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.8%
Rothwell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% North Lakes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Rothwell 69.5% houses
Rothwell — Houses: 69.5% Rothwell — Townhouses: 27.7% Rothwell — Flats / Apartments: 2.8%
North Lakes 84.9% houses
North Lakes — Houses: 84.9% North Lakes — Townhouses: 12.0% North Lakes — Flats / Apartments: 3.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Rothwell North Lakes
Median house price $918,000 $1,000,000
Median unit price $725,000 $691,000
Median land price $780,000 $1,148,056
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 63 sales
 26 days
from 302 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.

Rothwell North Lakes
3 bed $825K / $900K
Rothwell — 3 bed: $825K (40 sales) North Lakes — 3 bed: $900K (128 sales)

40 vs 128 sales

4 bed $940K / $1.02M
Rothwell — 4 bed: $940K (79 sales) North Lakes — 4 bed: $1.02M (303 sales)

79 vs 303 sales

5 bed $1.12M / $1.38M
Rothwell — 5 bed: $1.12M (13 sales) North Lakes — 5 bed: $1.38M (53 sales)

13 vs 53 sales

Development activity

Rothwell North Lakes
New dwellings approved 6,996
across Moreton Bay
same for both
Approvals change year on year +49%
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.

Rothwell North Lakes
Houses 3.8%
$650/wk on $899K
 3.8%
$700/wk on $949K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Rothwell North Lakes
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 34% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 38% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 93% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 78% of QLD Higher than 92% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 43% of QLD

Liveability

Rothwell is more walkable (71 vs 38).

Rothwell North Lakes
Grade C B
Score 49/100 53/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Rothwell North Lakes
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
78/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
59/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Rothwell North Lakes
Inside the suburb 2 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 0 3
Universities within 10 km 1
UniSC Moreton Bay, 9.8 km
 1
UniSC Moreton Bay, 6.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 2.1%

Schools in Rothwell

  • Grace Lutheran College Independent · Secondary at peers
  • Mueller College Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in North Lakes

  • The Lakes College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Bounty Boulevard State School Government · Primary below peers
  • North Lakes State College Government · Combined below peers
  • Y Schools Queensland - Moreton Bay Independent · Secondary · Special school below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Rothwell North Lakes
Supermarkets 1 5
Cafes & restaurants 3 41
Parks & reserves 18 36
Childcare 6 14
GPs 1 8
Pharmacies 2 6
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 10
Fuel stations 3 2
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 2 23

Mobility

Rothwell North Lakes
Walkability score 71/100 38/100
Distance to Brisbane 32.3 km
+4% vs other
 30.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 41 min 40 min
Public transport score 91/100
Rail · Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 77.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 157.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 4022
 1.7%
postcode 4509
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 72
postcode 4022
 65
postcode 4509

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.

Rothwell North Lakes
Car (driver) 75.2% / 70.0%
Rothwell — Car (driver): 75.2% North Lakes — Car (driver): 70.0%
Worked from Home 11.9% / 18.7%
Rothwell — Worked from Home: 11.9% North Lakes — Worked from Home: 18.7%
Car (passenger) 6.4% / 4.9%
Rothwell — Car (passenger): 6.4% North Lakes — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Train 3.0% / 4.4%
Rothwell — Train: 3.0% North Lakes — Train: 4.4%
Walked Only 2.0% / 1.2%
Rothwell — Walked Only: 2.0% North Lakes — Walked Only: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.2%).

Setting

Rothwell North Lakes
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.5 km 3.7 km

NBN connectivity

Rothwell North Lakes
Connectivity score 72/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 47%
3,219 premises
 59%
9,612 premises

Climate

Rothwell North Lakes
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Rothwell North Lakes
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.43 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Rothwell North Lakes
Average residential rate $1,577/yr
same for both
Council Moreton Bay
same for both

Federal electorate

Rothwell North Lakes
Division Petrie
same for both
Member Emma Comer
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Rothwell North Lakes
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Rothwell

Coastal Outer Parks Quiet Retirees Townhouses Transport Hub

North Lakes

Family Outer Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Rothwell

Rothwell vs Deception Bay Rothwell vs Mango Hill Rothwell vs Kippa-Ring Rothwell vs Clontarf Rothwell vs Newport

Other comparisons with North Lakes

North Lakes vs Kallangur North Lakes vs Narangba North Lakes vs Deception Bay North Lakes vs Mango Hill North Lakes vs Dakabin
Full data on Rothwell Full data on North Lakes
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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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