Hinton vs Nelsons Plains

Hinton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 48 in Nelsons Plains. 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 Nelsons Plains: a median of $1.98 million, against $825,000 in Hinton, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Hinton tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Nelsons Plains suits families with children.

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

Hinton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 67/100)

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

First-home buyers

Hinton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($825,000 vs $1,975,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Hinton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $553/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 25%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hinton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 67/100)

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

Where they sit

Hinton and Nelsons Plains 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 Nelsons Plains
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 Nelsons Plains
Walkability 14 / 14
Hinton — Walkability: 14/100 Nelsons Plains — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 63 / 33
Hinton — Safety: 63/100 Nelsons Plains — Safety: 33/100
Low fire risk 100 / 86
Hinton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Nelsons Plains — Low fire risk: 86/100

Demographics

Nelsons Plains rents higher ($553/wk vs $350/wk); Hinton has more residents (471 vs 326).

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Population 471
+31% vs other
 326
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.1% —
Median age 44 48
Median household income $110,812/yr $117,000/yr
+6% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $553/wk
+58% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hinton Nelsons Plains
0-4 3.0% / 6.4%
Hinton — 0-4: 3.0% Nelsons Plains — 0-4: 6.4%
5-14 13.8% / 15.6%
Hinton — 5-14: 13.8% Nelsons Plains — 5-14: 15.6%
15-19 8.7% / 7.1%
Hinton — 15-19: 8.7% Nelsons Plains — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 5.7% / 3.4%
Hinton — 20-24: 5.7% Nelsons Plains — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 7.6% / 4.9%
Hinton — 25-34: 7.6% Nelsons Plains — 25-34: 4.9%
35-44 12.1% / 10.1%
Hinton — 35-44: 12.1% Nelsons Plains — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 16.8% / 14.1%
Hinton — 45-54: 16.8% Nelsons Plains — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 16.1% / 16.9%
Hinton — 55-64: 16.1% Nelsons Plains — 55-64: 16.9%
65-74 11.9% / 15.6%
Hinton — 65-74: 11.9% Nelsons Plains — 65-74: 15.6%
75-84 4.9% / 3.7%
Hinton — 75-84: 4.9% Nelsons Plains — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 1.3% / 2.1%
Hinton — 85+: 1.3% Nelsons Plains — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

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%
Nelsons Plains 66.0% couple families
Nelsons Plains — Couple Families: 66.0% Nelsons Plains — Lone Person: 16.0% Nelsons Plains — One Parent Families: 6.0% Nelsons Plains — Other Families: 12.0% Nelsons Plains — 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%
Nelsons Plains 3.2% renting
Nelsons Plains — Owned Outright: 50.5% Nelsons Plains — Mortgage: 46.2% Nelsons Plains — Renting: 3.2%
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 Nelsons Plains
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.2%
Hinton — New Zealand: 1.7% Nelsons Plains — New Zealand: 1.2%
England 1.3% / 1.2%
Hinton — England: 1.3% Nelsons Plains — England: 1.2%
South Africa 0.6% / —
Hinton — South Africa: 0.6% Nelsons Plains — 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 Nelsons Plains
Certificate III & IV 20.8% / 17.2%
Hinton — Certificate III & IV: 20.8% Nelsons Plains — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Bachelor Degree 8.9% / 10.4%
Hinton — Bachelor Degree: 8.9% Nelsons Plains — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 7.1%
Hinton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Nelsons Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 2.1%
Hinton — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Nelsons Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 2.1%
Hinton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Nelsons Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hinton 98.8% houses
Hinton — Houses: 98.8% Hinton — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Nelsons Plains 98.9% houses
Nelsons Plains — Houses: 98.9% Nelsons Plains — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Median house price $825,000 $1,975,000
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 Nelsons Plains
Rural and farming 93%
same for both
Environmental 7% 4%
Residential 0% 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

Hinton Nelsons Plains
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Hinton Nelsons Plains
House price Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Income Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 63% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW

Liveability

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Nelsons Plains carries more bushfire risk (14 vs 0); Nelsons Plains carries more crime risk (67 vs 37).

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
14/100
Crime Low
37/100
 Moderate
67/100
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

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Hinton

  • Hinton Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Nelsons Plains

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

Amenities in the suburb

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 1
same for both

Mobility

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Walkability score 14/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 169.7 km 170.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 129 min 126 min
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 Nelsons Plains
Car (driver) 66.3% / 57.7%
Hinton — Car (driver): 66.3% Nelsons Plains — Car (driver): 57.7%
Worked from Home 27.9% / 29.2%
Hinton — Worked from Home: 27.9% Nelsons Plains — Worked from Home: 29.2%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 8.5%
Hinton — Car (passenger): 3.8% Nelsons Plains — Car (passenger): 8.5%
Walked Only 1.9% / 4.6%
Hinton — Walked Only: 1.9% Nelsons Plains — Walked Only: 4.6%

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

Setting

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Elevation 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.9 km 13.1 km

NBN connectivity

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

Climate

Hinton Nelsons Plains
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 Nelsons Plains
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 Nelsons Plains
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Hinton Nelsons Plains
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Hinton

Acreage

Nelsons Plains

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hinton

Hinton vs Morpeth Hinton vs Wallalong Hinton vs Millers Forest Hinton vs Berry Park Hinton vs Osterley Hinton vs Duckenfield

Other comparisons with Nelsons Plains

Nelsons Plains vs Raymond Terrace Nelsons Plains vs Wallalong Nelsons Plains vs Seaham Nelsons Plains vs Brandy Hill Nelsons Plains vs Millers Forest Nelsons Plains vs Eagleton
Full data on Hinton Full data on Nelsons Plains
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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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