Heddon Greta vs Buchanan

Heddon Greta is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 38 in Buchanan. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Heddon Greta, most households are couple families. In Buchanan, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Heddon Greta tends to suit 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

Heddon Greta

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (75/100 vs 97/100)

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

First-home buyers

Heddon Greta

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 34%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Heddon Greta

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 10%)
  • has cheaper rent ($420/wk vs $460/wk)

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

  • Heddon Greta is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)
  • Buchanan sits closer to the CBD (153.6 km vs 157.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Heddon Greta

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (75/100 vs 97/100)
  • But Buchanan has more residents already 65 and over (16% vs 10%)

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

Investors

They split

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

  • Heddon Greta is growing faster (38.6% vs 7.6%)
  • Buchanan returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.2% vs 3.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Heddon Greta 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.

Heddon Greta 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.

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Walkability 27 / 0
Heddon Greta — Walkability: 27/100 Buchanan — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 25 / 3
Heddon Greta — Safety: 25/100 Buchanan — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 38 / 45
Heddon Greta — Low fire risk: 38/100 Buchanan — Low fire risk: 45/100

Demographics

Heddon Greta has more residents (2,838 vs 212); Buchanan skews older (38 vs 33).

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Population 2,838
+93% vs other
 212
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +38.6% +7.6%
Median age 33 38
Median household income $110,760/yr
+5% vs other
 $105,456/yr
Median weekly rent $420/wk $460/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Heddon Greta Buchanan
0-4 8.7% / 5.2%
Heddon Greta — 0-4: 8.7% Buchanan — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 15.0% / 17.9%
Heddon Greta — 5-14: 15.0% Buchanan — 5-14: 17.9%
15-19 6.0% / 10.4%
Heddon Greta — 15-19: 6.0% Buchanan — 15-19: 10.4%
20-24 6.2% / 8.0%
Heddon Greta — 20-24: 6.2% Buchanan — 20-24: 8.0%
25-34 17.5% / 9.0%
Heddon Greta — 25-34: 17.5% Buchanan — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 14.5% / 9.0%
Heddon Greta — 35-44: 14.5% Buchanan — 35-44: 9.0%
45-54 11.3% / 13.2%
Heddon Greta — 45-54: 11.3% Buchanan — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 11.3% / 15.6%
Heddon Greta — 55-64: 11.3% Buchanan — 55-64: 15.6%
65-74 7.3% / 9.0%
Heddon Greta — 65-74: 7.3% Buchanan — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 1.9% / 5.2%
Heddon Greta — 75-84: 1.9% Buchanan — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 0.6% / 1.9%
Heddon Greta — 85+: 0.6% Buchanan — 85+: 1.9%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Heddon Greta 58.5% couple families
Heddon Greta — Couple Families: 58.5% Heddon Greta — One Parent Families: 20.3% Heddon Greta — Lone Person: 18.3% Heddon Greta — Group Household: 1.8% Heddon Greta — Other Families: 1.2%
Buchanan 46.9% couple families
Buchanan — Couple Families: 46.9% Buchanan — One Parent Families: 26.5% Buchanan — Lone Person: 26.5% Buchanan — Group Household: 0.0% Buchanan — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Heddon Greta 25.9% renting
Heddon Greta — Owned Outright: 24.0% Heddon Greta — Mortgage: 50.1% Heddon Greta — Renting: 25.9%
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.

Heddon Greta Buchanan
England 1.0% / 1.4%
Heddon Greta — England: 1.0% Buchanan — England: 1.4%
Scotland 0.5% / —
Heddon Greta — Scotland: 0.5% Buchanan — Scotland: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.4% / —
Heddon Greta — New Zealand: 0.4% Buchanan — New Zealand: not among its largest
India 0.4% / —
Heddon Greta — India: 0.4% Buchanan — India: not among its largest
Philippines 0.3% / —
Heddon Greta — Philippines: 0.3% Buchanan — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.4%).

Qualifications

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

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Certificate III & IV 23.9% / 19.3%
Heddon Greta — Certificate III & IV: 23.9% Buchanan — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 6.0% / 8.5%
Heddon Greta — Bachelor Degree: 6.0% Buchanan — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 6.1%
Heddon Greta — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Buchanan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 3.3%
Heddon Greta — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Buchanan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%
Postgraduate Degree 0.7% / 1.4%
Heddon Greta — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7% Buchanan — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Heddon Greta 93.8% houses
Heddon Greta — Houses: 93.8% Heddon Greta — Townhouses: 5.6% Heddon Greta — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Buchanan 100.0% houses
Buchanan — Houses: 100.0% Buchanan — Townhouses: 0.0% Buchanan — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Median house price $860,000
same for both
Median unit price $650,000 —
Median land price — $422,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 71 sales
 50 days
from 10 sales

Zoning mix

Buchanan has more rural and farming land (84% vs 27%).

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Rural and farming 27% 84%
Residential 42% 1%
Environmental 14% 9%
Parks and recreation 10% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 6%
same for both
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

Heddon Greta 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.

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Houses 3.7%
$650/wk on $910K
 4.2%
$700/wk on $865K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Heddon Greta Buchanan
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
Income Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW

Liveability

Heddon Greta is more walkable (27 vs 0).

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Grade D —
Score 27/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Buchanan carries more crime risk (97 vs 75).

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Bushfire Moderate
62/100
 Moderate
55/100
Crime High
75/100
 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 2
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
GPs 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 0 9

Mobility

Heddon Greta sits further from the CBD (157.6 km vs 153.6 km).

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Walkability score 27/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 157.6 km
+3% vs other
 153.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 112 min 109 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2321
 0.5%
postcode 2323
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2321
 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.

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Car (driver) 78.3% / 68.9%
Heddon Greta — Car (driver): 78.3% Buchanan — Car (driver): 68.9%
Worked from Home 16.8% / 24.4%
Heddon Greta — Worked from Home: 16.8% Buchanan — Worked from Home: 24.4%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 6.7%
Heddon Greta — Car (passenger): 3.4% Buchanan — Car (passenger): 6.7%
Walked Only 0.7% / —
Heddon Greta — Walked Only: 0.7% Buchanan — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.5% / —
Heddon Greta — Bus: 0.5% Buchanan — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.3%).

Setting

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Elevation 32 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 25.3 km 22.4 km

NBN connectivity

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Connectivity score 85/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 66%
1,528 premises
 53%
141 premises

Climate

Heddon Greta Buchanan
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)

Heddon Greta 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

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Average residential rate $1,405/yr
same for both
Council Cessnock
same for both

Federal electorate

Heddon Greta Buchanan
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Heddon Greta

Family Large Blocks Quiet Young Families

Buchanan

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Heddon Greta

Heddon Greta vs Kurri Kurri Heddon Greta vs Cliftleigh Heddon Greta vs Stanford Merthyr

Other comparisons with Buchanan

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