Black Hill vs Buchanan

Buchanan is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 47 in Black Hill. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Black Hill, most households are couple families. In Buchanan, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Black Hill: a median of $1.73 million, against $860,000 in Buchanan, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Black Hill tends to suit couples, while Buchanan suits families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Black Hill

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (87% vs 73%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Black Hill leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 34%)
  • Buchanan has cheaper houses ($860,000 vs $1,730,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Buchanan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($460/wk vs $586/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Buchanan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (153.6 km vs 160.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Buchanan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.6% vs -7.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Black Hill Buchanan
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.

Black Hill Buchanan
Walkability 0 / 0
Black Hill — Walkability: 0/100 Buchanan — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 8 / 3
Black Hill — Safety: 8/100 Buchanan — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 59 / 45
Black Hill — Low fire risk: 59/100 Buchanan — Low fire risk: 45/100

Demographics

Black Hill has more residents (516 vs 212); Black Hill has higher household incomes ($154,960 vs $105,456).

Black Hill Buchanan
Population 516
+59% vs other
 212
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -7.9% +7.6%
Median age 47 38
Median household income $154,960/yr
+32% vs other
 $105,456/yr
Median weekly rent $586/wk
+22% vs other
 $460/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Black Hill Buchanan
0-4 2.7% / 5.2%
Black Hill — 0-4: 2.7% Buchanan — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 13.8% / 17.9%
Black Hill — 5-14: 13.8% Buchanan — 5-14: 17.9%
15-19 7.9% / 10.4%
Black Hill — 15-19: 7.9% Buchanan — 15-19: 10.4%
20-24 7.6% / 8.0%
Black Hill — 20-24: 7.6% Buchanan — 20-24: 8.0%
25-34 6.2% / 9.0%
Black Hill — 25-34: 6.2% Buchanan — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 9.3% / 9.0%
Black Hill — 35-44: 9.3% Buchanan — 35-44: 9.0%
45-54 17.8% / 13.2%
Black Hill — 45-54: 17.8% Buchanan — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 14.3% / 15.6%
Black Hill — 55-64: 14.3% Buchanan — 55-64: 15.6%
65-74 14.1% / 9.0%
Black Hill — 65-74: 14.1% Buchanan — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 4.5% / 5.2%
Black Hill — 75-84: 4.5% Buchanan — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 0.6% / 1.9%
Black Hill — 85+: 0.6% Buchanan — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Black Hill 71.6% couple families
Black Hill — Couple Families: 71.6% Black Hill — One Parent Families: 15.6% Black Hill — Lone Person: 12.8%
Buchanan 46.9% couple families
Buchanan — Couple Families: 46.9% Buchanan — One Parent Families: 26.5% Buchanan — Lone Person: 26.5%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Black Hill 6.9% renting
Black Hill — Owned Outright: 46.5% Black Hill — Mortgage: 46.5% Black Hill — Renting: 6.9%
Buchanan 10.0% renting
Buchanan — Owned Outright: 40.0% Buchanan — Mortgage: 50.0% Buchanan — Renting: 10.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Black Hill Buchanan
England 3.1% / 1.4%
Black Hill — England: 3.1% Buchanan — England: 1.4%
New Zealand 0.6% / —
Black Hill — New Zealand: 0.6% Buchanan — New Zealand: not among its largest
Egypt 0.6% / —
Black Hill — Egypt: 0.6% Buchanan — Egypt: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

Qualifications

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

Black Hill Buchanan
Certificate III & IV 14.0% / 19.3%
Black Hill — Certificate III & IV: 14.0% Buchanan — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 13.4% / 8.5%
Black Hill — Bachelor Degree: 13.4% Buchanan — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.8% / 6.1%
Black Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.8% Buchanan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 3.3%
Black Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Buchanan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 1.4%
Black Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Buchanan — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Black Hill 100.0% houses
Black Hill — Houses: 100.0%
Buchanan 100.0% houses
Buchanan — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Black Hill Buchanan
Median house price $1,730,000 $860,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $422,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 50 days
from 10 sales

Zoning mix

Buchanan has more rural and farming land (84% vs 59%); Black Hill has more land zoned for conservation (32% vs 9%).

Black Hill Buchanan
Rural and farming 59% 84%
Environmental 32% 9%
Industrial 8% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 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

Black Hill Buchanan
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.

Black Hill Buchanan
Houses — 4.2%
$700/wk on $865K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Black Hill Buchanan
House price Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
Income Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 82% of NSW

Liveability

Black Hill Buchanan
Grade C —
Score 36/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Buchanan carries more bushfire risk (55 vs 41).

Black Hill Buchanan
Bushfire Moderate
41/100
 Moderate
55/100
Crime High
92/100
 High
97/100
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 5
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Black Hill Buchanan
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Black Hill

  • Black Hill Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Buchanan

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

Amenities in the suburb

Black Hill Buchanan
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 22 9

Mobility

Black Hill sits further from the CBD (160.1 km vs 153.6 km).

Black Hill Buchanan
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 160.1 km
+4% vs other
 153.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 113 min 109 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2322
 0.5%
postcode 2323
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 2322
 44
postcode 2323

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.

Black Hill Buchanan
Car (driver) 63.6% / 68.9%
Black Hill — Car (driver): 63.6% Buchanan — Car (driver): 68.9%
Worked from Home 29.9% / 24.4%
Black Hill — Worked from Home: 29.9% Buchanan — Worked from Home: 24.4%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 6.7%
Black Hill — Car (passenger): 2.8% Buchanan — Car (passenger): 6.7%
Walked Only 3.7% / —
Black Hill — Walked Only: 3.7% Buchanan — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.9%).

Setting

Black Hill Buchanan
Elevation 41 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 16.0 km 22.4 km

NBN connectivity

Black Hill Buchanan
Connectivity score 30/100 67/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
173 premises
 53%
141 premises

Climate

Black Hill Buchanan
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm 804 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C 30.0°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C 5.1°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Black Hill Buchanan
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

Black Hill Buchanan
Average residential rate $1,405/yr
same for both
Council Cessnock
same for both

Federal electorate

Black Hill Buchanan
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Black Hill Buchanan
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Black Hill

Rural

Buchanan

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Black Hill

Black Hill vs East Maitland Black Hill vs Thornton Black Hill vs Ashtonfield Black Hill vs Beresfield Black Hill vs Tarro Black Hill vs Hexham

Other comparisons with Buchanan

Buchanan vs East Maitland Buchanan vs Heddon Greta Buchanan vs Cliftleigh Buchanan vs Pelaw Main Buchanan vs Louth Park Buchanan vs Stanford Merthyr
Full data on Black Hill Full data on Buchanan
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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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