Mayfield West vs Sandgate

Mayfield West is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 69 in Sandgate. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Mayfield West, most households own their home. In Sandgate, about half of households rent and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Sandgate: a median of $4.3 million, against $945,000 in Mayfield West, though rent is higher in Mayfield West. On these figures, Mayfield West tends to suit young adults and buyers on a tighter budget, while Sandgate suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Mayfield West

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (47% vs 32%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (80% vs 65%)

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

First-home buyers

Mayfield West

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($945,000 vs $4,300,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 57%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Mayfield West leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 42%)
  • Sandgate has cheaper rent ($288/wk vs $370/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Mayfield West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (74/100 vs 42/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Mayfield West is more walkable (74/100 vs 42/100)
  • Sandgate has more residents already 65 and over (54% vs 14%)

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

Investors

Mayfield West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (5.2% vs -9.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mayfield West Sandgate
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.

Mayfield West Sandgate
Walkability 74 / 42
Mayfield West — Walkability: 74/100 Sandgate — Walkability: 42/100
Safety 13 / 1
Mayfield West — Safety: 13/100 Sandgate — Safety: 1/100
Low fire risk 100 / 37
Mayfield West — Low fire risk: 100/100 Sandgate — Low fire risk: 37/100

Demographics

Mayfield West has more residents (1,993 vs 276); Mayfield West has higher household incomes ($82,784 vs $35,724).

Mayfield West Sandgate
Population 1,993
+86% vs other
 276
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.2% -9.5%
Median age 34 69
Median household income $82,784/yr
+57% vs other
 $35,724/yr
Median weekly rent $370/wk
+22% vs other
 $288/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mayfield West Sandgate
0-4 5.8% / 5.4%
Mayfield West — 0-4: 5.8% Sandgate — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 11.9% / 4.3%
Mayfield West — 5-14: 11.9% Sandgate — 5-14: 4.3%
15-19 4.4% / 1.4%
Mayfield West — 15-19: 4.4% Sandgate — 15-19: 1.4%
20-24 9.0% / 1.8%
Mayfield West — 20-24: 9.0% Sandgate — 20-24: 1.8%
25-34 19.3% / 9.8%
Mayfield West — 25-34: 19.3% Sandgate — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 13.5% / 8.3%
Mayfield West — 35-44: 13.5% Sandgate — 35-44: 8.3%
45-54 12.0% / 7.2%
Mayfield West — 45-54: 12.0% Sandgate — 45-54: 7.2%
55-64 9.8% / 6.9%
Mayfield West — 55-64: 9.8% Sandgate — 55-64: 6.9%
65-74 8.0% / 11.2%
Mayfield West — 65-74: 8.0% Sandgate — 65-74: 11.2%
75-84 4.7% / 14.1%
Mayfield West — 75-84: 4.7% Sandgate — 75-84: 14.1%
85+ 1.7% / 28.3%
Mayfield West — 85+: 1.7% Sandgate — 85+: 28.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mayfield West 43.0% lone person
Mayfield West — Lone Person: 43.0% Mayfield West — Couple Families: 30.6% Mayfield West — One Parent Families: 16.8% Mayfield West — Group Household: 7.7% Mayfield West — Other Families: 2.0%
Sandgate 61.7% lone person
Sandgate — Lone Person: 61.7% Sandgate — Couple Families: 16.7% Sandgate — One Parent Families: 15.0% Sandgate — Group Household: 6.7% Sandgate — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mayfield West 40.3% renting
Mayfield West — Owned Outright: 24.5% Mayfield West — Mortgage: 35.2% Mayfield West — Renting: 40.3%
Sandgate 46.7% renting
Sandgate — Owned Outright: 26.7% Sandgate — Mortgage: 26.7% Sandgate — Renting: 46.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mayfield West Sandgate
Certificate III & IV 17.2% / 7.2%
Mayfield West — Certificate III & IV: 17.2% Sandgate — Certificate III & IV: 7.2%
Bachelor Degree 12.2% / 3.6%
Mayfield West — Bachelor Degree: 12.2% Sandgate — Bachelor Degree: 3.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 4.0%
Mayfield West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Sandgate — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0%
Postgraduate Degree 3.9% / 1.4%
Mayfield West — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9% Sandgate — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 1.1%
Mayfield West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Sandgate — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

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.

Mayfield West Sandgate
England 1.0% / 1.1%
Mayfield West — England: 1.0% Sandgate — England: 1.1%
Ireland — / 1.8%
Mayfield West — Ireland: not among its largest Sandgate — Ireland: 1.8%
New Zealand 1.5% / —
Mayfield West — New Zealand: 1.5% Sandgate — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 1.1% / —
Mayfield West — Philippines: 1.1% Sandgate — Philippines: not among its largest
India 0.5% / —
Mayfield West — India: 0.5% Sandgate — India: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.4% / —
Mayfield West — Malaysia: 0.4% Sandgate — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mayfield West 79.6% houses
Mayfield West — Houses: 79.6% Mayfield West — Townhouses: 14.5% Mayfield West — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Sandgate 65.3% houses
Sandgate — Houses: 65.3% Sandgate — Townhouses: 21.3% Sandgate — Flats / Apartments: 13.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mayfield West Sandgate
Median house price $945,000 $4,300,000
Median unit price $480,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 6 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Sandgate has more land zoned for conservation (23% vs 0%); Mayfield West has more industrially zoned land (60% vs 42%).

Mayfield West Sandgate
Industrial 60% 42%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 33%
Residential 24% 0%
Environmental 0% 23%
Parks and recreation 8% 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

Mayfield West Sandgate
New dwellings approved 912
across Newcastle
same for both
Approvals change year on year +77%
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.

Mayfield West Sandgate
Houses 3.6%
$700/wk on $998K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Mayfield West Sandgate
House price Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Income Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 2% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 62% of NSW Higher than 1% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 65% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 53% of NSW —

Liveability

Mayfield West is more walkable (74 vs 42).

Mayfield West Sandgate
Grade B —
Score 50/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Sandgate carries more bushfire risk (63 vs 0); Sandgate carries more crime risk (99 vs 87).

Mayfield West Sandgate
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
63/100
Crime High
87/100
 High
99/100
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 19
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Mayfield West Sandgate
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 2.1 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 2.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.1% 1.1%

Schools in Mayfield West

  • Mayfield West Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Sandgate

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mayfield West Sandgate
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 4 0
Childcare 3 2
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Mayfield West Sandgate
Walkability score 74/100 42/100
Distance to Sydney 157.1 km 157.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 120 min 117 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 89.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 33.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2304
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 2304
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.

Mayfield West Sandgate
Car (driver) 65.4% / 100.0%
Mayfield West — Car (driver): 65.4% Sandgate — Car (driver): 100.0%
Worked from Home 25.9% / —
Mayfield West — Worked from Home: 25.9% Sandgate — Worked from Home: not among its largest
Walked Only 3.3% / —
Mayfield West — Walked Only: 3.3% Sandgate — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 2.5% / —
Mayfield West — Car (passenger): 2.5% Sandgate — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 2.1% / —
Mayfield West — Bus: 2.1% Sandgate — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (100.0%).

Setting

Mayfield West Sandgate
Elevation 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km 5.6 km

NBN connectivity

Mayfield West Sandgate
Connectivity score 100/100 82/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
1,565 premises
 74%
283 premises

Climate

Mayfield West Sandgate
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)

Mayfield West Sandgate
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 21.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.75 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Mayfield West Sandgate
Average residential rate $1,783/yr
same for both
Council Newcastle
same for both

Federal electorate

Mayfield West Sandgate
Division Newcastle
same for both
Member Sharon Claydon
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mayfield West Sandgate
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mayfield West

Parks Quiet

Sandgate

Luxury Multicultural Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mayfield West

Mayfield West vs Mayfield Mayfield West vs Waratah Mayfield West vs Waratah West Mayfield West vs Warabrook

Other comparisons with Sandgate

Sandgate vs Shortland Sandgate vs Warabrook Sandgate vs Callaghan Sandgate vs Hexham
Full data on Mayfield West Full data on Sandgate
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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