Cardiff Heights
With 83.1% of residents not having moved in the past year, Cardiff Heights is one of the more stable corners of the Lake Macquarie region. The suburb sits in postcode 2285 with a population of 1,384 across 1.25 km2, giving a density of 1,111 people per km2. Household income lands in the 66.9th percentile nationally, above average without being affluent. The ownership rate of 83.5% (outright plus mortgage) is high compared to most NSW suburbs, and 81.4% of dwellings are separate houses, reflecting a quiet residential character rather than a high-density corridor.
Population
1,384
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,850/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$878K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price in Cardiff Heights is $877,500, with price history showing a decline from $938,750 in 2024 to $843,500 in 2025, a fall of 10.1% over one year. That correction brings the entry point closer to the broader Lake Macquarie median and makes the suburb more accessible than it was at peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,050, and at household income in the 66.9th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 39.3% of stock and three-bedroom homes 38.3%, meaning buyers get genuine family-sized dwellings rather than smaller units. Only 16.5% of households rent, so owner-occupiers dominate the market.
For Buyers
The median house price in Cardiff Heights is $877,500, with price history showing a decline from $938,750 in 2024 to $843,500 in 2025, a fall of 10.1% over one year. That correction brings the entry point closer to the broader Lake Macquarie median and makes the suburb more accessible than it was at peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,050, and at household income in the 66.9th percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 39.3% of stock and three-bedroom homes 38.3%, meaning buyers get genuine family-sized dwellings rather than smaller units. Only 16.5% of households rent, so owner-occupiers dominate the market.
For Investors
Cardiff Heights presents a limited rental market by design: only 16.5% of households rent and weekly rent averages $380. Against a $877,500 median, that implies a gross yield around 2.3%, lower than comparable Hunter Valley suburbs. The vacancy rate is 3.1%, above the 2% benchmark that typically signals balanced supply and demand, which limits pricing power for landlords. Development activity stands at 10 applications in the past 12 months, a modest pipeline concentrated in residential alterations and pool additions rather than new dwelling supply. The low renter share and below-average yield mean Cardiff Heights suits owner-occupiers more than investors seeking income returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
55
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+42.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4.0 years above the national figure, reflecting a suburb that has aged in place rather than attracted younger cohorts. University qualifications reach 37.1%, which is 7.0 percentage points above the national average, a sign of above-average professional attainment. Overseas-born residents account for 13.8%, which is 7.8 points below the national figure, giving Cardiff Heights a predominantly locally-born population with English (613), Scottish (186) and Irish (168) as the leading ancestries. Average household size is 2.4, marginally below the national average. Couples with children (441 families) outnumber couples without children (304), pointing to a suburb still anchored by family households despite the older median age.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.4%
Houses
17.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Cardiff Heights is overwhelmingly an owner-occupier suburb: 41.4% own outright and 42.1% carry a mortgage, together accounting for 83.5% of all households compared to a lower national rate. Only 16.5% rent. Separate houses make up 81.4% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 17.4%, with apartments not a meaningful part of the stock. Bedroom distribution skews large, with 39.3% of homes having four or more bedrooms and 38.3% having three, meaning the average home is a four-bedroom detached house rather than a smaller attached dwelling. The median price fell 10.1% from $938,750 in 2024 to $843,500 in 2025, reversing some of the gains made in prior years.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,050
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$808
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.1%
Unoccupied
17
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.4%
Couples, no children
1,072
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry, employing 24.9% of the local workforce (122 workers), which is well above the national average share and reflects proximity to Hunter Valley health infrastructure. Education follows at 14.3% (70 workers) and Public Administration at 9.2% (45 workers), meaning over half the workforce is in public-sector-adjacent roles. By occupation, Professionals lead with 201 workers, ahead of Clerical/Admin at 94 and Managers at 85. The unemployment rate is low at 2.5% and full-time employment accounts for 60.4% of jobs. Participation at 55.8% is moderate, partly because 407 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the suburb's older median age of 44.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
55.8%
Employed
624
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.1%
Postgraduate
9.4%
Born Overseas
13.8%
Dwellings
533
Transport to Work
Car dependency is very high in Cardiff Heights: 93.8% of residents drive to work, compared to the national figure, while only 0.8% use public transport, one of the lowest rates in the Lake Macquarie region. Walking and cycling account for 2.3% of trips. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring Cardiff, Charlestown or Glendale. Rent stress is absent, with rent-to-income at 20.5%, and mortgage-to-income sits at 25.6%, both below commonly used stress thresholds. Volunteering at 14.9% is moderate, and 9.6% of residents (127 people) need daily assistance, slightly above a typical mid-range suburb rate, consistent with the older-than-average population.
Drive
93.8%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cardiff Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cardiff Heights a good suburb to live in?
Cardiff Heights suits established families and owner-occupiers who prioritise stability and space. The suburb has 83.5% owner-occupancy, a median age of 44, and household income in the 66.9th percentile nationally. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, and 81.4% of homes are separate houses. The main drawback is very limited public transport, with only 0.8% of residents using it.
What is the median house price in Cardiff Heights?
The median house price is $877,500, down from $938,750 in 2024 to $843,500 in 2025, a decline of 10.1% over one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,050, and at a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.6%, the suburb remains below the 30% stress threshold for households at the local income level.
What schools are in Cardiff Heights?
No schools are recorded inside the Cardiff Heights boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs including Cardiff, Charlestown and Glendale. Despite this, 37.1% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 7.0 percentage points above the national average, indicating a well-educated local community.
Is Cardiff Heights safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Cardiff Heights in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 20.5% and mortgage-to-income at 25.6%, both below stress thresholds. Residential stability is high, with 83.1% of residents not having moved in the past year, typically associated with lower community turnover and stable neighbourhoods.
Is Cardiff Heights good for property investment?
The investment case is limited. The renter share is only 16.5% of households and weekly rent averages $380, implying a gross yield around 2.3% against the $877,500 median. The vacancy rate of 3.1% exceeds the 2% balance threshold, and only 10 development applications were lodged in 12 months. Prices fell 10.1% from their 2024 peak, making Cardiff Heights better suited to owner-occupiers than income-seeking investors.
How is Cardiff Heights's population changing?
Cardiff Heights has a population of 1,384 in a 1.25 km2 area, with a residential stability rate of 83.1%, meaning most residents did not move in the past year. The median age of 44 is 4.0 years above the national figure, indicating the suburb is aging rather than attracting younger residents. Couples with children (441 families) remain the dominant household type.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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