Cessnock vs Nulkaba

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Nulkaba, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Nulkaba: a median of $1.18 million, against $700,000 in Cessnock, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Cessnock tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Nulkaba suits couples.

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

Nulkaba

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 55%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 84%)
  • But Cessnock has more parks and reserves (22 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Cessnock

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($700,000 vs $1,180,000)
  • has cheaper land ($500,000 vs $675,000)
  • But Nulkaba leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 29%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cessnock

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 12%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $350/wk)
  • But Nulkaba leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 27%)

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

Commuting to the city

Cessnock

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 20/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (117 min vs 131 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (152.3 km vs 160.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cessnock

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (11 vs 1)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 3%)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 20/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cessnock Nulkaba
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.

Cessnock Nulkaba
Walkability 88 / 20
Cessnock — Walkability: 88/100 Nulkaba — Walkability: 20/100
Safety 11 / 19
Cessnock — Safety: 11/100 Nulkaba — Safety: 19/100
Low fire risk 42 / 73
Cessnock — Low fire risk: 42/100 Nulkaba — Low fire risk: 73/100

Demographics

Cessnock has more residents (16,300 vs 715); Nulkaba has higher household incomes ($115,284 vs $61,984).

Cessnock Nulkaba
Population 16,300
+96% vs other
 715
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.4% +2.7%
Median age 40 42
Median household income $61,984/yr $115,284/yr
+86% vs other
Median weekly rent $320/wk $350/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cessnock Nulkaba
0-4 5.7% / 4.9%
Cessnock — 0-4: 5.7% Nulkaba — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 11.4% / 13.7%
Cessnock — 5-14: 11.4% Nulkaba — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 5.4% / 7.7%
Cessnock — 15-19: 5.4% Nulkaba — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 6.3% / 4.6%
Cessnock — 20-24: 6.3% Nulkaba — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 14.3% / 8.7%
Cessnock — 25-34: 14.3% Nulkaba — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 12.7% / 12.4%
Cessnock — 35-44: 12.7% Nulkaba — 35-44: 12.4%
45-54 11.7% / 16.5%
Cessnock — 45-54: 11.7% Nulkaba — 45-54: 16.5%
55-64 11.3% / 15.8%
Cessnock — 55-64: 11.3% Nulkaba — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 11.0% / 8.8%
Cessnock — 65-74: 11.0% Nulkaba — 65-74: 8.8%
75-84 6.6% / 4.3%
Cessnock — 75-84: 6.6% Nulkaba — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 3.5% / 1.3%
Cessnock — 85+: 3.5% Nulkaba — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cessnock 29.0% couple families
Cessnock — Couple Families: 29.0% Cessnock — Lone Person: 39.9% Cessnock — One Parent Families: 26.0% Cessnock — Group Household: 3.6% Cessnock — Other Families: 1.6%
Nulkaba 62.5% couple families
Nulkaba — Couple Families: 62.5% Nulkaba — Lone Person: 19.6% Nulkaba — One Parent Families: 11.9% Nulkaba — Group Household: 6.0% Nulkaba — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cessnock 39.1% renting
Cessnock — Owned Outright: 32.1% Cessnock — Mortgage: 28.8% Cessnock — Renting: 39.1%
Nulkaba 12.2% renting
Nulkaba — Owned Outright: 38.7% Nulkaba — Mortgage: 49.1% Nulkaba — Renting: 12.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cessnock Nulkaba
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 21.3%
Cessnock — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Nulkaba — Certificate III & IV: 21.3%
Bachelor Degree 4.2% / 10.1%
Cessnock — Bachelor Degree: 4.2% Nulkaba — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.8% / 8.1%
Cessnock — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.8% Nulkaba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 0.8% / 1.5%
Cessnock — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8% Nulkaba — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.5%
Cessnock — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Nulkaba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

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.

Cessnock Nulkaba
England 1.8% / 2.0%
Cessnock — England: 1.8% Nulkaba — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.4%
Cessnock — New Zealand: 1.1% Nulkaba — New Zealand: 1.4%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.6%
Cessnock — Philippines: 0.5% Nulkaba — Philippines: 0.6%
South Africa — / 0.7%
Cessnock — South Africa: not among its largest Nulkaba — South Africa: 0.7%
India 0.2% / 0.4%
Cessnock — India: 0.2% Nulkaba — India: 0.4%
Scotland 0.4% / —
Cessnock — Scotland: 0.4% Nulkaba — Scotland: not among its largest
Thailand 0.3% / —
Cessnock — Thailand: 0.3% Nulkaba — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cessnock 84.1% houses
Cessnock — Houses: 84.1% Cessnock — Townhouses: 13.0% Cessnock — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Nulkaba 97.4% houses
Nulkaba — Houses: 97.4% Nulkaba — Townhouses: 0.0% Nulkaba — Flats / Apartments: 2.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cessnock Nulkaba
Median house price $700,000 $1,180,000
Median unit price $525,000 —
Median land price $500,000 $675,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 214 sales
 99 days
from 11 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.

Cessnock Nulkaba
4 bed $761K / $1.24M
Cessnock — 4 bed: $761K (101 sales) Nulkaba — 4 bed: $1.24M (6 sales)

101 vs 6 sales

5 bed $920K / $1.25M
Cessnock — 5 bed: $920K (14 sales) Nulkaba — 5 bed: $1.25M (14 sales)

14 vs 14 sales

Zoning mix

Nulkaba has more rural and farming land (75% vs 53%).

Cessnock Nulkaba
Rural and farming 53% 75%
Residential 24% 6%
Environmental 8% 15%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 4%
Parks and recreation 6% 0%
Industrial 1% 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

Cessnock Nulkaba
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.

Cessnock Nulkaba
Houses 4.1%
$600/wk on $755K
 —
Units 4.5%
$455/wk on $522K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Cessnock Nulkaba
House price Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Income Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Schools Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 11% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 79% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 44% of NSW —

Liveability

Cessnock is more walkable (88 vs 20); Nulkaba scores higher overall (34 vs 24).

Cessnock Nulkaba
Grade D C
Score 24/100 34/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Cessnock carries more bushfire risk (58 vs 27).

Cessnock Nulkaba
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 Low
27/100
Crime High
89/100
 High
81/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 Moderate
50/100
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Cessnock Nulkaba
Inside the suburb 4 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 4 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Cessnock

  • Cessnock East Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Cessnock West Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mount View High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Patrick's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Nulkaba

  • Nulkaba Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Philip's Christian College - Cessnock Independent · Combined at peers
  • St Philip's Christian College Dynamic Learning - Cessnock Independent · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Cessnock Nulkaba
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 22 1
Childcare 7 5
GPs 11 1
Pharmacies 4 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 7 0
Fuel stations 4 1
Waterways 11 3

Mobility

Nulkaba sits further from the CBD (160.5 km vs 152.3 km).

Cessnock Nulkaba
Walkability score 88/100 20/100
Distance to Sydney 152.3 km 160.5 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 131 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 42/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 149.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 16.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2325
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2325
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.

Cessnock Nulkaba
Car (driver) 78.6% / 72.8%
Cessnock — Car (driver): 78.6% Nulkaba — Car (driver): 72.8%
Worked from Home 12.7% / 22.1%
Cessnock — Worked from Home: 12.7% Nulkaba — Worked from Home: 22.1%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 1.6%
Cessnock — Car (passenger): 5.1% Nulkaba — Car (passenger): 1.6%
Walked Only 2.7% / 3.5%
Cessnock — Walked Only: 2.7% Nulkaba — Walked Only: 3.5%
Bus 0.4% / —
Cessnock — Bus: 0.4% Nulkaba — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.6%).

Setting

Cessnock Nulkaba
Elevation 94 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 60 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 37.4 km 38.5 km

NBN connectivity

Cessnock Nulkaba
Connectivity score 65/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 37%
7,577 premises
 56%
441 premises

Climate

Cessnock Nulkaba
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)

Cessnock Nulkaba
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³ —
PM10 17.5 µg/m³ 19.5 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.72 pphm —

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Cessnock Nulkaba
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cessnock Nulkaba
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cessnock

Parks Regional Centre

Nulkaba

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cessnock

Cessnock vs Abermain Cessnock vs Aberdare Cessnock vs Bellbird Cessnock vs Pokolbin Cessnock vs Kearsley Cessnock vs Bellbird Heights

Other comparisons with Nulkaba

Nulkaba vs Pokolbin Nulkaba vs Lovedale
Full data on Cessnock Full data on Nulkaba
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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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