Pokolbin vs Cessnock

Cessnock is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 57 in Pokolbin. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Pokolbin, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Pokolbin: a median of $1.25 million, against $700,000 in Cessnock, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Pokolbin tends to suit couples and older residents, while Cessnock suits 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

Cessnock

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (7 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (22 vs 13)
  • But Pokolbin has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 84%)

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

  • Pokolbin has cheaper land ($230,000 vs $500,000)
  • Cessnock has cheaper houses ($700,000 vs $1,250,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cessnock

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $600/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Cessnock

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (117 min vs 134 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (152.3 km vs 165.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cessnock

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 1%)
  • has more GPs (11 vs 0)
  • But Pokolbin has more residents already 65 and over (31% vs 21%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Pokolbin Cessnock
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.

Pokolbin Cessnock
Walkability 0 / 88
Pokolbin — Walkability: 0/100 Cessnock — Walkability: 88/100
Safety 10 / 11
Pokolbin — Safety: 10/100 Cessnock — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 48 / 42
Pokolbin — Low fire risk: 48/100 Cessnock — Low fire risk: 42/100

Demographics

Cessnock has more residents (16,300 vs 1,049); Pokolbin has higher household incomes ($124,540 vs $61,984).

Pokolbin Cessnock
Population 1,049 16,300
+1454% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.2% +7.4%
Median age 57 40
Median household income $124,540/yr
+50% vs other
 $61,984/yr
Median weekly rent $600/wk
+47% vs other
 $320/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Pokolbin Cessnock
0-4 2.6% / 5.7%
Pokolbin — 0-4: 2.6% Cessnock — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 8.9% / 11.4%
Pokolbin — 5-14: 8.9% Cessnock — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 3.5% / 5.4%
Pokolbin — 15-19: 3.5% Cessnock — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 3.1% / 6.3%
Pokolbin — 20-24: 3.1% Cessnock — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 5.3% / 14.3%
Pokolbin — 25-34: 5.3% Cessnock — 25-34: 14.3%
35-44 10.6% / 12.7%
Pokolbin — 35-44: 10.6% Cessnock — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 12.1% / 11.7%
Pokolbin — 45-54: 12.1% Cessnock — 45-54: 11.7%
55-64 22.8% / 11.3%
Pokolbin — 55-64: 22.8% Cessnock — 55-64: 11.3%
65-74 21.8% / 11.0%
Pokolbin — 65-74: 21.8% Cessnock — 65-74: 11.0%
75-84 8.2% / 6.6%
Pokolbin — 75-84: 8.2% Cessnock — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ 0.6% / 3.5%
Pokolbin — 85+: 0.6% Cessnock — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Pokolbin 52.2% couple families
Pokolbin — Couple Families: 52.2% Pokolbin — Lone Person: 34.8% Pokolbin — One Parent Families: 11.4% Pokolbin — Group Household: 1.6% Pokolbin — Other Families: 0.0%
Cessnock 29.0% couple families
Cessnock — Couple Families: 29.0% Cessnock — Lone Person: 39.9% Cessnock — One Parent Families: 26.0% Cessnock — Group Household: 3.6% Cessnock — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Pokolbin 11.0% renting
Pokolbin — Owned Outright: 50.3% Pokolbin — Mortgage: 38.7% Pokolbin — Renting: 11.0%
Cessnock 39.1% renting
Cessnock — Owned Outright: 32.1% Cessnock — Mortgage: 28.8% Cessnock — Renting: 39.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Pokolbin Cessnock
Certificate III & IV 12.6% / 17.4%
Pokolbin — Certificate III & IV: 12.6% Cessnock — Certificate III & IV: 17.4%
Bachelor Degree 19.2% / 4.2%
Pokolbin — Bachelor Degree: 19.2% Cessnock — Bachelor Degree: 4.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 15.0% / 4.8%
Pokolbin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 15.0% Cessnock — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.8%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 0.8%
Pokolbin — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Cessnock — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 0.7%
Pokolbin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Cessnock — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

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.

Pokolbin Cessnock
England 7.8% / 1.8%
Pokolbin — England: 7.8% Cessnock — England: 1.8%
New Zealand 2.2% / 1.1%
Pokolbin — New Zealand: 2.2% Cessnock — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa 2.6% / —
Pokolbin — South Africa: 2.6% Cessnock — South Africa: not among its largest
China 0.9% / 0.2%
Pokolbin — China: 0.9% Cessnock — China: 0.2%
Scotland 0.6% / 0.4%
Pokolbin — Scotland: 0.6% Cessnock — Scotland: 0.4%
Thailand 0.6% / 0.3%
Pokolbin — Thailand: 0.6% Cessnock — Thailand: 0.3%
Netherlands 0.8% / —
Pokolbin — Netherlands: 0.8% Cessnock — Netherlands: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.5%
Pokolbin — Philippines: not among its largest Cessnock — Philippines: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Pokolbin 99.0% houses
Pokolbin — Houses: 99.0% Pokolbin — Townhouses: 0.0% Pokolbin — Flats / Apartments: 1.0%
Cessnock 84.1% houses
Cessnock — Houses: 84.1% Cessnock — Townhouses: 13.0% Cessnock — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Pokolbin Cessnock
Median house price $1,250,000 $700,000
Median unit price — $525,000
Median land price $230,000 $500,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 146 days
from 3 sales
 22 days
from 214 sales

Zoning mix

Pokolbin has more rural and farming land (96% vs 53%).

Pokolbin Cessnock
Rural and farming 96% 53%
Residential 0% 24%
Environmental 0% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 7%
Parks and recreation 0% 6%
Industrial 0% 1%
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

Pokolbin Cessnock
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
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.

Pokolbin Cessnock
Houses — 4.1%
$600/wk on $755K
Units — 4.5%
$455/wk on $522K

Ranking within NSW

Pokolbin Cessnock
House price Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
Income Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 9% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 79% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 44% of NSW

Liveability

Cessnock is more walkable (88 vs 0); Pokolbin scores higher overall (38 vs 24).

Pokolbin Cessnock
Grade C D
Score 38/100 24/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Pokolbin Cessnock
Bushfire Moderate
52/100
 Moderate
58/100
Crime High
90/100
 High
89/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
100/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Pokolbin Cessnock
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 4
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Pokolbin

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

Schools in Cessnock

  • Cessnock East Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Cessnock West Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mount View High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Patrick's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Pokolbin Cessnock
Supermarkets 0 4
Cafes & restaurants 20 4
Parks & reserves 13 22
Childcare 0 7
GPs 0 11
Pharmacies 1 4
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 7
Fuel stations 0 4
Waterways 35 11

Mobility

Pokolbin sits further from the CBD (165.6 km vs 152.3 km).

Pokolbin Cessnock
Walkability score 0/100 88/100
Distance to Sydney 165.6 km
+8% vs other
 152.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 134 min 117 min
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 5.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 149.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2320
 0.4%
postcode 2325
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2320
 51
postcode 2325

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.

Pokolbin Cessnock
Car (driver) 38.0% / 78.6%
Pokolbin — Car (driver): 38.0% Cessnock — Car (driver): 78.6%
Worked from Home 52.0% / 12.7%
Pokolbin — Worked from Home: 52.0% Cessnock — Worked from Home: 12.7%
Walked Only 8.0% / 2.7%
Pokolbin — Walked Only: 8.0% Cessnock — Walked Only: 2.7%
Car (passenger) 2.0% / 5.1%
Pokolbin — Car (passenger): 2.0% Cessnock — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Bus — / 0.4%
Pokolbin — Bus: not among its largest Cessnock — Bus: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.6%).

Setting

Pokolbin Cessnock
Elevation 96 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 94 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 46.9 km 37.4 km

NBN connectivity

Pokolbin Cessnock
Connectivity score 56/100 65/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
1,310 premises
 37%
7,577 premises

Climate

Pokolbin Cessnock
Annual rainfall 804 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Pokolbin Cessnock
PM2.5 — 6.3 µg/m³
PM10 22.6 µg/m³ 17.5 µg/m³
NO₂ — 0.72 pphm

Council rates

Pokolbin Cessnock
Average residential rate $1,405/yr
same for both
Council Cessnock
same for both

Federal electorate

Pokolbin Cessnock
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Pokolbin Cessnock
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Pokolbin

Retirees Rural

Cessnock

Parks Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Pokolbin

Pokolbin vs Nulkaba Pokolbin vs Singleton Military Area Pokolbin vs Broke Pokolbin vs Lovedale Pokolbin vs Belford Pokolbin vs Mount View

Other comparisons with Cessnock

Cessnock vs Abermain Cessnock vs Aberdare Cessnock vs Bellbird Cessnock vs Kearsley Cessnock vs Bellbird Heights Cessnock vs Nulkaba
Full data on Pokolbin Full data on Cessnock
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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