Newcastle's most educated suburbs
The Hill tops the ranking, where 66% of residents aged 15 and over hold a bachelor degree or higher (955 people). New Lambton Heights and Cooks Hill follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 83 eligible Newcastle suburbs.
This page ranks Newcastle suburbs by the share of residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census — the metro's most university-qualified neighbourhoods. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are ranked.
Shares are the count of Newcastle residents aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree, graduate diploma or certificate, or postgraduate degree, divided by all residents aged 15 and over — the ABS non-school-qualification universe, so children aren't counted in the base. The figures come from the 2021 Census. Percentile ranks are computed within Newcastle's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs. This is descriptive demographic information, not a recommendation.
Newcastle's most educated suburbs
Ranked by the share of residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census, among suburbs with at least 2,000 residents — where the most university-qualified residents are concentrated.
The Hill
NSW 2300 · 2,076 residents66.0% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 955 graduates
New Lambton Heights
NSW 2305 · 2,610 residents57.6% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 857 graduates
Cooks Hill
NSW 2300 · 3,774 residents57.5% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,388 graduates
Merewether
NSW 2291 · 11,788 residents56.3% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 4,009 graduates
Newcastle
NSW 2300 · 3,852 residents54.4% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,515 graduates
Islington
NSW 2296 · 2,026 residents51.9% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 667 graduates
Dudley
NSW 2290 · 2,505 residents50.8% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 723 graduates
Adamstown Heights
NSW 2289 · 5,621 residents49.1% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,492 graduates
Hamilton
NSW 2303 · 4,614 residents48.9% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,366 graduates
Rankin Park
NSW 2287 · 2,547 residents47.8% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 672 graduates
Carrington
NSW 2294 · 2,061 residents46.7% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 559 graduates
New Lambton
NSW 2305 · 10,651 residents46.5% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 2,742 graduates
Kotara
NSW 2289 · 3,980 residents45.5% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 987 graduates
Hamilton South
NSW 2303 · 4,057 residents45.4% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,023 graduates
Adamstown
NSW 2289 · 6,335 residents45.2% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,572 graduates
Ranked from 83 qualifying suburbs.
100% share of residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census (bachelor, graduate diploma/certificate and postgraduate totals divided by all residents aged 15+), percentile-ranked within Newcastle's candidate pool. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents qualify, and the larger absolute number of graduates breaks ties. Descriptive ABS Census data, not a recommendation. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
What are Newcastle's most educated suburbs?
The Hill tops the ranking, where 66% of residents aged 15 and over hold a bachelor degree or higher (955 people). New Lambton Heights and Cooks Hill follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 83 eligible Newcastle suburbs.
How is this ranking put together?
Each Newcastle suburb is ranked by the share of its residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census — that count divided by all residents aged 15+. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are included, and percentile ranks are computed within Newcastle's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs.
What counts as a bachelor degree or higher?
The Census non-school-qualification levels at bachelor and above: a bachelor degree, a graduate diploma or graduate certificate, and a postgraduate degree. It's measured against residents aged 15 and over — the group the Census asks about qualifications — so children aren't counted in the base and the share isn't diluted.
Where does the data come from?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census question on non-school qualifications. Nothing is estimated or inferred about any individual, and this is a factual demographic snapshot rather than a judgement about any suburb.
How current is it?
The figures are from the 2021 Census, the most recent available until results from the August 2026 Census are released in 2027. The top 15 is recomputed whenever we refresh the census data.
Same list in other cities
- Sydney's most educated suburbs
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Related
Rankings last computed 28 September 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.
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