Mccullys Gap vs Muscle Creek

Muscle Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 41 in McCullys Gap. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Muscle Creek tends to suit 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Muscle Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (8% vs 13%)
  • has cheaper rent ($243/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Muscle Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (181 min vs 190 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (252.9 km vs 264.3 km)
  • But McCullys Gap is more walkable (16/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

McCullys Gap

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (16/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (14% vs 8%)

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

Investors

McCullys Gap

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (6.1% vs -0.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
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.

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Walkability 16 / 0
Mccullys Gap — Walkability: 16/100 Muscle Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 87 / 86
Mccullys Gap — Safety: 87/100 Muscle Creek — Safety: 86/100
Low fire risk 70 / 69
Mccullys Gap — Low fire risk: 70/100 Muscle Creek — Low fire risk: 69/100

Demographics

Muscle Creek has higher household incomes ($160,316 vs $119,548); McCullys Gap rents higher ($300/wk vs $243/wk).

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Population 262 313
+19% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.1% -0.6%
Median age 41 38
Median household income $119,548/yr $160,316/yr
+34% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+19% vs other
 $243/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
0-4 5.0% / 3.5%
Mccullys Gap — 0-4: 5.0% Muscle Creek — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 13.0% / 18.5%
Mccullys Gap — 5-14: 13.0% Muscle Creek — 5-14: 18.5%
15-19 7.6% / 8.3%
Mccullys Gap — 15-19: 7.6% Muscle Creek — 15-19: 8.3%
20-24 3.4% / 4.5%
Mccullys Gap — 20-24: 3.4% Muscle Creek — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 8.4% / 8.9%
Mccullys Gap — 25-34: 8.4% Muscle Creek — 25-34: 8.9%
35-44 14.9% / 17.3%
Mccullys Gap — 35-44: 14.9% Muscle Creek — 35-44: 17.3%
45-54 14.9% / 19.5%
Mccullys Gap — 45-54: 14.9% Muscle Creek — 45-54: 19.5%
55-64 13.7% / 14.1%
Mccullys Gap — 55-64: 13.7% Muscle Creek — 55-64: 14.1%
65-74 8.0% / 6.1%
Mccullys Gap — 65-74: 8.0% Muscle Creek — 65-74: 6.1%
75-84 4.6% / 1.9%
Mccullys Gap — 75-84: 4.6% Muscle Creek — 75-84: 1.9%
85+ 1.5% / —
Mccullys Gap — 85+: 1.5% Muscle Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mccullys Gap 72.3% couple families
Mccullys Gap — Couple Families: 72.3% Mccullys Gap — Lone Person: 14.9% Mccullys Gap — One Parent Families: 6.4% Mccullys Gap — Other Families: 6.4%
Muscle Creek 70.4% couple families
Muscle Creek — Couple Families: 70.4% Muscle Creek — Lone Person: 14.1% Muscle Creek — One Parent Families: 11.3% Muscle Creek — Other Families: 4.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mccullys Gap 13.9% renting
Mccullys Gap — Owned Outright: 38.0% Mccullys Gap — Mortgage: 48.1% Mccullys Gap — Renting: 13.9%
Muscle Creek 7.1% renting
Muscle Creek — Owned Outright: 26.5% Muscle Creek — Mortgage: 66.3% Muscle Creek — Renting: 7.1%
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.

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
England 1.5% / 1.0%
Mccullys Gap — England: 1.5% Muscle Creek — England: 1.0%
South Africa 2.3% / —
Mccullys Gap — South Africa: 2.3% Muscle Creek — South Africa: not among its largest
Philippines — / 1.6%
Mccullys Gap — Philippines: not among its largest Muscle Creek — Philippines: 1.6%
Netherlands — / 1.0%
Mccullys Gap — Netherlands: not among its largest Muscle Creek — Netherlands: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.3%).

Qualifications

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

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Certificate III & IV 26.3% / 22.4%
Mccullys Gap — Certificate III & IV: 26.3% Muscle Creek — Certificate III & IV: 22.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.5% / 7.3%
Mccullys Gap — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5% Muscle Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Bachelor Degree 3.1% / 5.8%
Mccullys Gap — Bachelor Degree: 3.1% Muscle Creek — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 1.3%
Mccullys Gap — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Muscle Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%
Postgraduate Degree — / 1.0%
Mccullys Gap — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Muscle Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mccullys Gap 97.8% houses
Mccullys Gap — Houses: 97.8% Mccullys Gap — Flats / Apartments: 2.2%
Muscle Creek 101.0% houses
Muscle Creek — Houses: 101.0% Muscle Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Median house price $950,000 $927,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $270,000

Zoning mix

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Rural and farming 77% 75%
Environmental 23%
same for both
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

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
New dwellings approved 71
across Muswellbrook
same for both
Approvals change year on year +13%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
House price Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 45% of NSW
Income Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 16% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 25% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW

Liveability

McCullys Gap is more walkable (16 vs 0).

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Bushfire Low
30/100
 Low
31/100
Crime Low
13/100
 Low
14/100
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
same for both

Schools

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
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

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Waterways 14 12

Mobility

McCullys Gap sits further from the CBD (264.3 km vs 252.9 km).

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Walkability score 16/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 264.3 km
+4% vs other
 252.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 190 min 181 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2333
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 42
postcode 2333
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.

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Car (driver) 76.7% / 82.6%
Mccullys Gap — Car (driver): 76.7% Muscle Creek — Car (driver): 82.6%
Worked from Home 15.0% / 13.5%
Mccullys Gap — Worked from Home: 15.0% Muscle Creek — Worked from Home: 13.5%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / 3.9%
Mccullys Gap — Car (passenger): 2.5% Muscle Creek — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Walked Only 5.8% / —
Mccullys Gap — Walked Only: 5.8% Muscle Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.6%).

Setting

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Elevation 215 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 291 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Connectivity score 16/100 77/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
66 premises
 69%
100 premises

Climate

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Annual rainfall 631 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
PM2.5 — 6.7 µg/m³
PM10 14.9 µg/m³ 20.2 µg/m³
NO₂ — 0.62 pphm

Council rates

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Average residential rate $936/yr
same for both
Council Muswellbrook
same for both

Federal electorate

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mccullys Gap Muscle Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mccullys Gap

River Rural

Muscle Creek

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mccullys Gap

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Other comparisons with Muscle Creek

Muscle Creek vs Muswellbrook Muscle Creek vs Hebden
Full data on Mccullys Gap Full data on Muscle Creek
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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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