Adamstown Heights vs Merewether

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Adamstown Heights, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Merewether: a median of $2.01 million, against $1.3 million in Adamstown Heights, though rent is higher in Adamstown Heights. On these figures, Adamstown Heights tends to suit families with children, couples, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Merewether suits people living alone.

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

Adamstown Heights

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (44/100 vs 80/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (95% vs 61%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 51%)
  • But Merewether has more parks and reserves (13 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

Adamstown Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,300,000 vs $2,010,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Merewether

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($420/wk vs $475/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Adamstown Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (159.3 km vs 162.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Merewether

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (39% vs 5%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • But Adamstown Heights carries lower crime risk (44/100 vs 80/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Adamstown Heights Merewether
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.

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Walkability 75 / 74
Adamstown Heights — Walkability: 75/100 Merewether — Walkability: 74/100
Safety 56 / 20
Adamstown Heights — Safety: 56/100 Merewether — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 100 / 47
Adamstown Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Merewether — Low fire risk: 47/100

Demographics

Merewether has more residents (11,788 vs 5,621); Adamstown Heights rents higher ($475/wk vs $420/wk).

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Population 5,621 11,788
+110% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.1% +7.5%
Median age 39
same for both
Median household income $120,900/yr
+2% vs other
 $118,924/yr
Median weekly rent $475/wk
+12% vs other
 $420/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Adamstown Heights Merewether
0-4 6.4% / 4.3%
Adamstown Heights — 0-4: 6.4% Merewether — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 15.7% / 12.1%
Adamstown Heights — 5-14: 15.7% Merewether — 5-14: 12.1%
15-19 6.2% / 6.2%
Adamstown Heights — 15-19: 6.2% Merewether — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 4.7% / 7.9%
Adamstown Heights — 20-24: 4.7% Merewether — 20-24: 7.9%
25-34 10.8% / 13.9%
Adamstown Heights — 25-34: 10.8% Merewether — 25-34: 13.9%
35-44 14.8% / 12.4%
Adamstown Heights — 35-44: 14.8% Merewether — 35-44: 12.4%
45-54 13.6% / 13.9%
Adamstown Heights — 45-54: 13.6% Merewether — 45-54: 13.9%
55-64 9.7% / 13.3%
Adamstown Heights — 55-64: 9.7% Merewether — 55-64: 13.3%
65-74 8.5% / 9.8%
Adamstown Heights — 65-74: 8.5% Merewether — 65-74: 9.8%
75-84 7.2% / 4.3%
Adamstown Heights — 75-84: 7.2% Merewether — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 2.5% / 1.8%
Adamstown Heights — 85+: 2.5% Merewether — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Adamstown Heights 56.9% couple families
Adamstown Heights — Couple Families: 56.9% Adamstown Heights — Lone Person: 24.7% Adamstown Heights — One Parent Families: 13.0% Adamstown Heights — Group Household: 3.8% Adamstown Heights — Other Families: 1.6%
Merewether 40.6% couple families
Merewether — Couple Families: 40.6% Merewether — Lone Person: 37.7% Merewether — One Parent Families: 10.3% Merewether — Group Household: 9.9% Merewether — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Adamstown Heights 15.3% renting
Adamstown Heights — Owned Outright: 44.0% Adamstown Heights — Mortgage: 40.7% Adamstown Heights — Renting: 15.3%
Merewether 34.0% renting
Merewether — Owned Outright: 35.9% Merewether — Mortgage: 30.1% Merewether — Renting: 34.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Bachelor Degree 18.2% / 23.0%
Adamstown Heights — Bachelor Degree: 18.2% Merewether — Bachelor Degree: 23.0%
Certificate III & IV 12.7% / 11.2%
Adamstown Heights — Certificate III & IV: 12.7% Merewether — Certificate III & IV: 11.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.1%
Adamstown Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Merewether — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 5.7% / 8.1%
Adamstown Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7% Merewether — Postgraduate Degree: 8.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 2.9%
Adamstown Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Merewether — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

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.

Adamstown Heights Merewether
England 2.5% / 3.0%
Adamstown Heights — England: 2.5% Merewether — England: 3.0%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.1%
Adamstown Heights — New Zealand: 1.1% Merewether — New Zealand: 1.1%
Italy 0.7% / 0.4%
Adamstown Heights — Italy: 0.7% Merewether — Italy: 0.4%
South Africa 0.4% / 0.5%
Adamstown Heights — South Africa: 0.4% Merewether — South Africa: 0.5%
China 0.5% / —
Adamstown Heights — China: 0.5% Merewether — China: not among its largest
Thailand 0.5% / —
Adamstown Heights — Thailand: 0.5% Merewether — Thailand: not among its largest
India — / 0.5%
Adamstown Heights — India: not among its largest Merewether — India: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Adamstown Heights 94.9% houses
Adamstown Heights — Houses: 94.9% Adamstown Heights — Flats / Apartments: 2.5% Adamstown Heights — Townhouses: 2.6%
Merewether 60.9% houses
Merewether — Houses: 60.9% Merewether — Flats / Apartments: 19.9% Merewether — Townhouses: 19.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Median house price $1,300,000 $2,010,000
Median unit price $750,000 $812,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 48 sales
 26 days
from 119 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.

Adamstown Heights Merewether
2 bed $1.2M / $1.29M
Adamstown Heights — 2 bed: $1.2M (8 sales) Merewether — 2 bed: $1.29M (26 sales)

8 vs 26 sales

3 bed $1.22M / $1.73M
Adamstown Heights — 3 bed: $1.22M (54 sales) Merewether — 3 bed: $1.73M (84 sales)

54 vs 84 sales

4 bed $1.38M / $2.33M
Adamstown Heights — 4 bed: $1.38M (32 sales) Merewether — 4 bed: $2.33M (70 sales)

32 vs 70 sales

5 bed $1.69M / $2.86M
Adamstown Heights — 5 bed: $1.69M (7 sales) Merewether — 5 bed: $2.86M (26 sales)

7 vs 26 sales

Zoning mix

Merewether has more land zoned for conservation (37% vs 6%).

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Residential 79% 46%
Environmental 6% 37%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 11%
Parks and recreation 10% 6%
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

Adamstown Heights Merewether
New dwellings approved 912
across Newcastle
same for both
Approvals change year on year +77%
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.

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Houses 2.8%
$770/wk on $1.43M
 2.5%
$950/wk on $2M
Units — 4.2%
$620/wk on $776K

Ranking within NSW

Adamstown Heights Merewether
House price Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Income Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 32% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 90% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 15% of NSW Higher than 6% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 28% of NSW

Liveability

Adamstown Heights scores higher overall (73 vs 42).

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Grade A C
Score 73/100 42/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Merewether carries more bushfire risk (53 vs 0); Merewether carries more crime risk (80 vs 44).

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
53/100
Crime Moderate
44/100
 High
80/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Moderate
43/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Inside the suburb 2 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 0 2
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 6.3 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle City), 4.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 3.9%

Schools in Adamstown Heights

  • Belair Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Kotara High School Government · Secondary at peers

Schools in Merewether

  • Hamilton South Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Holy Family Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Merewether Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 5 13
Childcare 3 6
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Merewether sits further from the CBD (162.2 km vs 159.3 km).

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Walkability score 75/100 74/100
Distance to Sydney 159.3 km 162.2 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 124 min 127 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 117.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 226.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 2289
 1.5%
postcode 2291
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 2289
 35
postcode 2291

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.

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Car (driver) 58.5% / 57.9%
Adamstown Heights — Car (driver): 58.5% Merewether — Car (driver): 57.9%
Worked from Home 35.0% / 33.1%
Adamstown Heights — Worked from Home: 35.0% Merewether — Worked from Home: 33.1%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 2.9%
Adamstown Heights — Car (passenger): 3.1% Merewether — Car (passenger): 2.9%
Walked Only 1.8% / 2.9%
Adamstown Heights — Walked Only: 1.8% Merewether — Walked Only: 2.9%
Bicycle 0.6% / 2.1%
Adamstown Heights — Bicycle: 0.6% Merewether — Bicycle: 2.1%
Bus 0.7% / 0.9%
Adamstown Heights — Bus: 0.7% Merewether — Bus: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.5%).

Setting

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Elevation 58 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 55 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.0 km
4.4 km to a named beach
 908 m
1.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Connectivity score 68/100 64/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
2,163 premises
 34%
5,571 premises

Climate

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Adamstown Heights Merewether
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 21.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Average residential rate $1,783/yr
same for both
Council Newcastle
same for both

Federal electorate

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Division Newcastle
same for both
Member Sharon Claydon
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Adamstown Heights Merewether
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Adamstown Heights

Family Parks Professionals

Merewether

Beach Coastal Parks Premium Professionals Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Adamstown Heights

Adamstown Heights vs Charlestown Adamstown Heights vs Adamstown Adamstown Heights vs Kotara Adamstown Heights vs Kotara South Adamstown Heights vs Highfields

Other comparisons with Merewether

Merewether vs Adamstown Merewether vs Hamilton South Merewether vs Whitebridge Merewether vs Merewether Heights Merewether vs Bar Beach Merewether vs The Junction
Full data on Adamstown Heights Full data on Merewether
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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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