SuburbCheck

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) vs Kotara South

The verdict

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) is more affordable, with a median house price of $870K versus $1.08M in Kotara South. Kotara South rates higher for transport (76 vs 55).

Scores

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Overall6577
Transport5576
Education4665
Liveability9087

Overall is based on transport, liveability & education — the metrics available at consistent quality nationwide. Residential safety is compared separately below.

Demographics

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Population6411,267
Median age4037
Median household income (wk)$1,970$2,230
Bachelor degree or higher22.7%45.5%
Born in Australia91.4%87.5%
Avg household size2.72.8

Growth: Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) Moderate Growth · Kotara South Moderate Growth

Property

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Median house price$870K$1.08M
Median unit priceData not availableData not available
House price YoYData not available13.5%
Median rent — house (wk)$700$780
Rental yield (house)Data not available3.3%
Days on market (house)3332

Median price history

Safety

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Residential safety score54
Break & enter dwelling /100kData not available237
Motor vehicle theft /100kData not available316
Domestic assault /100kData not available552
Total incidents /100k (all)Data not available3,236

Total incidents over time

Schools

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Total schools00
Government00
Independent00
Average ICSEAData not availableData not available

See the full school list on each profile: Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) · Kotara South

Transport

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Transport score5576
Train stations00
Bus stops816
Light rail stops00
Ferry wharves00
CBD commute (min)Data not availableData not available
Nearest train station (km)2.4 km1.3 km

Liveability

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Summer max temp27.5°C27.5°C
Winter max temp18.0°C18.0°C
Annual rainfall (mm)1,1001,100
Supermarkets00
Cafes & restaurants00
Parks01
PlaygroundsData not available1
Swimming poolsData not availableData not available
Medical GPs00
Distance to coast (km)5.2 km4.4 km
Distance to CBD (km)110.3 km111.9 km
Nearest beach (km)5.3 km4.4 km
Nearest hospital (km)5.0 km3.4 km

Population & growth

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)Kotara South
Population (2021)6411,267
Estimated 20256631,337
Projected 20417471,412
Annual growth rate0.85%1.35%

Common questions

Which is more affordable, Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) or Kotara South?

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) is more affordable, with a median house price of $870K versus $1.08M.

Which has better public transport, Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) or Kotara South?

Kotara South has the higher transport score (Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie) 55/100 vs Kotara South 76/100).

Try another comparison

Compare two suburbs

Hillsborough (Lake Macquarie)

You might also want to compare

SuburbCheck

A free, data-driven tool to compare Australian suburbs on safety, schools, transport, property and liveability — built from public government data.

Data sources

ABS Census & ERP · Valuers-General · BOCSAR & state crime agencies · GTFS · ACARA · Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap.

Data is from public sources and may not reflect current conditions. Figures are indicative and should not be the sole basis for property or relocation decisions.

© 2026 SuburbCheck · Data refreshed quarterly.