Newcastle West vs Hamilton East

In Newcastle West, most households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Hamilton East, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Hamilton East: a median of $1.95 million, against $848,000 in Newcastle West. On these figures, Newcastle West tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone, while Hamilton East suits families with children and couples.

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

Hamilton East

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 2%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (60% vs 18%)
  • carries lower crime risk (85/100 vs 99/100)
  • But Newcastle West has more childcare (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Newcastle West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($847,500 vs $1,950,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Newcastle West has a bigger rental market to choose from (56% vs 17%)
  • Hamilton East leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 28%)

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

Newcastle West

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (98% vs 12%)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 2)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 20%)
  • But Hamilton East carries lower crime risk (85/100 vs 99/100)

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

Investors

Newcastle West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (135.1% vs 1.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Newcastle West Hamilton East
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.

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Walkability 99 / 99
Newcastle West — Walkability: 99/100 Hamilton East — Walkability: 99/100
Safety 1 / 15
Newcastle West — Safety: 1/100 Hamilton East — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Newcastle West — Low fire risk: 100/100 Hamilton East — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Newcastle West has more residents (1,453 vs 997); Hamilton East has higher household incomes ($119,444 vs $85,228).

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Population 1,453
+31% vs other
 997
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +135.1% +1.4%
Median age 42 43
Median household income $85,228/yr $119,444/yr
+40% vs other
Median weekly rent $460/wk $470/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Newcastle West Hamilton East
0-4 2.4% / 4.9%
Newcastle West — 0-4: 2.4% Hamilton East — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 3.0% / 13.1%
Newcastle West — 5-14: 3.0% Hamilton East — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 2.1% / 5.3%
Newcastle West — 15-19: 2.1% Hamilton East — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 8.9% / 6.0%
Newcastle West — 20-24: 8.9% Hamilton East — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 25.5% / 8.6%
Newcastle West — 25-34: 25.5% Hamilton East — 25-34: 8.6%
35-44 10.3% / 13.3%
Newcastle West — 35-44: 10.3% Hamilton East — 35-44: 13.3%
45-54 8.5% / 14.8%
Newcastle West — 45-54: 8.5% Hamilton East — 45-54: 14.8%
55-64 12.9% / 12.6%
Newcastle West — 55-64: 12.9% Hamilton East — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 11.6% / 11.7%
Newcastle West — 65-74: 11.6% Hamilton East — 65-74: 11.7%
75-84 9.4% / 5.8%
Newcastle West — 75-84: 9.4% Hamilton East — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 5.0% / 2.7%
Newcastle West — 85+: 5.0% Hamilton East — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Newcastle West 70.3% lone person
Newcastle West — Lone Person: 70.3% Newcastle West — Couple Families: 12.4% Newcastle West — Group Household: 10.9% Newcastle West — One Parent Families: 5.8% Newcastle West — Other Families: 0.5%
Hamilton East 31.4% lone person
Hamilton East — Lone Person: 31.4% Hamilton East — Couple Families: 50.2% Hamilton East — Group Household: 5.5% Hamilton East — One Parent Families: 10.0% Hamilton East — Other Families: 3.0%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Newcastle West 56.1% renting
Newcastle West — Owned Outright: 25.3% Newcastle West — Mortgage: 18.6% Newcastle West — Renting: 56.1%
Hamilton East 17.3% renting
Hamilton East — Owned Outright: 49.4% Hamilton East — Mortgage: 33.2% Hamilton East — Renting: 17.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Bachelor Degree 24.0% / 21.2%
Newcastle West — Bachelor Degree: 24.0% Hamilton East — Bachelor Degree: 21.2%
Certificate III & IV 13.7% / 9.6%
Newcastle West — Certificate III & IV: 13.7% Hamilton East — Certificate III & IV: 9.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.0% / 7.8%
Newcastle West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0% Hamilton East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Postgraduate Degree 8.1% / 8.8%
Newcastle West — Postgraduate Degree: 8.1% Hamilton East — Postgraduate Degree: 8.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 3.5%
Newcastle West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Hamilton East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.0%).

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.

Newcastle West Hamilton East
England 3.6% / 2.2%
Newcastle West — England: 3.6% Hamilton East — England: 2.2%
India 1.6% / 0.6%
Newcastle West — India: 1.6% Hamilton East — India: 0.6%
New Zealand 1.5% / 0.7%
Newcastle West — New Zealand: 1.5% Hamilton East — New Zealand: 0.7%
Greece — / 2.1%
Newcastle West — Greece: not among its largest Hamilton East — Greece: 2.1%
China 1.6% / 0.4%
Newcastle West — China: 1.6% Hamilton East — China: 0.4%
Vietnam 0.8% / 1.0%
Newcastle West — Vietnam: 0.8% Hamilton East — Vietnam: 1.0%
Scotland — / 0.8%
Newcastle West — Scotland: not among its largest Hamilton East — Scotland: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Newcastle West 96.9% flats / apartments
Newcastle West — Flats / Apartments: 96.9% Newcastle West — Houses: 1.7% Newcastle West — Townhouses: 1.4%
Hamilton East 5.7% flats / apartments
Hamilton East — Flats / Apartments: 5.7% Hamilton East — Houses: 87.7% Hamilton East — Townhouses: 6.6%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Median house price $847,500 $1,950,000
Median unit price $870,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 64 days
from 8 sales

Zoning mix

Newcastle West has more commercially zoned land (18% vs 0%).

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Residential 41% 93%
Parks and recreation 30% 1%
Commercial 18% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 6%
Planning zones cover 99% of Newcastle West and 100% of Hamilton East. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Newcastle West Hamilton East
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.

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Houses —
same for both
Units 4.3%
$778/wk on $938K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Newcastle West Hamilton East
House price Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Income Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 100% of NSW
same for both
Affordability Higher than 14% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 38% of NSW —

Liveability

Hamilton East scores higher overall (69 vs 61).

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Grade B
same for both
Score 61/100 69/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Newcastle West carries more crime risk (99 vs 85).

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
99/100
 High
85/100
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 15
within 5 km
 17
within 5 km

Schools

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle City), 1.7 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle City), 2.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.6% 2.9%

Schools in Newcastle West

  • Novoschool Independent · Secondary at peers
  • Newcastle High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Hamilton East

  • St Francis Xavier's College Catholic · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 15 0
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 3 0
GPs 5 2
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 1 0

Mobility

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Walkability score 99/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 159.1 km 159.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 122 min 123 min
Public transport score 82/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 66/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 253.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 21.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 2302
 1.5%
postcode 2303
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 3
postcode 2302
 30
postcode 2303

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.

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Car (driver) 47.6% / 46.8%
Newcastle West — Car (driver): 47.6% Hamilton East — Car (driver): 46.8%
Worked from Home 35.1% / 42.6%
Newcastle West — Worked from Home: 35.1% Hamilton East — Worked from Home: 42.6%
Walked Only 9.0% / 6.2%
Newcastle West — Walked Only: 9.0% Hamilton East — Walked Only: 6.2%
Car (passenger) 2.0% / 3.2%
Newcastle West — Car (passenger): 2.0% Hamilton East — Car (passenger): 3.2%
Bus 3.2% / —
Newcastle West — Bus: 3.2% Hamilton East — Bus: not among its largest
Bicycle 1.1% / 1.2%
Newcastle West — Bicycle: 1.1% Hamilton East — Bicycle: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (47.6%).

Setting

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Elevation 10 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.4 km
1.6 km to a named beach
 1.9 km
2.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Connectivity score 70/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
1,880 premises
 19%
461 premises

Climate

Newcastle West Hamilton East
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)

Newcastle West Hamilton East
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 21.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Average residential rate $1,783/yr
same for both
Council Newcastle
same for both

Federal electorate

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Division Newcastle
same for both
Member Sharon Claydon
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Newcastle West Hamilton East
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Newcastle West

Apartments Coastal Parks Professionals Retirees River Transport Hub

Hamilton East

Coastal Nightlife Parks Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Newcastle West

Newcastle West vs Hamilton Newcastle West vs Hamilton South Newcastle West vs Newcastle Newcastle West vs Cooks Hill Newcastle West vs Wickham

Other comparisons with Hamilton East

Hamilton East vs Hamilton Hamilton East vs Hamilton South
Full data on Newcastle West Full data on Hamilton East
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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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