Lake Macquarie

New South Wales · Newcastle and Lake Macquarie · 212,380 people · 96 suburbs · 20 postcodes

Lake Macquarie at a glance

212,380
Population
#11 of 130 in NSW
646
km² area
328/km² density
42.7
Median age
+3.0 vs NSW
981
SEIFA IRSAD
#41 of 130 in NSW
92
Schools
70 gov, 14 Cath, 8 indep
10.8%
Born overseas
24.1%
Renting

Map shows the Lake Macquarie LGA boundary in blue with a marker per suburb. Hover for suburb name, click for details.

Marker colour reflects SEIFA IRSAD decile: ● 1-2 (most disadvantaged), ● 3-4, ● 5-6, ● 7-8, ● 9-10 (most advantaged).

Boundary source: ABS ASGS 2021. Map tiles: OpenStreetMap contributors.

Federal electorate boundaries can be toggled on the map. Boundary source: ABS ASGS 2021 CED boundaries.

Lake Macquarie is a metropolitan Local Government Area in New South Wales, in the Sydney region. It covers 96 suburbs across 20 postcodes and an area of 646 km². Lake Macquarie has a population of 212,380 , ranking #11 most populous in NSW. The most populous suburb is Charlestown (13,601 residents).About 10.8% of residents were born overseas and 5.2% speak a language other than English at home.

Who lives here

Age structure

0–14 (18.1%) 15–24 (11.2%) 25–44 (23.4%) 45–64 (25.3%) 65+ (22.0%)
Show counts
0–14 years38,475 (18.1%)
15–24 years23,870 (11.2%)
25–44 years49,658 (23.4%)
45–64 years53,741 (25.3%)
65+ years46,714 (22.0%)
10.8%
Born overseas
5.2%
Speak a language other than English at home
5.5%
First Nations
2.5
Avg household size

How they live

Housing tenure

Owned outright (38.3%) Mortgaged (37.6%) Renting (24.1%)

Dwelling type mix

Separate house (90.5%) Semi/townhouse (6.7%) Flat/apartment (2.8%)
$394
Median weekly rent
$1,948
Median monthly mortgage
38.5%
Households with 0-1 cars
61.5%
Households with 2+ cars

Work and learning

4.7%
Unemployment rate
54,769
In full-time work
34,748
In part-time work

Schools in Lake Macquarie

92 schools across Lake Macquarie: 76.1% Government, 15.2% Catholic, 8.7% Independent. The NSW average is 69.6% / 16.9% / 13.5%. Schools here have a median ICSEA of 987 (range 793 to 1173). NSW median is 1005; national mean is 1000.

Sector mix

NSW average for comparison
Government Catholic Independent

Type breakdown

Primary (72.8%) Secondary (14.1%) Combined (6.5%) Special (6.5%)

ICSEA range

700 National mean 1000 1300
LGA median 987 NSW median 1005LGA range 793 to 1173

ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) summarises the socio-economic background of each school's families. Higher values indicate more advantage. Source: ACARA 2025.

All 92 schools in Lake Macquarie, sorted by enrolment:

School Sector Type Suburb Students ICSEA
Warners Bay High School Government Secondary Warners Bay 1,161 1056
St Mary's Catholic College Catholic Secondary Gateshead 989 1062
Avondale School Independent Combined Cooranbong 977 1055
Toronto High School Government Secondary Toronto 952 961
Hunter Sports High School Government Secondary Gateshead 941 955
Whitebridge High School Government Secondary Whitebridge 915 1022
Belmont Christian College Independent Combined Belmont North 907 1091
Charlton Christian College Independent Combined Fassifern 831 1063
Belmont High School Government Secondary Belmont 812 973
Glendale Technology High School Government Secondary Glendale 802 946
Cardiff High School Government Secondary Cardiff 778 986
Swansea High School Government Secondary Caves Beach 710 972
Morisset High School Government Secondary Morisset 687 929
Edgeworth Public School Government Primary Edgeworth 647 967
St Paul's Catholic College Catholic Secondary Booragul 636 1026
West Wallsend High School Government Secondary West Wallsend 632 940
Heritage College Lake Macquarie Independent Combined Morisset 511 1002
Valentine Public School Government Primary Valentine 510 1071
Eleebana Public School Government Primary Eleebana 506 1105
Floraville Public School Government Primary Belmont 488 1026
Lake Macquarie High School Government Secondary Booragul 435 925
St Mary's Primary School Catholic Primary Warners Bay 418 1093
Bonnells Bay Public School Government Primary Bonnells Bay 376 925
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic Primary Charlestown 361 1102
St Benedict's Primary School Catholic Primary Edgeworth 357 1037
Caves Beach Public School Government Primary Caves Beach 349 1019
Biddabah Public School Government Primary Warners Bay 348 1065
Warners Bay Public School Government Primary Warners Bay 340 1027
St James' Primary School Catholic Primary Kotara South 334 1104
Cooranbong Public School Government Primary Cooranbong 330 948
Charlestown East Public School Government Primary Charlestown 319 1036
Rathmines Public School Government Primary Rathmines 311 996
Edgeworth Heights Public School Government Primary Edgeworth 305 969
Cardiff South Public School Government Primary Cardiff South 298 1017
St Paul's Primary School Catholic Primary Gateshead 294 1023
Kahibah Public School Government Primary Kahibah 291 1076
Cardiff Public School Government Primary Cardiff 283 1000
Barnsley Public School Government Primary Barnsley 276 950
West Wallsend Public School Government Primary West Wallsend 268 950
Jewells Primary School Government Primary Jewells 262 1026
Belmont Public School Government Primary Belmont 257 956
Speers Point Public School Government Primary Speers Point 256 1000
Windale Public School Government Primary Windale 252 793
Coal Point Public School Government Primary Coal Point 245 1065
Dudley Public School Government Primary Dudley 245 1095
Redhead Public School Government Primary Redhead 240 1089
Newcastle Waldorf School Independent Combined Glendale 237 1072
Charlestown South Public School Government Primary Charlestown 235 1075
Charlestown Public School Government Primary Charlestown 234 1037
Glendale East Public School Government Primary Glendale 232 956
Garden Suburb Public School Government Primary Garden Suburb 227 1045
Blackalls Park Public School Government Primary Blackalls Park 217 966
Booragul Public School Government Primary Booragul 206 931
Toronto Public School Government Primary Toronto 201 910
Swansea Public School Government Primary Swansea 199 923
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic Primary Kilaben Bay 194 1023
Wyee Public School Government Primary Wyee 193 955
Wiripaang Public School Government Primary Gateshead 182 853
Wangi Wangi Public School Government Primary Wangi Wangi 181 987
Nords Wharf Public School Government Primary Nords Wharf 180 1023
Arcadia Vale Public School Government Primary Arcadia Vale 171 971
Mount Hutton Public School Government Primary Mount Hutton 166 940
St Patrick's Primary School Catholic Primary Swansea 165 1041
Hillsborough Public School Government Primary Charlestown 164 1020
Biraban Public School Government Primary Toronto 163 871
Belmont North Public School Government Primary Belmont 160 946
Fennell Bay Public School Government Primary Fennell Bay 159 889
Morisset Public School Government Primary Morisset 156 919
Holy Cross Primary School Catholic Primary Glendale 153 1036
Cardiff North Public School Government Primary Cardiff 149 1014
Marks Point Public School Government Primary Marks Point 141 935
Dora Creek Public School Government Primary Dora Creek 139 939
St Kevin's Primary School Catholic Primary Cardiff 130 1071
St Francis Xavier's Primary School Catholic Primary Belmont 124 1048
St John Vianney Primary School Catholic Primary Morisset 118 961
Teralba Public School Government Primary Teralba 111 959
Brightwaters Christian College Independent Combined Brightwaters 106 1001
Blacksmiths Public School Government Primary Blacksmiths 103 1004
Boolaroo Public School Government Primary Boolaroo 99 981
Pelican Flat Public School Government Primary Pelican 94 981
Newcastle Junior School Government Special Hillsborough 63 940
Fassifern Public School Government Primary Fassifern 59 947
Lakeside School Government Special Gateshead 58 910
New Lambton Heights Infants School Government Primary New Lambton Heights 55 1100
St Pius X Primary School Catholic Primary Windale 54 847
Five Islands School Government Special Booragul 51 890
Argenton Public School Government Primary Argenton 46 934
Toronto Adventist School Independent Primary Toronto 43 1173
North Academy Independent Special West Wallsend 35 966
Wakefield School Government Special Wakefield 31 869
Awaba Public School Government Primary Awaba 29 940
John Hunter Hospital School Government Special New Lambton Heights

Source: ACARA School Profiles 2025. ICSEA shown where reported; some schools (notably small primaries) do not publish ICSEA.

SEIFA socio-economic indexes

SEIFA 2021 ranks Australian areas across four dimensions. Scores are population-weighted averages of suburb-level SEIFA scores within Lake Macquarie. Higher scores indicate more advantage; the national mean is 1000.

IRSAD

Relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage

981
Ranked #41 of 130 NSW LGAs

IRSD

Relative disadvantage only (lower = more disadvantaged)

1003

IER

Economic resources: income, wealth, housing

1011

IEO

Education and occupation: qualifications, skill levels

962

Suburbs in Lake Macquarie

Lake Macquarie contains 96 suburbs and 20 postcodes. Sorted by population.

SuburbPostcodePopulationMedian incomeMedian age
Charlestown 2290 13,601 $1,839/wk 38
Cameron Park 2285 9,977 $2,464/wk 33
Warners Bay 2282 8,237 $1,494/wk 46
Belmont 2280 7,289 $1,280/wk 48
Cooranbong 2265 7,077 $1,639/wk 39
Eleebana 2282 6,460 $2,227/wk 45
Edgeworth 2285 6,401 $1,435/wk 39
Cardiff 2285 6,318 $1,512/wk 38
Belmont North 2280 6,291 $1,739/wk 40
Toronto 2283 5,973 $1,170/wk 50
Valentine 2280 5,773 $2,159/wk 46
Swansea 2281 5,044 $1,037/wk 53
Morisset 2264 4,078 $959/wk 53
Bonnells Bay 2264 4,066 $1,460/wk 42
Caves Beach 2281 4,016 $1,628/wk 49
Redhead 2290 3,785 $1,598/wk 48
Mount Hutton 2290 3,712 $1,519/wk 43
Macquarie Hills 2285 3,605 $2,241/wk 35
Windale 2306 3,421 $775/wk 37
Speers Point 2284 3,400 $1,766/wk 45
Glendale 2285 3,260 $1,514/wk 36
Gateshead 2290 3,121 $1,232/wk 35
West Wallsend 2286 2,981 $1,627/wk 36
Cardiff South 2285 2,931 $1,688/wk 38
Wangi Wangi 2267 2,920 $1,339/wk 54
Wyee 2259 2,909 $1,384/wk 49
Whitebridge 2290 2,900 $2,062/wk 40
Blackalls Park 2283 2,812 $1,422/wk 43
Teralba 2284 2,654 $2,060/wk 37
New Lambton Heights 2305 2,610 $2,742/wk 41
Kahibah 2290 2,603 $1,804/wk 39
Dudley 2290 2,505 $2,487/wk 39
Jewells 2280 2,452 $1,732/wk 45
Bolton Point 2283 2,124 $1,217/wk 43
Rathmines 2283 2,076 $1,517/wk 47
Tingira Heights 2290 2,043 $1,947/wk 40
Garden Suburb 2289 1,959 $2,361/wk 41
Blacksmiths 2281 1,881 $1,252/wk 50
Marks Point 2280 1,861 $1,122/wk 48
Floraville 2280 1,814 $2,128/wk 40
Fennell Bay 2283 1,780 $1,375/wk 45
Coal Point 2283 1,749 $2,148/wk 52
Dora Creek 2264 1,739 $1,401/wk 51
Barnsley 2278 1,735 $1,784/wk 39
Boolaroo 2284 1,636 $1,504/wk 39
Booragul 2284 1,623 $1,114/wk 51
Kilaben Bay 2283 1,516 $2,186/wk 47
Lakelands 2282 1,445 $2,315/wk 43
Arcadia Vale 2283 1,431 $1,550/wk 45
Holmesville 2286 1,413 $1,884/wk 38
Cardiff Heights 2285 1,384 $1,850/wk 44
Argenton 2284 1,352 $1,318/wk 40
Kotara South 2289 1,267 $2,230/wk 37
Buttaba 2283 1,204 $1,875/wk 43
Woodrising 2284 1,176 $1,634/wk 36
Wyee Point 2259 1,171 $1,692/wk 43
Fishing Point 2283 1,105 $1,755/wk 51
Morisset Park 2264 1,085 $1,858/wk 38
Belmont South 2280 1,053 $1,239/wk 48
Balcolyn 2264 1,002 $1,525/wk 43
Catherine Hill Bay 2281 943 $2,628/wk 37
Highfields 2289 936 $2,198/wk 37
Nords Wharf 2281 895 $1,679/wk 44
Murrays Beach 2281 882 $2,303/wk 44
Brightwaters 2264 875 $1,419/wk 50
Pelican 2281 874 $1,448/wk 48
Carey Bay 2283 865 $1,266/wk 54
Mirrabooka 2264 809 $1,557/wk 42
Marmong Point 2284 765 $1,916/wk 47
Balmoral 2283 730 $1,931/wk 45
Windermere Park 2264 722 $1,446/wk 38
Killingworth 2278 690 $2,091/wk 39
Croudace Bay 2280 641 $2,010/wk 41
Hillsborough 2290 641 $1,970/wk 40
Swansea Heads 2281 609 $2,083/wk 46
Fassifern 2283 586 $1,343/wk 47
Sunshine 2264 475 $1,575/wk 50
Mandalong 2264 433 $1,906/wk 47
Awaba 2283 430 $1,726/wk 40
Yarrawonga Park 2264 390 $1,316/wk 46
Martinsville 2265 389 $1,821/wk 53
Seahampton 2286 292 $1,625/wk 37
Eraring 2264 221 $1,981/wk 60
Cams Wharf 2281 182 $1,385/wk 56
Wakefield 2278 144 $2,281/wk 40
Freemans Waterhole 2323 120 $619/wk 39
Ryhope 2283 35 $1,375/wk 49
Bennetts Green 2290 $900/wk 72
Kotara East 2305
Kotara Fair 2289
Little Pelican 2281 $1,750/wk 65
Middle Camp 2281
Moonee 2259 37
Myuna Bay 2264
Pinny Beach 2281
Wallsend South 2287

Postcodes covered

2259, 2264, 2265, 2267, 2278, 2280, 2281, 2282, 2283, 2284, 2285, 2286, 2287, 2289, 2290, 2305, 2306, 2320, 2323, 2571

Compare Lake Macquarie with neighbouring LGAs

Side-by-side demographic and socio-economic snapshot of Lake Macquarie and its closest neighbouring LGAs.

LGA Population Median age SEIFA IRSAD % renting % overseas-born
Lake Macquarie (NSW) 212,380 42.7 981 24.1% 10.8%
Central Coast (NSW) 346,577 43.1 978 28.6% 16.1%
Newcastle 170,214 37.9 1012 37.4% 14.8%
Cessnock 64,819 38.0 910 27.7% 7.2%

Services and amenities

NDIS Providers NDIS provider directory for Lake Macquarie Climate & weather Climate data for Charlestown

Frequently asked questions about Lake Macquarie

What is the population of Lake Macquarie?

The 2021 Census recorded 212,380 people living in Lake Macquarie, across 96 suburbs.

What suburbs are in Lake Macquarie?

Lake Macquarie contains 96 suburbs. The most populous are Charlestown, Cameron Park, Warners Bay, Belmont, Cooranbong.See the full list in the Suburbs section above.

What postcodes are in Lake Macquarie?

Lake Macquarie covers 20 postcodes: 2259, 2264, 2265, 2267, 2278, 2280, 2281, 2282, 2283, 2284, 2285, 2286, 2287, 2289, 2290, 2305, 2306, 2320, 2323, 2571.

How many schools are in Lake Macquarie?

Lake Macquarie has 92 schools, including 70 government, 14 Catholic, and 8 independent schools (ACARA 2025).

What is the SEIFA score for Lake Macquarie?

Lake Macquarie has a population-weighted SEIFA IRSAD score of 981, where the national average is 1000. Higher scores indicate more relative advantage.

Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 (IRSD, IRSAD, IER, IEO), ACARA School Profiles 2025, ABS ASGS 2021 LGA boundaries. How this data is sourced.