Lake Macquarie crime rate and Crime Score · New South Wales council area

Lake Macquarie is a council area in New South Wales with about 224,540 residents. It has a Crime Score 43 out of 100 (moderate), 226th of 362 councils nationally.

The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by assault (43rd percentile), sexual offences (61st percentile), homicide (48th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 49.

In 2025-26: violent 1,201 per 100,000 (+15% vs five years earlier); property 2,840 per 100,000 (-8% vs five years earlier); break-ins 295 per 100,000 (-15% vs five years earlier); theft 1,195 per 100,000 (+4% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 70th of 129 New South Wales councils with data, highest first.

Unemployment in the Lake Macquarie council area is 4.6% (New South Wales 4.9%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 4.5% of occupied homes (3,057 public and 604 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; New South Wales 4.2%). An estimated 393 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 18.1 per 10,000 residents (New South Wales 43.4), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 11.2% of residents were born overseas (New South Wales 31%), most often in England, New Zealand, India. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 4.5% (confidence 85 of 100); social housing about 4.1% of homes; about 17.8 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 11.4% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.

OffencesPer 100,000Count5-yr change
Violent1,2012,697+15%
Property2,8406,377-8%
Break-ins295662-15%
Theft1,1952,683+4%

Questions

Is Lake Macquarie safe?

Lake Macquarie recorded 1,200 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, close to the New South Wales rate (1,150) and about 6% lower than the national rate (1,280). Its Crime Score is 43.2 out of 100 (moderate), 226th of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.

How many break-ins are there in Lake Macquarie?

662 break-ins were recorded in 2025-26: 295 per 100,000 residents, close to the New South Wales rate (301).

Explore every council on the interactive map.

Part of Newcastle: Newcastle crime rate and crime map.

Suburbs in the Lake Macquarie council area

Arcadia Vale · Argenton · Awaba · Balcolyn · Balmoral · Barnsley · Belmont · Belmont North · Belmont South · Bennetts Green · Blackalls Park · Blacksmiths · Bolton Point · Bonnells Bay · Boolaroo · Booragul · Brightwaters · Buttaba · Cameron Park · Cams Wharf · Cardiff · Cardiff Heights · Cardiff South · Carey Bay · Catherine Hill Bay · Caves Beach · Charlestown · Coal Point · Cooranbong · Croudace Bay · Dora Creek · Dudley · Edgeworth · Eleebana · Eraring · Fassifern · Fennell Bay · Fishing Point · Floraville · Freemans Waterhole · Garden Suburb · Gateshead · Glendale · Highfields · Hillsborough · Holmesville · Jewells · Kahibah · Kilaben Bay · Killingworth · Kotara South · Lake Macquarie · Lakelands · Little Pelican · Macquarie Hills · Mandalong · Marks Point · Marmong Point · Martinsville · Mirrabooka · Moonee · Morisset · Morisset Park · Mount Hutton · Murrays Beach · Myuna Bay · Nords Wharf · Pelican · Pinny Beach · Rathmines · Redhead · Ryhope · Seahampton · Speers Point · Sunshine · Swansea · Swansea Heads · Teralba · Tingira Heights · Toronto · Valentine · Wakefield · Wangi Wangi · Warners Bay · West Wallsend · Whitebridge · Windale · Windermere Park · Woodrising · Wyee · Wyee Point · Yarrawonga Park

Postcodes in the Lake Macquarie council area

2259 · 2264 · 2265 · 2267 · 2278 · 2280 · 2281 · 2282 · 2283 · 2284 · 2285 · 2286 · 2289 · 2290 · 2306 · 2323

australiancrimerate.com.au/council/nsw-lake-macquarie/ · Australian Crime Map