Lake Haven
A median age of 49, nine years above the national figure, makes Lake Haven one of the older residential pockets on the Central Coast. The 3,529-person suburb sits on 1.72 square kilometres at a density of 2,055 per km2, with 72% of its dwellings being separate houses, well above the national apartment-dominated urban average. Household income lands in the 13.6th percentile nationally, pointing to a working-class and retiree base rather than a high-income professional one. The most surprising signal is the labour force participation rate of just 35.2%, which reflects the older age profile: 1,450 residents are outside the workforce entirely, outnumbering employed full-time workers at 611.
Population
3,529
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,023/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
29
Median House
$785K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price is $785,000, and prices rose approximately 5% from $755,000 in 2024 to $792,500 in 2025, a modest but steady gain compared to more volatile Sydney markets. Separate houses make up 72% of stock, giving buyers genuine detached-house choice that is harder to find near the city. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.6% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms cover 32.4%, so larger family formats are well represented. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 38.4%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are low relative to purchase prices. Monthly repayments average $1,700, lower in absolute terms than Sydney inner-ring suburbs, but weighing more heavily on the 13.6th-percentile income base. Outright owners at 37.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 25.3%, suggesting many residents bought in earlier, cheaper eras.
For Buyers
The median house price is $785,000, and prices rose approximately 5% from $755,000 in 2024 to $792,500 in 2025, a modest but steady gain compared to more volatile Sydney markets. Separate houses make up 72% of stock, giving buyers genuine detached-house choice that is harder to find near the city. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.6% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms cover 32.4%, so larger family formats are well represented. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 38.4%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are low relative to purchase prices. Monthly repayments average $1,700, lower in absolute terms than Sydney inner-ring suburbs, but weighing more heavily on the 13.6th-percentile income base. Outright owners at 37.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 25.3%, suggesting many residents bought in earlier, cheaper eras.
For Investors
Renters represent 37.2% of occupied dwellings and weekly rent averages $350, producing a gross yield in the range of 2.3% against the $785,000 median, below typical landlord targets but consistent with Central Coast coastal proximity pricing. The vacancy rate of 7.2% is elevated, signalling genuine oversupply risk compared to a healthy 2-3% benchmark. Development activity reached 28 applications in the past 12 months, including residential alterations and commercial works, suggesting incremental rather than bulk supply growth. The 5% price appreciation from 2024 to 2025 provides some capital growth support, but the combination of high vacancy, low rents relative to purchase price, and household incomes in the bottom 14% nationally limits the investor upside unless yields improve through price correction or rent growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
109
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+26.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lake Haven iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gorokan High School
7-12 · 981 students
Demographics
The median age of 49 is nine years above the national figure, placing Lake Haven firmly among Australia's older suburban communities. Overseas-born residents make up 16.5% of the population, which is 5.1 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the Anglo-leaning identity: English (1,447), Irish (365) and Scottish (353) ancestry dominate. University qualifications reach only 12%, which is 18.1 percentage points below the national rate, pointing to a trade and service-sector workforce. Average household size is 2.2, slightly below the national average, and couples without children (30.2% of families) outnumber couples with children (700 families), reflecting the older age profile. The low share of non-English language speakers, with Hindi at 12 and Mandarin at 11 residents, confirms the suburb's limited cultural diversity relative to national norms.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.0%
Houses
23.4%
Townhouse
4.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Lake Haven splits unusually, with outright owners at 37.4% and renters at 37.2% almost exactly matched, while mortgage holders account for just 25.3%. This pattern signals two distinct cohorts: long-term owner-occupiers who paid off in earlier, cheaper markets and a renter base that cannot yet afford to buy at the $785,000 median. Prices moved from $755,000 in 2024 to $792,500 in 2025, a 5% gain consistent with broader NSW coastal trends. The stock is 72% separate houses, with semi-detached at 23.4% and apartments at just 4.6%, making Lake Haven far more house-dominant than the national mix. Three-bedroom homes lead at 45.6% and four-plus bedrooms at 32.4%. Both rent stress at 34.2% of income and mortgage stress at 38.4% exceed the 30% threshold, because incomes in the 13.6th percentile nationally are low relative to the purchase and rental prices the market commands.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$550
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.2%
Unoccupied
113
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.2% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
38.4% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.2%
Couples, no children
2,551
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the employment base at 25.7% of workers (167 people), well above the industry's national share, likely because Lake Haven's older age profile generates demand for local care services. Construction follows at 11.7% (76 workers) and Retail at 9.7% (63 workers), both reflecting the suburb's service economy character. By occupation, Labourers (164), Community and Personal workers (163) and Clerical/Admin (155) lead, with Professionals a lower fourth at 134. Unemployment sits at 7.9%, above the national average, and the full-time employment rate is 63.5%. The participation rate of 35.2% is the most telling figure: with 1,450 residents outside the labour force entirely, the local economy relies heavily on transfer income, superannuation, and aged care spending rather than wages and salaries. University qualifications at 12% are 18.1 points below national, which limits access to higher-paid professional roles.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.5%
Part-time
28.6%
Participation
35.2%
Employed
962
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.0%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
16.5%
Dwellings
1,446
Transport to Work
Car dependency is extreme at 87.7% driving to work, while only 1.2% use public transport, the lowest tier for any Australian suburb with this population density. Walking and cycling account for 4.5%, modest but meaningful. No schools are recorded inside the Lake Haven boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Wyong Shire areas. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb. As an indirect livability indicator, 11.9% of residents (384 people) require assistance with daily activities, above the national average and consistent with the older age profile. The 1.72 km2 footprint and 7.2% vacancy rate suggest available space but also underline the thin rental market dynamics. Volunteering at 9% is below most comparable communities, which fits a suburb with high aged-care need and low labour force participation at 35.2%.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lake Haven compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake Haven a good suburb to live in?
Lake Haven suits buyers seeking a detached house at $785,000 with a quiet, older community feel on the Central Coast. Separate houses make up 72% of stock, above most NSW metropolitan areas. The trade-offs are heavy car dependency (87.7% drive), no recorded public transport commuters at 1.2%, and household incomes in the 13.6th percentile nationally, which means local services reflect that lower-income base.
What is the median house price in Lake Haven?
The median house price is $785,000, rising 5% from $755,000 in 2024 to $792,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,700. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 38.4%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes sit in the 13.6th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Lake Haven?
No schools are recorded within the Lake Haven 2263 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in adjacent Wyong Shire suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 12%, which is 18.1 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the trade and service-sector workforce profile rather than a post-secondary education catchment.
Is Lake Haven safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Lake Haven in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, 11.9% of residents (384 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the suburb's median age of 49, which is 9 years above the national figure. The older, settled community profile, with 79.6% of residents staying in place, generally correlates with lower transient crime risk.
Is Lake Haven good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $350 against a $785,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%, below most investor targets. The 7.2% vacancy rate is elevated compared to a healthy 2-3% benchmark, signalling oversupply in the rental pool. The 5% price growth from 2024 to 2025 is positive, but household incomes in the 13.6th percentile nationally cap the rent growth ceiling.
How is Lake Haven's population changing?
Lake Haven's 3,529 residents form a stable and aging community, with a median age of 49 that is 9 years above the national figure. Residential turnover is 20.4% with 79.6% staying in place, pointing to low churn. The low labour force participation rate of 35.2% and large not-in-labour-force population of 1,450 reflect a suburb increasingly shaped by retirees rather than growing families.
How much development is happening in Lake Haven?
There were 28 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including residential alterations, complying development certificates, and commercial modifications. Activity is incremental rather than large-scale, with no major subdivision pipeline visible in the data. This fits the established, low-density character of a suburb where 37.4% of homes are already owned outright.
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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