Moving to Cardiff NSW 2285
What the official numbers say about living in Cardiff — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $375 a week, against a median household income of $1,512 a week.
About 67% of homes are owner-occupied and 31% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Cardiff grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (5,779 → 6,318 people).
Around 67% of households are families, averaging 2.4 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, India; most spoken languages besides English: Spanish, Tagalog, Arabic.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Cardiff sits around the national average (decile 4 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (75% of workers), while 22% work from home.
Nearest train station: Cardiff, 350 m east.
Nearest bus interchange: Newcastle Interchange, 9.4 km east.
Nearest airport: Lake Macquarie Airport, 13.9 km south.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 111 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 39 schools · 2 cafes & restaurants · 6 supermarkets · 11 parks — see them all on the Cardiff profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Cardiff Public School 500 m · Saint Kevin's Primary School 600 m · Cardiff North Public School 700 m · Vedic Education Centre 950 m · Cardiff South Public School 1.5 km · Cardiff High School, Warners Bay 1.5 km · Glendale East Public School 1.6 km · Newcastle Waldorf School 2 km
Groceries: Aldi 50 m · Woolworths 100 m · Coles 1.7 km · Woolworths 1.8 km · ALDI 1.9 km · Bibina 2.6 km
Parks and reserves: Wilkinson Park 400 m · Clarence Street Park 1.3 km · Campbell Reserve 1.7 km · Ulinga Park 1.8 km · Hancock Park 2.1 km · Straker Park 2.4 km · Willow Close Reserve 2.5 km · Murabarnbah Park 2.6 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Cardiff, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Australian Magpie · Laughing Kookaburra · Australian Raven · Eastern Rosella.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Cardiff, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff here | 6,318 | — | 4/10 | 14% |
| Cardiff South | 2,931 | — | 4/10 | 24% |
| Macquarie Hills | 3,605 | — | 8/10 | 29% |
| Cardiff Heights | 1,384 | — | 9/10 | 33% |
| Glendale | 3,260 | — | 3/10 | 33% |
| Garden Suburb | 1,959 | — | 9/10 | 46% |
| Lakelands | 1,445 | — | 10/10 | 27% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Lake Macquarie — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Shortland — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2285 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Cardiff profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $375 a week, and about 31% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 5,779 people to 6,318. It sits about 111 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Cardiff station is roughly 0.3 km away. Local government is Lake Macquarie council, and the federal seat is Shortland.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Cardiff vs Glendale · Cardiff vs Elermore Vale.
Nearby guides: Cardiff South · Macquarie Hills · Cardiff Heights · Glendale · Garden Suburb · Lakelands.
Keep an eye on Cardiff
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