Council (LGA) · Area profile
Lake Macquarie
649 km²
Typical family incomes in Lake Macquarie are higher than in most similar areas, with the usual weekly amount reaching $2,050. This is a large and growing community of over 213,000 people, where detached houses dominate the landscape. It is an older-than-average region with a strong presence of retirees, which helps explain why there is a higher need for daily health assistance. The area feels like a spacious residential hub, blending a high proportion of homeowners with a workforce that increasingly works from home.
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The population is noticeably older than the national figure, with 22% of residents aged 65 and over. First Nations people make up 5.5% of the community, a figure that has risen by 2.5 percentage points since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 10.8% were born overseas, which is far below the national average of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 90.9% of the community. Only 5.3% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the New South Wales average.
A large proportion of the community—42.5%—now report having no religion, which is well above the national figure. This represents a significant rise of 23 percentage points since 2011.
While a higher number of adults hold bachelor degrees than in most similar areas, the 45.2% who finished Year 12 is far below the state average. Qualifications are most common in engineering and management.
Typical weekly household income is $1,623, and there has been a significant increase in high earners, with 20.4% of households now earning over $3,000 a week.
Residents struggle more with health than in other areas, with 35.6% reporting a long-term condition. Mental health and arthritis are the most common issues, and 12% of people have a mental health condition.
Unpaid care is common here, with 29% of people caring for children and 14% providing general unpaid care. However, volunteering has fallen to 13.2% since 2011.
The First Nations community is among the largest at this level, with a typical personal income of $610 and a younger-than-average age of 22.
Homes tend to be larger, with 2.5 people per household. One-parent families make up 15.7% of the community, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Detached houses are very common, making up 85.2% of all homes. Renting is much less common than in the state, with only 23.2% of households renting, though typical weekly rents have risen to $375.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, and only 0.6% of people commute by public transport. Working from home has become much more popular, rising to 20.5% since 2011.
Migration is steady, with 36.1% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are less common than in the rest of the state.
Health care and social assistance is the biggest industry, employing 19.1% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 4.6%, which is about the same as the national figure.
The region is relatively advantaged, ranking higher than 70% of similar areas overall. It is a significant business hub with 15,181 businesses.
The area receives much more rainfall than the state average, with 1,197mm annually. Temperatures are typical for the region, with an average maximum of 24.0°C.
Overall crime is lower than in most similar areas, though motor vehicle theft is much higher. Robbery is notably rare.
While many people live within a short walk of public transport, the area is generally less walkable than the state average. Only 44.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.