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Lake Macquarie vs Port Stephens
Council (LGA) comparison ≈ 45 km apart · Lake Macquarie profile · Port Stephens profile
Lake Macquarie Port Stephens
Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens are nearby New South Wales areas with different urban layouts and workforces. Lake Macquarie is more developed, with far more businesses and a higher share of professionals. It has better access to services, with 67.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a school and a higher education and job skills score of 7 compared to 4 in Port Stephens. Port Stephens is more residential, with a higher share of people who have served in the Defence Force (6.8%) and more homes owned outright (41.2%).
The gap in the typical age of residents has widened since 2011, with Port Stephens now noticeably older at 47 compared to 42 in Lake Macquarie. Despite this, they share several common traits, such as similar shares of children under 15 and a nearly identical percentage of people needing help with daily activities (7.2%). Both areas also have a similar proportion of First Nations people, each sitting between 5.5% and 6.5% of the population.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 189,006
- First area, 2016: 197,371
- First area, 2021: 213,845
- Second area, 2011: 64,807
- Second area, 2016: 69,556
- Second area, 2021: 75,276
- First area, 2011: 41 yrs
- First area, 2016: 42 yrs
- First area, 2021: 42 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 42 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 45 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 47 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in Lake Macquarie: 1.1% males, 1.8% females; 85+ in Port Stephens: 1.0% males, 1.5% females
- 80–84 in Lake Macquarie: 1.3% males, 1.6% females; 80–84 in Port Stephens: 1.6% males, 1.6% females
- 75–79 in Lake Macquarie: 2.1% males, 2.3% females; 75–79 in Port Stephens: 2.7% males, 2.8% females
- 70–74 in Lake Macquarie: 2.7% males, 3.0% females; 70–74 in Port Stephens: 3.6% males, 3.7% females
- 65–69 in Lake Macquarie: 2.9% males, 3.2% females; 65–69 in Port Stephens: 3.5% males, 3.9% females
- 60–64 in Lake Macquarie: 3.1% males, 3.4% females; 60–64 in Port Stephens: 3.6% males, 3.8% females
- 55–59 in Lake Macquarie: 3.0% males, 3.3% females; 55–59 in Port Stephens: 3.4% males, 3.5% females
- 50–54 in Lake Macquarie: 3.1% males, 3.1% females; 50–54 in Port Stephens: 3.0% males, 3.2% females
- 45–49 in Lake Macquarie: 3.0% males, 3.2% females; 45–49 in Port Stephens: 3.0% males, 3.2% females
- 40–44 in Lake Macquarie: 2.8% males, 3.0% females; 40–44 in Port Stephens: 2.5% males, 2.7% females
- 35–39 in Lake Macquarie: 3.0% males, 3.2% females; 35–39 in Port Stephens: 2.6% males, 2.7% females
- 30–34 in Lake Macquarie: 2.8% males, 3.1% females; 30–34 in Port Stephens: 2.4% males, 2.5% females
- 25–29 in Lake Macquarie: 2.7% males, 2.7% females; 25–29 in Port Stephens: 2.2% males, 2.2% females
- 20–24 in Lake Macquarie: 2.8% males, 2.6% females; 20–24 in Port Stephens: 2.5% males, 2.3% females
- 15–19 in Lake Macquarie: 3.0% males, 2.8% females; 15–19 in Port Stephens: 3.0% males, 2.7% females
- 10–14 in Lake Macquarie: 3.2% males, 3.0% females; 10–14 in Port Stephens: 3.3% males, 3.1% females
- 5–9 in Lake Macquarie: 3.2% males, 3.0% females; 5–9 in Port Stephens: 3.0% males, 2.8% females
- 0–4 in Lake Macquarie: 2.9% males, 2.7% females; 0–4 in Port Stephens: 2.4% males, 2.4% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2011: $520
- First area, 2016: $609
- First area, 2021: $759
- Second area, 2011: $498
- Second area, 2016: $571
- Second area, 2021: $671
- First area, 2011: $1,117
- First area, 2016: $1,313
- First area, 2021: $1,623
- Second area, 2011: $999
- Second area, 2016: $1,180
- Second area, 2021: $1,372
- First area, 2011: $1,396
- First area, 2016: $1,610
- First area, 2021: $2,050
- Second area, 2011: $1,246
- Second area, 2016: $1,431
- Second area, 2021: $1,714
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
First Nations
Family & Households
- First area, 2011: 2.5
- First area, 2016: 2.5
- First area, 2021: 2.5
- Second area, 2011: 2.5
- Second area, 2016: 2.5
- Second area, 2021: 2.4
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $255
- First area, 2016: $320
- First area, 2021: $375
- Second area, 2011: $250
- Second area, 2016: $305
- Second area, 2021: $370
- First area, 2011: $1,733
- First area, 2016: $1,733
- First area, 2021: $1,950
- Second area, 2011: $1,725
- Second area, 2016: $1,733
- Second area, 2021: $1,733
- First area, 2011: 1.10
- First area, 2016: 0.80
- First area, 2021: 0.80
- Second area, 2011: 1.10
- Second area, 2016: 0.80
- Second area, 2021: 0.70
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Economy & Advantage
Environment & Climate
Crime & Safety
Walkability
Compare Lake Macquarie with nearby areas
Compare Port Stephens with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Lake Macquarie vs Port Stephens [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/lga/LGA14650/lake-macquarie/vs/LGA16400/port-stephens