Black Hill vs Thornton

Thornton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 47 in Black Hill. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Black Hill, most households are couple families. In Thornton, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Black Hill: a median of $1.73 million, against $860,000 in Thornton, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Black Hill tends to suit couples, while Thornton suits young adults, 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Black Hill has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Thornton has more childcare (9 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Thornton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($860,000 vs $1,730,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Thornton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 7%)
  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $586/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Thornton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (155.7 km vs 160.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Thornton

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 92/100)
  • But Black Hill has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 10%)

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

Investors

Thornton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (32.6% vs -7.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Black Hill and Thornton 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 Thornton
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 Thornton
Walkability 0 / 68
Black Hill — Walkability: 0/100 Thornton — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 8 / 28
Black Hill — Safety: 8/100 Thornton — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 59 / 80
Black Hill — Low fire risk: 59/100 Thornton — Low fire risk: 80/100

Demographics

Thornton has more residents (10,690 vs 516); Black Hill skews older (47 vs 32).

Black Hill Thornton
Population 516 10,690
+1972% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -7.9% +32.6%
Median age 47 32
Median household income $154,960/yr
+31% vs other
 $106,652/yr
Median weekly rent $586/wk
+32% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Black Hill Thornton
0-4 2.7% / 7.7%
Black Hill — 0-4: 2.7% Thornton — 0-4: 7.7%
5-14 13.8% / 13.9%
Black Hill — 5-14: 13.8% Thornton — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 7.9% / 6.3%
Black Hill — 15-19: 7.9% Thornton — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 7.6% / 8.0%
Black Hill — 20-24: 7.6% Thornton — 20-24: 8.0%
25-34 6.2% / 17.7%
Black Hill — 25-34: 6.2% Thornton — 25-34: 17.7%
35-44 9.3% / 13.0%
Black Hill — 35-44: 9.3% Thornton — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 17.8% / 12.0%
Black Hill — 45-54: 17.8% Thornton — 45-54: 12.0%
55-64 14.3% / 11.0%
Black Hill — 55-64: 14.3% Thornton — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 14.1% / 6.9%
Black Hill — 65-74: 14.1% Thornton — 65-74: 6.9%
75-84 4.5% / 2.7%
Black Hill — 75-84: 4.5% Thornton — 75-84: 2.7%
85+ 0.6% / 0.6%
Black Hill — 85+: 0.6% Thornton — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

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% Black Hill — Group Household: 0.0% Black Hill — Other Families: 0.0%
Thornton 54.6% couple families
Thornton — Couple Families: 54.6% Thornton — One Parent Families: 18.5% Thornton — Lone Person: 20.9% Thornton — Group Household: 4.6% Thornton — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

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%
Thornton 34.7% renting
Thornton — Owned Outright: 24.0% Thornton — Mortgage: 41.3% Thornton — Renting: 34.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Black Hill Thornton
Certificate III & IV 14.0% / 21.2%
Black Hill — Certificate III & IV: 14.0% Thornton — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 13.4% / 8.5%
Black Hill — Bachelor Degree: 13.4% Thornton — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.8% / 7.3%
Black Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.8% Thornton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 1.9%
Black Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Thornton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 1.1%
Black Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Thornton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

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 Thornton
England 3.1% / 1.8%
Black Hill — England: 3.1% Thornton — England: 1.8%
New Zealand 0.6% / 1.1%
Black Hill — New Zealand: 0.6% Thornton — New Zealand: 1.1%
India — / 0.8%
Black Hill — India: not among its largest Thornton — India: 0.8%
Egypt 0.6% / —
Black Hill — Egypt: 0.6% Thornton — Egypt: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.6%
Black Hill — Philippines: not among its largest Thornton — Philippines: 0.6%
South Africa — / 0.6%
Black Hill — South Africa: not among its largest Thornton — South Africa: 0.6%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Black Hill 100.0% houses
Black Hill — Houses: 100.0% Black Hill — Townhouses: 0.0% Black Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Thornton 92.8% houses
Thornton — Houses: 92.8% Thornton — Townhouses: 6.2% Thornton — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Black Hill Thornton
Median house price $1,730,000 $860,000
Median unit price — $637,500
Median land price — $760,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 22 days
from 146 sales

Zoning mix

Black Hill has more rural and farming land (59% vs 24%).

Black Hill Thornton
Rural and farming 59% 24%
Environmental 32% 37%
Residential 0% 25%
Industrial 8% 9%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 2%
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 Thornton
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
 1,413
across Maitland
Approvals change year on year -31% +20%

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 Thornton
Houses — 4.2%
$660/wk on $822K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Black Hill Thornton
House price Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 36% of NSW
Income Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 81% of NSW

Liveability

Thornton is more walkable (68 vs 0); Thornton scores higher overall (47 vs 36).

Black Hill Thornton
Grade C
same for both
Score 36/100 47/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Black Hill carries more bushfire risk (41 vs 20); Black Hill carries more crime risk (92 vs 72).

Black Hill Thornton
Bushfire Moderate
41/100
 Low
20/100
Crime High
92/100
 High
72/100
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
same for both

Schools

Black Hill Thornton
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Black Hill

  • Black Hill Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Thornton

  • Thornton Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Aspect Hunter School Independent · Combined · Special school below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Black Hill Thornton
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 1 3
Childcare 0 9
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 22 9

Mobility

Black Hill sits further from the CBD (160.1 km vs 155.7 km).

Black Hill Thornton
Walkability score 0/100 68/100
Distance to Sydney 160.1 km
+3% vs other
 155.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 113 min 115 min
Public transport score 31/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 12.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 121.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2322
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 2322
same for both

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 Thornton
Car (driver) 63.6% / 72.6%
Black Hill — Car (driver): 63.6% Thornton — Car (driver): 72.6%
Worked from Home 29.9% / 20.6%
Black Hill — Worked from Home: 29.9% Thornton — Worked from Home: 20.6%
Car (passenger) 2.8% / 4.6%
Black Hill — Car (passenger): 2.8% Thornton — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Walked Only 3.7% / 0.9%
Black Hill — Walked Only: 3.7% Thornton — Walked Only: 0.9%
Train — / 0.9%
Black Hill — Train: not among its largest Thornton — Train: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.6%).

Setting

Black Hill Thornton
Elevation 41 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 16.0 km 14.4 km

NBN connectivity

Black Hill Thornton
Connectivity score 30/100 84/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
173 premises
 70%
4,838 premises

Climate

Black Hill Thornton
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm 996 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C 30.0°C
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C 7.1°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Black Hill Thornton
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 Thornton
Average residential rate $1,405/yr $1,908/yr
Council Cessnock Maitland

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Black Hill

Rural

Thornton

Large Blocks Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Black Hill

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

Other comparisons with Thornton

Thornton vs East Maitland Thornton vs Metford Thornton vs Ashtonfield Thornton vs Chisholm Thornton vs Beresfield Thornton vs Woodberry
Full data on Black Hill Full data on Thornton
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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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