Lake Heights vs Port Kembla.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $865,000 and $978,800. Lake Heights edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Lake Heights (median $865,000) is roughly 12% cheaper to buy into than Port Kembla ($978,800). Over the past year, Lake Heights (+5.5%) ran 3.0 percentage points ahead of Port Kembla (+2.5%) on house-price growth.
Port Kembla scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 4/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Lake Heights (974) sits above Port Kembla (971).
For buyers
Lake Heights is the lower entry point at $865,000 median, 12% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Lake Heights carries both higher gross yield (4.15% vs 3.72%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Lake Heights edges out on average school ICSEA (974 vs 971).
Common questions
Is Lake Heights or Port Kembla cheaper to buy in?
Lake Heights has the lower median house price at $865,000, roughly 12% below Port Kembla ($978,800). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Lake Heights or Port Kembla?
Over the past 12 months, Lake Heights grew +5.5% vs +2.5% in Port Kembla, a gap of 3.0 percentage points. Twelve-month growth can swing year to year, so weight long-run trends from the individual suburb profiles before making a buy decision.
Does Lake Heights or Port Kembla have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Lake Heights scores 974 vs 971 in Port Kembla. ICSEA is a school-community indicator, not a quality rating, so always check NAPLAN results and catchment boundaries for the specific address you're considering.
Which is more walkable, Lake Heights or Port Kembla?
Port Kembla scores 4/100 on walkability vs 0/100. Above 70 is considered very walkable (most errands on foot), 50-69 is walkable for some errands, below 50 typically requires a car for daily life.
Which suburb has higher rental yield, Lake Heights or Port Kembla?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.15% in Lake Heights vs 3.72% in Port Kembla. Gross yield equals annual rent divided by purchase price. Net yield (after strata, rates, insurance, agent fees and maintenance) typically runs 1.5-2 percentage points lower.
The numbers behind the take
Price & Market
Rental
Lifestyle & Demographics
Risk & Hazard
Schools
Climate
Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).
Compare Lake Heights against another suburb