Martins Creek vs Paterson

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Paterson, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Martins Creek: a median of $1.18 million, against $940,000 in Paterson, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Paterson tends to suit couples and 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

Paterson

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 58%)
  • But Martins Creek carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 54/100)

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

First-home buyers

Paterson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($940,000 vs $1,180,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Paterson

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $335/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Paterson

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (141 min vs 149 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (184.4 km vs 192.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Martins Creek carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 54/100)
  • Paterson is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Paterson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.6% vs -9.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Martins Creek Paterson
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.

Martins Creek Paterson
Walkability 0 / 10
Martins Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Paterson — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 81 / 46
Martins Creek — Safety: 81/100 Paterson — Safety: 46/100
Low fire risk 53 / 60
Martins Creek — Low fire risk: 53/100 Paterson — Low fire risk: 60/100

Demographics

Paterson has more residents (960 vs 351); Paterson has higher household incomes ($99,164 vs $77,220).

Martins Creek Paterson
Population 351 960
+174% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -9.5% +7.6%
Median age 40 41
Median household income $77,220/yr $99,164/yr
+28% vs other
Median weekly rent $335/wk
+10% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Martins Creek Paterson
0-4 7.4% / 5.2%
Martins Creek — 0-4: 7.4% Paterson — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 12.8% / 15.0%
Martins Creek — 5-14: 12.8% Paterson — 5-14: 15.0%
15-19 5.1% / 5.5%
Martins Creek — 15-19: 5.1% Paterson — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 6.3% / 3.6%
Martins Creek — 20-24: 6.3% Paterson — 20-24: 3.6%
25-34 7.7% / 8.2%
Martins Creek — 25-34: 7.7% Paterson — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 15.7% / 15.5%
Martins Creek — 35-44: 15.7% Paterson — 35-44: 15.5%
45-54 14.8% / 12.9%
Martins Creek — 45-54: 14.8% Paterson — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 16.2% / 14.7%
Martins Creek — 55-64: 16.2% Paterson — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 9.4% / 10.7%
Martins Creek — 65-74: 9.4% Paterson — 65-74: 10.7%
75-84 4.8% / 6.4%
Martins Creek — 75-84: 4.8% Paterson — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 1.1% / 1.1%
Martins Creek — 85+: 1.1% Paterson — 85+: 1.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Martins Creek 40.0% couple families
Martins Creek — Couple Families: 40.0% Martins Creek — Lone Person: 31.6% Martins Creek — One Parent Families: 17.9% Martins Creek — Group Household: 6.3% Martins Creek — Other Families: 4.2%
Paterson 56.9% couple families
Paterson — Couple Families: 56.9% Paterson — Lone Person: 31.6% Paterson — One Parent Families: 11.6% Paterson — Group Household: 0.0% Paterson — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Martins Creek 12.7% renting
Martins Creek — Owned Outright: 38.1% Martins Creek — Mortgage: 49.2% Martins Creek — Renting: 12.7%
Paterson 13.4% renting
Paterson — Owned Outright: 37.4% Paterson — Mortgage: 49.2% Paterson — Renting: 13.4%
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.

Martins Creek Paterson
England 3.4% / 1.7%
Martins Creek — England: 3.4% Paterson — England: 1.7%
New Zealand — / 1.1%
Martins Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest Paterson — New Zealand: 1.1%
Germany — / 0.6%
Martins Creek — Germany: not among its largest Paterson — Germany: 0.6%
Malaysia — / 0.5%
Martins Creek — Malaysia: not among its largest Paterson — Malaysia: 0.5%
South Africa — / 0.3%
Martins Creek — South Africa: not among its largest Paterson — South Africa: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.4%).

Qualifications

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

Martins Creek Paterson
Certificate III & IV 19.7% / 22.2%
Martins Creek — Certificate III & IV: 19.7% Paterson — Certificate III & IV: 22.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 8.6%
Martins Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Paterson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Bachelor Degree 6.0% / 9.7%
Martins Creek — Bachelor Degree: 6.0% Paterson — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 2.8%
Martins Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Paterson — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.0%
Martins Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Paterson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Martins Creek 100.0% houses
Martins Creek — Houses: 100.0% Martins Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Paterson 97.9% houses
Paterson — Houses: 97.9% Paterson — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Martins Creek Paterson
Median house price $1,180,500 $940,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $662,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 34 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Martins Creek has more rural and farming land (94% vs 71%); Paterson has more land zoned for conservation (19% vs 2%).

Martins Creek Paterson
Rural and farming 94% 71%
Environmental 2% 19%
Residential 3% 9%
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

Martins Creek Paterson
New dwellings approved 55
across Dungog
same for both
Approvals change year on year -23%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Martins Creek Paterson
House price Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Income Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW

Liveability

Paterson is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Martins Creek Paterson
Grade — C
Score — 41/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Paterson carries more crime risk (54 vs 19).

Martins Creek Paterson
Bushfire Moderate
47/100
 Moderate
40/100
Crime Low
19/100
 Moderate
54/100
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 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Martins Creek Paterson
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Martins Creek

  • Martins Creek Public School Government · Primary

Schools in Paterson

  • Paterson Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Martins Creek Paterson
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 4
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 6 10

Mobility

Martins Creek sits further from the CBD (192.2 km vs 184.4 km).

Martins Creek Paterson
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 192.2 km
+4% vs other
 184.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 149 min 141 min
Public transport score 29/100
Rail · Bus
 36/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2420
 0.3%
postcode 2421
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2420
 78
postcode 2421

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.

Martins Creek Paterson
Car (driver) 76.2% / 63.6%
Martins Creek — Car (driver): 76.2% Paterson — Car (driver): 63.6%
Worked from Home 23.8% / 30.2%
Martins Creek — Worked from Home: 23.8% Paterson — Worked from Home: 30.2%
Walked Only — / 4.2%
Martins Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest Paterson — Walked Only: 4.2%
Car (passenger) — / 2.0%
Martins Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest Paterson — Car (passenger): 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.2%).

Setting

Martins Creek Paterson
Elevation 152 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 46 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 31.9 km 31.1 km

NBN connectivity

Martins Creek Paterson
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
146 premises
 0%
389 premises

Climate

Martins Creek Paterson
Annual rainfall 996 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Martins Creek Paterson
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

Martins Creek Paterson
Average residential rate $1,646/yr
same for both
Council Dungog
same for both

Federal electorate

Martins Creek Paterson
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Martins Creek Paterson
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Martins Creek

Rural Trains

Paterson

Acreage River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Martins Creek

Martins Creek vs Clarence Town Martins Creek vs Vacy Martins Creek vs Duns Creek Martins Creek vs Glen Oak Martins Creek vs Hilldale Martins Creek vs Wallarobba

Other comparisons with Paterson

Paterson vs Vacy Paterson vs Duns Creek
Full data on Martins Creek Full data on Paterson
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.

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