Charlestown vs Mount Hutton

Charlestown is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 43 in Mount Hutton. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Charlestown: a median of $1.06 million, against $908,000 in Mount Hutton.

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

Charlestown

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (15 vs 8)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Hutton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($908,000 vs $1,055,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Charlestown is more walkable (92/100 vs 76/100)
  • Mount Hutton sits closer to the CBD (142.5 km vs 145 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Charlestown

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 76/100)
  • But Mount Hutton has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 18%)

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

Investors

Mount Hutton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.6% vs 3.8%)

Weighs house yield.

Where they sit

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

Charlestown Mount Hutton
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.

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Walkability 92 / 76
Charlestown — Walkability: 92/100 Mount Hutton — Walkability: 76/100
Safety 17 / 20
Charlestown — Safety: 17/100 Mount Hutton — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 54 / 79
Charlestown — Low fire risk: 54/100 Mount Hutton — Low fire risk: 79/100

Demographics

Charlestown has more residents (13,601 vs 3,712); Charlestown has higher household incomes ($95,628 vs $78,988).

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Population 13,601
+73% vs other
 3,712
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.3% —
Median age 38 43
Median household income $95,628/yr
+17% vs other
 $78,988/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+1% vs other
 $395/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Charlestown Mount Hutton
0-4 6.4% / 5.1%
Charlestown — 0-4: 6.4% Mount Hutton — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 12.3% / 11.3%
Charlestown — 5-14: 12.3% Mount Hutton — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 5.0% / 4.9%
Charlestown — 15-19: 5.0% Mount Hutton — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 6.1% / 5.5%
Charlestown — 20-24: 6.1% Mount Hutton — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 14.7% / 14.4%
Charlestown — 25-34: 14.7% Mount Hutton — 25-34: 14.4%
35-44 14.6% / 10.4%
Charlestown — 35-44: 14.6% Mount Hutton — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 11.8% / 11.4%
Charlestown — 45-54: 11.8% Mount Hutton — 45-54: 11.4%
55-64 10.8% / 12.7%
Charlestown — 55-64: 10.8% Mount Hutton — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 8.9% / 9.0%
Charlestown — 65-74: 8.9% Mount Hutton — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 6.2% / 8.3%
Charlestown — 75-84: 6.2% Mount Hutton — 75-84: 8.3%
85+ 3.1% / 6.9%
Charlestown — 85+: 3.1% Mount Hutton — 85+: 6.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Charlestown 35.4% lone person
Charlestown — Lone Person: 35.4% Charlestown — Couple Families: 41.3% Charlestown — One Parent Families: 17.0% Charlestown — Group Household: 5.3% Charlestown — Other Families: 0.9%
Mount Hutton 39.7% lone person
Mount Hutton — Lone Person: 39.7% Mount Hutton — Couple Families: 32.2% Mount Hutton — One Parent Families: 21.4% Mount Hutton — Group Household: 5.2% Mount Hutton — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Charlestown 26.7% renting
Charlestown — Owned Outright: 35.2% Charlestown — Mortgage: 38.1% Charlestown — Renting: 26.7%
Mount Hutton 28.7% renting
Mount Hutton — Owned Outright: 33.7% Mount Hutton — Mortgage: 37.6% Mount Hutton — Renting: 28.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Certificate III & IV 16.9% / 18.8%
Charlestown — Certificate III & IV: 16.9% Mount Hutton — Certificate III & IV: 18.8%
Bachelor Degree 15.1% / 9.6%
Charlestown — Bachelor Degree: 15.1% Mount Hutton — Bachelor Degree: 9.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.2%
Charlestown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Mount Hutton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 2.3%
Charlestown — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Mount Hutton — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 0.9%
Charlestown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Mount Hutton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

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.

Charlestown Mount Hutton
England 2.1% / 2.2%
Charlestown — England: 2.1% Mount Hutton — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.3%
Charlestown — New Zealand: 1.0% Mount Hutton — New Zealand: 1.3%
China 0.9% / 0.5%
Charlestown — China: 0.9% Mount Hutton — China: 0.5%
India 0.7% / 0.4%
Charlestown — India: 0.7% Mount Hutton — India: 0.4%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.5%
Charlestown — Philippines: 0.5% Mount Hutton — Philippines: 0.5%
Scotland 0.4% / 0.6%
Charlestown — Scotland: 0.4% Mount Hutton — Scotland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Charlestown 76.0% houses
Charlestown — Houses: 76.0% Charlestown — Townhouses: 14.9% Charlestown — Flats / Apartments: 9.1%
Mount Hutton 73.3% houses
Mount Hutton — Houses: 73.3% Mount Hutton — Townhouses: 21.6% Mount Hutton — Flats / Apartments: 5.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Median house price $1,055,500 $908,000
Median unit price $675,000 $697,500
Median land price — $966,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 197 sales
 28 days
from 30 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Charlestown Mount Hutton
2 bed $648K / $710K
Charlestown — 2 bed: $648K (46 sales) Mount Hutton — 2 bed: $710K (9 sales)

46 vs 9 sales

3 bed $800K / $748K
Charlestown — 3 bed: $800K (27 sales) Mount Hutton — 3 bed: $748K (6 sales)

27 vs 6 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.

Charlestown Mount Hutton
2 bed $905K / $778K
Charlestown — 2 bed: $905K (25 sales) Mount Hutton — 2 bed: $778K (8 sales)

25 vs 8 sales

3 bed $1,000K / $845K
Charlestown — 3 bed: $1,000K (135 sales) Mount Hutton — 3 bed: $845K (29 sales)

135 vs 29 sales

4 bed $1.25M / $1.1M
Charlestown — 4 bed: $1.25M (80 sales) Mount Hutton — 4 bed: $1.1M (14 sales)

80 vs 14 sales

Zoning mix

Mount Hutton has more land zoned for conservation (44% vs 11%).

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Residential 70% 39%
Environmental 11% 44%
Parks and recreation 12% 5%
Commercial 3% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 4%
Rural and farming 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

Charlestown Mount Hutton
New dwellings approved 1,212
across Lake Macquarie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +2%
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.

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Houses 3.8%
$780/wk on $1.06M
 4.6%
$730/wk on $822K
Units 4.4%
$620/wk on $730K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Charlestown Mount Hutton
House price Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Income Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Schools Higher than 81% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 77% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 40% of NSW —

Liveability

Charlestown scores higher overall (56 vs 43); Charlestown is more walkable (92 vs 76).

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Grade B C
Score 56/100 43/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Charlestown carries more bushfire risk (46 vs 21).

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Bushfire Moderate
46/100
 Low
21/100
Crime High
83/100
 High
80/100
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 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Inside the suburb 7 1
Rated above peers 3 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 8.3 km
 None

Schools in Charlestown

  • Charlestown East Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Charlestown Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Charlestown South Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Hillsborough Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Alesco Secondary College - Charlestown Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Mount Hutton

  • Mount Hutton Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Supermarkets 3 2
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 5 1
Childcare 15 8
GPs 4 1
Pharmacies 6 2
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 9 2
Fuel stations 4 0
Waterways 12 0

Mobility

Charlestown sits further from the CBD (145 km vs 142.5 km).

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Walkability score 92/100 76/100
Distance to Sydney 145 km
+2% vs other
 142.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 120 min 118 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 331.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 62.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2290
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 2290
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.

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Car (driver) 63.5% / 72.0%
Charlestown — Car (driver): 63.5% Mount Hutton — Car (driver): 72.0%
Worked from Home 28.1% / 21.6%
Charlestown — Worked from Home: 28.1% Mount Hutton — Worked from Home: 21.6%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 4.5%
Charlestown — Car (passenger): 4.5% Mount Hutton — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only 2.1% / 1.2%
Charlestown — Walked Only: 2.1% Mount Hutton — Walked Only: 1.2%
Bus 1.2% / 0.7%
Charlestown — Bus: 1.2% Mount Hutton — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.0%).

Setting

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Elevation 108 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km 5.2 km

NBN connectivity

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Connectivity score 68/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
6,886 premises
 40%
1,930 premises

Climate

Charlestown Mount Hutton
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)

Charlestown Mount Hutton
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³ 6.1 µg/m³
PM10 21.7 µg/m³ 16.5 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.64 pphm 0.53 pphm

Council rates

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Average residential rate $1,708/yr
same for both
Council Lake Macquarie
same for both

Federal electorate

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Division Shortland
same for both
Member Pat Conroy
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Charlestown Mount Hutton
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Charlestown

Parks Regional Centre River

Mount Hutton

Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Charlestown

Charlestown vs Adamstown Heights Charlestown vs Gateshead Charlestown vs Whitebridge Charlestown vs Kahibah Charlestown vs Garden Suburb Charlestown vs Kotara South

Other comparisons with Mount Hutton

Mount Hutton vs Warners Bay Mount Hutton vs Eleebana Mount Hutton vs Windale Mount Hutton vs Gateshead Mount Hutton vs Tingira Heights Mount Hutton vs Hillsborough
Full data on Charlestown Full data on Mount Hutton
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or