Muscle Creek vs Muswellbrook

Muswellbrook is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Muscle Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Muscle Creek, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Muscle Creek: a median of $928,000, against $605,000 in Muswellbrook, though rent is higher in Muswellbrook. On these figures, Muscle Creek tends to suit couples, while Muswellbrook suits people living alone 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Muscle Creek carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 90/100)
  • Muswellbrook has more parks and reserves (20 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Muscle Creek has cheaper land ($270,000 vs $660,000)
  • Muswellbrook has cheaper houses ($605,000 vs $927,500)

Weighs house prices, land 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 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($243/wk vs $310/wk)
  • But Muswellbrook has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 7%)

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

Commuting to the city

Muswellbrook

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (172 min vs 181 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (243.3 km vs 252.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Muswellbrook

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (14% vs 8%)
  • But Muscle Creek carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 90/100)

Weighs 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

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

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
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.

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Walkability 0 / 0
Muscle Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Muswellbrook — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 86 / 10
Muscle Creek — Safety: 86/100 Muswellbrook — Safety: 10/100
Low fire risk 69 / 63
Muscle Creek — Low fire risk: 69/100 Muswellbrook — Low fire risk: 63/100

Demographics

Muswellbrook has more residents (12,272 vs 313); Muscle Creek has higher household incomes ($160,316 vs $83,356).

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Population 313 12,272
+3821% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.6% +1.6%
Median age 38 35
Median household income $160,316/yr
+48% vs other
 $83,356/yr
Median weekly rent $243/wk $310/wk
+28% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
0-4 3.5% / 6.7%
Muscle Creek — 0-4: 3.5% Muswellbrook — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 18.5% / 15.3%
Muscle Creek — 5-14: 18.5% Muswellbrook — 5-14: 15.3%
15-19 8.3% / 6.3%
Muscle Creek — 15-19: 8.3% Muswellbrook — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 4.5% / 5.7%
Muscle Creek — 20-24: 4.5% Muswellbrook — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 8.9% / 15.2%
Muscle Creek — 25-34: 8.9% Muswellbrook — 25-34: 15.2%
35-44 17.3% / 13.1%
Muscle Creek — 35-44: 17.3% Muswellbrook — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 19.5% / 12.5%
Muscle Creek — 45-54: 19.5% Muswellbrook — 45-54: 12.5%
55-64 14.1% / 11.4%
Muscle Creek — 55-64: 14.1% Muswellbrook — 55-64: 11.4%
65-74 6.1% / 8.4%
Muscle Creek — 65-74: 6.1% Muswellbrook — 65-74: 8.4%
75-84 1.9% / 4.2%
Muscle Creek — 75-84: 1.9% Muswellbrook — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ — / 1.5%
Muscle Creek — 85+: not among its largest Muswellbrook — 85+: 1.5%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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% Muscle Creek — Group Household: 0.0%
Muswellbrook 36.7% couple families
Muswellbrook — Couple Families: 36.7% Muswellbrook — Lone Person: 39.0% Muswellbrook — One Parent Families: 19.2% Muswellbrook — Other Families: 1.2% Muswellbrook — Group Household: 3.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Muscle Creek 7.1% renting
Muscle Creek — Owned Outright: 26.5% Muscle Creek — Mortgage: 66.3% Muscle Creek — Renting: 7.1%
Muswellbrook 39.1% renting
Muswellbrook — Owned Outright: 27.1% Muswellbrook — Mortgage: 33.8% Muswellbrook — Renting: 39.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Certificate III & IV 22.4% / 19.8%
Muscle Creek — Certificate III & IV: 22.4% Muswellbrook — Certificate III & IV: 19.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 4.9%
Muscle Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Muswellbrook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Bachelor Degree 5.8% / 4.9%
Muscle Creek — Bachelor Degree: 5.8% Muswellbrook — Bachelor Degree: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 0.8%
Muscle Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Muswellbrook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 1.0%
Muscle Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Muswellbrook — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

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.

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Philippines 1.6% / 0.9%
Muscle Creek — Philippines: 1.6% Muswellbrook — Philippines: 0.9%
England 1.0% / 1.0%
Muscle Creek — England: 1.0% Muswellbrook — England: 1.0%
New Zealand — / 1.5%
Muscle Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest Muswellbrook — New Zealand: 1.5%
Netherlands 1.0% / —
Muscle Creek — Netherlands: 1.0% Muswellbrook — Netherlands: not among its largest
India — / 0.8%
Muscle Creek — India: not among its largest Muswellbrook — India: 0.8%
China — / 0.4%
Muscle Creek — China: not among its largest Muswellbrook — China: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Muscle Creek 101.0% houses
Muscle Creek — Houses: 101.0% Muscle Creek — Townhouses: 0.0% Muscle Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Muswellbrook 87.1% houses
Muswellbrook — Houses: 87.1% Muswellbrook — Townhouses: 11.4% Muswellbrook — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Median house price $927,500 $605,000
Median unit price — $383,000
Median land price $270,000 $660,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 34 days
from 132 sales

Zoning mix

Muscle Creek has more rural and farming land (75% vs 51%).

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Rural and farming 75% 51%
Environmental 23% 20%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 21%
Residential 2% 5%
Parks and recreation 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

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

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Houses — 4.6%
$580/wk on $660K
Units — 4.7%
$380/wk on $420K

Ranking within NSW

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
House price Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 19% of NSW
Income Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 25% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 16% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 53% of NSW

Liveability

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Grade — D
Score — 15/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Muswellbrook carries more crime risk (90 vs 14).

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Bushfire Low
31/100
 Low
37/100
Crime Low
14/100
 High
90/100
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

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Inside the suburb 0 7
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 5
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Muscle Creek

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

Schools in Muswellbrook

  • Muswellbrook High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Muswellbrook Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Pacific Brook Christian School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Richard Gill School Independent · Primary at peers
  • St James' Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Muswellbrook South Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Supermarkets 0 4
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 20
Childcare 0 8
GPs 0 3
Pharmacies 0 3
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 7
Fuel stations 0 6
Waterways 12 105

Mobility

Muscle Creek sits further from the CBD (252.9 km vs 243.3 km).

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 252.9 km
+4% vs other
 243.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 181 min 172 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.

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Car (driver) 82.6% / 81.2%
Muscle Creek — Car (driver): 82.6% Muswellbrook — Car (driver): 81.2%
Worked from Home 13.5% / 9.3%
Muscle Creek — Worked from Home: 13.5% Muswellbrook — Worked from Home: 9.3%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 6.0%
Muscle Creek — Car (passenger): 3.9% Muswellbrook — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Walked Only — / 3.0%
Muscle Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest Muswellbrook — Walked Only: 3.0%
Bicycle — / 0.2%
Muscle Creek — Bicycle: not among its largest Muswellbrook — Bicycle: 0.2%

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

Setting

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Elevation 291 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 205 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
Connectivity score 77/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 69%
100 premises
 51%
6,664 premises

Climate

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
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)

Muscle Creek Muswellbrook
PM2.5 6.7 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.62 pphm
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Muscle Creek

Family Rural

Muswellbrook

Acreage Affordable Family

More comparisons

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Full data on Muscle Creek Full data on Muswellbrook
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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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