Kilaben Bay
With 82.1% of residents staying put over five years, Kilaben Bay runs well above the national norm for residential stability, and that low turnover is no accident. The suburb sits at a median age of 47, seven years above the national average, and household incomes land in the 83rd percentile nationally. A median house price of $1,005,000 in a 1.61 km2 footprint with 942 residents per km2 confirms this is an established, owner-dominated lakeside enclave where 46% of dwellings are owned outright, debt-free.
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
17
Median House
$1.0M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $1,050,000 in 2025, up from $990,000 in 2024, a 6.1% gain in 12 months. Separate houses dominate at 94.8% of the housing stock, far above the NSW state average, so buyers get genuine detached living rather than units or apartments. Four-bedroom-plus homes make up 53.3% of stock, making this a suburb that skews toward family-sized and upsizer properties. The monthly mortgage repayment averages $2,036, which maps to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability gap means most buyers here are not financially stretched relative to their incomes.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,050,000 in 2025, up from $990,000 in 2024, a 6.1% gain in 12 months. Separate houses dominate at 94.8% of the housing stock, far above the NSW state average, so buyers get genuine detached living rather than units or apartments. Four-bedroom-plus homes make up 53.3% of stock, making this a suburb that skews toward family-sized and upsizer properties. The monthly mortgage repayment averages $2,036, which maps to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability gap means most buyers here are not financially stretched relative to their incomes.
For Investors
The investment case for Kilaben Bay is narrow. Renting accounts for only 12% of dwellings, well below the national average of around 30%, which limits the tenant pool considerably. Weekly rent of $390 against a $1,005,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.0%, modest even for a lakeside location. The vacancy rate sits at 5.0%, elevated for a suburb of this size, suggesting rental absorption is slow. Development activity totals 16 applications in the past 12 months, mostly renovations and pool additions rather than new dwellings, so supply pressure is minimal. Capital growth at 6.1% over the past year provides a stronger argument than yield, but the thin rental market means investors compete for a small pool of tenants.
Development Activity
Total DAs
120
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kilaben Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 194 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is seven years above the national figure, placing Kilaben Bay firmly in the aging-resident category. Overseas-born residents make up only 10.6%, which is 11.0 percentage points below the national average, indicating a predominantly locally-born population. Ancestry is concentrated: English (713 residents), Scottish (199) and Irish (188) are the top three, reflecting an Anglo-Celtic profile consistent with many older Lake Macquarie lakeside suburbs. University qualifications reach 30.7%, roughly comparable to the national rate. The average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national average, and couples with children (490 families) outnumber couples without children (433), despite the older median age.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
4.2%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership rates here are unusually high: 46% own outright and 42% carry a mortgage, leaving only 12% renting. That 46% outright ownership is well above the national average, indicating a resident base that has had time to pay off debt, consistent with the 47-year median age. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.8%, with semi-detached at 4.2% and apartments at just 1.1%. Four-bedroom-plus homes account for 53.3% of dwellings, suggesting the suburb historically attracted growing families who stayed. Price movement from $990,000 in 2024 to $1,050,000 in 2025 reflects a 6.1% annual gain, placing the current median at $1,005,000 on a combined basis. The rent-to-income ratio of 17.8% keeps renting affordable for the small tenant cohort.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,036
Rent / wk
$390
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
33.8%
Couples, no children
1,281
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 18.3% of workers (94 residents), followed by Education at 14.0% (72) and Construction at 11.7% (60). Public Administration accounts for 8.2% and Manufacturing 6.0%, rounding out a workforce spread across public-sector and trades employment. By occupation, Professionals lead at 160 workers, followed by Clerical and Administrative roles (102) and Managers (95), consistent with household incomes in the 83rd percentile nationally. The unemployment rate is low at 3.9% with a full-time employment rate of 62.5%. The participation rate of 55.7% is below national norms, reflecting the older age structure where 453 residents are not in the labour force.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.5%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
55.7%
Employed
667
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.7%
Postgraduate
8.4%
Born Overseas
10.6%
Dwellings
553
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 89.8% of residents driving to work, consistent with a lower-density lakeside suburb that lacks heavy rail. Only 1.8% walk or cycle, below typical suburban averages. No schools are recorded within the Kilaben Bay boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs such as Morisset or Dora Creek. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb at the ABS boundary level, but the high outright ownership rate (46%) and incomes in the 83rd percentile nationally are consistent with low-disadvantage neighbourhoods. Volunteering participation reaches 17.8% and only 5.2% of residents (75 people) require daily assistance, indicating strong community participation relative to population size.
Drive
89.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
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 offers stable, owner-dominated living with household incomes in the 83rd percentile nationally and a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 21.5%, well below financial stress levels. The median age is 47 and 82.1% of residents stayed for more than 5 years, signalling high satisfaction. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 89.8% driving to work and no schools inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Kilaben Bay?
The median house price is $1,005,000, with prices rising 6.1% from $990,000 in 2024 to $1,050,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,036 and weekly rent is $390. The housing stock is 94.8% detached houses, with 53.3% having four or more bedrooms.
What schools are in Kilaben Bay?
No schools are recorded inside the Kilaben Bay boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Morisset or Dora Creek. Despite the lack of local schools, 30.7% of residents hold university qualifications, comparable to the national rate.
Is Kilaben Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Kilaben Bay at the suburb boundary level. As an indirect indicator, household incomes sit in the 83rd percentile nationally and 46% of residents own their homes outright, both characteristics associated with low-disadvantage, low-crime areas. The suburb also has a very low renter share of just 12%.
Is Kilaben Bay good for property investment?
The investment case is weighted toward capital growth rather than yield. Weekly rent of $390 against a $1,005,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.0%, and with only 12% of dwellings renting (compared to around 30% nationally), the tenant pool is thin. Prices rose 6.1% in 12 months, and the vacancy rate of 5.0% suggests rental demand is modest.
How is Kilaben Bay's population changing?
Kilaben Bay has a population of 1,516 in a 1.61 km2 area, giving a density of 942 residents per km2. The suburb shows very high stability, with 82.1% of residents remaining over a 5-year period, well above typical suburban turnover rates. The median age of 47, seven years above the national average, points to an aging resident base rather than strong in-migration.
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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