Kilaben Bay
More than four in five residents stayed in Kilaben Bay at the previous census, with 82.1% reporting the same address and a turnover rate of 17.9%. The suburb has an older profile, with a median age of 47, while household income ranks at the 83.1st percentile nationally. Detached homes account for 94.8% of dwellings and 53.3% have 4 or more bedrooms. This combination points to an established mortgage-belt setting, because long-term residents and family-sized housing reinforce stability. Compared with nearby Toronto's more mixed town-centre setting, Kilaben Bay is more uniformly residential, with 41.3% of households paying a mortgage.
Local council: Lake Macquarie
Population
1,516
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,186/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Kilaben Bay suits buyers seeking conventional family housing rather than apartment stock: 94.8% of dwellings are separate houses, 53.3% contain 4 or more bedrooms and 38.2% contain 3 bedrooms. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,036, while mortgage costs equal 21.5% of household income, higher than the 17.8% rent-to-income measure. Ownership is established, with 45.3% owned outright and 41.3% mortgaged. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, the choice is narrower, so buyers should focus on land, maintenance and the resale appeal of larger homes rather than assume every property has the same buyer pool.
For Buyers
Kilaben Bay suits buyers seeking conventional family housing rather than apartment stock: 94.8% of dwellings are separate houses, 53.3% contain 4 or more bedrooms and 38.2% contain 3 bedrooms. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,036, while mortgage costs equal 21.5% of household income, higher than the 17.8% rent-to-income measure. Ownership is established, with 45.3% owned outright and 41.3% mortgaged. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, the choice is narrower, so buyers should focus on land, maintenance and the resale appeal of larger homes rather than assume every property has the same buyer pool.
For Investors
Kilaben Bay has a small rental pool: 11.8% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 45.3% owned outright and 41.3% mortgaged. That tenure mix can support resident stability, but it may limit tenant depth compared with higher-rental suburbs. Weekly rent is $390 and vacancy is 5.0%, so an investor should stress-test periods of reletting rather than assume uninterrupted occupancy. Household income sits at the 83.1st percentile, which can support owner demand, while 16 development applications in 12 months point to modest local activity. The case is stronger for a well-located detached home than a speculative apartment, because 94.8% of housing is separate houses and only 1.1% is apartments.
Development Activity
Total DAs
125
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-39.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Kilaben Bay's median age of 47 is 7.0 years above the national figure, pointing to an older resident base than Australia overall. University attainment is 30.7%, only 0.6 percentage points above the national comparison, while overseas-born residents account for 10.6%, 11.0 points below the national level. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 713, 199 and 188, and Christianity and no religion are recorded for 773 and 638 people. Average household size is 2.6, 0.1 above the national comparison, which fits the high share of couples without children at 47.1%. Long-term attachment is strong because 82.1% stayed at the same address, compared with 17.9% turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
4.2%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Kilaben Bay is overwhelmingly detached: separate houses represent 94.8% of dwellings, versus 4.2% semi-detached homes and 1.1% apartments. The bedroom profile leans larger than a compact urban market, with 53.3% of homes at 4 or more bedrooms, 38.2% at 3 bedrooms and 6.8% at 2 bedrooms. Tenure is split between 45.3% owned outright and 41.3% with a mortgage, while renting is only 11.8%, below both ownership categories. Household income is at the 83.1st percentile, above the national midpoint, and mortgage costs equal 21.5% of income compared with rent at 17.8%. Compared with nearby Toronto, the housing form is more consistently low-density and family-sized, which supports demand for larger detached properties.
Mortgage / mo
$2,036
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $390.
$645
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $660 · units $520
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$859
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.9%
Couples with children
47.1%
Couples, no children
9.4%
Single parent
456
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is anchored by healthcare at 18.3% of jobs, education at 14.0%, construction at 11.7%, public administration at 8.2% and manufacturing at 6.0%. That service-and-trades mix is broader than a single-industry employment base, with 94 healthcare workers, 72 in education and 60 in construction. Occupations reinforce the pattern: professionals number 160, trades 117, clerical and administrative workers 102, managers 95 and community or personal service workers 73. The unemployment rate is 3.6% from a labour force of 743, while participation is 59.6% and full-time employment is 58.2%. Compared with a manufacturing-led suburb, the local economy is more tied to care, education and public-facing work, which helps explain the concentration of service occupations.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
743
Unemployed
27
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.2%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
59.6%
Employed
716
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.7%
Postgraduate
8.4%
Born Overseas
10.6%
Dwellings
553
Transport to Work
Daily travel is strongly car-oriented: 60.4% drive as their main mode, far higher than the 1.2% who walk or cycle, while 32.8% work from home. This combination may suit households prioritising space and home-based work, but it makes access to shops, services and regional employment more dependent on road connections than in a walkable centre. Kilaben Bay covers 1.61 square kilometres at 942.6 people per square kilometre, so the setting is compact even though 94.8% of homes are detached. Volunteering is 17.8% and 5.2% of residents need assistance, relevant to a median age of 47. For day-to-day decisions, compare driving times and service access at the exact address rather than assume compact geography means easy walking.
Drive
60.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
32.8%
Growth Outlook
Kilaben Bay's current growth profile looks incremental rather than driven by rapid resident turnover. The suburb has 1,516 residents across 1.61 square kilometres, producing a density of 942.6 people per square kilometre. A strong 82.1% stayed at the same address, while turnover was 17.9%, below the stay rate and consistent with an established resident base. There were 16 development applications in 12 months, including additions, a dwelling house and a residential flat building. Compared with a high-churn growth corridor, this points to change through renovations and selective infill rather than large-scale expansion. The established base may moderate change because most residents remain in place.
Population trend: Lake Macquarie council area
Kilaben Bay sits in the Lake Macquarie council area. These are the council area's residents, not Kilaben Bay's.
Residents 2025
224,540
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kilaben Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kilaben Bay a good suburb to live in?
Kilaben Bay can suit households wanting detached, larger homes and a settled setting. The median age is 47, 94.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 32.8% of residents work from home. Car dependence is material, with 60.4% driving, so daily convenience depends on nearby services and road access.
What is the median house price in Kilaben Bay?
Check recent settled sales for the current median house price, using comparable land size, condition and bedroom count. Kilaben Bay has 94.8% separate houses, 53.3% with 4 or more bedrooms and a monthly mortgage figure of $2,036, so a suburb-wide headline should be treated carefully when comparing individual properties.
What schools are in Kilaben Bay?
School choices should be checked by exact address, enrolment zone and current intake rules, including nearby Lake Macquarie options. Kilaben Bay has 1,516 residents and a car-driver share of 60.4%, so families should allow for road-based travel and confirm transport arrangements before choosing a property.
Is Kilaben Bay safe?
Use current NSW Police reports and recent local conditions for a safety check rather than infer risk from the 1,516 residents, 94.8% detached housing or 17.9% turnover. Those figures describe suburb size, housing form and mobility, not crime. Inspect streets at different times and ask about lighting, traffic and local concerns.
Is Kilaben Bay good for property investment?
It may suit a long-term, owner-occupier-oriented strategy rather than a high-yield rental play. Rent is $390 a week, vacancy is 5.0%, renting is 11.8% and 16 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Detached homes make up 94.8%, so property selection, tenant depth and reletting assumptions matter.
How is Kilaben Bay's population changing?
Kilaben Bay has 1,516 residents and an older profile, with a median age of 47. Population movement appears relatively stable: 82.1% stayed at the same address and turnover was 17.9%. Development activity reached 16 applications over 12 months, suggesting gradual change through additions and selective infill rather than a major population surge.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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