Swan Bay vs Twelve Mile Creek

Twelve Mile Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 52 in Swan Bay. In Swan Bay, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Twelve Mile Creek, about half of households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. On these figures, Twelve Mile Creek tends to suit renters and people living alone.

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

Swan Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (89% vs 38%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (62% vs 32%)

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

First-home buyers

Swan Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (28% vs 39%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Twelve Mile Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (50% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper rent ($273/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Twelve Mile Creek

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (186.7 km vs 196.3 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (138 min vs 145 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Twelve Mile Creek

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (62% vs 11%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Swan Bay and Twelve Mile Creek drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
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.

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Walkability 0 / 10
Swan Bay — Walkability: 0/100 Twelve Mile Creek — Walkability: 10/100
Low fire risk 16 / 13
Swan Bay — Low fire risk: 16/100 Twelve Mile Creek — Low fire risk: 13/100

Demographics

Swan Bay has more residents (310 vs 159); Swan Bay rents higher ($350/wk vs $273/wk).

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Population 310
+49% vs other
 159
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.9% -1.2%
Median age 52 49
Median household income $60,112/yr
+19% vs other
 $48,516/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+22% vs other
 $273/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
0-4 1.3% / —
Swan Bay — 0-4: 1.3% Twelve Mile Creek — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 7.4% / 15.1%
Swan Bay — 5-14: 7.4% Twelve Mile Creek — 5-14: 15.1%
15-19 6.8% / —
Swan Bay — 15-19: 6.8% Twelve Mile Creek — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 4.2% / 2.5%
Swan Bay — 20-24: 4.2% Twelve Mile Creek — 20-24: 2.5%
25-34 7.4% / 7.5%
Swan Bay — 25-34: 7.4% Twelve Mile Creek — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 12.6% / 14.5%
Swan Bay — 35-44: 12.6% Twelve Mile Creek — 35-44: 14.5%
45-54 18.4% / 15.7%
Swan Bay — 45-54: 18.4% Twelve Mile Creek — 45-54: 15.7%
55-64 15.8% / 15.1%
Swan Bay — 55-64: 15.8% Twelve Mile Creek — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 20.0% / 13.2%
Swan Bay — 65-74: 20.0% Twelve Mile Creek — 65-74: 13.2%
75-84 7.1% / 8.2%
Swan Bay — 75-84: 7.1% Twelve Mile Creek — 75-84: 8.2%
85+ 1.0% / 3.1%
Swan Bay — 85+: 1.0% Twelve Mile Creek — 85+: 3.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay 21.6% lone person
Swan Bay — Lone Person: 21.6% Swan Bay — Couple Families: 43.2% Swan Bay — One Parent Families: 18.9% Swan Bay — Group Household: 12.2% Swan Bay — Other Families: 4.1%
Twelve Mile Creek 60.0% lone person
Twelve Mile Creek — Lone Person: 60.0% Twelve Mile Creek — Couple Families: 14.0% Twelve Mile Creek — One Parent Families: 18.0% Twelve Mile Creek — Group Household: 8.0% Twelve Mile Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay 15.5% renting
Swan Bay — Owned Outright: 44.7% Swan Bay — Mortgage: 39.8% Swan Bay — Renting: 15.5%
Twelve Mile Creek 50.0% renting
Twelve Mile Creek — Owned Outright: 44.8% Twelve Mile Creek — Mortgage: 5.2% Twelve Mile Creek — Renting: 50.0%
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.

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
England 2.6% / 5.0%
Swan Bay — England: 2.6% Twelve Mile Creek — England: 5.0%
New Zealand 1.9% / —
Swan Bay — New Zealand: 1.9% Twelve Mile Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
Netherlands 1.0% / —
Swan Bay — Netherlands: 1.0% Twelve Mile Creek — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.0%).

Qualifications

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

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 17.6%
Swan Bay — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Twelve Mile Creek — Certificate III & IV: 17.6%
Bachelor Degree 7.7% / 2.5%
Swan Bay — Bachelor Degree: 7.7% Twelve Mile Creek — Bachelor Degree: 2.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.5% / 1.9%
Swan Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5% Twelve Mile Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / 1.9%
Swan Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Twelve Mile Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%
Postgraduate Degree 2.6% / —
Swan Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6% Twelve Mile Creek — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Swan Bay 89.1% houses
Swan Bay — Houses: 89.1% Swan Bay — Flats / Apartments: 10.9%
Twelve Mile Creek 37.9% houses
Twelve Mile Creek — Houses: 37.9% Twelve Mile Creek — Flats / Apartments: 62.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Median house price $825,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $680,000

Zoning mix

Twelve Mile Creek has more rural and farming land (78% vs 40%); Swan Bay has more land zoned for conservation (39% vs 19%).

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Rural and farming 40% 78%
Environmental 39% 19%
Infrastructure and transport 20% 2%
Parks and recreation 0% 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

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
House price Higher than 34% of NSW —
Income Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 10% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 42% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 51% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW

Liveability

Twelve Mile Creek is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Bushfire High
84/100
 High
87/100
Crime — High
94/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
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

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Parks & reserves 2 3
Waterways 1 2

Mobility

Swan Bay sits further from the CBD (196.3 km vs 186.7 km).

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 196.3 km
+5% vs other
 186.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 145 min 138 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2324
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2324
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.

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Car (driver) 63.5% / 66.7%
Swan Bay — Car (driver): 63.5% Twelve Mile Creek — Car (driver): 66.7%
Worked from Home 28.8% / 23.1%
Swan Bay — Worked from Home: 28.8% Twelve Mile Creek — Worked from Home: 23.1%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 10.3%
Swan Bay — Car (passenger): 3.8% Twelve Mile Creek — Car (passenger): 10.3%
Walked Only 3.8% / —
Swan Bay — Walked Only: 3.8% Twelve Mile Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.7%).

Setting

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 74 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.8 km 8.4 km

NBN connectivity

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Connectivity score 26/100 15/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
136 premises
 0%
11 premises

Climate

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
PM2.5 7.5 µg/m³ 6.3 µg/m³
PM10 30.4 µg/m³ 17.5 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.73 pphm 0.72 pphm

Council rates

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Division Paterson Lyne
Member Meryl Swanson Alison Penfold
Party Australian Labor Party The Nationals

First Home Owner Grant

Swan Bay Twelve Mile Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Swan Bay

Coastal Retirees Rural

Twelve Mile Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Swan Bay

Swan Bay vs Medowie Swan Bay vs Karuah Swan Bay vs Ferodale

Other comparisons with Twelve Mile Creek

Twelve Mile Creek vs Clarence Town Twelve Mile Creek vs Karuah Twelve Mile Creek vs Limeburners Creek Twelve Mile Creek vs Ferodale
Full data on Swan Bay Full data on Twelve Mile Creek
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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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