Cessnock vs Sawyers Gully

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Sawyers Gully, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Sawyers Gully: a median of $1.29 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 Sawyers Gully 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

Cessnock

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (22 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • But Sawyers Gully is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 55%)

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

First-home buyers

Cessnock

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($700,000 vs $1,288,000)

Weighs house 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 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $405/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Cessnock

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 14/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (152.3 km vs 163.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cessnock

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (11 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 14/100)

Weighs 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 Sawyers Gully 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 Sawyers Gully
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 Sawyers Gully
Walkability 88 / 14
Cessnock — Walkability: 88/100 Sawyers Gully — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 11 / 13
Cessnock — Safety: 11/100 Sawyers Gully — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 42 / 48
Cessnock — Low fire risk: 42/100 Sawyers Gully — Low fire risk: 48/100

Demographics

Cessnock has more residents (16,300 vs 542); Sawyers Gully has higher household incomes ($96,044 vs $61,984).

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Population 16,300
+97% vs other
 542
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.4% +8.4%
Median age 40 42
Median household income $61,984/yr $96,044/yr
+55% vs other
Median weekly rent $320/wk $405/wk
+27% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
0-4 5.7% / 5.9%
Cessnock — 0-4: 5.7% Sawyers Gully — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 11.4% / 13.7%
Cessnock — 5-14: 11.4% Sawyers Gully — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 5.4% / 4.6%
Cessnock — 15-19: 5.4% Sawyers Gully — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 6.3% / 6.6%
Cessnock — 20-24: 6.3% Sawyers Gully — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 14.3% / 7.6%
Cessnock — 25-34: 14.3% Sawyers Gully — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 12.7% / 14.2%
Cessnock — 35-44: 12.7% Sawyers Gully — 35-44: 14.2%
45-54 11.7% / 12.2%
Cessnock — 45-54: 11.7% Sawyers Gully — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 11.3% / 16.2%
Cessnock — 55-64: 11.3% Sawyers Gully — 55-64: 16.2%
65-74 11.0% / 12.7%
Cessnock — 65-74: 11.0% Sawyers Gully — 65-74: 12.7%
75-84 6.6% / 4.1%
Cessnock — 75-84: 6.6% Sawyers Gully — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 3.5% / 1.1%
Cessnock — 85+: 3.5% Sawyers Gully — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

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 — Other Families: 1.6% Cessnock — Group Household: 3.6%
Sawyers Gully 60.5% couple families
Sawyers Gully — Couple Families: 60.5% Sawyers Gully — Lone Person: 17.7% Sawyers Gully — One Parent Families: 17.7% Sawyers Gully — Other Families: 4.0% Sawyers Gully — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

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%
Sawyers Gully 11.3% renting
Sawyers Gully — Owned Outright: 41.3% Sawyers Gully — Mortgage: 47.3% Sawyers Gully — Renting: 11.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Certificate III & IV 17.4% / 21.4%
Cessnock — Certificate III & IV: 17.4% Sawyers Gully — Certificate III & IV: 21.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.8% / 7.2%
Cessnock — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.8% Sawyers Gully — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Bachelor Degree 4.2% / 6.8%
Cessnock — Bachelor Degree: 4.2% Sawyers Gully — Bachelor Degree: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 0.8% / 0.7%
Cessnock — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8% Sawyers Gully — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 0.6%
Cessnock — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Sawyers Gully — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

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 Sawyers Gully
England 1.8% / 0.7%
Cessnock — England: 1.8% Sawyers Gully — England: 0.7%
Thailand 0.3% / 0.9%
Cessnock — Thailand: 0.3% Sawyers Gully — Thailand: 0.9%
New Zealand 1.1% / —
Cessnock — New Zealand: 1.1% Sawyers Gully — New Zealand: not among its largest
Italy — / 0.6%
Cessnock — Italy: not among its largest Sawyers Gully — Italy: 0.6%
Philippines 0.5% / —
Cessnock — Philippines: 0.5% Sawyers Gully — Philippines: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / —
Cessnock — Scotland: 0.4% Sawyers Gully — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.8%).

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%
Sawyers Gully 100.0% houses
Sawyers Gully — Houses: 100.0% Sawyers Gully — Townhouses: 0.0% Sawyers Gully — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Median house price $700,000 $1,288,000
Median unit price $525,000 —
Median land price $500,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 214 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Sawyers Gully has more rural and farming land (86% vs 53%).

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Rural and farming 53% 86%
Residential 24% 0%
Environmental 8% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 2%
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 Sawyers Gully
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 Sawyers Gully
Houses 4.1%
$600/wk on $755K
 —
Units 4.5%
$455/wk on $522K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
House price Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Income Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Schools Higher than 9% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 63% 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 14).

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Grade D
same for both
Score 24/100 22/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
52/100
Crime High
89/100
 High
87/100
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

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 4 0
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 Sawyers Gully

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

Amenities in the suburb

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 22 0
Childcare 7 0
GPs 11 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 7 0
Fuel stations 4 0
Waterways 11 10

Mobility

Sawyers Gully sits further from the CBD (163.6 km vs 152.3 km).

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Walkability score 88/100 14/100
Distance to Sydney 152.3 km 163.6 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 116 min
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.

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Car (driver) 78.6% / 86.1%
Cessnock — Car (driver): 78.6% Sawyers Gully — Car (driver): 86.1%
Worked from Home 12.7% / 13.9%
Cessnock — Worked from Home: 12.7% Sawyers Gully — Worked from Home: 13.9%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / —
Cessnock — Car (passenger): 5.1% Sawyers Gully — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 2.7% / —
Cessnock — Walked Only: 2.7% Sawyers Gully — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.4% / —
Cessnock — Bus: 0.4% Sawyers Gully — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.1%).

Setting

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Elevation 94 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 37.4 km 31.7 km

NBN connectivity

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
Connectivity score 65/100 31/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 37%
7,577 premises
 2%
182 premises

Climate

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
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 Sawyers Gully
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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Cessnock Sawyers Gully
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

Sawyers Gully

Rural

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 Sawyers Gully

Sawyers Gully vs Gillieston Heights Sawyers Gully vs Weston Sawyers Gully vs Abermain Sawyers Gully vs Lovedale Sawyers Gully vs Bishops Bridge Sawyers Gully vs Keinbah
Full data on Cessnock Full data on Sawyers Gully
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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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