Hinton vs Millers Forest

Hinton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 47 in Millers Forest. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Millers Forest: a median of $1.45 million, against $825,000 in Hinton, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Hinton tends to suit 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

  • Hinton carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 64/100)
  • Millers Forest is already more of a family suburb (79% vs 68%)

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

First-home buyers

Hinton

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($825,000 vs $1,450,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 24%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Hinton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $395/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Millers Forest

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (25/100 vs 14/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (119 min vs 129 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (162.8 km vs 169.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Hinton carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 64/100)
  • Millers Forest is more walkable (25/100 vs 14/100)

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

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

Hinton Millers Forest
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.

Hinton Millers Forest
Walkability 14 / 25
Hinton — Walkability: 14/100 Millers Forest — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 63 / 36
Hinton — Safety: 63/100 Millers Forest — Safety: 36/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Hinton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Millers Forest — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Hinton has more residents (471 vs 357); Millers Forest rents higher ($395/wk vs $350/wk).

Hinton Millers Forest
Population 471
+24% vs other
 357
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.1% +6.6%
Median age 44 47
Median household income $110,812/yr
+8% vs other
 $102,492/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk $395/wk
+13% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hinton Millers Forest
0-4 3.0% / 3.9%
Hinton — 0-4: 3.0% Millers Forest — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 13.8% / 8.4%
Hinton — 5-14: 13.8% Millers Forest — 5-14: 8.4%
15-19 8.7% / 7.0%
Hinton — 15-19: 8.7% Millers Forest — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 5.7% / 4.8%
Hinton — 20-24: 5.7% Millers Forest — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 7.6% / 10.9%
Hinton — 25-34: 7.6% Millers Forest — 25-34: 10.9%
35-44 12.1% / 9.5%
Hinton — 35-44: 12.1% Millers Forest — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 16.8% / 14.3%
Hinton — 45-54: 16.8% Millers Forest — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 16.1% / 16.8%
Hinton — 55-64: 16.1% Millers Forest — 55-64: 16.8%
65-74 11.9% / 14.0%
Hinton — 65-74: 11.9% Millers Forest — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 4.9% / 7.0%
Hinton — 75-84: 4.9% Millers Forest — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ 1.3% / 1.7%
Hinton — 85+: 1.3% Millers Forest — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hinton 59.4% couple families
Hinton — Couple Families: 59.4% Hinton — Lone Person: 28.3% Hinton — One Parent Families: 8.5% Hinton — Other Families: 0.0% Hinton — Group Household: 3.8%
Millers Forest 58.8% couple families
Millers Forest — Couple Families: 58.8% Millers Forest — Lone Person: 13.2% Millers Forest — One Parent Families: 20.6% Millers Forest — Other Families: 7.4% Millers Forest — 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.

Hinton 12.3% renting
Hinton — Owned Outright: 40.4% Hinton — Mortgage: 47.4% Hinton — Renting: 12.3%
Millers Forest 16.7% renting
Millers Forest — Owned Outright: 45.6% Millers Forest — Mortgage: 37.7% Millers Forest — Renting: 16.7%
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.

Hinton Millers Forest
New Zealand 1.7% / 0.8%
Hinton — New Zealand: 1.7% Millers Forest — New Zealand: 0.8%
England 1.3% / 1.1%
Hinton — England: 1.3% Millers Forest — England: 1.1%
Scotland — / 0.8%
Hinton — Scotland: not among its largest Millers Forest — Scotland: 0.8%
South Africa 0.6% / —
Hinton — South Africa: 0.6% Millers Forest — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.7%).

Qualifications

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

Hinton Millers Forest
Certificate III & IV 20.8% / 24.9%
Hinton — Certificate III & IV: 20.8% Millers Forest — Certificate III & IV: 24.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 7.3%
Hinton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Millers Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Bachelor Degree 8.9% / 7.0%
Hinton — Bachelor Degree: 8.9% Millers Forest — Bachelor Degree: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 1.1%
Hinton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Millers Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 0.8%
Hinton — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Millers Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hinton 98.8% houses
Hinton — Houses: 98.8% Hinton — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Millers Forest 90.9% houses
Millers Forest — Houses: 90.9% Millers Forest — Flats / Apartments: 9.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Hinton Millers Forest
Median house price $825,000 $1,450,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 108 days
from 4 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Hinton Millers Forest
Rural and farming 93% 89%
Environmental 7% 11%
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

Hinton Millers Forest
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
 1,413
across Maitland
Approvals change year on year -72% +20%

Ranking within NSW

Hinton Millers Forest
House price Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Income Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW

Liveability

Millers Forest is more walkable (25 vs 14).

Hinton Millers Forest
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Millers Forest carries more crime risk (64 vs 37).

Hinton Millers Forest
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
37/100
 Moderate
64/100
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Hinton Millers Forest
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Hinton

  • Hinton Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Millers Forest

  • Millers Forest Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Hinton Millers Forest
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 1
same for both
Waterways 0 12

Mobility

Hinton sits further from the CBD (169.7 km vs 162.8 km).

Hinton Millers Forest
Walkability score 14/100 25/100
Distance to Sydney 169.7 km
+4% vs other
 162.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 129 min 119 min
Public transport score 20/100
Bus
 31/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 3.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2321
 0.5%
postcode 2324
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2321
 54
postcode 2324

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.

Hinton Millers Forest
Car (driver) 66.3% / 59.1%
Hinton — Car (driver): 66.3% Millers Forest — Car (driver): 59.1%
Worked from Home 27.9% / 26.0%
Hinton — Worked from Home: 27.9% Millers Forest — Worked from Home: 26.0%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 6.5%
Hinton — Car (passenger): 3.8% Millers Forest — Car (passenger): 6.5%
Walked Only 1.9% / 8.4%
Hinton — Walked Only: 1.9% Millers Forest — Walked Only: 8.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.3%).

Setting

Hinton Millers Forest
Elevation 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 15.9 km 10.4 km

NBN connectivity

Hinton Millers Forest
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
206 premises
 0%
137 premises

Climate

Hinton Millers Forest
Annual rainfall 996 mm 1,181 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C 28.7°C
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C 7.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Hinton Millers Forest
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

Hinton Millers Forest
Average residential rate $1,359/yr $1,908/yr
Council Port Stephens Maitland

Federal electorate

Hinton Millers Forest
Division Lyne Paterson
Member Alison Penfold Meryl Swanson
Party The Nationals Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Hinton Millers Forest
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hinton

Acreage

Millers Forest

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hinton

Hinton vs Morpeth Hinton vs Wallalong Hinton vs Nelsons Plains Hinton vs Berry Park Hinton vs Osterley Hinton vs Duckenfield

Other comparisons with Millers Forest

Millers Forest vs Raymond Terrace Millers Forest vs Thornton Millers Forest vs Woodberry Millers Forest vs Heatherbrae Millers Forest vs Nelsons Plains Millers Forest vs Berry Park
Full data on Hinton Full data on Millers Forest
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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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