Urban Centre · Area profile
Lake Cathie
9 km²
A relaxed coastal setting defines Lake Cathie, where a growing population of 4,049 people now resides. It is a notably older community, with a typical resident aged 53 and more than 32% of people aged 65 and over. Since 2011, the area has expanded by 41% and seen a shift toward a more mature demographic, as the proportion of children has fallen. This trend helps explain why the area has a high number of retirees and a strong lean toward home ownership.
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The typical resident is 53, which is far older than the national figure of 38. People aged 65 and over make up 32.3% of the population, a figure that rose 12 points since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia (86.3%), and those born overseas make up 10.8% of the community, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the only language spoken at home for 94.4% of people. This means only 2.3% of residents use another language, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Over half the community identify as Christian (55.5%), while 38.3% say they have no religion, a figure that rose 17 points since 2011.
People with a bachelor degree or higher make up 16.1% of adults, which is higher than most similar areas, though far below the state figure of 27.8%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,263, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Those earning $3,000 or more a week make up 12.3% of households.
Long-term health conditions are far more common here than in the rest of the country, affecting 37.9% of people. Arthritis is the most reported condition at 15.9%.
Volunteering is more common here than in most similar areas, with 18.7% of people pitching in. Unpaid care is also higher than the national figure, with 14.1% of residents providing support.
Couples with children make up 45% of families. People living alone account for 23.7% of the community, and the typical home has 2.4 people.
Detached houses dominate the landscape at 90.6%. Home ownership is very high, with 52.1% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%.
Most people rely on cars to get to work (66.7%), and only 1.1% use public transport. Working from home has become more popular, rising to 12.9% since 2011.
The community is quite mobile, with 43.6% of people having moved house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 4.6% of the population.
Fewer people are working or looking for work here (48.5%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The most common industries are health care, construction, and education.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.4. While 94% of homes are near a park, only 37.6% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services.