North Shore vs Port Macquarie
North Shore (median $850,000) is roughly 4% cheaper to buy into than Port Macquarie ($890,000). Over the past year, Port Macquarie (+4.7%) ran 5.3 percentage points ahead of North Shore (-0.6%) on house-price growth.
Buying in North Shore or Port Macquarie?
Selling in North Shore? The free selling guide
North Shore and Port Macquarie side by side
| Measure | North Shore | Port Macquarie |
|---|---|---|
| Price and market | ||
| Median house | $850,000 | $890,000 |
| Median unit | $285,120 | $285,120 |
| House price change, 12 months | -0.6% | +4.7% |
| Renting | ||
| House rent | $680/wk | $680/wk |
| Unit rent | $490/wk | $490/wk |
| Owner occupied | 80.0% | 64.0% |
| Renter occupied | 15.0% | 31.0% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools nearby | 19 | 19 |
| Average ICSEA | 1003 | 1003 |
| Lifestyle and people | ||
| Walk score | 0 | 100 |
| Transit score | 0 | 0 |
| Bike score | 20 | 100 |
| Population | 371 | 47,693 |
| Median age | 48 | 48 |
| Climate | ||
| Annual rainfall | 1341 mm | 1376 mm |
| Mean max, January | 27.9°C | 27.6°C |
Green dot: better on that measure (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk). Each suburb’s profile gives the source and period of its figures.
Which suits whom
Port Macquarie scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 100/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. North Shore skews owner-occupied (80%), Port Macquarie runs more rental-dense (64% owner).
- For buyers
- North Shore is the lower entry point at $850,000 median, 4% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
- For investors
- Investors face a yield-versus-growth split: North Shore delivers the better gross yield (4.16% vs 3.97%), but Port Macquarie has run faster on capital growth this year. The right pick depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow or capital appreciation.
- For families
- School and household data is too similar between the two to call a winner on family fit. Check the individual profiles for street-level school catchments.
North Shore vs Port Macquarie: common questions
Is North Shore or Port Macquarie cheaper to buy in?
North Shore has the lower median house price at $850,000, roughly 4% below Port Macquarie ($890,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, North Shore or Port Macquarie?
Over the past 12 months, Port Macquarie grew +4.7% vs -0.6% in North Shore, a gap of 5.3 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.
Which is more walkable, North Shore or Port Macquarie?
Port Macquarie scores 100/100 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, North Shore or Port Macquarie?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.16% in North Shore vs 3.97% in Port Macquarie. 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.
Keep comparing
The two suburbs
Compare North Shore with
Choosing between North Shore and Port Macquarie?
The free buying guide: budget, schemes, inspections and how not to overpay.