Sandgate vs Warabrook

Warabrook is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 69 in Sandgate. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Sandgate, about half of households rent and most households are people living alone. In Warabrook, most households own their home. Houses cost more in Sandgate: a median of $4.3 million, against $988,000 in Warabrook, though rent is higher in Warabrook. On these figures, Sandgate tends to suit renters, people living alone, and older residents, while Warabrook 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

Warabrook

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (54% vs 32%)
  • carries lower crime risk (70/100 vs 99/100)

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

First-home buyers

Warabrook

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($987,500 vs $4,300,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 57%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sandgate

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (47% vs 34%)
  • has cheaper rent ($288/wk vs $375/wk)
  • But Warabrook leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 42%)

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

Commuting to the city

Sandgate

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (117 min vs 122 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (157.3 km vs 159.9 km)
  • But Warabrook is more walkable (76/100 vs 42/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Warabrook

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (76/100 vs 42/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (70/100 vs 99/100)
  • But Sandgate has more residents already 65 and over (54% vs 26%)

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

Investors

Warabrook

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (0.5% vs -9.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sandgate Warabrook
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.

Sandgate Warabrook
Walkability 42 / 76
Sandgate — Walkability: 42/100 Warabrook — Walkability: 76/100
Safety 1 / 30
Sandgate — Safety: 1/100 Warabrook — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 37 / 100
Sandgate — Low fire risk: 37/100 Warabrook — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Warabrook has more residents (1,982 vs 276); Warabrook has higher household incomes ($84,968 vs $35,724).

Sandgate Warabrook
Population 276 1,982
+618% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -9.5% +0.5%
Median age 69 45
Median household income $35,724/yr $84,968/yr
+138% vs other
Median weekly rent $288/wk $375/wk
+30% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sandgate Warabrook
0-4 5.4% / 4.0%
Sandgate — 0-4: 5.4% Warabrook — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 4.3% / 10.0%
Sandgate — 5-14: 4.3% Warabrook — 5-14: 10.0%
15-19 1.4% / 5.0%
Sandgate — 15-19: 1.4% Warabrook — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 1.8% / 6.2%
Sandgate — 20-24: 1.8% Warabrook — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 9.8% / 13.4%
Sandgate — 25-34: 9.8% Warabrook — 25-34: 13.4%
35-44 8.3% / 10.2%
Sandgate — 35-44: 8.3% Warabrook — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 7.2% / 11.6%
Sandgate — 45-54: 7.2% Warabrook — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 6.9% / 13.1%
Sandgate — 55-64: 6.9% Warabrook — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 11.2% / 12.6%
Sandgate — 65-74: 11.2% Warabrook — 65-74: 12.6%
75-84 14.1% / 7.1%
Sandgate — 75-84: 14.1% Warabrook — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 28.3% / 6.2%
Sandgate — 85+: 28.3% Warabrook — 85+: 6.2%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Warabrook 36.7% lone person
Warabrook — Lone Person: 36.7% Warabrook — Couple Families: 37.0% Warabrook — One Parent Families: 16.9% Warabrook — Group Household: 6.7% Warabrook — Other Families: 2.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sandgate 46.7% renting
Sandgate — Owned Outright: 26.7% Sandgate — Mortgage: 26.7% Sandgate — Renting: 46.7%
Warabrook 34.2% renting
Warabrook — Owned Outright: 38.2% Warabrook — Mortgage: 27.6% Warabrook — Renting: 34.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sandgate Warabrook
Certificate III & IV 7.2% / 13.1%
Sandgate — Certificate III & IV: 7.2% Warabrook — Certificate III & IV: 13.1%
Bachelor Degree 3.6% / 13.1%
Sandgate — Bachelor Degree: 3.6% Warabrook — Bachelor Degree: 13.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.0% / 8.1%
Sandgate — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0% Warabrook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 5.7%
Sandgate — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Warabrook — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.2%
Sandgate — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Warabrook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.1%).

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.

Sandgate Warabrook
China — / 3.3%
Sandgate — China: not among its largest Warabrook — China: 3.3%
England 1.1% / 1.5%
Sandgate — England: 1.1% Warabrook — England: 1.5%
Ireland 1.8% / —
Sandgate — Ireland: 1.8% Warabrook — Ireland: not among its largest
Vietnam — / 1.5%
Sandgate — Vietnam: not among its largest Warabrook — Vietnam: 1.5%
Philippines — / 1.4%
Sandgate — Philippines: not among its largest Warabrook — Philippines: 1.4%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Sandgate — New Zealand: not among its largest Warabrook — New Zealand: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sandgate 65.3% houses
Sandgate — Houses: 65.3% Sandgate — Townhouses: 21.3% Sandgate — Flats / Apartments: 13.3%
Warabrook 69.9% houses
Warabrook — Houses: 69.9% Warabrook — Townhouses: 26.7% Warabrook — Flats / Apartments: 3.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sandgate Warabrook
Median house price $4,300,000 $987,500
Median unit price — $765,000
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Sandgate has more industrially zoned land (42% vs 16%).

Sandgate Warabrook
Industrial 42% 16%
Residential 0% 41%
Infrastructure and transport 33% 6%
Environmental 23% 28%
Parks and recreation 2% 7%
Commercial 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

Sandgate Warabrook
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.

Sandgate Warabrook
Houses — 3.8%
$645/wk on $876K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Sandgate Warabrook
House price Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Income Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 1% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 65% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 64% of NSW

Liveability

Warabrook is more walkable (76 vs 42).

Sandgate Warabrook
Grade — B
Score — 56/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Sandgate carries more bushfire risk (63 vs 0); Sandgate carries more crime risk (99 vs 70).

Sandgate Warabrook
Bushfire Moderate
63/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
99/100
 High
70/100
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 7
within 5 km
 15
within 5 km

Schools

Sandgate Warabrook
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
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 2.8 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 1.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.1% 2.7%

Amenities in the suburb

Sandgate Warabrook
Supermarkets 0 1
Childcare 2
same for both
GPs 0 2
Fuel stations 1 0

Mobility

Warabrook sits further from the CBD (159.9 km vs 157.3 km).

Sandgate Warabrook
Walkability score 42/100 76/100
Distance to Sydney 157.3 km 159.9 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 122 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 80/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 33.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 45.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
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.

Sandgate Warabrook
Car (driver) 100.0% / 67.5%
Sandgate — Car (driver): 100.0% Warabrook — Car (driver): 67.5%
Worked from Home — / 24.2%
Sandgate — Worked from Home: not among its largest Warabrook — Worked from Home: 24.2%
Car (passenger) — / 3.8%
Sandgate — Car (passenger): not among its largest Warabrook — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only — / 2.2%
Sandgate — Walked Only: not among its largest Warabrook — Walked Only: 2.2%
Train — / 1.5%
Sandgate — Train: not among its largest Warabrook — Train: 1.5%

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

Setting

Sandgate Warabrook
Elevation 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.6 km 4.2 km

NBN connectivity

Sandgate Warabrook
Connectivity score 82/100 95/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 74%
283 premises
 85%
1,044 premises

Climate

Sandgate Warabrook
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)

Sandgate Warabrook
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

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Sandgate

Luxury Multicultural Retirees Townhouses

Warabrook

Parks Quiet Retirees Townhouses Trains Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sandgate

Sandgate vs Shortland Sandgate vs Mayfield West Sandgate vs Callaghan Sandgate vs Hexham

Other comparisons with Warabrook

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