Aberdare vs Neath

Aberdare is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 55 in Neath. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Neath, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Aberdare: a median of $695,000, against $615,000 in Neath, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Aberdare tends to suit families with children, while Neath suits people living alone and older residents.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Aberdare

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (57% vs 35%)
  • But Neath has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 80%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Neath

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($360,000 vs $517,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($615,000 vs $695,000)
  • But Aberdare leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 33%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Aberdare

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 11%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 32%)
  • But Neath has cheaper rent ($255/wk vs $303/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Aberdare

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 26/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (150.3 km vs 152.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Aberdare

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (20% vs 4%)
  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 26/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (80/100 vs 91/100)
  • But Neath has more residents already 65 and over (35% vs 16%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Aberdare

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.8% vs -12.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Aberdare and Neath drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Aberdare Neath
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Aberdare Neath
Walkability 38 / 26
Aberdare — Walkability: 38/100 Neath — Walkability: 26/100
Safety 20 / 9
Aberdare — Safety: 20/100 Neath — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 25 / 20
Aberdare — Low fire risk: 25/100 Neath — Low fire risk: 20/100

Demographics

Aberdare has more residents (2,542 vs 430); Aberdare has higher household incomes ($65,052 vs $41,184).

Aberdare Neath
Population 2,542
+83% vs other
 430
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.8% -12.2%
Median age 36 55
Median household income $65,052/yr
+37% vs other
 $41,184/yr
Median weekly rent $303/wk
+16% vs other
 $255/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Aberdare Neath
0-4 6.8% / 5.1%
Aberdare — 0-4: 6.8% Neath — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 13.8% / 8.4%
Aberdare — 5-14: 13.8% Neath — 5-14: 8.4%
15-19 6.8% / 3.0%
Aberdare — 15-19: 6.8% Neath — 15-19: 3.0%
20-24 6.3% / 5.1%
Aberdare — 20-24: 6.3% Neath — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 14.6% / 8.4%
Aberdare — 25-34: 14.6% Neath — 25-34: 8.4%
35-44 11.2% / 9.3%
Aberdare — 35-44: 11.2% Neath — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 12.3% / 10.9%
Aberdare — 45-54: 12.3% Neath — 45-54: 10.9%
55-64 12.5% / 15.1%
Aberdare — 55-64: 12.5% Neath — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 9.7% / 19.8%
Aberdare — 65-74: 9.7% Neath — 65-74: 19.8%
75-84 4.8% / 12.3%
Aberdare — 75-84: 4.8% Neath — 75-84: 12.3%
85+ 1.2% / 2.6%
Aberdare — 85+: 1.2% Neath — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Aberdare 38.4% lone person
Aberdare — Lone Person: 38.4% Aberdare — Couple Families: 32.5% Aberdare — One Parent Families: 24.3% Aberdare — Group Household: 3.3% Aberdare — Other Families: 1.4%
Neath 57.0% lone person
Neath — Lone Person: 57.0% Neath — Couple Families: 18.1% Neath — One Parent Families: 16.8% Neath — Group Household: 5.4% Neath — Other Families: 2.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Aberdare 35.6% renting
Aberdare — Owned Outright: 30.2% Aberdare — Mortgage: 34.2% Aberdare — Renting: 35.6%
Neath 11.2% renting
Neath — Owned Outright: 52.7% Neath — Mortgage: 36.2% Neath — Renting: 11.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Aberdare Neath
Certificate III & IV 22.3% / 20.0%
Aberdare — Certificate III & IV: 22.3% Neath — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 7.0%
Aberdare — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% Neath — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Bachelor Degree 3.5% / 2.1%
Aberdare — Bachelor Degree: 3.5% Neath — Bachelor Degree: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree 0.7% / —
Aberdare — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7% Neath — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.5% / —
Aberdare — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5% Neath — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.3%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Aberdare Neath
England 1.7% / 3.3%
Aberdare — England: 1.7% Neath — England: 3.3%
Scotland 0.4% / 1.9%
Aberdare — Scotland: 0.4% Neath — Scotland: 1.9%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.4%
Aberdare — New Zealand: 0.7% Neath — New Zealand: 1.4%
Philippines 0.5% / 1.2%
Aberdare — Philippines: 0.5% Neath — Philippines: 1.2%
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Aberdare — Netherlands: not among its largest Neath — Netherlands: 0.7%
South Africa 0.4% / —
Aberdare — South Africa: 0.4% Neath — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Aberdare 80.2% houses
Aberdare — Houses: 80.2% Aberdare — Townhouses: 18.7% Aberdare — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Neath 95.9% houses
Neath — Houses: 95.9% Neath — Townhouses: 2.1% Neath — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Aberdare Neath
Median house price $695,000 $615,000
Median unit price $517,500 $360,000
Median land price $357,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 32 sales
 —

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Aberdare Neath
2 bed $500K / $608K
Aberdare — 2 bed: $500K (11 sales) Neath — 2 bed: $608K (6 sales)

11 vs 6 sales

3 bed $676K / $615K
Aberdare — 3 bed: $676K (63 sales) Neath — 3 bed: $615K (10 sales)

63 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Neath has more land zoned for conservation (28% vs 1%); Neath has more rural and farming land (64% vs 50%).

Aberdare Neath
Rural and farming 50% 64%
Residential 42% 5%
Environmental 1% 28%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 2%
Parks and recreation 3% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Aberdare Neath
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Aberdare Neath
Houses 4.0%
$570/wk on $744K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Aberdare Neath
House price Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Income Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 72% of NSW —

Liveability

Aberdare is more walkable (38 vs 26).

Aberdare Neath
Grade D —
Score 16/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Neath carries more crime risk (91 vs 80).

Aberdare Neath
Bushfire High
75/100
 High
80/100
Crime High
80/100
 High
91/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Aberdare Neath
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Aberdare

  • Cessnock High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Cessnock Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Neath

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Aberdare Neath
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0

Mobility

Neath sits further from the CBD (152.9 km vs 150.3 km).

Aberdare Neath
Walkability score 38/100 26/100
Distance to Sydney 150.3 km 152.9 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 115 min 119 min
Public transport score 55/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 18.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 39.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2325
 0.4%
postcode 2326
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2325
 56
postcode 2326

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Aberdare Neath
Car (driver) 81.1% / 85.8%
Aberdare — Car (driver): 81.1% Neath — Car (driver): 85.8%
Worked from Home 12.1% / 11.3%
Aberdare — Worked from Home: 12.1% Neath — Worked from Home: 11.3%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 2.8%
Aberdare — Car (passenger): 4.8% Neath — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Walked Only 1.6% / —
Aberdare — Walked Only: 1.6% Neath — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.5% / —
Aberdare — Bicycle: 0.5% Neath — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.8%).

Setting

Aberdare Neath
Elevation 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 43 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 35.6 km 33.0 km

NBN connectivity

Aberdare Neath
Connectivity score 63/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 32%
1,112 premises
 18%
263 premises

Climate

Aberdare Neath
Annual rainfall 804 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Aberdare Neath
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Aberdare Neath
Average residential rate $1,405/yr
same for both
Council Cessnock
same for both

Federal electorate

Aberdare Neath
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Aberdare Neath
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Aberdare

Affordable

Neath

Acreage Affordable Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Aberdare

Aberdare vs Cessnock Aberdare vs Kearsley

Other comparisons with Neath

Neath vs Cessnock Neath vs Abermain Neath vs Kearsley Neath vs Elrington
Full data on Aberdare Full data on Neath
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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