NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Lakelands (NSW), NSW, 2282
Desirability index
#603 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Lakelands (NSW) is a small locality in the Lake Macquarie area, home to around 1,445 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 614 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with rising year-on-year trends (+5%), roughly 424.9 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $748 (flats $670, houses $760), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, and a quieter amenity profile than busier neighbouring suburbs. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 1,445
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $2,315
- Dwelling vacancy
- 0.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 4 of 511
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 66.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 19 / 29 / 0
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $670
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $760
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $748
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 76
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 614
- Against the person
- 151
- Against property
- 382
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 424.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 10 residents
- State safety percentile
- 22.8th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +5.1%
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault43
- Fraud72
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment44
- Malicious Damage To Property68
- Steal From Motor Vehicle69
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
16 public transport stops in this suburb
- Ambleside Cct At Derwent Cres
- Ambleside Cct Before Lakelands Dr
- Lakelands Tennis Courts, Medcalf St
- Lakelands Tennis Courts, Medcalf St
- Macquarie Rd After Medcalf St
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Amenities
5 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Lakelands Tennis Courts, Medcalf StBus stop
- Macquarie Rd after Medcalf StBus stop
- R&R TakeawayFast food
- Shelter
- Telephone
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 18.5/100
- Cohort rank
- #603 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Ambleside Cct At Derwent Crestransport
- Ambleside Cct Before Lakelands Drtransport
- Lakelands Tennis Courts, Medcalf Sttransport
- Lakelands Tennis Courts, Medcalf Sttransport
- Macquarie Rd After Medcalf Sttransport
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime43
- Fraudcrime72
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime44
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime68
- Steal From Motor Vehiclecrime69
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.